Showa X Vampire
by Kamen Rider Chrome
Summary: When an amnesiac wakes up in Youkai Academy, nothing will ever be the same again. As he tries to live in the present and look forward to the future, the ghosts of his past return to haunt him. Who is he and what does his XIII scar mean? His name is Shinichi and he is...Kamen Rider Showa. Let's Ride! (CANCELLED! REWRITE IN PROCESS)
1. First Term: A New Legend Begins

**This is a new project born from the minds of Tailsmo4ever and yours truly, Kamen Rider Chrome. We take one of my OC's and put him into an entirely new scenario. How will he cope? What challenges will he face? Well, stay tune to this new series dubbed…Showa + Vampire**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 1: A New Legend Begins<strong>

A soft moan was heard as a pair of eyes slowly opened and a body sat up. He had an annoying headache and tried to ease it out by rubbing his temples. It didn't do much good, but the pain was halfway gone. Good enough. Sitting up, he found himself in an area that looked to be desolate and barren. The only kind of vegetation around was the scraggly trees and some moss that grew on them. The sky was murky and foreboding, offering no comfort. The most terrifying thing in the scenery was the almost obscene amount of tombstones that were littering the grounds.

"Where am I?" the young man muttered to himself. Looking down, he found himself in a green jacket over a white shirt with a red tie. His pants were brown and he had a pair of sneakers on. Next to him was a backpack. He looked at the school crest on his jacket's breast pocket. "Youkai Academy…? Is that some kind of school?" he asked himself. "Maybe I could get some answers there. If it's a school that I have to go to, then so be it." He picked up his backpack and began walking to what he believed was the direction of the school. He was lying in that direction, so that may be it.

Walking through the landscape, the boy was beginning to feel very queasy. The place gave off an aura of fear and he didn't like it at all. He was starting to wonder if where he was going was really a school and not some kind of haunted mansion, or a graveyard. There were way too many tombstones for his taste. He was wondering how many people could be buried here.

"Look out!" a voice from behind him shouted.

"What?" he uttered in surprised. He turned around to the voice, only to see a bicycle getting into his face at ramming speed.

**CRASH!**

"Ouch," he was flat on his back again and his headache came back with a vengeance. And now there was some kind of weight on top of him too.

"Itai," a female voice moaned. Arching his head up, he found a girl lying on top of him. Shaking her head a bit, she got up on her knees and faced him. "I'm sorry, I must have fainted again." The young boy couldn't help but blush. The girl was so cute! She had waist-length pink hair, emerald green eyes, and a very pretty face. She had on a leather choker that had a silver cross hanging from it and beads connecting from the chain to the choker. She had a nice figure and was wearing the female version of the uniform he was wearing. Right now, he felt pretty plain, what with his short indigo hair that had the two strands on the top that stuck like bug antennae and matching eyes. What he didn't know was that there was a scar above his left eyebrow but it was hidden by his bangs. Oddly, it was shaped like the Roman numeral 'XIII' which stood for 13.

"It's fine," he blushed as he looked away to hide his blush. That was when the girl noticed a cut on his cheek.

"Oh my! You're bleeding!" the girl gasped as she reached into her pocket and grabbed a napkin.

"It's nothing. Really," the boy insisted.

"No it isn't," the girl frowned as she dabbed the cut. Once it was all cleaned, she brought her hand back before she suddenly stiffened with her eyes glazing over.

"Is something wrong?" the boy asked as he noticed.

"Wh... what's this?" she murmured as she brought the napkin to her face. To his shock, the girl licked the blood right off the napkin. "It's so good."

"Huh?" he blinked. The girl suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed herself against him. "What the hell?"

"I'm sorry," the girl sighed, her tongue running over what appeared to be sharp fangs, "But you see... I'm a vampire." And in a heartbeat she lunged forward and sank her fangs into his neck.

CHUU~!

"Hey!" he gasped as he jerked up. Surprisingly, the bite didn't hurt too much. It was only a moment later before the girl backed up, looking embarrassed. "What was that for?" he asked as he rubbed his neck.

"I'm sorry!" the girl blushed. "But your blood just smelled so nice and I got hungry!"

"Hungry?" the boy blinked. Was she really a vampire?

"Don't you... like vampires?" the girl asked shyly as she pressed her fingers together.

"Well, since I've never met a vampire before you, I can't answer that question," the boy answered truthfully. "But... I never met a vampire as beautiful as you before."

"Oh..." the girl blushed brighter than before. He thought it was so adorable. Then she blinked as she remembered her manners. "Ah! How rude of me! I forgot to introduce myself," the girl said as she stood up. "I am Moka Akashiya. What's your name?"

"My name...?" the boy said softly as he looked down. "I don't... remember."

"You don't remember your name?" Moka said with her eyebrows raised up.

The boy frowned as he tried to recall. Then something came into his head and he checks his pockets. He found what appeared to be a Student ID card with his name on it. "Shinichi Sanban," he read. He wasn't sure if it was really his name, but at least he had something to call himself now.

"Okay, Shinichi-kun," Moka smiled. "It's nice to meet you."

"So, uh, is there a school nearby?" Shinichi asked as he stood and motioned to the dead area.

"Oh, so you're new here too?" Moka asked. "Wonderful! So am I! Want to be friends? I don't know anyone else here."

"I... well..." Shinichi stuttered. It seemed like things were happening so fast. A pretty girl was already giving him a hand in friendship. "We can be friends."

"Really?" Moka gasped as her eyes sparkled. "Thank you, Shinichi-kun!" she squealed in delight as she hugged him. Shinichi could only blush as he returned the hug. Things might not turn out so bad after all.

* * *

><p>Moka had to go on ahead and park her bike, but promised that she would meet up with him soon. After the welcoming ceremony, he found his class pretty quickly. His homeroom teacher was a sight to see. She was a very pretty woman with short strawberry blonde hair, a spaghetti strap top and a short skirt. She sported a pair of cute glasses on her face and parts of her hair looked like cat ears. What really got his attention was the tail that was swinging behind her.<p>

"Welcome, everyone, to Youkai Academy!" she cheered, bringing equal cheers from the students on the classroom. "I'll be your homeroom teacher, Shizuka Nekonome!"

Shinichi couldn't help but cheer along with the students. His teacher sure knew how to brighten the mood. The people here didn't seem all that bad. He could get used to this.

"Now, as I'm sure you're all aware," Nekonome-sensei continued, drawing a pointer. "This school is a school for monsters!"

...

...

...

**WHAT!-?**

This was a school for monsters? This had to be some kind of joke! Because if it wasn't, why was he here in the first place? A school for monsters? Shinichi guessed that the name of the school "Youkai Academy" should have been a big enough clue.

"So, like it or not, humans run the world!" Nekonome-sensei continued. "We monsters have to learn to coexist with them. That is the mission of this school! To coexist peacefully with the humans! Which brings us to rule number one: always remain in human form! You must never expose your true self to anyone! Doing so will bring about strict disciplinary action!"

Coexist peacefully with humans? Maybe it wasn't so bad after all.

"But sensei," another kid growled. He had long brown hair that reached his neck and some piercings on his face. "Can't we just eat the humans? I could start with the cute girls."

Shinichi frowned as he glanced at the delinquent. He could guess that this one was one of the flesh eaters. Oddly enough, he wasn't all that afraid, just downright upset. He had a feeling that he'd experienced things far worse.

"You can't do that!" Nekonome-sensei smiled as if one of her students hadn't just said something about eating people. "All the faculty members and fellow students are monsters just like you. This school exists behind a special barrier so no humans have ever seen it. Well, seen it and lived."

Shinichi did NOT like the sound of that.

"I'm sorry!" a voice said as the door slid opened. "I got lost in the halls after the welcoming ceremony…and…sorry I'm late!"

"Ara, that's alright," Nekonome-sensei smiled at the student. "Just take whatever empty seat you find."

Shinichi looked to see who had come in and his eyes widened. It was the super cute vampire that he'd met this morning! Suddenly all the boys stood up from their seats, save for Shinichi, gaping as they saw the beautiful Moka trying to find her seat.

"So kawaii..."

"That hair..."

"I want to embrace her!"

"No way that's a disguise," one of the boys drooled. "She's just too…"

"BEAUTIFUL!" the collected boys roared.

_'If this is how all the monster boys react to a beautiful girl, then I'm glad I'm human_," Shinichi thought to himself. Despite having amnesia, he was pretty sure he was human. Clearing his throat, he decided to greet her. "Hey, Moka-chan, I didn't expect that you'd be in the same class with me."

"Hm?" Moka blinked as she turned to see who addressed her. "Shinichi-kun? It's you!" She cheered as she jumped forward and trapped him in a tight embrace. Shinichi couldn't help but smile at the way she greeted her first friend here, although the other boys in class weren't amused.

"Huh? Who is that guy?"

"How does he get a hug from her?"

"That little bastard!"

"JESUS!"

The delinquent was also giving Moka a lecherous look as he snaked his tongue out lightly. He had just found something new to play with.

* * *

><p>Once homeroom class ended, Moka immediately wanted to explore Youkai Academy. Not having much else to do, Shinichi was joining her for the ride. Actually, the poor amnesiac boy was getting dragged around by the excitable vampire, not that he minded.<p>

"Wow!" Moka gasped as she took in one of the main hallways of the school. "This place is so clean! Neat!"

"Yeah, the janitors here must be really good," Shinichi whistled.

As the two freshmen were walking through the school, Shinichi noticed that the students around them stopping to stare at them. Well, stare at Moka that is. He also noticed that Moka's beauty didn't just attract male attention. Wherever they went, jaws dropped at the sight of the pretty vampire, not that she seemed to notice. Moka herself just thought that she was plain and uninteresting.

"Wow, what a cutie!"

"What a babe!"

"She must be mine!"

"Oi! Who does that guy think he is getting so close to her?"

"Who cares? If he gets in my way, he's dinner!"

Shinichi gave off a sigh as he heard all the whispers around them. His hearing was very sharp it seemed. He decided that it was best not to cause any problems just because of someone who he was friends with.

"Is something wrong, Shinichi-kun?" Moka asked when she heard him sigh.

"Oh, it's nothing," Shinichi answered with a smile. "It just seems like you're becoming very popular around here."

"Oh," Moka blushed as she looked down. "I'm not that pretty."

"Well, many of the boys here would disagree with you on that. Myself included," Shinichi smiled. This made her blush harder.

Shinichi and Moka soon stopped at a vending machine for some drinks. Shinichi got himself a soda while Moka got herself a can of tomato juice. She told him that, aside from blood, that she loved tomato juice.

"So, how do you like Youkai Academy so far?" Moka asked.

"Looks pretty colorful so far," Shinichi answered.

"Oh, that's nice," Moka said.

"Aside from the scenery, and some of the students here, this is a descent place to study. Want to see what the dorms look like?"

"Okay!" Moka smiled.

As they were throwing their cans into the recycle bin, a taller student came around the corner and leaned on the wall behind Moka. "Hey, babe," the boy said as he leaned against the wall with his arms crossed and looking at Moka. "Moka Akashiya, right? Man, looks like I'm not the only one who thinks you're cute."

"Thank you," Moka nodded. "Um…Who are you?"

"Ah, the name's Saizou," the boy introduced with a grin. "I'm one of your classmates."

"Oh…um," Moka nodded. "Good to meet you…I suppose."

"I'm sure. By the way," Saizou grinned before he reached out and suddenly grabbed Shinichi by the lapel of his jacket. Moka gasped in shock while Shinichi struggled with the other teen's strength. "Why is a girl like you hanging out with a complete wimp like this?"

Before Moka could try and ask Saizou to let her friend go a foot suddenly slammed into the taller teen, sending him flying backwards and forcing him to release Shinichi. Moka gasped at the display as Shinichi flipped in midair before landing on his feet and slowly standing straight up.

Saizou got to his feet and glared at Shinichi. "You little worm..." he growled. But then he stopped as he looked into Shinichi's eyes. They were... empty. Like a void, lacking of feelings and emotions. He felt like he was looking into an endless pit. Red eyes were one thing, as they were one of the marks of an S-Class monster, but these eyes... they were so cold, so dark. What kind of monster had eyes like that?

Moka immediately got between Shinichi and Saizou. "I'm sorry, but we're in a hurry! Bye!" She grabbed Shinichi's arm and dragged her friend away quickly to safety.

Finally coming to a stop in a smaller hall where they were alone, Moka released Shinichi's hand and leaned on a wall and took deep breaths. As she did the color in Shinichi's eyes returned. Blinking, he looked around the sudden change in his surroundings. Wasn't he being held captive by that Saizou guy just before?

"Whew!" Moka sighed in relief. "That was amazing. Shinichi-kun! I would never have thought you would be so strong!"

"Uh... huh?" Shinichi blinked. "What did I do?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Moka blinked in confusion. "You got Saizou to back off with just one kick!"

"I... I did?" Shinichi asked.

"Hmm," Moka frowned thoughtfully as she placed a hand on her chin. "It must have been an instinctive defense then. Some Youkai have that." Then she smiled brightly, "But whatever happened back there, you saved me! Thank you!"

"Well, you if you say so," Shinichi shrugged with a smile.

Moka made a musical giggle, which only made Shinichi smile brighter. She was just so cute. "I'm so glad I met you, Shinichi-kun. I'm not so good at making friends, and..." She had on a shy blush as she averted her gaze.

"And?" Shinichi repeated.

"I'm really happy that I got to suck your blood!" Moka smiled with a flush on your face. "You should be proud since your blood is just awesome! The texture, the aroma, the vitality, and there's even something in it I've never tasted before! Delicious!"

"What I'm I, a juice box?" Shinichi retorted with a deadpan look. Though there seemed to be some humor in his voice.

Moka giggled again. Taking part in the laughter, Shinichi and his new friend headed for the exit. They still had to deal with some gawkers who fell for Moka on the spot and started cursing Shinichi for his luck to hang out with such a hot girl.

"By the way, Shinichi-kun," began Moka. "What kind of monster are you?"

"Isn't that against the rules?" he reminded.

"Oh, I forgot! But you already know I'm a vampire so I thought it'd be alright," she said.

"Well honestly, you don't look like a vampire," Shinichi said.

"Oh, that's because of this seal," Moka said, pointing at the cross hanging from her choker. "If it gets taken off, I turn in to a REALLY SCARY vampire," she said dramatically with her hands raised like claws.

"Really?" Shinichi said. "Then I hope not to get on your scary side then."

"So Shinichi-kun," Moka asked, as they got into the sunlight. "Where did you go to school anyway?"

"Where?" Shinichi blinked as he rubbed his head. "I don't really remember."

"Eh?" Moka gasped. "First your name and now you can't remember your old school?"

"Well, if I did, it must have been a school for humans or something..." Shinichi reassured her.

It didn't seem to do much good as Moka suddenly frowned. "I think human schools are the worst. All through middle school everyone ignored me. They made fun of me and told me monsters and stuff didn't exist. Eventually I thought it would be better if I really didn't exist. I just hate humans!"

Shinichi suddenly flinched at her confession. He was starting to feel sick all of a sudden.

"Shinichi-kun?" Moka asked worriedly.

"You know, not all humans are as bad as you say they are," Shinichi said slowly as his bangs covered his eyes.

"Huh?" Moka blinked. "How can you be sure? How do you know not all humans are bad?"

"Because I'm human," he confessed, causing her to gasp. "Or least I think I am."

"Wha-?" Moka gasped. "You? Human? H-how? How are you here?"

"I don't know," Shinichi answered. "Today I just woke up this morning on the path to school, wearing nothing else but what I have on now. I have no idea how I got here, I just did."

"Bu...but…but," Moka sputtered.

Shinichi sighed. Obviously Moka was having trouble accepting this. Sighing, he turned his back to her and began walking away from her. "I'll understand if you don't want to see me anymore. I'm going to go on ahead and find my dorm room."

"Shinichi-kun?" Moka asked, still reeling from shock.

"I'll see you later," Shinichi answered as he waved back, still with his back turned to her. That was all he said before he vanished in the midst of the trees. Moka watched him go before her shoulders slumped and her eyes were trained on the ground.

* * *

><p>"Man this sucks. I can't believe I made a friend today, and now she hates me because I'm human," Shinichi grumbled as he walked through the woods. "Just how the hell am I suppose to get out of here!-?" He made a frustrated yell as he balled his fist into one of the trees. To his shock, his punch caused a fist-sized imprint on the surface of the bark. Stunned, he stared at his hand which wasn't even scratched. "N-nani?" Suddenly, several apples fell down. Since he was so focused on his hand, he didn't notice until he was too late and the apples fell on his head. "Ow…" Feeling lightheaded, he clumsily took several steps backwards before falling on his back, fainting.<p>

* * *

><p>Moka was walking sadly in the forest, alone once again. She'd just driven off her only friend in the entire school because she said she hated humans. She never even suspected that he was even human but his blood did have a unique flavor.<p>

She shook her head. She needed to find him and apologize. She heard rustling behind and spun around expectantly, "Shinichi-kun!"

"Sorry, babe," Saizou grinned ferally. "It's just you and me now, alone."

* * *

><p><em>"Eh, where am I..." Shinichi said looking around confused, seeing that he was in a white room that seemed endless. "Damn, how come I keep waking up in weird places?" Shinichi asked was he started running to find a way out, but it felt like he was going nowhere.<em>

_"Having trouble, Shinichi?" a voice said from behind him said. He stopped to turn around to see who called him. It was man in a black bodysuit with reinforced green chest armor. His helmet was a greenish color with red eyes and bug antennae and his gloves and boots were silver. He wore a blood red scarf around his neck and around his waist was the belt with a fan inside._

_"Wha- who are you?" Shinichi demanded as he took a defensive stance._

_"Whoa, easy there," the bug man said with his hand up, showing that he meant no harm. "My name is Kamen Rider Ichigo (#1), the first Kamen Rider."_

_"Kamen Rider... Ichigo?" Shinichi blinked._

_"Yes," Ichigo nodded. "Right now we are inside your head. You fainted when those apples hit your head. I thought that this would be the best way to talk to you."_

_Shinichi looked thoughtfully, "Alright. I'll hear what you have to say."_

_"Good. Now listen well," Ichigo said seriously. "I am one of the thirteen Legendary Kamen Riders and we exist to protect the innocent and fight for justice using our superhuman abilities."_

_"Superhuman abilities?" Shinichi asked. "How did you get them?"_

_Ichigo's fists were clenched tightly. "SHOCKER. They were responsible for my powers, but they intended to use me for world domination. I was once a biochemistry student at Jounan University before I was kidnapped and turned into a Kaizo Ningen. I was lucky that I managed to escape with my humanity intact."_

_SHOCKER... where had he heard that name before?_

_"And the other Riders... are they...?" Shinichi began._

_"Except for one of us, yes," Ichigo nodded. "Some were kidnapped by other organizations of evil after SHOCKER was destroyed. Others became Kaizo Ningen due to unique circumstances."_

_Shinichi nodded as the information ran about in his head for a moment. It was only then he realized something as his eyes widened. "Wait! Does that mean-"_

_"Yes, Shinichi," Ichigo answered. "You are a Kaizo Ningen like me but you are also a unique one as you possess the powers of the 13 Legendary Riders."_

_Shinichi was stunned. He was a Kaizo Ningen and not only that he was a Kaizo Ningen who possessed the powers of not just one Rider but thirteen of them? "Who did this to me?" Shinichi asked frantically. "Please, Ichigo-san! I don't know anything about myself! I need to know!"_

_"In due time all of your questions will be answered," Ichigo reassured him. "But for now you have someone special to you that you must protect."_

_"Moka-chan?" Shinichi said. His eyes lowered. "But she hates humans. I don't think me being a cyborg will make a difference."_

_"She does not truly hate humans," Ichigo said. "She merely fears them. We all fear something that we cannot truly understand. Show her that and her opinion of humans will change for the better. But now, she needs your help. Get going, Kamen Rider Showa and remember to use our powers wisely." He pressed his index finger against Shinichi's forehead and both of them vanished in a bright flash of light._

* * *

><p>"Kamen Rider... Showa...?" Shinichi murmured as he slowly awoke from his slumber. "Huh?" He blinked his tired eyes and yawned. "What was that about?" A sudden shriek pierced the air and Shinichi recognized that voice. His eyes widened as he shot up. "Moka-chan!"<p>

* * *

><p>Saizou had assumed his true form, an orc, and he looked hungry in more ways than one. He was a hulking creature with thick veins and bumps running over his skin. His teeth were razor sharp and his tongue was longer than before. All in all, he looked like the real definition for a monster. "Don't worry babe," said Saizou sleazily. "You'll enjoy it." A rock hit his head and he turned around to look at who'd thrown it. It was that freaky kid again.<p>

"So that's the real you, huh Saizou?" Shinichi growled. "Can't say I'm too surprised."

"Shinichi-kun!" Moka yelled.

"Beat it, kid!" Saizou snarled. "VIP only!"

"This is the only warning I'm giving you," Shinichi threatened as he took a few steps forward. As he did, a hi-tech looking belt with a green crystal in the centre materialized. Within the crystal was XIII, the Roman numeral for '13'. "Leave. Now."

"I'd like to see you make me!" Saizou snarled.

"Please, Shinichi-kun!" Moka pleaded. "Just leave me here!" She didn't want anything to happen to her new friend.

"No, Moka-chan," Shinichi said as a small humming sound came from the belt. "You're my friend and someone dear to me. I won't let some lowlife hurt you. Not now. Not ever."

"You bastard!" Saizou roared. "Who do you think you are?"

"You can call me... a Kamen Rider!" Shinichi declared. "Now watch…" he began as he threw his right arm across his chest, palm facing down as he pulled his left fist against his left hip. "…My…" he continued as he pulled his right arm back and closed the fist against his right hip as he raised his left arm with his left fist at eye level. He finished, "…Henshin! Let's Ride: Showa!"

The belt released a bright flash of light, causing Moka and Saizou to cover their eyes. Once the bright glow dimmed, they saw what appeared to be jigsaw puzzle pieces coming together over Shinichi's body. He was now completely clad in a suit of armor that was colored black and white. The bodysuit under said armor was white. The torso armor was black with a white chest. White gauntlets adorned his forearms as black boots adorned his legs. Black armor plating covered the sides of his arms and legs. The number 13 was stamped on his left shoulder. His head was completely concealed under a black helmet with a white strip of metal running down the middle. A pair of insect antennae poked out from his forehead in a 'V'. There was a silver faceplate with horizontal stripes on it. Finally, to complete the insect-like look was a pair of large green eyes.

"What the hell?" Saizou gawked.

"Shinichi-kun?" Moka whispered in awe. She couldn't believe that he was capable of changing his form like that. He had confessed that he was completely human, but how could a human do what she had just seen? She didn't think humans could change into armored, humanoid bugs.

Showa flicked his wrists slightly before turning to face Saizou. "Alright you ugly bastard, let's see what you've got."

"You little punk!" Saizou yelled as he rushed in. Saizou attempted to slam his fist to turn Showa into a pancake, but the Rider leaped up and ran along the orc's arm. Once he got within reach, he kicked Saizo in the face, causing him to stumble backwards, and continued with a roundhouse kick before jumping off to prepare for his next move.

"Rider Jump!" Showa yelled once his feet touched the ground before he jumped up a great height, making Saizou watch in shock. Showa then allowed gravity to carry him down and he did a flip so he was falling headfirst to the ground.

"Rider Throw!" Showa called as he hooked his legs around the orc's sizeable neck and flipped his body forward, throwing Saizou into a several gravestones, turning them into a pile of smashed pieces. Saizou tumbled along the ground before coming to a complete halt.

"No way!" Saizou panted as he got back to his feet. "How can a punk like you be that strong?"

"Strength isn't everything," Showa said as he clenched his fists and remembered Ichigo's words. "That's something that people like you fail to realize. Here, let me show you! Let's Ride: Ichigo!" His belt unleashed a brilliant flash of light that forced Saizou to cover his eyes again. When the light died down, Showa was now donned in the armor of Kamen Rider Ichigo. He was identical to Ichigo, except for his belt which remained the same.

**INSERT SONG: LET'S GO RIDER KICK **

"Toh!" Showa-Ichigo called as he lunged forward to kick Saizou across the face. He then punched Saizou several times in the gut before executing an uppercut that threw Saizou's head backwards and sent him staggering back. Showa-Ichigo then nailed Saizou in the gut with a sidekick, causing him to double over in pain. This irritated the beast to no end.

"Eat this!" Saizou yelled as he clapped his hands together and created a shockwave. This sent Showa-Ichigo flying backwards, past Moka, who was too stunned from watching the fight to even move, and into a tree. Showa-Ichigo grunted as he slowly began to stand up.

"Alright... that hurt," Showa-Ichigo muttered, shaking the stars out of his head. He noticed something in his hand. Opening it, he found that he had somehow removed Moka's rosario. "Uh oh." He then remembered what she'd told him earlier: _"Oh, that's because of this seal," Moka said, pointing at the cross hanging from her choker. "If it gets taken off, I turn in to a REALLY SCARY vampire," she said dramatically with her hands raised like claws._

**END SONG**

Moka only had a moment to gasp before she was engulfed in a dark aura. Day turned into night as black swarming bats flew out of the sky and merged with Moka's form. Her hair turned silver and her fangs became more pronounced. Her skin became paler and her bust size went up a rank. As Moka seemed to become more aware, Showa-Ichigo could see that her eyes had turned red and the pupils became slits.

This was Moka's true nature. She was a super vampire.

"No way! Those eyes and that intense demonic aura! You're a... you're a... a VAMPIRE!" Saizou shouted, sweating like there was no tomorrow.

Moka-sama ignored Saizou and turned her attention towards Showa-Ichigo with a slight glare, making him gulp. "Hm, I've never seen something like you around these parts. Are you sure you are human?" Her voice was very different now. Instead of that soft cutesy voice from before, she now sounded dominant, mature... and seductive.

"Well, I thought I was," Showa-Ichigo said meekly. "It's a long story."

"Hm, I can't wait. Right now, I have to take out this trash." She began to hop in place and then she stretched her arms. "It's been so long." She cracked her knuckles and flexed her fingers while popping her neck. "Looks like this might be a decent workout at least." She yawned a little. "Now, come on, orc. Didn't you want to give me a kiss?" she taunted.

Saizou growled. So what if this bitch was a vampire? He would not be beaten! He let loose a roar and then lunged at Moka-sama who just yawned. She side-stepped the attack with ease before delivering a bone-crushing kick to Saizou's back, sending him crashing through gravestones and trees alike. Showa-Ichigo thought that he saw some teeth fly out. He didn't move again after that/

"You pathetic scum, did you really think that you were worthy enough to lay your hands on one such as I?" Moka-sama spat. "You should learn to know your place."

Showa-Ichigo didn't know if he should piss on himself or be turned on. Right then and there, the innocent girl that he'd befriended had turned into a super hot babe! On the other hand, she was able to take down Saizou with just one kick. He knew that this one was someone whose bad side he should not get on.

As he stood on his feet, Moka-sama returned her iron pricing gaze to him. "You have ten seconds to explain yourself, Shinichi Sanban. Or was it Showa?"

"Well, to make things short, I'm a super cyborg known as a Kamen Rider whose duty is to protect people from evil, at least that was what the grasshopper man in my head told me when I fainted." Moka-sama cocked an eyebrow at the mention of a 'grasshopper man'. "I have the power to transform into anyone of thirteen legendary heroes, but I've only unlocked Kamen Rider Ichigo so far, which is the form I'm using now," Showa-Ichigo said speedily.

Moka-sama frowned slightly. Showa-Ichigo was slightly afraid that she would kick him like she had Saizou. He felt relieved when she released a sigh.

"Your tale sounds too farfetched to be true, but considering how humans believe monsters are not real I have no room to talk," Moka-sama frowned. Walking up to him, she reached out and grabbed her rosario. She warned, "However, you made a good choice to watch over my other side. Don't screw up."

With that, Moka-sama reattached her rosario to the chain on her choker. In a flash of light, her hair changed back to pink and everything about her softened back into the Moka that Showa-Ichigo knew. She was sleeping and falling, which Showa-Ichigo stopped by catching her. He let out a sigh as his armor reverted back to normal before it vanished in the form of jigsaw puzzle pieces that fell away from his body.

"This is going to be some school year," he muttered to himself.

* * *

><p>"So you're a cyborg?" Moka asked with some disbelief. "That must explain your surprising strength!"<p>

Shinichi and Moka were sitting by some tombstones after the latter came to. She immediately apologized for chasing him away the way she had and he quickly forgave her. Then he explained all that Ichigo told him before he awoke.

"Yeah," Shinichi nodded. "Kind of strange huh? I'm a human and yet at the same time I'm not. This also means that someone screwed up my body without permission."

Moka looked at him thoughtfully for a moment, and then put a fist down into her palm as she realized something. "I got it! Now I understand!"

"Understand what?" Shinichi asked her.

"Your name, your old school, you couldn't remember any of those, could you?" Moka pointed out. "It's because you have amnesia!"

"Really? Amnesia?" Shinichi asked. "You sure about that?"

"It's the only explanation I can come up with," Moka said. "But if it is true, then I promise to help you get your memories back no matter what!"

"You... you would do that?" Shinichi blushed.

"You saved me from Saizou," Moka smiled charmingly. "It's only natural I return the favor."

Shinichi couldn't but smile back. "Moka-chan..."

"Shinichi-kun..." Moka whispered.

"Moka-chan..."

"Shinichi-kun..."

"Moka-chan..."

"Shinichi-kun..."

"Moka-chan..."

"Shinichi-kun..." Her eyes suddenly glazed over. "You smell nice..."

"Eh... Moka-chan...?" Shinichi blinked as she suddenly grabbed him and bit his neck.

CAPU! Chuu~

"AHH! Moka-chan!"

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, in an undisclosed location, someone was viewing a map on a computer screen. On the screen was a dot that was pulsing repeatedly. The pulsing dot was marked as "#13".<p>

"So, this is where you've been hiding," an evil voice spoke. He'd been looking for him for weeks and now the beacon had been activated. He added sinisterly, "Time to bring you home, _son_."

* * *

><p><strong>LEGENDARY RIDERS UNLOCKED SO FAR<strong>

1. Ichigo

2. ?

3. ?

4. ?

5. ?

6. ?

7. ?

8. ?

9. ?

10. ?

11. ?

12. ?

13. ?

**KAMEN RIDER DATABASE**

"Good evening. My name is Moka Akashiya," the silver-haired Moka introduced herself. "However, to avoid confusion with my other half, I prefer to be referred to as 'Moka-sama'. Welcome to the Kamen Rider Database, where in each chapter, we will analyze each Kamen Rider that makes an appearance. We will also discuss each one's history and abilities."

The screen behind her blinked to Showa's image. "Kamen Rider Showa is the form that Shinichi assumes to use his powers to their fullest potential," Moka-sama explained. "It is accessed through his Spark Core which is the crystal in the middle of his belt. As he'd learnt from Ichigo in his mind, he is a Kaizo Ningen that is known as a Kamen Rider who uses his powers to protect the innocent and fight for justice. He uses the command, "Let's Ride: Showa" to transform. When transformed, all of Shinichi's combat parameters are increased and he is able to fight his enemies with ease. His most unique power is his ability to assume the form of any of the Legendary 13 Kamen Riders according to Ichigo. His name, 'Kamen Rider Showa', was given to him by Ichigo, referring to his ability to become the Riders of the Showa Era. Currently, Shinichi has amnesia and does not how he became a Kaizo Ningen and has no memories of his past. What other powers he will unlock remain to be seen."

The image on the screen switched to Ichigo. "The first form that Shinichi unlocked was Kamen Rider Ichigo, or #1," she continued. "Takeshi Hongo was a brilliant college biochemistry student with an IQ of 600 who attended Jounan University and was a motorcycle enthuthiast. While practicing for a grand prix, Hongo followed a group of bikers who were calling him out, only to fall into a trap sent up by the terrorist organization SHOCKER. They converted him into a super-powered cyborg before he woke up a week later as they are about to complete the process with brainwashing. However, Hongo managed to escape Shocker's base by chance due to his college professor Midorikawa, who had been working for SHOCKER and was the man who selected Hongo to join the organization. The two were pursued by the SHOCKER Kaijin Kumo-Otoko and his forces as they hid out at warehouse 55 at the harbor. Unfortunately, Kumo-Otoko managed to track Ruriko to their location and killed the Professor. As Ruriko arrived she blamed Hongo for her father's death before Kumo-Otoko took her as a hostage. Pursuing them, Kamen Rider Ichigo fought through Kumo-Otoko's minions before battling the Kaijin, killing him with a Rider Kick."

The image shifted to a Rider that was similar, yet different from Ichigo. "As the Kamen Rider, Hongo battled SHOCKER's monsters before learning that SHOCKER recreated the original Kamen Rider cyborg design on Ichimonji Hayato in an effort to combat the threat that Hongo posed to their organization. Hongo helped Ichimonji escape from SHOCKER, leaving him to fight SHOCKER as Kamen Rider Nigo (#2) while Hongo left the country to fight SHOCKER's other branches around the world. Eventually, Hongo returned to Japan and joined forces with Ichimonji as the 'Double Riders' to finish Shocker and then destroy the GEL-SHOCKER organization that formed soon after."

"Ichigo and Nigo were intended to be SHOCKER's greatest weapons. In the end, the both became its undoing," Moka-sama concluded with a chilling smile. "Ironic, isn't it?"

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: Well, that's the first chapter for you guys. What do you guys think? Well, the chapters will be uploaded once a week so you guys will have time enjoy each chapter to the fullest. Well, in this chapter Shinichi awakens his Rider powers and unlocks the first of his Legendary Rider powers. Let's see what else will happen in the next few chapters. Some changes will happen to how certain events will occur and since this is fanfiction I am allowed to take some creative liberties.<strong>


	2. First Term: Rider's First Flight

**Chapter 2: Rider's First Flight**

Two weeks had passed since that fateful first day and a lot had happened. For instance, there was a rumor going on about how Shinichi had defeated Saizou on the first day of school and while Shinichi could admit he'd been involved to an extent he had not exactly done anything beyond confronting the orc head-on. It was Moka who'd dealt the finishing blow. Of course, the unlocking of Moka's seal had not gone unnoticed within the barrier of Youkai Academy and so rumors about Moka being a vampire (rumors which were true) were also sprouting. It just made the guys want her more and hate Shinichi more for being her (best) friend.

Moka had even volunteered to help Shinichi regain his memories. Unfortunately for her, she didn't exactly know how she could do that or where to start. She had suggested hitting him over the head but that would likely cause a concussion or even brain damage so Shinichi vetoed the idea immediately. He had a feeling he wouldn't like a blow to the head at all.

As for Shinichi, he'd been training himself to find out the limit of his powers. According to Ichigo he had the power to become the other Legendary Riders of the Showa Era but so far he had only unlocked the power of Kamen Rider Ichigo. How was he going to unlock the others? Would he or someone he cared for need to be in danger before he could access those powers?

Shinichi was actually getting used to being in a school for monsters. He couldn't compare it to being in a human school since he had no recollection of attending one. Still, he wondered how he got enrolled in Youkai Academy in the first place. Had someone done it for him? That was a mystery.

* * *

><p>As usual, Shinichi was walking to school, thinking of his forgotten past and how Moka was trying to help him. At least he wasn't alone with her. Her true self may have been scary but he also thought he was hot. Moka was cute and all but Moka-sama was in an entire different league altogether<p>

"Shinichi-kun!" Shinichi heard before he was suddenly tackled from behind by the girl he had just been thinking about.

"Oh, Moka-chan!" he blinked before he turned around to look at the girl. "Good morning."

"Good morning to you too, Shinichi-kun," she smiled and then she whispered into his ear as she leaned up. "I need your…"

Shinichi sighed, "I know, I know." He rolled his eyes. "Drink up."

"Oh, thank you!" She then bit his neck. "CHU!" She took some of his blood. She pulled away after licking her lips. "Oh, it's as delicious as ever."

"Glad you liked it," Shinichi deadpanned as he rubbed the spot she'd bitten. "I feel like a juice box." Ever since that day, Moka would occasionally bite Shinichi and drink some blood. It still didn't hurt too much and Moka kept saying how much she enjoyed it.

"So, any luck on your memories as of yet?" Moka asked as they walked into the building.

"No go," Shinichi said, shaking his head. "I still can't get a clue about my past."

"We'll keep trying," Moka reassured him. "There's still a lot of things we have yet to try."

"Thanks, Moka-chan," Shinichi smiled as they went into the school. People began to whisper as they watched the pair enter. One girl, however, was watching from behind a tree. Her breast bounced slightly as she smirked with a sinister glow in her eyes.

* * *

><p>By the time lunch came, Shinichi let out a tired yawn. "Man…" He stretched his arms. Classes had gone on for hours with only a few minutes of break between them. His wrist felt sore from taking notes so he spun his wrist around to soothe it.<p>

"Still not used to school?" Moka asked.

"Well, I soak up information like a sponge but I have better things to do than sit in class," he told her before mentally adding, _'Like getting my memories back._'

Shinichi was doing well in school despite not having any memories of any formal schooling in his past. He could basically understand any math equation without trouble, translate English text with ease, and memorize complicated information without error. Being a cyborg was probably part of the reason or maybe he was just naturally gifted.

"Well, it's time for lunch so let's go," said Moka as she offered him her hand. Shinichi smiled but glanced as he saw his other male classmates glaring at him. He ignored them and took Moka's hand.

In a flash he withdrew like he'd suddenly touched something hot.

"Shinichi-kun, what's wrong?" Moka asked worriedly.

"I…need to go!" said Shinichi as he quickly exited the classroom, leaving a stunned and confused Moka. At the same time a girl with blue hair silently snuck out of class to pursue her prey.

* * *

><p>Shinichi had run out of the building and into an outdoor pathway, panting and wiping the sweat off his brow. He glanced down at his hand which had touched Moka's moments ago. "What was that?" he asked himself. When he'd touched Moka's hand a memory flashed in his mind, a painful one. He heard screams of agony, begging for help.<p>

Then he heard a groan and looked up. He spotted a girl on her hands and knees and she seemed to be groaning in pain. Feeling concerned, Shinichi approached her and asked, "Are you okay?" When she looked up at him he felt his cheeks heat up. _'Wow! She's gorgeous!_'

The girl had violet eyes and blue hair that was held in a ponytail by a purple ribbon. Her uniform was different as she had substituted the green jacket for a yellow sweater vest instead.

"Help…my stomach hurts…" she said. Shinichi offered her his hand.

"Here, let me help you to the infirmary," he said. The girl took his hand and smiled at how warm it felt before he slowly helped her to her feet. She then stumbled forward and fell against him.

"Oh my!" she gasped as he breasts pressed against his chest and Shinichi felt their softness through his clothes.

_'Wow…they're so soft…'_ he thought, unable to think of anything else but the soft orbs pressing up against him.

"Thank you," she said gratefully. "I'm Kurumu Kurono…"

"Shinichi Sanban," he told her.

"Oh, I know. We're classmates," she told him. "I sit way in the back."

"Oh, you do?" Shinichi asked. "I think I would've noticed such a gorgeous girl."

Now it was Kurumu's turn to blush. Sure, she had received compliments before but nothing that sounded so…sincere and…

"Shinichi-kun!" Moka cried and then she froze as she saw him holding Kurumu.

"Ah, Moka-chan," Shinichi replied and Kurumu scowled. She was so close when the pink-haired girl arrived. Moka frowned as she saw how close Shinichi was holding Kurumu. She didn't like it.

"Shinichi-kun, who is this?" asked Moka.

"Oh, this is Kurumu Kurono-san. She's a classmate of ours," Shinichi answered.

Kurumu mumbled, "Not that I expect you to remember."

"What was that?" asked Moka.

"Oh, nothing," Kurumu denied.

"Anyway, she says she has a stomachache so I'm taking her up to the infirmary," said Shinichi. "See you later, OK?" As Shinichi walked Kurumu towards the infirmary, the two girls' gazes connected.

_'He'll be mine,'_ Kurumu swore.

Moka wore a worried expression. She did not like the look in Kurumu's eyes. _'She's going to take advantage of poor Shinich-kun,' _Moka thought. Shinichi was an amnesiac and Moka worried that someone might take advantage of him.

* * *

><p>"How do you feel now?" asked Shinichi as he sat on a chair while Kurumu lay in an infirmary bed. "Are you comfortable?"<p>

"Thank you. I'm feeling a little better now," said Kurumu.

"Guess the nurse is out. We should wait here. Maybe she'll have medicine to help relieve stomach pains," said Shinichi, smiling.

Kurumu slowly sat up and smiled at Shinichi and then locked eyes with him as she focused her power into her own eyes. _'CHARM!'_

Kurumu was a succubus and with her eyes she could charm any man and enslave them. Of course Shinichi was affected differently. The scar above his left eyebrow began to throb painfully and he suddenly cried out, shocking Kurumu as he fell out of the chair. Moka, who was standing outside the infirmary, rushed in and saw Shinichi clutching his head while kneeling on the floor.

"Shinichi-kun!" Moka cried out before running over to him.

"It…it hurts!" Shinichi grunted as Moka knelt at his side. "My head hurts!"

Moka gave Kurumu an accusing glare, "What did you do to him!-?"

Kurumu panicked and denied, "Nothing! Nothing!" She thought worriedly, _'What's going on? This wasn't supposed to happen!'_ This had never happened before. Boys usually just fell for her but this was different and it scared her.

Moka helped Shinichi to his feet. "Come on, let's go," she told him and he didn't resist as Moka walked him out of the infirmary, leaving Kurumu alone. The blue-haired girl gritted her teeth. Another opportunity spoiled yet again by Moka Akashiya.

* * *

><p>Moments later, the pain subsided and Shinichi was with Moka in the hallway. He was leaning against the wall. "Are you sure you're OK?" she asked.<p>

"Yeah, the pain's gone," he said, running his hand through his hair. Briefly, Moka saw the scar and frowned. She had found out about the scar days after their first meeting and Shinichi didn't know how he got it. She could tell that someone had given him that scar as it was very distinctive and shaped like the Roman numeral XIII which stood for 13. It wasn't something Shinichi could get unless someone put it on him. She theorized that the scar had something to do with his forgotten past or may have had something to do with his amnesia.

"Shinichi-kun, what happened back there?" Moka asked him.

"I don't really know," he answered. "The last thing I remembered before my head started pounding was Kurumu looking at me and then her eyes started to flash."

"Her eyes were flashing?" Moka frowned.

"Yeah, it looked weird," Shinichi nodded. "I would say she was up to something but we just met her. We can't make assumptions just yet."

"Hold it right there, Moka Akashiya!" a voice called out.

Both Shinichi and Moka stopped when they heard someone calling out to the pink-haired vampire. Both looked up to see Kurumu perched on the railing of the second floor.

'_How'd she get from the infirmary to way up there so quickly?_' Shinichi thought to himself

Smirking, she leaped from the railing and landed on the ground. It didn't escape any male's notice, even Shinichi's, that her skirt had flipped up and revealed her panties on her way down.

"Woah! Look at that girl!"

"White panties!"

"And her boobs are huge!"

"There was another babe in this school besides Moka!"

"Oi, are they seriously monster high-schoolers, or perverted nitwits?" Shinichi muttered.

Kurumu ran a hand through her hair as she smirked proudly and condescendingly at Moka who looked a little worried. "Kurono-san?" She gasped when Kurumu pointed at her with a finger.

"Moka Akashiya, I challenge you for the title of School Beauty!" Kurumu challenged.

"Excuse me?" Moka asked.

"Oh, don't play dumb with me," Kurumu growled. "Look around you. All the boys just fall at your feet. This is the kind of thing a succubus would love most of all but you do it without any effort."

"Succubus?" Shinichi repeated. Was that what Kurumu was?

"I came to this school to make the entire male student population into my own army of loyal slaves, but my only obstacle is you! You vampire!" Kurumu snapped. She then turned her attention towards Shinichi who jumped in shock when she suddenly latched onto him. "So in that case, I'll take my revenge by taking Shinichi from you!" she cried girlishly.

"Shinichi-kun, stay away from that girl! She's dangerous!" Moka exclaimed.

"CHARM!" Kurumu called as her eyes flashed into Shinichi's. The scar on his head suddenly started to burn as his head began to pound again. He started to hunch down in pain and grabbed his head.

"AAAAHHHH!" Shinichi screamed, catching the attention of everyone in the hallway. All watched in stunned silence as the boy screamed in pain. "NO! NO! IT HURTS! MAKE IT STOP!"

"Shinichi-kun!" Moka cried.

"Oh no!" Kurumu gasped. "Not again!"

From that point, things became very confusing around him and within his head. He saw a man staring at him beyond the glass of a capsule, he saw a strange complex filled with dead men, and unknown voices began to scream in agony as he witnessed the soldiers being torn to shreds by an unknown force. He then saw what he believed to be schematics, he saw lifeless bodies in insect armor similar to his, and lastly, his hands covered in blood with the dead staring accusingly at him.

And with one final scream, he slumped to the floor and passed out.

* * *

><p>Moka had carried Shinichi to the infirmary and put him in bed. To see the boy suffering in so much pain had been frightening and it was that Kurumu girl's fault. She'd tried to charm him but instead hurt him. "Oh, Shinichi-kun…" murmured Moka as she gently rubbed his head. First he had lost his memories and now the succubus was trying to take away his free will. She then heard the door open and turned to see Kurumu. Her green eyes narrowed as she asked, "What do you want? Haven't you done enough?"<p>

Kurumu flinched and averted her gaze so she wouldn't be looking at Moka's angry glare. "Is he okay?" Kurumu asked.

"No," Moka answered, "Now please leave."

Kurumu flinched again at Moka's tone. It didn't make sense to her. Her Charm ability was supposed to make men into happy slaves, not cause them pain like this. Just what had happened? What was Shinichi really? When he'd helped her before despite the fact she'd been tricking him he'd been kind and warm and not at all lecherous. She still wanted to Charm him though since she believed he was one of Moka's admirers. For some reason it hurt her heart when she saw him suffer like before.

She wouldn't leave until she at least explained herself, "I'm sorry for what I tried to do. It's just that my race is dying out and we need men to help us repopulate. It can't be any guy. It has to be my Destined One. My Mate of Fate."

"Your soul mate?" Moka inquired and Kurumu nodded.

"That's why I'm here in Youkai Academy to begin with. I wanted to find the right guy who would be my Destined One," Kurumu answered.

"So, why did you try to Charm Shinichi-kun?" asked Moka.

"I was jealous," Kurumu admitted. "I mean because of you I'm the second most beautiful girl in this school! Boys fall at your feet! Sure, boys fall at my feet too but all they talk about is you and-"

**SLAP!**

Moka had gone up to Kurumu and slapped her across the face, stunning her.

"I don't care what your reasons are," Moka said angrily, "You hurt Shinichi-kun. He's my only real friend here."

Kurumu just stared at Moka in astonishment, "Friend…?" She then saw tears in Moka's eyes. Was there something really special about Shinichi to be a friend to a vampire?

Suddenly, two infirmary windows shattered as two figures crashed through, shocking the two girls.

"He's here," said one of them who resembled a humanoid spider. He had six mechanical arms, each ending in sharp claws and was black with cybernetic eyes and a mouth filled with metal teeth.

The second one confirmed, "Come on, let's grab him." He was a humanoid bat with wings on his back and mechanical arms that had talons that were folded back along his forearms. Half of his head was covered in metal with a red circular eye in place of his left eye. He also had some patches of mechanical parts on his body where patches of fur were missing.

They both, of course, had one thing in common: their belts which had buckles resembling birds with the letters 'GS' on them.

The girls gasped as they saw the Spider Creature lunge for Shinichi. Acting quickly, Moka grabbed Shinichi's body and took him from the bed and the Spider Creature crashed into the bed as a result.

The Spider Creature growled as he slowly rose up from the busted bed. He demanded, "Girl, if you know what's good for you, you will give us the boy."

"Wha-what do you want with Shinichi?" Moka demanded shakily.

"Shinichi?" the Bat Creature asked, looking amused. "Is that what he told you his name was? His true name is 'BLACK 13', and he belongs with us."

"BLACK... 13?" Kurumu blinked. "What do you mean by that?"

"It's none of your business," the Spider Creature said sinisterly as he inched closer. "Now let's play a game... whoever hands over BLACK 13 first spends the less time screaming bloody murder." That was no request. That was a command with no room for argument.

"No! Keep away!" Moka yelled as she backed away. If only she had her darker half's valor! At that moment, she felt a pair of arms wrapping around her waist. "Kurumu?" she blinked as she looked behind her.

"Hold on tight to Shinichi!" Kurumu said as black wings spouted from her back and a spade-tipped tail slipped out her skirt. "We're going to lose these freaks!"

Holding on was all Moka could do as Kurumu suddenly took off out of the broken windows, much to the surprise of the Spider Creature and Bat Creature.

"Bat-Borg, they're getting away," said the Spider Creature.

"Don't worry, Spider-Borg. We'll get our quarry," said the Bat Creature reassuringly. "After all, when it comes to flight there is nothing alive that can beat me." Bat-Borg jumped out the window and spread his wings before flying in pursuit of Kurumu. Spider-Borg leapt out the window as well and pursued on foot.

Meanwhile, Kurumu was questioning Moka, "What were those freaks and why did they call Shinichi 'BLACK 13'?"

"I don't know!" Moka answered back.

"Guess Shinichi didn't tell you much about himself," accused Kurumu.

"He couldn't because he doesn't remember," Moka told her.

Kurumu stared and asked, "What?"

"He has amnesia and doesn't have any memories of himself except for the past two weeks!" Moka called back.

Kurumu frowned in thought but then she heard something and looked over her shoulder. Bat-Borg was pursuing her and he didn't look like he was about to give up. They flew into the forest and Kurumu spotted Spider-Borg leaping from tree to tree whilst chasing after them.

"So, what do we do about the girls?" asked Spider-Borg.

"You remember our policy: no witnesses," Bat-Borg answered. "We'll just bring them back to GIN-SHOCKER and if they resist we can just kill them and give their corpses to those scientists to dissect and have fun with. Either way we get BLACK 13 and we'll be rewarded." Bat-Borg then opened his mouth and fired a sonic blast that hit Kurumu, causing her to get disoriented as she screamed out. She was starting to tumble out of the air. That was when the Spider-Borg struck and bound her wings together with webbing he shot from his mouth.

"Moka, protect Shinichi!" Kurumu shouted as she released Moka and Shinichi. The pink-haired girl held Shinichi protectively as they fell painfully and rolled along the ground as Kurumu hit a tree and fell as well.

"No escape now," said Spider-Borg as he and Bat-Borg landed on the ground.

"Now, hand over BLACK 13 and we will make this as quick and painless as we can," added Bat-Borg, his steel talons folding out.

Moka gritted her teeth as the two Cyborg Mutants approached them with killer intent. They couldn't let their lives end like this! They just couldn't! Even Kurumu didn't deserve this! There was still one chance though. She just hoped it was enough. Taking Shinichi's hand, she placed it on to her rosario and pulled sharply.

**KA-CHINCK!**

The Cyborg Mutants suddenly halted as they noticed the daylight being replaced by a dark sky with a blood red moon. They also saw Moka being engulfed by an aura of darkness. It chilled them to the bone, not that they were willing to show it. As the girl slowly stood up, Moka-sama emerged and glared at the two cyborgs.

"She really is a vampire," whispered Kurumu in awe.

"What...?" Spider-Borg gaped. "Those eyes... those teeth! The myths weren't just myths after all! That girl is a vampire!"

"Don't be stupid!" Bat-Borg snapped. "Vampires don't exist! Those girls obviously aren't human, but this one is just trying to psych us out!"

"Hmm," Moka-sama frowned, flexing her fingers. "Now that is an ironic statement from trash who's supposed to be based on my kind."

Moka-sama was about to step forward when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning around, she found it was Shinichi... but something was different. His eyes were empty, like a void. Moka-sama didn't want to admit it, but his eyes sent a chill down her spine.

"What is it, Shinichi?" the vampire asked.

Shinichi gave no answer as he released Moka-sama's shoulder and slowly approached the Cyborg Mutants. He swung his arm around to get the stiffness out and cracked his knuckles. He was going to take care of these guys himself it seemed.

"So, you're awake, BLACK 13," grinned Bat-Borg. That was the last thing he was able to say before Shinichi rushed towards him and slammed his fist into his stomach, causing Bat-Borg to double over and gasp in pain. Then his head was thrown backwards when Shinichi's knee slammed against his face. Spider-Borg lunged for Shinichi's back but the boy spun around and hit him with a reverse roundhouse, his heel impacting with the side of Spider-Borg's head, sending him crashing into several trees.

Bat-Borg lunged for him and fired another sonic blast but Shinichi performed several backward somersaults before rebounding off a tree and knocking Bat-Borg out of the air with a flying kick. Spider-Borg was getting back up but Shinichi kicked up a large rock and then used a roundhouse to send it flying at Spider-Borg, knocking him upside the head with it.

Bat-Borg swooped in and slashed at Shinichi, knocking him backwards. Shinichi fell on to his back, but sprung back to his legs. With a savage yell, he rushed back at the Bat-Borg.

* * *

><p><em>Meanwhile, inside Shinichi's mind, the boy was back in the endless white space where he'd met Kamen Rider Ichigo. "I'm back here again. Who am I supposed to meet now?"<em>

_"Yo." Shinichi looked and saw a Kamen Rider in a green bodysuit, sporting a red chestplate and sleeves. He wore black gloves and boots and his belt sported a fan in the centre with switches on the side. His helmet was green with red eyes and a silver faceplate resembling an insect's mandibles. His antennae also completed the insect look. He also wore a red scarf that hung from his neck._

_"Who are you?" Shinichi asked._

_"You can call me Skyrider," the Kamen Rider introduced himself._

_"Skyrider, huh?" Shinichi tilted his head. "Catchy. So what's your story?"_

_"I was just a simple flying glider before I witnessed scientists being abducted be an organization called NEO-SHOCKER." Skyrider explained. "Naturally, I felt that I couldn't just do nothing so I landed and drove the abductors away, but I was mortally wounded as a result. A captured NEO-SHOCKER scientist named Dr. Shiba Keitaro managed to convince the leaders to convert me into a cyborg in an effort to save my life." Skyrider made a sad sigh. "I'll never forget him."_

_"What happened?" Shinichi asked carefully._

_"He vanished one day. I never saw him again," Skyrider answered. "He was a good man."_

_"Oh... sorry."_

_"But that's not important right now," Skyrider said. "Here, let me show you something." He held his hand out and a small portal opened up. Shinchi could see what appeared to be himself fighting the Bat-Borg and Spider-Borg savagely._

_"Is that... me?" he gasped with wide eyes._

_"No, it isn't," Skyrider said, "That is your dark side; BLACK 13."_

_"BLACK 13?" Shinichi echoed._

_"No time to explain right now," Skyrider said, pressing his finger against Shinchi's forehead. "You got work to do." And then a bright light engulfed them both._

* * *

><p>Moka-sama had always prided herself in her fighting skills. She could easily tell that no other monster in the school, student or teacher, could match up to her rank. In fact, the only ones that could defeat her in battle were her two older sisters and her father. However, once she saw Shinichi suddenly go berserk on the two Cyborg Mutants, she felt that she needed to add one more name to the very small list of those that could match her in battle. Truthfully, she never cared much about the boy. She simple saw him as nothing more than a juice box whose blood was like fine wine to her. Seeing him in battle like this, however, made her reevaluate her opinion about him. On the other hand, there was no creature on Earth that fought as savagely as him, human or otherwise.<p>

_'Just what the hell are you, Shinichi?'_

Kurumu managed to get the webbing out of wings and was also watching the fight with an expression of shock on her face. Shinichi was a charming boy who didn't ogle at her breasts like the others in school. He was also very cute and really nice. That was why she wanted to make him hers. But seeing him like this... it was terrifying. He was like a beast now. Moka had said that he was suffering from amnesia. Could this be the reason why? Maybe... maybe her Charm did this to him. But the Charm was supposed to control men, not turn them into mindless fighting machines. Why would the most common ability of her kind have such a negative effect on him?

_'Shinichi...'_

"You can't beat me when it comes to the air, BLACK 13!" Bat-Borg yelled as he dove at Shinichi like a missile. "Dead or alive, you will return to GIN-SHOCKER!"

Shinichi glared as the Bat-Borg came at him. But suddenly the color returned to his eyes and he stood upright with the belt appearing around his waist. The belt flashed with a bright light and repelled Bat-Borg. The puzzles appeared around and formed his armor. Once fully transformed, Showa became completely aware. He then eyed Moka-sama and asked, "So, what did I miss?"

"BLACK 13!" Spider-Borg roared as he lunged at Showa only to be brutally backhanded and sent flying.

"Don't interrupt," Showa scolded. He tilted his head to the side, looking to Moka-sama for an explanation. "Well?"

"So, you've awakened," said Moka-sama.

Showa looked to Bat-Borg who was hovering in the air and shrugged, "I think I'll get some answers later." He then called out as Bat-Borg dove at him again, "Let's Ride: Skyrider!"

**INSERT SONG: MOERO! KAMEN RIDER **

In a bright flash of light Showa was transformed again and he jumped, catching Bat-Borg by surprise as he assumed the form of Skyrider and knocked him out of the air. Hovering in midair, Showa-Skyrider grinned and crossed his arms. "Aerial superiority achieved," Showa-Skyrider said.

"Let's see if you can keep up!" Bat-Borg shouted as he went up after him. The two cyborgs chased after each other in an aerial dogfight, aiming to ground one another for good.

"Looks like he has this taken care of," Moka-sama smiled slightly as Kurumu walked up next to her. Just then, their danger senses went off as they both jumped to opposite sides, allowing webbing to land where they once stood. Moka-sama stretched her right leg out and swept it across the ground after she landed, while Kurumu did the same only with her nails that lengthened into claws.

"Since Bat-Borg is so busy with BLACK 13," the Spider-Borg said threateningly, "I may as well have some fun with you girls."

"In that case, let the party begin," Moka-sama smirked.

Pumping demonic energy into her legs, she dashed forward at the Spider-Borg. Her legs sliced through the air as she struck at the Cyborg Mutant with a reverse roundhouse. Then she leapt forward in a powerful bicycle kick, causing more pain as she sent it back with her trademark weapons. She continued with a back kick to the chest. Annoyed, Spider-Borg took hold of her ankle to cancel another attack and sent a kick of his own. She grunted as she was sent through the air and crashed on her side.

"Hey ugly!" Kurumu called as she flew right for Spider-Borg. Looking up, he could see the succubus diving for him with her claws looking ready to cut something. He quickly lashed out with two of his arms. The busty girl flipped and barrel-rolled out of the way to avoid getting hit, but the arms were moving faster. As a last resort, she brought up her claws and sliced off the arms.

"ARG!" the Spider-Borg yelled as he clearly felt that.

"It's another power that we succubae have!" Kurumu grinned cheekily. "My nails are sharp enough to cut through anything like a hot knife through butter!"

"Is that right?" Spider-Borg frowned. "Well, can they cut through THIS?" His mouth opened up and he began shooting blobs of acidic venom at her. Kurumu yelped as she began moving quickly in the air to avoid getting hit by the blobs. She shifted left and right, up and down, where ever she could go to get away from the goop. One blob managed to graze her and it ended up eating up a portion of her uniform, showing a pink bra that covered her large goods.

"Crap!" Kurumu cursed.

"Oh ho ho ho!" Spider-Borg laughed as a disgusting part of his mind was revealed. "That's right baby! Take it off!"

"Perverted arachnid!" Moka-sama yelled as she rushed up behind the Spider-Borg, this time with her fist pulled back. "Know your place!" She pushed it forward into Spider-Borg's head, sending him flying. It didn't mean he was down for the count though.

Meanwhile, in the air, Showa-Skyrider and the Bat-Borg were busy with their dogfight. Bat-Borg was shooting his sonic blasts at Showa-Skyrider, who was avoiding with simple easy. He even made a couple of taunts while he was at it.

"Miss me!" Showa-Skyrider taunted. The Bat-Borg snarled and unleashed another sonic blast. "Miss me again!" Growling, Bat-Borg started to lose his cool and began shooting sonic blasts wildly, knocking trees down. "Ooh, so close! You're getting warmer! And now you're cold!"

"SHUT UP YOU!" the Bat-Borg roared through the blasts.

"As fun as it was stringing you along like this, it's time I put it to a stop," Showa-Skyrider said before flying right for Bat-Borg as he zipped through the sonic blasts. "Sky Punch!" he shouted as he sent an air powered uppercut to Bat-Borg's jaw. The sent the Cyborg Mutant up even higher. Showa-Skyrider flew up after him and then past, positioning himself right above the Bat-Borg. He started to spin himself around until he became a small tornado before shooting down at the still rising Cyborg Mutant. "Sky Screw Kick!" he yelled as he connected with Bat-Borg.

The Bat-Borg's scream halted the fight down on the earth. Moka-sama, Kurumu, and the Spider-Borg all watched as the meteor came down and crashed into flames before them, forcing them to shield their faces. From the flames, Showa emerged in his basic form, wiping the dust from his shoulders. "Game Over," he declared with a thumbs-up.

**END SONG**

"'Game Over'?" Moka-sama repeated as she rubbed her chin. "Now that is quite catchy. Simple, but the message is clear." She smiled. "I like it."

"Looks like you're on your own now," Kurumu said to the Spider-Borg.

Spider-Borg didn't like his odds right now. His partner had just been killed but he swore, "Don't get cocky, BLACK 13! GIN-SHOCKER will have you yet!" He tossed a smoke grenade and it exploded, covering the area in a thick cloud smoke. Once the smoke cleared, Spider-Borg was nowhere to be seen.

"Hmph, coward," snorted Moka-sama.

"GIN-SHOCKER…?" Showa murmured as his armor vanished.

"OK, what the heck is going on!-?" Kurumu demanded.

"None of your concern, succubus," said Moka-sama. "Oh, and I owe you a kick for trying to steal Shinichi away from me and my other self."

Kurumu gulped but then Shinichi stood between her and Moka-sama. "Don't," said Shinichi.

"Oh and why do you protect this girl?" Moka-sama asked.

"Because I'm a Kamen Rider and I protect the innocent," said Shinichi. "And she did help us, plus I think there's a reason behind her actions." He turned to Kurumu, "Isn't that right, Kurumu-chan?"

Kurumu blinked and then told Shinichi everything about her race, about how they were dying out and that her mission was to find her Destined One.

"I see, so you didn't mean any harm," Shinichi smiled. "That's good. I wouldn't want to have you as my enemy."

Kurumu was relieved. She looked to the burning remains of Bat-Borg and gulped. If that was how he treated his enemies then she was glad he wasn't on the list.

"What a fool," said Moka-sama before reattaching her rosario, "Just don't lower your guard around here. It would be bad for my other self if you died." While she was impressed by his power she was unimpressed by his ideals. She then reverted back to normal and slumped forward but Shinichi caught her. As Kurumu watched Shinichi hold Moka in his arms, she wondered about him. He was a mystery. Her Charm didn't work on him but instead caused him pain. Then there was the fact that he could transform but had amnesia as well. Just who was Shinichi really? Also, those freaks had mentioned 'GIN-SHOCKER' and 'BLACK 13'. Just what did they mean?

* * *

><p>The next day, Shinichi was walking to school. Rumor spread quickly about some kind of fight spilling out in the woods. No one was sure really went on, but they all knew that Shinichi and Moka were involved.<p>

"Shinichi-kun!" he heard a voice call behind him. Turning around, he saw Moka running up to him.

"Ohayo, Moka-chan," Shinichi smiled. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better," Moka smiled. Then her expression turned serious, "Hey Shinichi, those monsters from yesterday seemed to know you. They also mentioned something about taking you back to GIN-SHOCKER. They were also calling you 'BLACK 13'. Do you think that they were related to the ones that turned you into a Kaizo Ningen?"

"Most likely," Shinichi said. "But whoever they are, I have a feeling that more of them will be coming. Soon."

"Shinichi~!"

The two turned back and Shinichi was glomped by Kurumu, her breasts pressing against his face.

"Nice to see you, Kurumu-chan," Shinichi mumbled as he tried to free himself. As nice as it felt it felt nicer to breathe.

After what had happened with Bat-Borg and Spider-Borg yesterday and while Moka was asleep after putting back her Rosario, Shinichi had explained to Kurumu that he was a cyborg. She was surprised to find out but swore to keep it a secret. After all, she did owe him that much after what she'd put him through.

She blushed and smiled as she handed him a basket, "I baked some cookies for you. These will ease your headaches." She then spotted Moka, "Oh, hello to you too!"

"Hi," Moka said sourly. She was still trying to get used to having Kurumu around, the keyword being 'trying'. "So what are you doing here?"

"I've finally decided that Shinichi is to be my Destined One," Kurumu answered.

"Huh? Destined One?" Shinichi blinked in surprise. "Really?" Kurumu nodded.

Kurumu then said to Moka, "And don't worry, I won't Charm him again. I don't want him to suffer like before."

"Well... alright," Moka nodded.

Shinichi munched on his cookie and then swallowed. "Hey, these are good!" Shinichi exclaimed. "You're an awesome baker, Kurumu!"

"Aw, you're so sweet!" Kurumu giggled as she cuddled Shinichi with her melons against his chest.

"Let him go! He's mine!" Moka exclaimed as she gripped his arm and sank her fangs into his neck.

CAPU! Chuu~

"OUCH!"

* * *

><p>After reporting his failure, Spider-Borg was executed by his superiors. GIN-SHOCKER didn't tolerate failure and any agent who failed in their assignments was dealt with immediate death and disposal. Still, they managed to get some useful info on BLACK 13 and his whereabouts as well as the people he was with.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>LEGENDARY RIDERS UNLOCKED SO FAR<strong>

1. Ichigo

2. ?

3. ?

4. ?

5. ?

6. ?

7. ?

8. Skyrider

9. ?

10. ?

11. ?

12. ?

13. ?

**KAMEN RIDER DATABASE**

"Hello! I'm the super cute and sexy succubus Kurumu Kurono and today I'll be hosting this chapter's KAMEN RIDER DATABASE segment! Today's featured Rider is Skyrider!" the cheerful demoness introduced as the screen behind her showed Skyrider.

"Skyrider's real name is Hiroshi Tsukuba. He was once a flying glider who witnessed the attempted abduction of scientists by soldiers of the terrorist organization called NEO-SHOCKER," Kurumu explained. "Tsukuba landed his glider and managed to drive of the soldiers, but ended up getting critically wounded by a Neo-Shocker mutant. Dr. Keitaro Shido, who was one of the captured scientists, convinced General Monster that he should be allowed to convert Tsukuba into a cyborg warrior. Dr. Shiba does this to save Tsukuba's life. Hiroshi Tsukuba soon awakened as the new warrior of justice, Skyrider!"

"But, some days after Tsukuba's transformation," Kurumu added, "Dr. Shido vanished without a trace. A day after that, Hiroshi met Genjiro Tani who became the mentor to Skyrider."

Kurumu continued. "He's addressed as 'Skyrider'. As the name suggests, he was the first Kamen Rider who could fly. He is also one of the most powerful of the Kamen Riders, having passed a survival test that involved being struck by the Rider Kicks of all his predecessors. Like Kamen Rider Ichigo, Kamen Rider Nigo, and Kamen Rider V3, Skyrider is a wind-powered cyborg. Tsukuba used to say 'Henshin' to transform but he later on says 'Sky Henshin'. Unlike the original Kamen Riders who are based on grasshoppers, Skyrider is based on a locust."

"During NEO-SHOCKER's final stand, Skyrider and his predecessors all worked together to fight the Great Leader of NEO-SHOCKER. With all their powers combined, the Great Leader was defeated and NEO-SHOCKER was destroyed," she finished.

"A super cool hero that's free like the wind! That's what I like in a man!" Kurumu giggled. "Well, that's all the time we have for now! Come back next time to see which Kamen Rider we'll check out next!"

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: And so another Rider has been unlocked and it's Skyrider! What will happen next? Will we see another girl introduced to Shinichi's life? Also, what is GIN-SHOCKER and why do they want Shinichi? What is BLACK 13? If you want answers then keep on reading.<strong>


	3. First Term: X Rider Makes a Splash

**Chapter 3: X-Rider Makes a Splash**

It was the near the end of the month and Nekonome-sensei had an announcement to make. "Now, because our school mimics a human high school, it is mandatory for each student to join a club. This is so that, when we enter the human world, we can integrate ourselves into human society better," the cat-woman teacher said.

Shinichi's ears perked up upon hearing this. A club, huh? That sounded interesting.

"But, Sensei," one student spoke up with a joking smile, "That means you'd get an F for your disguise."

Nekonome-sensei looked down and spotted her tail which was waving lazily. Her ears were also revealed on the top of her head. The cat-woman teacher blinked for a moment as the truth dawned onto her.

"RAWR!" she cried as she leaped at the hapless student. Her hands seemed a bit sharper as she slashed at the boy's face.

"Gagh!" the student cried as he stumbled with his face covered with scratches.

"Now," Nekonome-sensei smiled, looking as if she just hadn't mauled one of her own students. "Remember that this is mandatory. There are a lot of clubs out there so make sure you find one that's right for you." As the students began to get up and look forward to their future clubs, Nekonome-sensei added something else, "Oh, and make sure to visit the Newspaper Club too! I'm the advisor so don't be shy!"

* * *

><p>"So, which club should we join, Shinichi-kun?" asked Moka. She was with Shinichi and Kurumu decided to tag along as well. The blue-haired girl had grown close to the amnesiac whom she had fallen for.<p>

"I don't really know," said Shinichi as he looked at all the booths. It was like a festival which each club setting up booths and attractions to attract potential club applicants. He was holding a list of clubs in his hand. "There are so many."

"Let's start with this one," Kurumu said as she pointed at a club at random.

"Photography Club, huh?" Shinichi blinked as he looked it over. "It sounds nice."

"I don't know," Moka shivered, "I met the president and he was scary." He was even asking if he could take more 'artistic' photos of her.

"Wait, an Acupuncture Club?" Shinichi frowned as he looked over the list. "A Mummy Club? Oh you have got to be kidding me."

"That bad, huh?" Kurumu said, looking back at the list.

"Are you three looking for a club to join?" a beautiful girl with aquamarine hair asked. She was in a bikini and sarong. Shinichi blushed bright red when he saw her.

"Woah..." he stuttered.

"I'm Tamao Ichinose, 2nd year student and President of the Swim Club," she introduced. She looked Shinichi over. "You're Sanban-kun, right? I've heard a lot about you."

"You have?" he blinked.

"There are a lot of rumors about you," she leaned in closer. "I wonder if they're true."

"Well, there are some grain of truth in rumors," Shinichi shrugged. "Can I ask for the details of these rumors?"

"I'll tell you, if you'll join my club," said Tamao.

Moka was tugging on Shinichi's sleeve which didn't go unnoticed. He replied, "That's very tempting, Ichinose-sempai, but my friends and I would like to look around some more before we decide on a club. Sorry, but we can't just jump into anything at the moment." He was then dragged off by Moka and Kurumu.

* * *

><p>"You were ogling her!" Kurumu accused.<p>

"I was not!" denied Shinichi. "I was just admiring her physique."

"That's the same thing," Kurumu deadpanned.

"Kurumu-chan, I'm not blind. When I see a beautiful woman I can't help but admire them. Heck, even I admit that Nekonome-sensei is hot, not to mention our math teacher Ririko-sensei," said Shinichi as he crossed his arms.

"Please, don't fight," pleaded Moka.

"Shinichi, if you want to see a girl in a bikini so much then I'll put on a bikini right now!" offered Kurumu.

"Kurumu-chan!" Moka cried.

"Sweet!" Shinichi grinned.

"Shinichi-kun!"

"Sorry, Moka-chan," Shinichi apologized. "Let's just look around some more, OK?"

* * *

><p>"Aren't there any normal clubs?" Shinichi groaned. They had gone from booth to booth and met with the active members of each club who tried to persuade them to join.<p>

When the trio came upon the Chemistry Club's booth, seeing the members in lab coats caused Shinichi to have another memory flash of a creepy man with blonde hair who wore a hat, shades and a lab coat who wore a grin on his face. The image sent chills up his spine.

_"Don't worry #13. This won't hurt a bit, this will hurt a lot."_

"Hey Shinichi, is something wrong?" Kurumu asked worriedly as she saw the look in his eyes. "You aren't going to have another freak out, are you?"

"It's nothing," Shinichi said quickly, rubbing his arm. "I just felt chilly."

"But it's still warm out here," Moka said logically.

"Well, I think we should just look for another club to check out," Shinichi said, regaining his smile. "Shall we?"

"Sure, let's do that," Moka smiled back.

Their hunt for a good club hadn't panned out at all. Many of the clubs were filled with creepy people who kept drooling over Moka and Kurumu; literally in some cases. The rest were filled with gung-ho people who the trio definitely knew they were in no shape to join up with.

"What do we do now?" asked Kurumu as they sat on a bench, watching the club booths doing their best to reel in new members. "Most of the clubs have bunches of horn dogs and other freaky people."

"Yeah," Moka sighed grimly. "We have to join a club but most of the people are scary."

The cyborg, vampire and succubus sighed grimly. They were going to get in trouble unless they managed to find a club that suited them. Too bad the interesting clubs had people who were obsessed with one, two or all of them. Among the clubs that tried to bring them in was the Video Game Club that desperately wanted Shinichi to join since they wanted to know how he 'levelled up' to beat Saizou. The girls of that club were doing their best with their cosplay outfits that resembled the scantily dressed characters from games.

"Oh? Still having trouble?" a voice asked from the side.

The trio turned to see whom was talking to them and found Tamao. She was still in her bikini and sarong, leaning next to a drink machine with a can of iced tea in her hand. She still had that easy smile on her face. Moka stiffened slightly, Kurumu just frowned and Shinichi simply nodded. It was hard to pay attention since she was still in her swimsuit.

"We're still looking," Moka insisted as she shuffled closer to Shinichi. "There are plenty of clubs left."

"I'm sure," Tamao nodded as she walked up to the trio. "You know, the Swim Club is holding an exhibition show for future members. Maybe you should consider it?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Shinichi noticed Moka's pupils shrinking. Arching an eyebrow, he decided to save questions for later as he turned to answer. "Well to be honest, I don't know if I remember to swim."

"Oh?" Tamao blinked. "We that's alright, I can teach you."

"Hm..." Shinichi thought out loud, "I'll never know when I might need it." He turned to Tamao, "Alright, Sempai. Maybe we'll come and have a look see later today."

"Wonderful," Tamao grinned. She then blinked as she noticed Moka and her grin slightly grew. "Hm, I heard that you're a vampire, Moka Akashiya," said Tamao and Moka gasped. "Wonder if all the rumors of that are true."

"What rumors are you talking about?" Shinichi asked her.

"It's nothing," Moka spoke quickly. She looked up to Tamao's challenging gaze. "We'll be there."

Tamao nodded with a smile. "Well, we will see you there then. Bring your swimsuits."

"Got it," Shinichi nodded. It wasn't like Moka to be so confrontational. What was up with her?

* * *

><p>"Sweet Kami, I think I hit the jackpot." Shinichi muttered, his face slightly red with perversion<p>

Shinichi was sure he had seen teenager heaven. There were pretty girls in bikinis everywhere. They were splashing and giggling with the boys who had come. He was tempted to pinch himself to see if he really was dreaming or not.

"Shinichi!" Kurumu tackled into the boy who was caught by surprise.

"Kurumu-chan, hey-" He then took notice of her. _'WOAH!'_

"Oh, do you like it?" she smirked as she did a sexy pose that made her breasts bounce. She was clad in a yellow bikini that didn't leave too much to the imagination. "I told you that I would be glad to pose for you in this thing," Kurumu purred.

"Chotto matte!" Moka said as she pushed the two apart. "Please control yourself Kurumu-chan!"

Shinichi raised an eyebrow as he noticed Moka was the only person other than him still in uniform. She looked extremely uncomfortable and skittish around the pool.

_'Is Moka-chan afraid of water?'_ Shinichi thought. _'She must have aquaphobia. No wonder she's not comfortable near the water.'_He mentally kicked himself for overlooking such a thing. He should've noticed.

"Well, hello."

Shinichi and Moka turned and again found themselves looking at Tamao again. She was without her sarong, but the bikini was still there. Moka huffed again at the appearance of the Swim Club President.

"H-hey," Shinichi waved.

"Hello," Moka nodded stiffly.

"I thought I told you to wear swimsuits," Tamao said in a cute pouting tone. "I don't think you can really enjoy what we have to offer with what you have on now."

"Sorry, Sempai. But I forgot to tell you that I don't have any swimming trunks," Shinichi answered. He really didn't. He had nothing to wear for the pool. The one who sent him here must have not known about the clubs or maybe just forgot.

"That's alright, we still have extra trunks just in case," said Tamao

However, Shinichi calmly refused, "Sorry, but I don't think I'll want to join this club." He turned to Kurumu, "Kurumu-chan, you should swim for a bit if you like."

Kurumu frowned as she watched him join Moka and pull her away from the pool. "Dammit..." she scowled. Once again Moka was getting Shinichi's attention. It was so unfair.

* * *

><p>Shinichi and Moka sat on a bench together and she smiled as she had him with her and not with those Swim Club girls. "I'm glad you didn't join," she said.<p>

"Of course I wouldn't. No club is worth joining without you," he said honestly. "I should've noticed that you were afraid of water."

Moka blinked, "But I'm not afraid of the water."

"Huh?" Shinichi blinked, "You aren't?"

"Not at all," Moka replied. "You see-"

Suddenly, they heard screams coming from the pool and Shinichi shot up from his seat.

"Something's happening!" they both cried out.

* * *

><p>Moka and Shinichi quickly arrived at the pool and saw a gruesome scene. The members of the Swim Club had turned into mermaids but these weren't the ones from fairytales. They sported the traditional tail but also gills and sharp teeth which they sank into the boys' neck to suck up their life energy. The boys began to age rapidly before they were released and left floating lifelessly in the water.<p>

"They're mermaids," said Moka.

"No wonder they're at home in the water," frowned Shinichi. "Home field advantage."

Suddenly, Moka was shoved forward into the pool and fell with a splash. The one who'd pushed her in was Tamao Ichinose.

"Sempai!-?" Shinichi cried out.

"Take a look," said Tamao as she pointed at Moka who was screaming as electricity seemed to spark all over her body. "She really is a vampire. No wonder it affects her like this. It's her fatal weakness."

"Weakness?" Shinichi questioned. Now it made sense why she avoided the water, because vampires couldn't touch the water without getting shocked. He always thought that Moka was unstoppable thanks to her other side, but now it seemed that even she had her weaknesses. He then saw the mermaids circling around Moka. "No!" He then jumped in and Tamao grinned.

Just as Shinichi splashed into the pool, he called out, "Let's Ride: Showa!" causing his armor to form. He had to get Moka out of the pool. As a mermaid lunged for her, she was backhanded by Showa. "Stay away from her!" He held Moka close but she was still in pain. "Moka-chan, I'm going to get you out of here."

"Shin...Shinichi-kun..." Moka trembled. He was about to swim to shore when he felt someone grab his arm. He turned around to see who was holding him back.

"Sorry, but that isn't going to happen," said Tamao in her mermaid form. She'd transformed as soon as she hit the water. She admired Showa's armor. "Quite a nice transformation. What are you, anyway?"

"Nothing you should know about," Showa shot back. "Kurumu-chan, if you can hear me I need you to get Moka-chan out of here!"

Kurumu swooped in with her wings and grabbed Moka before carrying her out of the pool. She ducked and dodged the mermaids that leapt out and tried to grab her but she remained in too high an altitude for them to reach.

"Kurumu-chan, we have to help Shinichi-kun!" said Moka.

"Not in your condition," Kurumu shot back.

"They're getting away!" one of the mermaids shouted.

"Forget them!" another one snapped. "Eat the bug instead!"

Showa grimaced as the mermaids dog-piled him and sent him deep under the water. It appeared that with their primary target gone, the mermaids went for the next best thing. With all the mermaids holding him down, he was unable to move. He just wished he had a form fit for this situation...

* * *

><p><em>Shinichi found himself in the infinite white space and once again he was face to face with another Kamen Rider. His bodysuit was grey and he sported a red chestplate with the armor on the stomach shaped like the letter X. He wore black gloves and boots, a black and yellow scarf with a red 'X' on it, a silver helmet with a strip of metal covering the mouth, red eyes and V-shaped antennae. His belt seemed to have a rod sticking out the side of the buckle.<em>

_"Shinichi, I'm X-Rider or Kamen Rider X. It's good to finally meet you."_

_"Likewise," Shinichi responded._

_"You seem to be in quite the pickle, luckily I'm the kind of guy for these situations," said X-Rider._

_"How so?"_

_"I'm a Kaizorg, a cyborg designed for aquatic combat and it looks to me that my powers are needed here." X-Rider then put his index finger to Showa's forehead to unlock his power. "Now, teach those mermaids a lesson."_

* * *

><p><strong>INSERT SONG: SET UP! KAMEN RIDER X<strong>

"Let's Ride: X!"

A bright flash of light blinded the mermaids, causing them to release him. As the light dimmed, Showa was now in the form of Kamen Rider X.

"What?" gasped one of the mermaids in shock, "He just changed forms! Is he a doppelganger?"

"Who cares?" Tamao snarled hungrily. "He's lunch!"

The rest of the swim team couldn't agree more as they charged at Showa-X. Naturally adapted for the water, the mermaids believe that there was nothing that could surpass them when it came to underwater combat. Their prey was nothing more than a sitting duck.

Too bad for them they totally underestimated the power of the X-Rider.

"Hup!" Showa-X yelled as he swam past them at surprising speeds. The mermaids' expressions were that of shock and then that of rage as they went after X-Showa. The underwater fighters swam all around the pool in a game of Chicken and neither side was letting up.

Two mermaids managed to catch up to X-Showa and grabbed his arms. "Now we got you!" one of them cackled.

"I think not!" X-Showa frowned as threw said mermaid away. She glided through the waters before crashing with a deep imprint on the wall within the pool. X-Showa then turned on the other mermaid who suddenly gulped. Fist met face as she was sent tumbling into another wall.

"I need a weapon," X-Showa muttered. "Ridol Stick!" He called out as he drew out the Ridol that was Kamen Rider X's signature weapon. It was a white staff with red handles on both ends. It had four buttons, each one with a unique purpose. He swung the staff about and twirled it around the mermaids that continued to try and overpower him with their numbers. Each one was knocked away with a swing of the weapon.

"Ridol Rope!" he shouted as he pressed a button with an "R" on it. The stick suddenly became loose and took the appearance of a whip. He pulled it back and launched it forward. Four more mermaids that came after him found themselves tied up and thrown into other mermaids that tried to attack from the side.

"Damnit! I refuse to lose to some stupid bug!" Tamao screeched as she rushed at him. However, X-Showa got under her as he pressed "L" button causing the Ridol to turn into a long pole that quickly hit Tamao straight in the chest.

Showa-X then said, "Sorry, fish lady, but this is where you get reeled in!" He then swung his Ridol up and tossed Tamao out of the water and into the air. After that he put the Ridol away and leapt out of the water and into the air to execute his attack. "X..." He spread his arms and legs into the 'X' position and aimed his eyes on Tamao "...Kick!"

His kick smashed into her and she was sent flying right into the fence surrounding the pool. He landed outside the pool and his body armor shifted back to his default before shattering away in the form of jigsaw puzzle pieces. All the mermaids had been knocked out and were floating belly up in the pool. As for the boys, they were being taken out of the pool water and rushed towards the on-campus hospital for treatment.

**END SONG**

"Game Over," said Shinichi as he gave a thumbs-up.

* * *

><p>Needless to say, none of the three friends wanted to join the Swim Club after the little stunt the senior members had pulled. After Kurumu got her regular clothes back on and Moka recovered from her exposure to water, all three friends made tracks. Unfortunately, they couldn't find any clubs they could join as the ones left were clubs that were either filled with weirdoes or clubs they didn't want to join.<p>

There was one club left that caught Shinichi's eye though, the Youkai Gaming Club. It had things like card games, tabletop games, and video games. It even allowed members to watch all the anime they wanted while they were there. Unfortunately, they'd refused his application. Apparently, they didn't have any vacancies in the club anymore but in reality they were doing it out of spite because of Shinichi being so close to Moka. He didn't know this but he had a feeling that they'd rejected him out of jealousy. Well, who needed them anyway?

At the moment, the group of friends was sitting in the cafeteria. Kurumu sighed, "I guess we don't have any clubs to join now, huh?"

"I guess so," admitted Shinichi.

"At least we got away that awful Swim Club," Moka huffed.

"Yeah, and if I had picked up on your weakness sooner, you wouldn't have gotten hurt," Shinichi apologized.

"That's alright, Shinichi-kun," Moka smiled. "I didn't tell you in time so you couldn't have known."

"But, if you can't touch the water, then how do you take showers?"

Moka giggled. "I don't. I take special herbal baths." She knew he would ask that once he found out about her weakness.

"Oh, that makes sense." Shinichi smiled at Moka. She got hurt pretty bad by the water and the mermaids, but she chose to forgive him anyway. He felt better about that much. Still, their main problem was still there. None of the good clubs had room for them now.

"What's this?" asked a cheerful voice and they turned to see their teacher, Nekonome-sensei, looking at them. "Why so glum?"

"We don't have a club to join," said Shinichi.

"Oh, no problem!" said their teacher with a knowing smile. "Why don't you all join the Newspaper Club? All our members graduated last year so it's pretty empty. How about it?"

Shinichi perked up. "Hey, that's not a bad idea." It was a chance for him and Moka to be in the same club. He turned to his pink-haired friend, "What do you say, Moka-chan?"

"It sounds like a good idea," said Moka.

"Hey, let me join too!" added Kurumu.

Nekonome-sensei smiled. It would appear that the Newspaper Club was going to get some new blood after all.

* * *

><p><strong>LEGENDARY RIDERS UNLOCKED SO FAR<strong>

1. Ichigo

2. ?

3. ?

4. ?

5. X-Rider

6. ?

7. ?

8. Skyrider

9. ?

10. ?

11. ?

12. ?

13. ?

**KAMEN RIDER DATABASE**

"Konichiwa! My name is Moka Akashiya! If you want, you can call me Outer Moka!" the pink-haired vampire said cheerfully. "Today, we will be looking at the history and abilities of Kamen Rider X!"

The image of X-Rider appeared on the screen. "Keisuke Jin was the son of Robotics scientist Keitaro Jin who was devising the technology for undersea exploration," Moka began, "However, Keisuke and his father were attacked by Neptune of the G.O.D. organization which wanted the technology for their use. Because of this, Keisuke suffered mortal injuries inflicted from the ordeal with his father forced to perform surgery on his son with what little invention he had left to make his son into a "Kaizorg", or an aquamarine cyborg (she shivered at mentioning the word "aquamarine"), to save his life before he succumbed to his own injuries. Driven to avenge his father's death and save the world, Keisuke battled G.O.D."

"At first, Keisuke's used the phrase "Set Up" and jumping up into the air with his bodysuit manifesting as he removed the "Redizer" & "Perfecter" from the sides of his belt to form his helmet and then snapped up the faceplate to complete the transformation. Later on, Keisuke used the phrase "Dai Henshin!" to transform while making an "X" sign with his arms."

"The motif of this Rider was the Belostomatidae or "Giant water bug", and the letter X," she continued, "The Belostomatidae design is very fitting since he is the master of underwater combat, as the mermaids of this chapter learned the hard way. His exoskeleton is made of a special super alloy called Special Structure that allows him to survive the heavy pressure of ten thousand meters below sea level with an artificial lung to breathe underwater. There's nothing in the world that can escape him in the water!"

"It's good to know that there are heroes like him are around," Moka smiled. "Anyway, that's it for now. Come back next time and I'll have a Capu Chuu for you!"

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: And here's chapter 3! Shinichi has a confrontation with the Swim Club but soundly defeats them as X-Rider. Kamen Rider X would be so proud. Well, next up is the newspaper club where we meet the perverted werewolf named Gin. How does Shinichi deal with the wolf who's lusting after Moka? Well, you gotta wait for it next time on Showa &amp; Vampire!<strong>


	4. First Term: Rise of the Black Sun

**Chapter 4: Rise of the Black Sun**

"So, this is the Newspaper Club, huh?" Moka wondered as she looked around the room.

"Nekonome-sensei did say this was the room," Shinichi pointed out.

Kurumu, Moka and Shinichi were in the Newspaper Club room after school. The room seemed to be a little dusty and there were old newspaper clippings pinned up on the notice board. There was also a printer and computers as well as equipment needed to make a newspaper.

"Looks like we're the only ones here," Kurumu shrugged. Not that she minded it. It meant spending more time with Shinichi after all.

"Didn't Nekonome-sensei say all the members except the president graduated?" the cyborg reminded her.

"That's right!"

"AHH!" Kurumu, Moka and Shinichi jumped in fright. Turning around, they found Nekonome-sensei behind them with a happy smile.

"Holy crap! Where did you come from!-?" Shinichi panted as he tried to get his heart rate down.

The catwoman giggled embarrassingly, "Sorry. Anyway, everyone, I'd like to introduce you to your Club President, 2nd year student Ginei Morioka."

Stepping into the room was a handsome dark-haired boy wearing a red headband and a slightly disheveled school uniform. Actually, the uniform was rather neat, but he wore the jacket open and had a few of the shirt's buttons undone, allowing his chest to be seen. Then there was the fact he was carrying two flower bouquets.

"Sorry I'm late," he said with a charming smile. "I'm an upperclassman; I'm supposed to set an example. My name's Ginei Morioka but please, call me Gin." He smiled when he saw Moka and Kurumu. "And it's such a pleasure to meet lovely ladies like you," he said as he passed out the bouquets to them. The pair couldn't help but blush.

Shinichi frowned as Gin was seemingly ignoring Shinichi on purpose. He cleared his throat to get Gin's attention. "Oi, I'm here too," he spoke up.

Gin took notice of the other freshman and smiled. "Ah, so you're here too. Sanban-kun, right? The bug doppelganger."

_'Is that what they're calling me?'_ Shinchi thought to himself. Well, his Rider forms were based on bugs so it was close enough. "Yeah, that's right. Let's go with that," he answered.

"Well, you're quite a guy," he continued. "Beating up a thug like Saizo and cutting down the Swim Club tends to make someone a tad infamous."

"Uh... thanks," Shinichi nodded. Gin didn't seem too bad. He looked like a nice guy really.

So, why did Shinichi have this buzz in the back of his head to be wary of this guy?

"I'm gonna leave you all to get to know each other," Nekonome-sensei said as she headed out the door. "Be kind to your sempai!" And she was out, leaving Gin alone with Moka, Shinichi, and Kurumu.

"Listen here," Gin said seriously. "We are the Newspaper Club. It is our job to seek out news and report it to the student body, regardless of the danger to our lives. We must be willing to risk all for the sake of our craft, because this isn't gonna be a walk in the park. Anybody who can't handle that should get lost now."

Shinichi blinked. "You remind me of someone."

"Really?" Gin asked with a grin. "Was he as handsome as me?"

"Can't answer that I'm afraid," Shinichi replied with a shake of his head.

"Sorry, Gin-sempai," Moka said. "But Shinichi-kun has amnesia."

Gin cocked an eyebrow, "Amnesia, you say? Sounds mysterious."

Shinichi admitted, "Yeah, woke up on my first day here with nothing but the clothes on my back and my name. Don't have any memories save for the ones I have since the first day here."

Gin smiled, "Well, I hope you get some more memories with the Newspaper Club! OK, let's clean up the place. A clean workplace is motivating and we're going to be very busy this year so we need to work hard."

Kurumu and Moka chirped, "Hai!"

Shinichi still felt a bit suspicious of Gin but he just shrugged. No reason to dislike Gin...yet. He was still going to keep his eye on the upperclassman.

* * *

><p>Their first order of business turned out to be putting up advertisements for the Newspaper Club. Moka and Kurumu were standing on chairs that had been appropriated to help them put the advertisements higher. Gin was supervising them, while leaving Shinichi to post advertisements on his own.<p>

"Higher..." he heard Gin prompt the girls, "Higher..."

"Is this high enough?" Kurumu asked, sounding like it was putting her under considerable strain to stretch herself that much.

"Just a little more..." Gin prompted.

Shinichi snarled quietly and slapped his last advertisement onto the wall, then stormed over to Gin. "What do you think you're doing, Sempai? That's high enough!"

"Maybe for you," Gin replied flippantly, and it was at that moment that Shinichi noticed that Gin was crouched behind the girls... and not quite looking up at the advertisements.

"Gin-sempai," Shinichi threatened warningly, his voice low enough to be out of Moka and Kurumu's earshot, "This is not the time and/or place to peep."

"Peep?" Gin asked innocently, "What are you saying? I'm just helping to get the advertisements up."

"In that case, you should stand up and help instead of crouching down like a stump. It's much easier that way, not to mention that you're straining the girls," Shinichi retorted.

For the rest of the day, Shinichi kept his eye on Gin. The guy seemed to be lazy, delegating all the work to him and the girls. Gin tried to make Shinichi work elsewhere but the Kaizo Ningen wasn't about to leave the two girls alone with Gin. Shinichi was a man and had to protect his ladies. It was also unmanly of Gin to peep on the girls without permission. Shinichi might be a bit of a pervert himself but he made sure he had consent before doing anything.

* * *

><p>Shinichi's suspicions about Gin were right on the mark, not that he knew yet. Gin wanted a girl. But not just any girl, it was Moka herself that he wanted. The next day, Gin was asking around for information on Moka and Shinichi, specifically on their relationship. He needed to know just what was going on between them if he was going to make Moka his woman, after all. Upon happening on a couple of girls, he asked them the same question he'd asked everyone else.<p>

"What's going on between Moka Akashiya and Shinichi Sanban?"

"I dunno, they seem to be really close," one girl replied.

"I mean, really, I've seen her kiss him on the neck..." the other girl added, blushing a little, "And he really seems to like it."

_'Kissing him on the neck?_' Gin thought, going into a small meltdown. _'What the hell!-?'_

"He really doesn't look like much, though," the first girl remarked. "But he is kinda cute."

"And Moka's gorgeous!" the second girl added. "She has the kind of beauty that charms even other women can only hope to have. I don't know why she's with him, but that tattoo on his forehead looks kind of cool."

"A tattoo?" Gin repeated.

"Yeah, if you look at it close enough, it looks like the Roman numeral for 13; 'XIII'," she told him.

"Huh. Weird," Gin blinked. _'What kind of guy would want to put a tattoo on their forehead?'_

* * *

><p>"Guys, we have and emergency," Gin said seriously "There's news of a serial Peeping Tom stalking the school!"<p>

"Serial Peeping Tom?" Kurumu, Moka and Shinichi all exclaimed in unison.

Gin nodded, "That's right. He goes around, peeping through locker room windows to catch a peek at the girls in states of undress. The girls don't feel safe. It is up to us to find him and expose him."

"Now that I can agree with," Shinichi nodded, "When do we start?"

The upperclassman grinned at him, "Shinichi, I want you to come with me. We're going to follow a lead!"

* * *

><p>"So, this is it, huh?" asked Shinichi. They were standing in front of a small building. Gin explained that a lead told him that the Peeping Tom hid out here whenever he was about to get caught.<p>

"Yeah. Hey, Shinichi, do you mind looking into that window up there?" Gin asked.

Shinichi looked at the building and narrowed his eyes. His enhanced hearing picked up female chatter and soon recognized what this building was.

"You're trying to set me up," Shinichi frowned.

"Huh?" Gin blinked.

Shinichi turned to Gin and pointed at the building, "That's a locker room, for girls, and there are girls in there." He then pointed at the camera in Gin's hand. "You also have a camera. What's your angle?"

"Ah, well..." Gin stuttered. This wasn't supposed to happen! Just how sharp was this kid?

Shinichi began to grin, "Doesn't matter though. You tried to set me up so it's only fair I do the same." He took a deep breath and cried out in a girlish voice, "Oh MY GOD! HENTAI! THERE'S A PEEPING TOM!"

Gin gulped and dashed off, seemingly vanishing. Shinichi then heard the girls coming and they didn't sound happy.

"A Peeping Tom?"

"Where is he?"

"I'll tear him to shreds!"

"Let me at him!"

"No! Let ME at him!"

"Time to make tracks," Shinichi said and he jumped into the air.

The girls came out holding various weapons and saw nothing. Hovering high in the air was Showa-Skyrider.

"Gin...what are you after?" he pondered with his arms crossed. He then flew off to meet with the girls and tell them about this.

* * *

><p>"What?" Moka asked with wide eyes. "Gin-sempai was trying to frame you?"<p>

"That's right and he had a camera to take pictures as evidence too," Shinichi nodded as they sat alone in the club room. "Moka-chan, I want you to be careful. This guy obviously has something against me and may try something dirty."

"He's trying something and you're an obstacle." Kurumu said as she walked into the room. Oddly, she was dressed as Sherlock Holmes. She was even holding a pipe.

"Eh, what do you mean Kurumu-chan?" Shinichi blinked. "And why are you dressed like that?"

"Well it's simple. While I was asking around about the Peeping Tom I heard something interesting. Apparently, Gin's also been snooping around about your relationship with Moka, and after hearing your story, my suspicions are confirmed. He wants to discredit you so he can get Moka for himself," Kurumu said, completely ignoring the second question.

Both Moka and Shinichi both looked dumbfounded. "But... but why?" Moka stammered. She was feeling very vulnerable now.

"I have no idea," Kurumu answered with shrug. "But now that I've told you this, what are you going to do about it?"

Shinichi frowned. He couldn't believe that his own sempai would do this just to get on with his friend. Was there even a serial Peeping Tom, or was that just one of his tricks? If that was the type of game he wanted to play then bring it on! "I have an idea. Moka-chan, Kurumu-chan, listen closely."

* * *

><p>Later that evening, Gin whistled, glad he was able to escape intact and went to his shoe locker to retrieve his sneakers so he could head back to his dorm and hatch another scheme to get Shinichi out of the way so he could get Moka, with Kurumu as a bonus! As he opened his locker, he spotted an envelope nestled between his sneakers.<p>

"Could this be...?"

He reached inside and pulled out the envelope and his eyes brightened. It was pink and had a kiss mark on it.

"It is! A love letter!" he cried.

He tore the envelope open and read its contents as his wolfish grin grew wide.

_I really love you so very, very, very much! Meet me tonight on the school roof, sempai._

_From: Moka Akashiya._

"YAHOO!" Gin howled as he jumped into the air and clicked his heels. "I knew my charm would work on Moka! I'm coming for you, baby!"

He then ran off so he could go rendezvous with the lovely Moka Akashiya. He would need flowers and something special for the girl. Girls loved to be romanced before giving themselves to their man.

* * *

><p>"I'm here, lovely Moka!" declared Gin as he arrived on the school roof.<p>

"Ah, Gin-sempai," a voice called out. He turned around and found Moka smiling sweetly at him with her hands behind her back. "I'm so happy you could come."

"Anything for a pretty girl like you," Gin said with that charming smile of his. "So, how about we kick things off with the basics: dinner and a movie?"

"Actually," she began, "There's just a few questions that we need to ask you."

"'We'?" Gin wondered.

"Sup, Gin-sempai?"

Gin nearly jumped when he heard the voice behind him. Turning around, he saw that it was Shinichi, looking like a detective from the 1930's of America, wearing a black, long-sleeved shirt with a red tie, a white vest and pants along with leather shoes. He even wore a black fedora atop his head. Kurumu was with him and was dressed as Sherlock Holmes.

"What?" Gin blinked. "What are you two doing here? And what's with the cosplay?"

"Don't ask," Shinichi said. "As for why we here, well, let's just say that the jig is up."

"What?" Gin's eyes narrowed.

Shinichi and Kurumu held up a pair of photo albums and then opened them up for him to see. All of them depicted girls in obvious forms of undress and completely unaware that anyone was watching them.

"Quite a collection, sempai," Shinichi said, "Turns out that Moka-chan is very clever when it comes to picking locks. Before placing that letter in your shoe locker, she found all of this."

"But those aren't mine!" Gin denied. "I was just holding them for one of my friends!"

"Property of Ginei Morioka," Kurumu read off one of the albums.

Gin cursed his habit of writing his name on all of his stuff!

Shinichi began, "You claim to know about the serial Peeping Tom because..."

Everyone listened expectantly.

"Sorry, pausing for dramatic effect," Shinichi said, "Now, as I as saying..." he pointed at Gin accusingly, "GIN MORIOKA...YOU ARE THE SERIAL PEEPING TOM!"

"This is slander!" Gin shouted.

"Slander? Slander!-?" Shinichi repeated. "This! Is! Youkai Academy!"

"...Did you really just say that?" Kurumu deadpanned.

Gin frowned angrily. He was completely busted now. "Enough of this! Since I can't use trickery, I'll just make Moka my woman by force!"

Gin leaped up into the air with blinding speed before he landed at the other end behind Shinichi and the girls. Growling, Gin's body began to swell with raw and wild power. His face sprouted gray fur before turning into a canine snout while his ears relocated to the top of his head.

"A werewolf!" Moka gasped.

"They're supposed to be on par with vampires in power!" Kurumu cried.

"A rival of vampires, huh?" Shinichi frowned. "This may get messy." His belt formed as he took his stance. "Let's Ride: Showa!"

Gin grinned at Showa's transformation, "So, you are some kind of armored bug monster. Well, it doesn't matter what you turn into, nobody can match my speed!"

And to demonstrate, Gin dashed and moved around like a blur. Showa was struggling to catch Gin's movements but the werewolf was too fast. Sparks flew from Showa's armor as he was being struck from all sides by the speedy werewolf and the continuous and relentless assault forced him to his knees.

"Shinichi-kun!" Moka gasped.

"Shinichi!" Kurumu cried.

"He's...fast!" Showa grunted.

"This is the true power of us werewolves! Our speed and power depends on the light of the moon! You're going down, then Moka will become my woman!" gloated Gin. Showa's eyes narrowed under his helmet and then...

* * *

><p><em>...He found himself in the endless white space again. This time, who he was facing wasn't a Kamen Rider, at least not in form, but a young man that looked a bit older than him who had neat and short black hair and a strong jaw line. He had on a white and black jacket with equally white pants and sneakers. He was also wearing a black and white striped shirt underneath the jacket and white fingerless gloves.<em>

_"Looks like you got yourself in another mess," the man said. "My timing couldn't have been better."_

_"Who are you?" Shinichi asked._

_"You can call me Kotaro Minami," the man answered, "Also known as Kamen Rider BLACK, RX, Biorider and Roborider."_

_"What's with the many names?" Shinichi asked with an arched eyebrow._

_Kotaro grinned. "Because I have many powers and those powers are now yours. Now, fight, Shinichi, and use the power of the Century King and Prince of the Sun to teach that werewolf a lesson that he won't soon forget!" Shinichi saw see-through images of Kamen Rider BLACK, Kamen Rider BLACK RX, Biorider and Roborider standing behind Kotaro._

_And with that, Kotaro pressed his finger against Shinichi's forehead and a light engulfed them both._

* * *

><p><strong>INSERT SONG: KAMEN RIDER BLACK RX<strong>

Showa huffed slightly as he slowly and wobbly got back to his feet. Gin thought this was pretty amusing.

"I'm surprised, Sanban-kun," said Gin with a smirk. "Not many can say they've survived this long against a werewolf. Just let me have Moka and we can stop this."

"No way," Showa objected. "You tried to make me look like a shameless pervert just so that you could take Moka-chan for yourself. I thought we were friends. I do know you're a good person under all that fur but for now… I'm going to kick your ass!"

"And how will you do that?" Gin questioned, licking his teeth.

"Since you fight with the power of the moon, I'm going to fight with the power of the SUN! Let's Ride: BLACK!" In a flash he transformed and was clad in the form of Century King Black Sun, or Kamen Rider BLACK as he was best known as. The armor was mostly black and had yellow-red-yellow bands around his neck, wrists and ankles.

"Woah!" Kurumu gawked.

"Sugoi! A new power!" Moka cheered.

"Don't get cocky!" Gin snarled "I'm still faster!"

Gin aimed to make his point by once again trying to dash forward and cutting Showa-BLACK down to size. He zoomed around like a blur to confuse Showa-BLACK and make it harder for his movements to be tracked. However, what he didn't know was that as BLACK, Showa now had access to the Rider Sensors which were the antennae mounted on his head. The Rider Sensors began to twitch, tracking Gin's movement and calculating his next attack.

When he finally got a lock on Gin, he quickly changed to BLACK's evolved form, calling out, "Let's Ride: RX!" In a flash his armor changed again. It was green and black and like his other forms resembled a bug because of the large red eyes and antennae. He also sported a miniature solar panel on his stomach. He had become Kamen Rider BLACK RX, the Prince of the Sun.

Crying out, "Revolcane!" Showa-RX pulled out a sword with a glowing blade from his belt and got ready. Gin finally came within reach and swung his claws down, only for Showa-RX to block with his sword. The two men started to trade blows at one another. Gin still attempted to one up Showa-RX with his speed, but the super cyborg still blocked him blow for blow. Sparks flew as the two fighters continued to clash.

Gin clenched his fangs as sweat started to drip down his face. What was going one? There was no monster in the world that could read a werewolf's speed like Shinichi was doing now. Even vampires were unable to track werewolves whenever they moved at full speed. Just what was he? And more importantly, what was with that sword?

"You're wide open!" Showa-RX tried to catch Gin at a blind spot, but the werewolf recovered just enough to spin around. He quickened his slashing and swiping to get Showa-RX to back off.

"Shinichi-kun!" Moka gasped.

"I'm still too fast for you!" Gin panted.

"Prove it to me then," Showa-RX replied, "Let's Ride: Biorider!" In a flash of light his suit changed into a sleeker suit of blue armor with red eyes and some silver on his shoulders and legs. This was Biorider, the Nature Prince and Prince of Anger.

Gin charged and attacked again, but this time Showa-Biorider suddenly liquefied into water, causing Gin to pass through harmlessly, stunning him, Moka, & Kurumu. Showa-Biorider reformed himself and crossed his arms. "Well!"

"Don't screw with me!" Gin shouted as rushed up again and slashed his claws at the Rider. However, he had once again liquefied causing the clash to create splashes rather than sparks.

"WHY! CAN'T! I! TOUCH YOU!-?" Gin yelled in aggravation with each swipe.

"Trade secret," Showa-Biorider said. "Let's Ride: Roborider!"

There was no flash this time and the change happened so quickly that Gin didn't notice until his claws connected against the suddenly unbreakable armor, shattering his claws.

"ARGH!" Gin howled in pain, clutching his throbbing hand and slowly backing up.

Roborider, also known as the Prince of Sadness and Prince of Flames, was bulky with black and orange armor with narrowed red eyes and some silver around the knees and elbows. Grabbing Gin by his jacket, Showa-Roborider smashed his super hard fist against the werewolf's jaw, sending him flying into the wall of the roof entrance and making a new imprint that looked like the outline of his body. Gin slowly removed himself and growled. He lunged once more, but Showa-Roborider wouldn't have any of that.

"Voltech Shooter!" he shouted as a silver gun appeared in his hand. He took aim and fired a stream of solar energy, which grazed Gin on the leg. This caused him to go sprawling, rolling over before stopping on his back.

"I think Moka-chan deserves to play," Showa-Roborider said. He turned around and walked back to the girls, although a bit tad slowly. His movements were almost robotic. He reached Moka and took hold of her rosario. "Ready?"

Moka nodded. With a rather strong pull, the rosario came off. The area was soon filled with a chilling aura as Moka started her own transformation into her more attractive and intimidating true self.

Once she was fully awake, Moka-sama looked up and smirked. "Well now, this is new," she said. Her blood red eyes trailed down and up at his new form.

"It sure is," Showa-Roborider nodded with a smile in his voice. "Want to join in?"

"By all means," she answered. "I do need the exercise."

Gin looked to the unsealed Moka-sama and had hearts in his eyes. He howled, "I thought you were hot before but now you're just smoking!"

Showa-Roborider just looked to Moka-sama, "OK, for that corny line you get to go first."

"What a gentleman," smiled Moka-sama as she advanced on Gin. Despite his injuries he was still fast but as he moved he discovered his movements weren't as quick as before and Moka-sama was running towards him. "Wondering about your lack of speed? Look up." Gin did and to his horror he discovered the clouds were concealing the moon. "No moon, no speed. Now...KNOW YOUR PLACE!" Her leg rose up in a kick that nailed the werewolf right in the chin and sent him flying skywards.

Showa-Roborider saw this as his opportunity and called out, "Let's Ride, RX!" Changing back into BLACK RX, Showa jumped high into the air.

"This is Game Over for you!" announced Showa-RX as he executed the finisher, "RX…Kick!" His attack was charged with energy before his double-footed kick connected with Gin and sent him flying right off the roof and straight towards the forest surrounding the academy. Landing on his feet, Kamen Rider Showa in the form of BLACK RX commented, "A wolf belongs in the forest."

**END SONG**

Glomp!

"That was so cool!" declared Kurumu. She then stepped back to admire his armor, "Black certainly looks good on you, Shinichi."

"Thanks, Kurumu-chan," said Showa-RX as his armor reverted back to normal and then shattered into fading jigsaw pieces. He looked to Moka-sama who looked back at him expectantly. "Oh, here." He tossed her rosario back to her and she caught it.

"I look forward to seeing what others abilities you will unlock, Rider," said Moka-sama as she hooked the rosario back to her choker.

* * *

><p>Gin pretty much ended up in the hospital for a week after the punishment he received. Miraculously, he hadn't gotten any broken bones from the two kicks he'd received. Hopefully, he'd learnt his lessons and wouldn't be up to his old tricks again. That was, however, assuming that he learnt anything at all.<p>

There were no hard feelings, though. Gin now knew not to cross Shinichi and Moka, especially Moka. As sexy as she was unsealed she was just too dangerous for him. As for Shinichi, he learnt that the guy was smarter than he looked since he was able to see past his scheme and retaliate with his own scheme that exposed him as a pervert. Shinichi also hid Gin's albums to be used as blackmail material in case Gin went back to being the serial Peeping Tom and promised not to expose his secret.

Gin, with bandages on his body, greeted his fellow club members, "Well, I'm glad to see you all again."

"It's good to see you too, Ero-sempai," Shinichi greeted. Gin glared at him for the nickname but Shinichi just grinned back.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, in the Headmaster's office…<p>

"An orc, mermaids, a werewolf, and even defeating a cyborg bat creature. My, my, what an interesting individual you left in my school, Topper," a creepy old man said to his guest. He was wearing the clothing of an exorcist priest. Under his hood, yellow eyes glowed ominously.

"I'm glad you think he's interesting, my old friend, but I have to confess that not even I could have predicted that he would befriend the daughter of Akasha so quickly," answered the guest as he sipped his tea. He was a man in a blue overcoat worn over an orange shirt with pinstriped pants and a yellow bowtie. Perched on top of his head was a tall top hat.

"Yes, but whether it was fate or dumb luck, I couldn't have ask for a better friend for the amnesiac boy than the daughter of my old comrade," the exorcist said.

"Indeed. However, only time will tell if the boy would be ready for what coming. After all, GIN-SHOCKER is not known to spare those that escape their grasp so easily," Topper grinned.

* * *

><p><strong>LEGENDARY RIDERS UNLOCKED SO FAR<strong>

1. Ichigo

2. ?

3. ?

4. ?

5. X-Rider

6. ?

7. ?

8. Skyrider

9. ?

10. ?

11. BLACK RX (Includes BLACK, Roborider and Biorider)

12. ?

13. ?

LINE BREAK

**KAMEN RIDER DATABASE**

"Ah, back here already, are you?" Moka-sama smirked. "Well, today we will be looking at a Rider with many faces: Kotaro Minami."

The screen behind her showed the image of Kamen Rider BLACK. "Kotaro was born on the day of a solar eclipse alongside his stepbrother Nobuhiko and they were revered by the Gorgom as the heirs to their leader's throne: the Century Kings 'Black Sun' and 'Shadow Moon'," Moka-sama began. "Once the two were of the ideal age, the Gorgom captured them and infused them each with a Kingstone. However, Soichiro Akizuki, Nobuhiko's father and Kotaro's legal guardian, interrupted the final mind-altering stage of the surgery and Kotaro barely escaped with his life while Nobuhiko was in a state of hibernation. Before Soichiro was killed for his actions at the hands of five Spider Mutants, revealing to Kotaro that his parents were murdered by Gorgom while he was a baby, Kotaro took on the name of "Kamen Rider BLACK" to fight Gorgom and later Shadow Moon, Nobuhiko's perfected Century King form and a pure, cold-blooded Gorgom leader. When he was initially killed by Shadow Moon, his remaining family members (Kyoko and Kasumi) were forced to evacuate from Gorgom's hegemony over Japan. He was eventually resurrected and fought his way through the remaining monsters before presumably killing Shadow Moon (and in the process, Nobuhiko) and destroying the Creation King."

The image then switched to BLACK RX. "After defeating Gorgom, Kotaro Minami found himself homeless until the Sahara family took him into their family," Moka-sama continued. "With their connections, he found employment as a helicopter pilot for their family business, and began to build a new life for himself. But five years later, Kotaro was abducted into the interstellar mother ship of the Crisis Empire. Knowledgeable of his identity as Kamen Rider BLACK, the organization attempted to offer hima chance to join them. Kotaro refused so they had him jettisoned into space after leaving him incapacitated and his Kingstone damaged, floating aimlessly through space. However, the sun's radiation altered his Kingstone into the Sunriser as he miraculously survived entry into Earth's atmosphere. Upon his rebirth, Kotaro learned he had evolved into Kamen Rider BLACK RX. With his new powers and vehicles, he battled the Crisis Empire and thwarted their plans to take over Earth.

The image blinked to the forms of Roborider and Biorider standing side by side. "When Hitomi, his foster sister, was kidnapped by Maribaron to assume the identity of the Crisis Empire's only living heir, Kotaro used Deathgaron to enter the Desert of Death to go after them. By the time he found Hitomi, Kotaro fell into a trap set up by Maribaron to do away with him and Deathgaron. When it looked as if Deathgaron had actually killed Hitomi, RX was in a state of sorrow and sadness over the death of Hitomi. The energy from Deathgaron's punch merged with that sorrow and created a new power, Roborider. Using his power, Roborider fatally wounded Deathgaron before learning that the Hitomi that had been killed was an illusion and the real one was being taken to the Miraculous Valley. On his way, he met Joe the Haze who was under the control of Nexticker, freeing him before they and Shigeru were captured by Maribaron and the Princess Karuoriya. It was after they broke free that Kotaro realized the princess is Hitomi, who was abducted to replace the real princess who died and was forced grown by the nearby waterfall. When he attempted to restore Hitomi's memory, Kotaro was forced to surrender when Triplon captured Shigeru and Joe. Kotaro was then placed into a room that had spikes on the walls and was designed to counter his abilities as both RX and Roborider for a slow and painful death. His rage to save those he loved invoked another new form, Biorider. After killing Triplon, with Shigeru's help, Kotaro was successful in restoring Hitomi's memory before she and the others are return to their original ages by the people who originally resided in the valley. With only Joe and Shigeru knowing his identity, Kotaro returned to Earth."

"Later, Shadow Moon mysteriously returned to seek revenge against him. Shadow Moon was defeated once more when RX thrust the Revolcane through Shadow Moon's Kingstone, effectively turning him back to his old self shortly before he died and finally reverting to Nobuhiko. In the finale, he was helped by the 10 veteran Kamen Riders to destroy the Crisis Empire," Moka-sama finished.

"BLACK and BLACK RX are both photosynthetic warriors that could use the power of the sun to their advantage, which is why they were known as Century King Black Sun and Prince of the Sun," Moka-sama said. "They could sense enemies and read their movements, as well as see through walls and detect hidden objects. However, what sets them both apart is RX's power to change forms, making RX the first Kamen Rider with this power. His first alternate form is Roborider, also known as the Prince of Sadness and Prince of Flames, due to the fact that it gains power through sorrow and heat. It has heavy armor which is unbreakable, and it grants RX great strength and defense, but its weakness is that it is slow and robot-like. The main weapon, the Voltech Shooter, can fire rounds of solar energy and his Robo Punch can destroy anything. His second alternate form is Biorider. It is also known as the Nature Prince and Prince of Anger, where as it gains power from RX's rage. RX's defense is weaker in this form, but it makes up for hightened speed and reflexes. It also allows RX to transform into a liquid-like state to escape traps or attack enemies while not risking damage. The main weapon, the Bio Sword, is unbreakable, and allows him to perform the Bio Attack."

"He impresses me greatly because he is able to adapt to any situation and reign victorious over his foes. If Shinichi is anything like Kotaro Minami then I might be impressed," said Moka-sama

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: And in this chapter Shinichi unlocks four new forms! They're all the same guy so I count them as one Rider even if BLACK is officially the 11<strong>**th**** and BLACK RX is officially the 12****th****. So, please continue to show your support and for more Riders and more power stay tune for the next chapter!**


	5. First Term: Amazon, My Friend

**Chapter 5: Amazon, My Friend**

Before Shinichi and his friends knew it, it was after midterms and all the student's scores were posted on the notice board outside the school building. While checking their rankings, the students were making various cries of shock, horror, disappointment, and relief.

"What the hell!-? That can't be right!"

"Aw crap! I suck!"

"It's the end! It's the freaking end! I'm never coming back from this! My parents are gonna murder me!"

"Better than mine at least!"

Much to the joy of her fan club, Moka Akashiya had scored quite high on her midterms.

"Not just so beautiful... but so smart, too!"

"And she's so nice and not stuck-up at all!"

"Just another thing that makes our goddess Moka so perfect!"

Shinichi smiled as he listened in on the praises the boys and girls alike had for his best friend. Seeing all these guys openly drool over Moka and her phenomenal beauty and incredible intelligence amused him. Somebody else might have gotten violently jealous, but Moka could take care of herself and he knew she wasn't really interested in her fan club.

"Shinichi-kun!" Moka called over as she pointed to his name. "You made it to number 2! That's great!"

Shinichi chuckled. "Ah, it's no big deal. I guess when you're part machine your brain tends to work like a computer." His smile widened proudly, "You did really well too, ya know."

Moka giggled as a blush crept up on her face. She turned around to find her name, but then frowned as she found it. It wasn't because she did poorly. Oh no. In fact, she was one of the highest ranking students in the school. The main proof was in that of the praises of her fan club.

As ironic as it was, she was ranked number 13. She was starting to hate that number now.

Shinichi then read the name that was at the very top, #1 among the freshmen. "Hey, who's Yukari Sendou?" That sounded like a cute name.

"Hm?" Moka blinked out of her glaring at the unlucky number. "Oh, I've heard of her. She's a child prodigy who skipped grades since she has a high IQ," she elaborated. "She's only eleven years old but she's one of the honor roll students here."

"Wow, so she's smarter than me then!" Shinichi exclaimed. "That's impressive for someone who isn't a Kaizo Ningen."

"It is, isn't it?" Moka smiled.

As the creature of science and the creature of darkness continued talking, a small girl in a witch's outfit watched them. Actually, she was watching Moka. Her uniform was different from the other girls' The skirt was the same but she also wore a black cape, a pink top with a brown bodice, a yellow bowtie to keep everything together and a black witch's hat. She also wore brown shoes and pale yellow stockings held up by garters. Her hair was brown-black and reached down to her chin and her eyes were purple. Her watching was interrupted by the Class Representative and his entourage, who took the opportunity to mock her.

"Well, top score out of the freshmen, eh Yukari Sendou?" the Class Representative remarked. Yukari gasped and turned around. He was missing the jacket and tie though. His skin was dark, as if it was tanned, and his eyes were slightly sunken in while his hair was almost white. His two cronies were pale and had sunken eyes with greasy hair. The leader also had an armband on that designated him as a Class Representative, "Really good. No wonder you were allowed to skip all the way into high school."

Yukari frowned. Before she could say anything, the Class Rep swatted her head.

"And what's this? A cute little witch outfit?" the Class Representative hissed. "What, you think you don't have to follow the rules because you're so special?" He growled slightly. "I hate little brats like you..."

The girl looked down, but a small rock floated up from the ground and hit the Class Representative in the head, making him cry out in pain and the girl snickered with amusement, "Got you!"

"Why, you –!" he snarled, and was about to attack her when Moka got between him and the little girl.

"You shouldn't pick on kids," Moka amended.

"Out of my way," the Class Rep demanded before a fist collided with his face, sending him into a tree as it snapped in half. The culprit was Shinichi and he glared at the three darkly.

"Back off," he threatened, "Or I'll rip your tongue out."

The other two helped up their fallen leader and glared hatefully at the two before retreating. They couldn't really do anything with people watching.

"Wow, did you see that?" one of the onlookers asked.

"So cool!" another exclaimed.

"Even the Class Representative isn't unbeatable for them!" a third crowed.

"It's OK," Moka said to the witch girl. "They won't hurt you anymore."

Shinichi asked, "Hey, are you OK, kiddo? Those bullies didn't hurt you, did they?" He really didn't like bullies who preyed on the weak to make themselves feel strong. Only real weaklings and cowards targeted those weaker than them. He got a sudden memory flash of someone who was like that who was really annoying.

_"So this is what the great Number 13 has been reduced to. How pathetic. He even needs his boyfriend to help him to his room."_

Moka moaned, "Ah~"

Shinichi blinked, "Huh?" The little girl was rubbing her face against Moka's breasts. "The hell?"

"Oh, thank you, thank you!" said Yukari happily. "You saved me."

"Um...I saved you too," Shinichi spoke up but was ignored.

"You're welcome," said Moka, still blushing, "But I think Shinichi-kun deserves some of the credit too."

Yukari stared at Shinichi intently once she pulled her face out from Moka's soft chest and stated, "Shinichi Sanban, you're rumored to be some kind of bug doppelganger. Your athletic abilities are above everyone in the freshman class and according to your midterm results you're pretty smart."

Shinichi shrugged, "Well, I don't like to brag but considering I'm only #2 and you're #1, you got me beat and you're quite young too. That's quite an accomplishment."

Yukari then released Moka, jumped backwards and aimed a wand that had a star within a heart attached to the tip pointed at him. "Shinichi Sanban, I challenge you to a duel for Moka Akashiya!"

Shinichi's eyes widened. "Say what now?" Did he hear that right?

"You heard me!" Yukari continued. "There's no way beautiful Moka Akashiya can be with someone like you!"

"You don't even know me," Shinichi answered. "And I don't fight kids."

Yukari puffed her checks childishly. "I'm not a kid! I'm 11 1/2!"

"That's still makes you a kid!" he argued.

"Baka!" Yukari snapped as she waved her wand. A wash basin appeared over Shinichi's head and fell but he caught it with both hands before it hit.

"I don't like to be attacked," Shinichi said as he crushed the wash basin with his bare hands, much to Yukari's shock. "Now, if you don't behave I might be forced to give you a spanking..." he paused before realized something, "…And I just realized how dirty that sounded once I said it out loud."

"Take this!" Yukari shouted as she waved her wand again. The next thing Shinichi knew, he was dodging brooms that came out of nowhere to attack him. Managing to grab one, he used it to block the others as though he were wielding a quarterstaff.

"How are you doing this?" he asked as he continued to defend himself. Catching another broom, he dual-wielded them to block the brooms that were attacking him.

"Simple, I'm a witch!" Yukari declared.

_'Isn't it against the rules to reveal your true form?'_ Moka and Shinichi were both wondering. Of course, Shinichi didn't have so much time to ponder this while he was still trying to block and evade the brooms Yukari was sending after him.

'_Doesn't she ever run out?_' he thought.

* * *

><p>"...I know girls like her always look up to people like Moka-chan, but damn!" Shinichi finished retelling his story to Kurumu in the Newspaper Club room. He had managed to escape the flying brooms and was now hiding it out.<p>

"Yukari? You mean Yukari Sendou?" Kurumu asked.

"The same," he nodded.

"For such a genius, she's also a selfish little brat, always playing mean pranks on her classmates," Kurumu said. "No wonder no one likes her." Internally, Kurumu was thanking Yukari for the "favor" she'd done her. With Moka out of the way thanks to Yukari's lovesick clinging, Kurumu was free to stake her claim on Shinichi. He would be hers and hers alone, at last!

Meanwhile, Yukari was spying on Shinichi and Kurumu. "Sorry, Shinichi-san but Moka-san and her breasts are all mine," she murmured. "You can have the big-breasted cow." Using an effigy doll she'd mixed in with a lock of Shinchi's hair, she made him punch himself in the face, just to make sure it worked.

Inside, Shinichi groaned in pain, rubbing his nose. "Did you just punch yourself in the face?" asked Kurumu.

"Yeah, I think I-" Shinichi began to say before his arms suddenly moved forward.

"Ah~"

His hands landed on her boobs.

"Wow, these are soft..." Shinichi marveled before he caught on to what was happening. "Waitasec! I'm not in control of my own body!"

"Ooh~ Shinichi~," Kurumu purred with an arousing smile on her face. "If you wanted to touch you just had to ask~ not that I mind!"

"Wait, this isn't me!" Shinichi exclaimed. "These are my hands but I'm not the one-OK I am touching you but I'm-dammit, what the hell!"

Yukari giggled and was so engrossed with playing with her doll that she did not notice Moka standing behind her. The vampire, seeing what Yukari was doing decided that enough was enough and snatched the doll out of her hands.

"Hey!" Yukari shouted as she turned around to give the person a piece of her mind. Her eyes widened and her pupils shrank upon seeing her crush. "Ah! M-M-Moka-san!"

"Yukari-chan," Moka began as she held up the doll, "What is this?"

"I... uh..." Yukari stuttered.

"Are you bullying Shinichi-kun?" she asked.

"He doesn't deserve someone as wonderful as you!" Yukari reasoned as she stood up.

Moka frowned and shook her head. "Oh, Yukari-chan... you just don't know Shinichi-kun at all."

"I don't want to know him! I don't need to get to know someone like him! What's so special about him anyway!" the little which huffed.

"Hey, what's going on out here?" Shinichi inquired as he and Kurumu stuck their heads out of the door.

"Oh, Shinichi-kun!" Moka greeted.

Shinichi saw the voodoo doll in Moka's hand, and then saw Yukari glaring at him. He then put two-and-two together and realized what had happened, "You little...you used magic on me, didn't you?" The thought of being controlled against his will was something that made his blood boil. He hated being manipulated and being used for someone's amusement. "Alright, I am so gonna get a thick stick and pound your ass with it!" He then paused as he realized what he'd said and mumbled, "OK...Now people are so gonna think I'm a lolicon pervert."

Yukari glared at Shinichi. "Why don't you keep away from Moka-san?"

"Because...aside from Kurumu-chan she's my only friend...and I don't feel like losing any of them."

Yukari blinked at his statement. "Lonely...?" her eyes fell to the ground and her body shook.

"Yukari-chan?" Moka asked in concern.

"Baka! You don't know what it's really like to be alone!" she screamed at him before running away.

Shinichi stared at Yukari's retreating form. "Was it... something I said?"

"Witches are boarder beings so it's no surprise she feels so lonely," said Kurumu.

"Boarder beings?" asked Shinichi.

"Yeah, they're like midway between human and monster," Moka nodded. "They're neither and that's why both sides generally dislike witches. If you look at history, humans burnt witches at the stake and monsters that ate humans hunted down witches because they couldn't tell the difference. Basically, she's half-human."

Shinichi looked at his hand, "Like me..." He was a cyborg, so he was human and at the same he wasn't human and he was sure he was the only cyborg in school like how Yukari was the only witch in school. "I'm gonna go after her."

"Why?" asked Kurumu.

"Because nobody deserves to be alone."

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Yukari was running through the woods surrounding Youkai Academy, not really noticing her surroundings until she ran into something. "Hey, you bumped into me, you bakayaro!"<p>

Unfortunately for her, said "bakayaro" turned out to be her Class Representative who sneered, "Actually, you bumped into me, so you're the one that has to apologize." As his entourage snickered, the Class Representative went on, "In fact I know the perfect way for you to apologize... with your life!" The Class Rep finished with a smirk that showed sharp teeth with a lizard-like tongue flicking out.

As the Class Representative and his cronies began to transform into their true forms as humanoid lizards, Yukari attempted to cast a spell with her wand. However, one of the Class Rep's cronies lunged forward before he bit her wand in half with his mouthful of sharp fangs before spitting the wand out.

_'No!'_ Yukari thought desperately. _'Without my wand, I can't do magic!'_ She walked backward until she hit a tree. The lizardmen snickered darkly as the Class Representative walked forward.

"You know, I normally don't eat filth like you, but since you just piss me off, I think I'll make an exception." The Class Rep roared with his mouth wide open as he lunged forward. Yukari close her eyes, preparing for the end. When she didn't feel any pain she slowly open her eyes to see Shinichi holding the Class Rep's jaws shut with both hands.

"Oi, didn't your mother ever tell you not to eat little girls?" Shinichi muttered. He kicked the class red in the chest, causing it to stumble back.

"Beat it, doppelganger!" the Class Rep snarled. "This is none of your business!"

"Making it my business," Shinichi said, cracking his neck from side-to-side. "Don't like it? Too bad."

"Then you're dead!" one of the lizardmen snarled as he lunged forward. Shinichi ducked from the swipe and sent an uppercut to his foe's lower jaw, sending him stumbling back painfully.

"What are you doing acting like some kind of hero?" Yukari growled. "Just leave me here!"

"You don't have to act tough," Shinichi shot back. "You don't have to be afraid to admit you need help... or a friend... and I'm willing to help you. I'm willing to be your friend... because I know what it is to be alone. That's why I won't leave you."

"Shinichi-san?" Yukari muttered.

"Yukari, you got parents, right? A mom and a dad?" the witch nodded. "Well, I can't even remember mine," this made Yukari gasp. "Do you know what that's like? Of course not but that just means I know more about being alone than you. But, that's fine. I'm not alone anymore and neither are you." He smiled at her. "That's because we're friends."

"Friends?" He knew more about being alone than she did and even after the things she said to him, after the mean tricks she played on him, he still wanted to be her friend?

"I'll always cover the back of a sweet, little girl," Shinichi grinned as he gave her a peace sign, "And yeah, I know how it sounded. Lay off."

Tears slowly started to fall from Yukari's eyes, "I'm sorry... Shinichi-san. I was just jealous of you. You're smart and you're strong, and you have a friend like Moka-san. I... wanted to be just like you."

"Hey, it's cool," Shinichi smiled.

"What's with this maudlin crap?" the Class Representative asked in disgust, "And why are you ignoring us?" Angered, he moved to attack them while Shinichi was prepared to use his body to shield Yukari. Just as Yukari was about to shove Shinichi away to take the hit herself...

* * *

><p>…<em>Shinichi found himself in the infinite white space again. This time he was faced with a different Rider. His body was clad in a green bodysuit covered in red stripes that looked more like a second skin with black boots and gloves. The gloves and boots sported jagged fins and his fingertips were clawed. He also had a fin on his back. An orange chestplate was on the suit and he had a white scarf which hung from his neck. His helmet resembled a chameleon's head with large red eyes and a horn jutting out from his forehead. There was also an armlet on his upper left arm. His belt buckle was red and white and looked like some kind of utility device.<em>

_"And you are…?" Shinichi asked._

_"Me. Amazon," the Rider grunted, slapping his hand on his chest. "Showa. Friend."_

_"Riiiight," Shinichi nodded dumbly._

_He put clawed finger on Shinichi's forehead. "Protect your friend, Showa."_

* * *

><p>"Let's Ride: Showa!" Shinichi was transformed and he and Yukari ducked to the ground as the Class Rep attacked, causing the Class Rep to jump over them. "Take cover," said Showa to Yukari as he stood up to face the lizardmen.<p>

One tried to bite him but sunk his teeth into Showa's gauntlet. Smirking, Showa slammed him to the ground then picked him up by the tail and swung him towards the other two, swatting them away. He then tossed the lizardman up and knocked him through the air with a sidekick until he hit a tree.

The Class Rep growled, "Dammit, you're in violations of the rules!"

"Not yet I'm not, you walking handbag!" Showa shot back. "Let's Ride: Amazon!"

**INSERT SONG: AMAZON RIDER IS HERE!**

In a bright flash of light, Showa was now in the form of Kamen Rider Amazon, "Gii! Gii!"

The lead lizardman scowled, "So you ARE a doppelganger! You fake-!"

"Monkey Attack!" Showa-Amazon called as he tackled into the lead lizardman. The other two tried to attack from behind but he did a back flip and hooked his arms and legs around one of them from behind. "Jaguar Shock!" He sank his teeth into the lizardman's shoulder, causing him to scream as blood came out. He kicked off the lizardman and growled, brandishing his claws. "Gii! Gii Gii!"

"ATTACK TOGETHER! HE CAN'T GET US ALL!" The Class Rep roared as the three charged.

Showa got in a stance before charging forward. With his claws he slashed at all three of the charging lizardmen, causing large cuts to appear on their chest. They screamed as they were sent reeling backwards before hitting the ground. Only the leader remained as the other two were knocked out from the pain.

"I thought you only copied bugs!" the lizardman snarled, trying to cover up the wound. "Just what the hell are you?"

"Yukari-chan's friend," Showa-Amazon said before jumping into the air. He tucked, rolled, and then stretched his leg out at his opponent. "Amazon Kick!" The kick was timed perfectly and collided with the lizardman with unbelievable force. There was almost a shockwave from the impact.

"GYAAAHHHH!" the lone lizardman bellowed in pain as he crashed through several trees without stopping until he was gone from their sight.

Showa-Amazon landed on the ground, kicking up a little bit of dust. Looking at where the lizardman had landed, he snorted. "Game Over."

GLOMP!

"Oh, thank you thank you thank you! You saved me, Shinichi-san!" Yukari gushed as she hugged Showa-Amazon around the waist.

Showa-Amazon made a hand sign, "Yukari, friend." He had his hands clasped together with the pinkies sticking out. This was Amazon's friendship sign.

**END SONG**

* * *

><p>"So, Yukari is getting along with her classmates now?" Shinichi asked as he walked along the hallway with Moka and Kurumu.<p>

It had been several days since the incident with Yukari and the lizardmen. Shinichi hadn't heard anything from her since then. He was afraid that she was in trouble again, but Kurumu's ear for gossip assured him otherwise.

"She even apologized for all the pranks she played on them," Kurumu added.

"That's good," smiled Moka gratefully. "She's finally making friends."

"Moka-san!" a childish voice squealed and Moka gasped as she found herself on her back with Yukari on top of her, nuzzling her breasts.

"Ano, Yukari-chan…?" Moka spoke. She felt extremely uncomfortable as Yukari attempted to meld herself to her body as best as she could. She was also sighing contentedly

"I've decided!" said Yukari confidently, "From now on I love Shinichi-san AND Moka-san!"

The reaction was obvious from both Shinichi and Moka, "EEH!-?"

"Oi, chotto! You can't just say declare you're getting both! Besides, aren't you a little young to join a three-way relationship?" Kurumu said and then screeched as a wash basin hit her head.

"Quiet, big-breasted cow!" Yukari snapped at the succubus.

"What was that!-?" Kurumu snapped at the brat as the two began to argue.

"Moka-chan, what just happened?" Shinichi said as his mind was still trying to wrap around at what just happened, with the vampire shrugging, just as shocked as he was.

* * *

><p><strong>LEGENDARY RIDERS UNLOCKED SO FAR<strong>

1. Ichigo

2. ?

3. ?

4. ?

5. X-Rider

6. Amazon Rider

7. ?

8. Skyrider

9. ?

10. ?

11. BLACK RX (Includes BLACK, Roborider and Biorider)

12. ?

13. ?

**KAMEN RIDER DATABASE**

"Hello! This is Yukari Sendou, hosting this chapter's entry of the Kamen Rider Database!" the little witch said as an image of Amazon appear on the screen

"Today we are reviewing the Amazon Rider who, unlike the other Riders of the Showa Era, was based on a lizard," Yukari exclaimed. She then pointed to Amazon's armlet as she explained, "Also unlike the Riders of the past, Amazon was not a cyborg and his transformation is due to the Gigi Armlet, a powerful artifact of Incan science and magic which when combined with its counterpart, the Gaga Armlet, would give incredible power to its user. Amazon was also a savage fighter, using instinct rather than skills for combat. Amazon's final attack is called the Dai Setsudan, where he slices his claws into an enemy for a fatal blow."

Yukari went on, "Amazon's human identity is Daisuke Yamamato who grew up as a wild child in the Amazon Rainforest and was able to destroy Geddon and the Garanda Empire. But personally, I think Shinichi-san pulls off Amazon perfectly! Ahh, how he was able to defeat those stupid lizardmen was so heroic! Now if only I can convince both him and Moka-san to a threesome." Yukari giggled with a perverted blush before remembering the readers. "Well that all the time we have. This has been the Kamen Rider Database. See you next time!"

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: I picked Amazon because the theme of this chapter was friendship. Also, he has the friendship sign where he clasps his hands together while also sticking out the pinkies. That's Amazon's friendship sign. Also, because the opponents were lizardmen, which made them Beastmen and thus the type of enemies Amazon fights. BTW, you just have to play the music when reading the fight scenes. Just type in the title into YouTube. It should be there.<strong>


	6. First Term: Jumbo Size Me

**Chapter 6: Jumbo Size Me**

_He stood amongst the bodies of 13 other warriors who were all clad in bug-like armor. His own suit of armor was covered in their blood and his eyes were blood red. He then threw his head back and let out a scream…_

* * *

><p>Shinichi suddenly sat up in his bed, with cold sweat on his face and panting. His eyes were wide open. Once he calmed down, he muttered, "That nightmare again…"<p>

It was the same thing almost every night. He saw himself as Showa, the only survivor while 13 other men he barely even recognized lay dead around him. What could it all mean? Was it a vision of the past or future?

He looked up to his alarm clock which read 3:09 AM. His head hit the pillow again. He needed to get back to sleep.

* * *

><p>Shinichi yawned as he walked to the school. He still hadn't managed to get much sleep after waking up from his nightmare the previous night. These nightmares had been bothering him sometime after the scuffle with Kurumu. He hadn't told the girls about this. He wasn't ready for that yet. Kurumu might just think that it was her fault that the nightmares were appearing if he told them, and he couldn't bring himself to upset such a nice girl.<p>

A week had passed since Yukari joined their circle of friends. She even joined the Newspaper Club so she could get close to Moka and Shinichi, while also annoying Kurumu at the same time. Shinichi was happy enough to accept the little witch as a friend but it was still a bit creepy for someone so young to want to be in a three-way relationship. Where exactly was she getting these ideas from? Anyway, Shinichi had told Yukari that he could only see her like a little sister which made her smile and hug her new 'Onii-san'. Deep down, she was still thinking of having him and Moka to herself in a threesome.

"You! Shinichi Sanban-baka!" a voice shouted from behind him.

Shinichi blinked and turned around to see who was talking to him. Who he found were three fellow students. One was tall and skinny with glasses, the second looked completely average with blonde hair, and the third was short and tubby.

"Uh…can I help you guys?" Shinchi asked.

"You! Our eternal rival!" Glasses shouted, pointing at Shinichi.

"We'll never forgive you!" cried Tubby.

"Today is the day we declare war on YOU Shinichi Sanban-baka!" Blondie finished.

"Huh?" Shinichi blinked. "What are you talking about? Eternal rival? Declaring war? What did I do?"

"You don't know?" cried Blondie. "We'll tell you then!"

"You're bothering our goddesses! That's what you're doing!" growled Tubby.

"We cannot tolerate this!" roared Glasses.

"Make sense!" Shinichi snapped, getting annoyed with the weirdness that the three students were showing off. He should've gotten used to this by now. Youkai Academy was a weird place after all.

The trio then tossed off their jackets to reveal hideous pink coats that made Shinichi gawk at them. They were just so tacky. It was almost painful to look at them. Teasing them about it probably wouldn't be helpful either. They had probably heard it all.

Blondie sang, "L.O.V.E. CUTE Mokyuu-san!"

Tubby continued, "We won't lose to the likes of you," before singing, "Kurumu, love, love, lovely, Kurumu."

Glasses sang, "C.U.T.E. Yukarin! Moe, moe, huu huu!"

"Mokyuu, Kurumu and Yukarin?" Shinichi blinked. "Wait a sec, you don't mean…"

"That's right!" Blondie announced, "I am the leader of the Moka Akashiya-sama Fan Club, Kouzou Kasahara!"

"Furthermore," Tubby continued, "I'm the leader of the Kurumu Kurono Fan Club, Bozaburou Taira!"

"And I'm the leader of the Yukari Sendou Fan Club, Kubisaku Nagai!"

"TOGETHER WE ARE THE LOVE-LOVE ALLIANCE!" they declared as they posed dramatically like a Super Sentai group.

Shinichi gaped as wind blew by. People were staring too. From out the sky, he could have sworn that he heard a little bat say: "Weee, that was lame, I fell!"

"OK, I'm gonna be late for class. See you guys… never," he muttered as he turned around to walk away.

"Don't think you'll escape us that easily!" Nagai shouted, raising a megaphone. "You are our sworn enemy!"

"Our vengeance will be painful and swift!" Taira added, raising his own megaphone. "You won't know what hit you!"

"Prepare yourself, Sanban-baka!" Kasahara finished, raising his megaphone and completing the trio.

"You've gotta be kidding me," Shinichi frowned, "I don't need this shit first thing in the morning."

"LOVE-LOVE ALLIANCE!" Kasahara shouted loudly. "CHAAAAAARGE!"

"Hey! What the heck is going on here?" a new voice called out.

The four boys stopped their impending fight to see who was talking. Following the source of the voice, their eyes landed on Moka, Kurumu, and Yukari. All three looked a little miffed at the boys who were facing off against their friend. The three boys all developed blushes and adoring looks on their faces.

"Hey, girls!" Shinichi waved. Ignoring the Love-Love Alliance, the three girls went over to Shinichi.

"Did they hurt you, Shinichi-kun?" asked Moka.

"No, I'm fine," he smiled.

"Are you sure?" asked Kurumu.

"Positive," nodded Shinichi.

"I'm glad!" beamed Yukari.

Seeing the exchange, the Love-Love Alliance's faces fell at the injustice of it all. Before they turned away and left, they glared daggers at Shinchi, vowing revenge.

* * *

><p>"Love-Love Alliance?" repeated Moka as she was having lunch with Shinichi, Kurumu and Yukari.<p>

"Your fanboys, apparently," explained Shinichi. "Bunch of weirdoes if you ask me. Did you see those coats? Someone should call the fashion police on them because they are guilty for being tasteless."

"Well, if they try and bother you, you can take care of them," said Kurumu.

"Tempting, but only if they get out of line," he said.

"Don't worry, Shinichi-san!" smiled Yukari. "I don't think they'll be much of a problem!"

"Yeah!" Kurumu agreed with a smile. She then turned thoughtful. "Still, I think I recognized one of those guys. The tubby one."

"Oh yeah?" asked Shinichi. "From where?"

"He's been stalking me…" Kurumu shivered.

* * *

><p><em>Kurumu was walking down the hallway towards the cafeteria. She wanted to get there so she could meet Shinichi and hopefully snag him. He was one tough cookie but she would wear him down eventually, especially with the baked treats that she had made the previous night. She couldn't fail!<em>

_As she was walking, she felt like someone was watching her. Turning around to check, she spotted a pudgy guy leaning against the wall in a standard 'bishonen' pose that one would see out of anime or manga. Sadly, it didn't really work for him all that well._

_Shivering, Kurumu ignored the odd boy and continued on her way. She had more important things to do after all. Things like giving Shinichi her cookies and making sure she would be the one in his heart! These cookies were going to be the first step towards victory!_

_Feeling like she was being watched again, Kurumu turned around. She saw the same pudgy guy from before leaning against a different wall in a different pose. Now feeling extremely disturbed, Kurumu made tracks at a quicker pace. Of all the times to gain a stalker._

_Her day didn't get much easier either. She was stretching out for gym class and going through the motions of making sure her body wouldn't cramp up on her. Bending over, she looked at some bushes that were behind her and her eyes widened in shock. That guy was back again! He was still in one of those poses too!_

_'He's still hanging around?' Kurumu cried in her thoughts._

_The final straw came when the busty succubus came out of the girls' bathroom. Coming out into the open air, she gasped when she spotted the stalker from before hanging out in front of the bathroom. He was still doing his poses too!_

_"Would you just go away?" Kurumu shrieked as she ran to lose the weird student._

* * *

><p>"He gives me the creeps," Kurumu huffed.<p>

"Okay, shouldn't you have told one of the teachers or something?" Shinichi asked with some concern. "I mean, this is something serious. Stalkers can get pretty dangerous if you don't do anything about them."

"Ooohh! You care about me! I knew you did!" Kurumu gigged while hugging Shinichi's arm. "I'm used to stalkers though. What kind of succubus would I be if I didn't know how to deal with a stubborn male?"

"I guess," Shinichi frowned. "But we don't know what kind of monster this guy is. He might be dangerous off school grounds."

"That's why I have you!" Kurumu smiled fondly. "My knight in shining armor!"

"Hey!" Yukari cried. "I had to deal with a stalker too!"

"WHAT?" the three older students cried. Two in concerned shock and the third in jealous annoyance.

* * *

><p><em>"Oof, heavy," Yukari huffed. She was bringing a pile of items to class that day. She decided to try it without magic. Her parents always taught her that magic wasn't always the answer. Hard work sometimes was more effective than the most powerful magic.<em>

_KA-CHAK!_

_"Huh?" the tiny witch blinked. She turned around to see what the noise was. She found a skinny guy with glasses holding a camera up to his face in her direction. He also seemed to be in a daze of some kind too._

_"Hey!" Yukari cried loudly. "What do you think you're taking pictures of?"_

_"Huh?" the student blinked, coming to reality. "Oh! I'm taking pictures of the ever-changing school! It's part of my duty as a member of the Photography Club!"_

_He proved his statement by taking shots of everything in the vicinity. Despite his cover-up, Yukari had a hard time believing it. Still, she just sighed and continued taking her stuff back to class._

* * *

><p>"Okay, taking pictures without someone's knowledge has to be a criminal offense!" Shinichi frowned. "Just who do these guys think they are?"<p>

"Like you said, just some obsessive fanboys," frowned Kurumu. "Hey, Moka. What about you? Did you get stalked too?"

"Well…I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary," Moka answered honestly.

"Still, I'd be careful if I were you," warned Shinichi. "Who knows what these guys would do?"

Meanwhile, the Love-Love Alliance were watching from the cafeteria's entrance, seething. They needed to get rid of Shinichi.

* * *

><p><em>After shooting it, he kicked the last of the training dummies down. This one felt a little odd, almost as if it were heavier. Perhaps it was made out of different materials. Shrugging, he was about to return to the starting point when he noticed it. A dark pool was growing from underneath the last training dummy. Curious, he pressed his hand against the head of the dummy. It felt odd. Finding a flap for the fabric which made up its head, he removed it…only to gasp in shock and stumble back.<em>

_"Kuro…kun…" a girl with short pink hair and blood red eyes gasped despite the hole in her chest._

* * *

><p>Shinichi suddenly shot out of his seat and screamed loudly, causing everyone in class to look at him in shock. Even Nekonome-sensei was staring at him during her lesson. His heart pounded in his chest and he had sweat pouring down his face. He'd fallen asleep in class and had another nightmare.<p>

"Mew?" Nekonome-sensei blinked.

"I... was just..." Shinichi began as he realized what he just did. Then he just laughed in embarrassment with his hand behind the back of his head.

"Shinichi-kun..." Moka muttered in concern from her seat.

* * *

><p>Shinichi went to the bathroom to splash his face with water. "These nightmares...what do they mean...?" Were they his memories? Why were they so bad? Was there some kind of meaning behind them? Who exactly was he? As he looked up at the window, he backed away in shock as he saw that his own reflection was covered in blood. However, that was only for a second before the reflection turned back to normal. "What was that?" His scar was beginning to throb and he was beginning to get a migraine. "Kuso..." Then he suddenly lashed out with his fist and smashed the mirror to pieces. His hand got cut with glass and began to bleed but the only pain he felt was in his scar.<p>

* * *

><p>Moka had gone out to check on Shinichi and once he exited the boy's bathroom she saw that his hand was bleeding. She quickly took him to the infirmary to have his hand cleaned and bandaged. "There," she said.<p>

"Thanks," he replied, looking blankly at his hand.

"What happened?" she asked.

"It's...it's nothing to worry about," he told her. "I just fell and cut myself," he lied.

"You had another freak out, didn't you?" Moka guessed. "Don't lie to me."

Shinichi sighed, "Sorry, Moka-chan. But I just remembered something." He got up and ran out to the door.

"Shinichi-kun!" Moka called as she went after him. But when she got outside, she found that he was already gone. "Oh..."

* * *

><p>Shinichi was walking alone through the forest. "Who am I?" He had always wondered about his true identity. He knew he was supposed to be a Kamen Rider but these dark memories were conflicting. They showed him do horrible things. At first when he first woke up in Youkai Academy he wanted to get his memories back but now he just wasn't sure. These memories...what did they mean? Who was he really?<p>

He stepped out of the forest and arrived at the bus stop. "Maybe...I should leave." If those memories were a suggestion of his true nature then he didn't want to be anywhere near the girls in fear of harming them.

"Shinichi Sanban-baka!" a voice cried.

"Oh great," he turned around and unsurprisingly found the fanboys again.

"We have been following you all day!" Kasahara shouted. "Now there is no place left to run!"

"If was foolish to be here out in the open!" Taira added. "Here we can do anything we want!"

"Prepare yourself for defeat!" cried Naga.

Kasahara placed an umbrella over his head and immediately a single eye appeared along with a mouth and hanging tongue. He was a Karakasa

Taira opened up his shirt and his face lost all its facial features, leaving it blank. His fat belly was also hanging out. He was a Noppera-Bo.

Nagai's neck stretched long and was triple the height of his body. He was a Rokurokubi.

Shinichi quirked an eyebrow and asked, "What the heck are you guys?"

"We know, we are low class monsters," answered Kasahara.

"That's why we are looked down upon," continued Taira.

"But we can take it because we have our idols!" cried Nagai as well.

"But first, we must free our idols from you!" the three shouted in unison.

"Will you all just back off?" Shinichi frowned. "I'm in no mood for this."

"Silence fool!" Kasahara yelled as they all charged. "FORWARD!"

"Why... won't you leave me alone...?" Shinichi muttered under his breath. And then his eyes lost their color...

* * *

><p>"Are you sure he went this direction?" Moka asked as she, Yukari and Kurumu walked down the path leading towards the bus stop.<p>

"Of course I'm sure. A succubus always knows where her Destined One is," said Kurumu confidently.

"Shinichi-san is not yours. He's mine and Moka-san's," huffed Yukari.

Kurumu was about to retort when all of a sudden they heard three simultaneous screams in the distance. Yukari went, "Eep!" and hid behind Moka in fright. Bursting out from the bushes were the three fanboys in their human forms: Kasahara, Taira and Nagai as they fell in a heap at the three girls' feet.

"These creeps again?" Kurumu gawked. Taira suddenly lunged forward and wrapped his arms around Kurumu's legs. "Hey!"

"YOU HAVE TO HELP US!" Taira screamed.

"HE'S MANIAC! A MANIAC!" Kasahara added hysterically.

"HE'S GONNA KILL US!" Nagai panicked.

"Get off me!" Kurumu shouted as she shoved Taira backwards.

"Kurumu-chan, look at them," Moka pointed out. Kurumu did and noticed they were all bruised up, missing teeth and bleeding from their noses. Nagai was also missing his glasses and Kasahara had a black eye. Their clothes were all torn up and it was like they had just gotten in a fight and it had been a one-sided one that had not gone in their favor.

"Calm down! Calm down!" Moka tried to coax them. 'Who's trying to kill you?"

They all shouted out, "SANBAN!"

"Eh, Shinichi-kun?" Moka blinked.

"Tell us what happened, desu," said Yukari.

The three fanboys calmed down and told them how they had confronted Shinichi when he suddenly went nuts on them…

* * *

><p><em>The three fanboys attacked Shinichi in their monster forms. Naiga the Rokurokubi was the first, wrapping his rubber neck around Shinichi to restrain him. Shinichi didn't respond and Naiga spoke into Shinichi's ear, "Now, my Yukari-chan will be all mine!"<em>

_Suddenly, the back of Shinichi's fist hit him between the eyes, causing his head to recoil. He then held the head with his hand and then started spinning in place, around and around, with Nagai still bound to him. The Rokurokubi's body was being taken for a spin as Naiga howled, "Stop! Make it stop!" His grip on Shinichi loosened and he unwillingly released Shinichi when the cyborg unwound himself from Nagai's neck. Nagai was dizzy and looked up at Shinichi who glared back down at him. The Rokurokubi's glasses were cracked from being backhanded but he could clearly see soulless black eyes staring back at him._

_Kasahara the Karakasa lunged and tried to suffocate Shinichi by closing his umbrella body around Shinichi. But Shinichi caught him by the legs. Taira the Noppera-bo came charging in for a tackle but Shinichi stopped him by whacking him over the head with Kasahara, repeatedly._

"_Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!" yelled Kasahara as he was being used as a club against his friend._

"_Ow! Stop it! Ow!" Taira shouted as he was being clubbed by his fellow fanboy. Shinichi then gripped Kasahara with both hands and slammed him hard against Taira's flabby stomach like a baseball bat, knocking the fat Noppera-bo off his feet. He then tossed Kasahara over his shoulder._

_Then, with a low and dangerous voice, Shinichi said as he cracked his knuckles, "So, who's next?"_

* * *

><p><em>"OH CRAP! WHERE IS HE!-?"<em>

_"I DON'T WANNA DIE!"_

_"JUST KEEP RUNNING!"_

_The three fanboys were running for their lives before stopping to catch their breath. They were back in human form and wanted to get as far away from Shinichi as they possible could._

_"Come on, we have to keep running," panted Kasahara._

_"I…I think we lost him," said Nagai, fixing his glasses._

_"I've never ran this much in PE!" let out Taira whose face was red and he looked ready to collapse. He leaned against a tree when a fist smashed through it and grabbed his hair, "ARGH! HE'S GOT ME!" His face was pulled back against the tree hard._ _The tree was then sent flying with a kick along with Taira and the fat guy was pinned by the tree. Kasahara and Nagai screamed as they saw Shinichi standing there. In a flash he was attacking Kasahara, beating him up and not allowing Kasahara any chance to retaliate. Kasahara was hit in the face, then kneed in the stomach before being sent sprawling by an elbow to the chest. Nagai was next as he tried to flee but Shinichi grabbed him by the back of the coat, turned him around and kneed him in the groin before sending him tumbling with a kick. Taira was getting up but was knocked back down when a rock hit him in the face._

_The three of them huddled together and watched as Shinichi chopped a tree down with his bare hand and then lifted it up. He then threw it and the tree went flying at them like a missile. They screamed as they scrambled away._

"_KASAHARA, THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" Nagai screamed._

"_WHY ARE YOU BLAMING ME!-? THIS WAS YOUR IDEA!" Kasahara shot back._

"_WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!" Taira wailed._

* * *

><p>"We ran as fast as we could and here we are!" Nagai finished.<p>

The three girls exchanged looks. They knew Shinichi could fight but he never did it unprovoked. These three must've made him snap somehow.

"That doesn't sound like Shinichi-san," commented Yukari.

"Actually, Yukari-chan, this isn't the first time Shinichi-kun has acted this way," said Moka. "I think it's like an automatic defence mechanisms that activates whenever he's in danger."

"What did you three do?" Kurumu asked accusingly.

"Well, we were just trying to convince him to stay away from you," said Taira lamely, only for Kurumu to growl at him.

"Where?" asked Moka, worried.

"At the bus stop. He looked like he was gonna board the bus," said Kasahara.

"The bus!-?" the girls yelled out.

"Why, desu?" Yukari questioned.

They then heard a rustle and the three fanboys screamed as they ran for their lives. The girls tensed up.

"He won't attack us, right?" Kurumu asked.

"No, he won't," said Moka with absolute certainty.

Then there he was, Shinichi Sanban, and as he spotted the girls he said, "Oh, hey girls!"

"SHINICHI!" He was triple-glomped and knocked off his feet.

"Girls! Ow! Hey, I'm glad you're happy to see me but my arms and legs are starting to fall asleep," said Shinichi. He then noticed their worried looks. "Sorry…" he apologized. They then got up.

"Shinichi-san, why are you trying to leave?" demanded Yukari.

"Huh? How did you know about that?" asked Shinichi, surprised and confused.

"Don't you like me anymore?" asked Kurumu.

"I do…it's just…complicated," said Shinichi. "You girls know I got amnesia, right? That's not exactly true. You see, for the past few nights I've been having…nightmares."

"What kind of nightmares?" asked Moka.

"Horrible images and I suspect they're my memories because…" he paused uncomfortably, rubbing his arm.

"Because…?" Moka prompted.

"I saw myself doing bad stuff, really bad stuff," Shinichi answered, not wanting to elaborate. He was uncomfortable about remembering those nightmares. "So I decided to leave and never come back because I was afraid I might hurt you."

The girls looked saddened but then the moment was interrupted by the fanboys' return.

"What happened to you three?" Shinichi asked.

"You did this to us!" Kasahara yelled.

"I did?" Shinichi blinked.

"Don't deny it!" Nagai snapped.

"I blacked out again, didn't I?" Shinichi asked the girls. Whenever he blacked out his body would move on its own.

"How dare you talk to Kurumu-chan!" shouted Taira.

As the Love-Love Alliance prepared to avenge the beating they had received, several shrill shrieks were heard and all of a sudden an army of men clad in black bodysuits with skeletal patterns leapt out of hiding. They wore white gloves and boots and wore gas masks over their faces. They also wore belts similar to the ones worn by Spider-Borg and Bat-Borg.

"GIN-SHOCKER," identified Shinichi.

"It's them! GIN-SHOCKER!" Moka cried.

"GIN-SHOCKER?" Yukari blinked, turning to Moka, "What's that?"

"Not a what, a who," Kurumu said with narrowing eyes, "And whoever they are, they want Shinichi."

"Nani?" Yukari gasped.

"BLACK 13, you will return with us to GIN-SHOCKER, dead or alive!" the GIN-SHOCKER Soldier leader announced as he pointed at Shinichi.

Shinichi's left eyebrow twitched in agitation, "You know...I haven't had enough sleep because of my nightmares, then I got stalked by three losers (fanboys: HEY!) and made my friends worry. Now, you dorks have to come along to spoil a moment." He was annoyed, very annoyed.

"BLACK 13, come peacefully or we will be forced to use force!"

Shinichi's fists were clenched and he advanced, calling under his breath, "Let's Ride: Showa." In a flash he was transformed. The GS Soldiers considered this an act of resistance and charged at Showa. As he fought them he told them, "Let me tell you this for the first and last time! My name isn't BLACK 13! It's Shinichi Sanban and I am also known as…Kamen Rider Showa!"

"Weapon Ride: Gravity Hammer!" Showa called and out of nowhere a hi-tech war hammer appeared in his hand. He raised it up and brought it down, unleashing a shockwave that blew the GS-Soldiers away whilst making a deep and wide crater at the same time. "WHO ELSE WANTS SOME!-?" He charged and knocked them aside with his massive weapon, sending them flying with wide and brutal swings.

The GS-Soldiers pulled out their swords and began to swarm Showa who knocked them away with his Gravity Hammer. He then tossed the Gravity Hammer away and called, "Weapon Ride: Laser Saber!" A metal cylinder appeared in his hand and a wicked blade of green energy shot out. He blocked swords with his gauntlet before countering with his Laser Saber. He swung and slashed at the GS-Soldiers, cutting them down as they got close. The GS-Soldiers switched tactics and took out laser pistols and began firing them at Showa. Another blade of energy shot out of the other end of the cylinder and he used his 'Laser Staff' to deflect the shots by twirling it around.

"Weapon Ride: Vulcan Shooter!" He called out and appearing in his other hand was a Gatling pistol. He aimed and fired a salvo of rapid fire laser shots from the gun at the GS-Soldiers, gunning them down with ease.

Kurumu, Yukari and Moka looked in awe but then Kurumu decided she wanted to help and went to pick up the Gravity Hammer, but it was unbelievably heavy. "Nnnnn!" the succubus grunted. Just how strong was Shinichi to be able to carry this thing in his hands so easily?

Meanwhile, the GS-Soldiers were being beaten by Showa. Despite outnumbering him, they were being taken down by the solo warrior and he wasn't even breaking a sweat. They had no choice but to use their secret weapon.

"GATTAI!" the leader called and the GS-Soldiers began to pile on top of each other. Showa and the girls watched as the GS-Soldiers formed into a gigantic humanoid which resembled a GS-Soldier.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!-?" Moka, Kurumu, Yukari and the fanboys all cried out.

"Cool trick," Showa admitted. He then jumped away to avoid being stomped on.

"**BLACK 13, YOU WILL RETURN TO GIN-SHOCKER!**" the Giant GS-Soldier boomed as it lifted another foot to crush him.

"Oh man!" Showa shouted as he rolled from it. "Now what do I do?"

"**STAND STILL!**" the giant bellowed as it lifted its foot once more. Only now, Showa was frozen on the spot.

"SHINICHI-KUN!" Moka screamed in horror.

* * *

><p><em>Shinichi was in the white endless space he'd visited many times in the past and standing before him was a Kamen Rider who was clad in a dark green armored bodysuit that was trimmed in light green with red eyes and a strip of white that went down the middle of his helmet that made him look like a grasshopper. A red stone was set in the middle of his waist. Despite standing at about the same size, Shinichi felt like he was standing in the presence of a giant.<em>

_"I understand that you are starting to doubt yourself after the recent nightmares," the Rider said. "Perhaps you didn't know that some of the lead Kamen Riders had been created for destruction all the same."_

_"Actually, Ichigo-san told me that when a met him," Shinichi answered._

_"Well that isn't the point," the Rider said. "The fact is, even though they were created for evil, they still chose to use their powers for justice. One main example is Kamen Rider BLACK. He was created to become the destroyer of all humankind. However, he instead chose to protect everyone he held dear."_

_"Really?" Shinichi asked with wide eyes._

_"Yep," the Rider grinned. "Now, it seems that you need my help. So before you go, I'll give you my power."_

_"Thanks... but I didn't catch your name."_

_"Call me J," he answered as he pressed his finger on Shinichi's forehead. "And remember, it isn't what you are that defines you, but what you do."_

* * *

><p>"LET'S RIDE: J!"<p>

**INSERT SONG: KOKORO TSUNAGU AI**

A pillar of green light burst upwards, sending the giant GS-Soldier staggering as the girls and fanboys watched in awe. Once the pillar of light faded, standing before them was a gigantic Kamen Rider who was wearing Showa's belt. It was Kamen Rider Showa in the form of Kamen Rider J Jumbo Formation!

"WOW!" Moka gasped

"NO WAY!" Yukari exclaimed.

"HE'S HUGE!" Kurumu shouted.

"It's... It's..." Kasahara stuttered.

"GIGANTOR-SAMA!" the fanboys roared.

"Really?" Kurumu growled at them. Was this really the time for that?

Showa-J struck forward with his fist, smashing a hole through the giant GS-Soldier's body. However, once he withdrew his fist, the hole sealed back up. Since the Giant GS-Soldier was made up of GS-Soldiers piling together, making holes in its body would only slow it down as GS-Soldiers would just fill up the space. The Giant GS-Soldier then struck back, hitting Showa-J in the chest and sending him stumbling backwards.

The two giants continued to trade blows, their punches ringing loudly with each impact they made. The two grappled and Showa-J looked down to see the girls and the fanboys rooted to the spot. They had to run or else they might get hurt!

Sensing his distraction, the Giant GS-Soldier threw Showa to the ground and he landed with an earth-shaking thud! Spotting the group, he rolled over and carefully scooped them into his hands and protected them as the Giant GS-Soldier began to stomp on his back. "**BLACK 13! YOU WILL RETURN WITH US, DEAD OR ALIVE!**"

"Why isn't he fighting back?" cried out Kurumu.

"He's trying to protect us!" shouted Yukari.

"Shinichi-kun, you have to fight!" Moka called.

Showa-J needed a plan and then it struck him. He had to time this right, however. _'Now!_' He shrunk back down to normal size and then leapt away with the group as the giant foot came down again. "You guys get as far away as you can!" said Showa-J.

"What will you do?" asked Moka.

**END SONG**

"Just keep your eyes open," said Showa-J as he looked back up at his giant opponent who was looking around for him. "Let's Ride: RX!" He turned into BLACK RX. "Macro Eyes!" He activated his Macro Eyes and scanned the giant for a weakness. "Hah, I found it! Let's Ride: Biorider!" He then turned to liquid and shot upwards and flowed into the giant's body through the gaps the GS-Soldiers made. He needed to find the leader and destroy him, thus breaking apart this combination. Slipping through in liquid form, he found the leader among the identical GS-Soldiers.

"BLACK 13!" he cried in shock.

"Surprise! Let's Ride: Ichigo!" he called as he took the form of the first Kamen Rider. "Rider Punch!" he yelled as he threw his fist into the leader.

The Giant GS-Soldier suddenly froze before a series of explosions erupted from its body as GS-Soldiers began to fall off. The girls and fanboys watched as the Giant GS-Soldier broke apart and was being swallowed up by the explosions. Showa landed in front of them and with a thumbs-up his armor shattered away as he said, "Game Over!"

* * *

><p>Shinichi was walking back to school the very next day. The gigantic fight had not gone unnoticed by the student and faculty alike. The Headmaster of the school had sent an announcement that it was just a test to see if the barrier around the school was in good shape, and it was. Shinichi was surprised that the Headmaster would make up something like that and he hadn't even met the guy. Maybe he knew more that he let on...<p>

As he approached the gates, Kasahara, Nagai and Taira stood before him. "Haven't you had enough?" Shinichi groaned but was then surprised as they got to their knees and bowed.

"Despite the fact we tried to drive you away you still protected us," began Kasahara.

"So, we apologize," added Taira.

"We're sorry," finished Nagai.

"Heh, it was nothing," said Shinichi humbly.

"SO THAT IS WHY WE HAVE STARTED A NEW CLUB!" They turned and Shinichi nearly fell over when he saw his name written on the back of their coats. They then declared, "WE WILL ALWAYS SUPPORT YOU, KAMEN RIDER-SAMA!"

Shinichi wondered if this was something that superheroes went through every single day.

* * *

><p><strong>LEGENDARY RIDERS UNLOCKED SO FAR<strong>

1. Ichigo

2. ?

3. ?

4. ?

5. X-Rider

6. Amazon Rider

7. ?

8. Skyrider

9. ?

10. ?

11. BLACK RX (Includes BLACK, Roborider and Biorider)

12. ?

13. J

**KAMEN RIDER DATABASE**

"Hi, and welcome to another edition of the Kamen Rider Database segment, hosted by me: the cute and lovable succubus Kurumu Kurono!" Kurumu said cheerfully. "Now, in this chapter Shinichi has become BIG! He unlocked a new Rider, Kamen Rider J!

The screen behind her shows Kamen Rider J. "Kamen Rider J's true identity is Koji Segawa and he was an environmentalist reporter who was killed by the Fog Mother's child Agito when they took his sister Kana," Kurumu said. "He was then revived as Kamen Rider J by the Earth Spirits to defend the planet from the Fog Mother and her children. Transforming through his J-Spirit Henshin belt, J can execute the J-Kick. But J's greatest ability is to assume Jumbo Formation by gathering the lifeforce from surrounding life forms to grow to giant size at 40 meters tall to contend with larger opponents. In this state, J can execute the Jumbo Rider Kick. A literally larger than life hero!"

"Excuse me, but you forgot something!" said Yukari as she came in.

"Hey, brat! This is my spot!" snapped Kurumu only to be ignored.

The screen then showed the new weapons that Showa utilized this chapter: the Laser Saber, the Vulcan Shooter and the Gravity Hammer. "The Gravity Hammer is a hi-tech war hammer that can manipulate gravitational forces to increase its destructive power, the Laser Saber is a sword that has a blade made of energy and the Vulcan Shooter is a Gatling laser pistol that shoots rapid fire laser shots. These new weapons make Showa an even more formidable fighter."

Kurumu then shoved Yukari aside. "Come back next time for another segment of the Kamen Rider Database where will review another Kamen Rider!" Kurumu waved with a smile. She was then sent crashing to the floor when a wash basin fell on her.

"And I'm Yukari Sendou and I hope to host the next one," said Yukari, bowing. Kurumu then lunged and attacked Yukari before everything faded to black.

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: Kamen Riders are said to be larger than life heroes and Kamen Rider J is the largest of them all. He's the only Rider to be able to become giant, which comes in handy especially in situations like this. It's a lucky thing Shinichi unlocked him just in time. Anyway, I used this filler episode from the anime as a basis for this chap but I also based the beatdown the fanboys were getting from Red VS Blue when Tex was beating up the Reds and Tucker. It just seemed to fit. Well, read and keep those reviews coming.<br>**


	7. First Term: Return of the Double Riders

**Chapter 7: Return of the Double Riders**

"Good morning, Sanban-kun!" a cheerful girl's voice called. Shinichi turned, only to see a girl's face very close to his thanks to her neck stretching like taffy. "You don't look so well! Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, thanks," Shinichi replied, yawning a bit.

"Your neck's stretching!" another girl called out to the girl talking to Shinichi, albeit with a frog-like face sticking out of the back of her head.

A girl with webbed hands shouted, "That won't do! You know the school rules say we have to stay in human form at all times!"

_'You're ones to talk_,' Shinichi thought to himself. It was not like everyone else was following the rules from everything that went on so far. If given the chance everyone would be walking around in their true forms.

"Morning, Shinichi-kun!" a lovely female voice called out to the cyborg. He turned to see Moka Akashiya coming his way. As soon as she'd come into the midst of the student body, the boys erupted into a flurry of lovesick adulation. Of course, it wasn't just the boys that were enthralled; quite a few girls seemed taken by Moka's beauty as well.

Shinichi smiled, feeling his day beginning to improve already just from Moka's presence. "Morning, Moka-chan. Lovely as ever, I see."

Moka blushed, but offered her hand for Shinichi to take. He was glad that the girls managed to convince him to stay. In spite of his nightmares, he felt a strange euphoria when in the company of the vampire, succubus, witch, and even the werewolf. With friends like them, Shinichi's eyes really opened to the truth about monsters. Vampires weren't evil bloodsucking demons, succubae didn't prey on men to suck out their souls, witches weren't old hags that worshiped the devil, and werewolves weren't predators that hungered for human flesh like most humans would believe. They were just different and trying to find their place in the world.

"Shinichi-kun?" Moka asked as she saw his expression.

"Thank you, Moka-chan," Shinichi spoke gratefully. "I'm finally getting used to being here, and I have you to thank for that. Even though you know what I am, you've still helped me, been there for me, and watched my back. I…I don't think there's a way I can pay you back that'd be good enough to show you how much I appreciate all that you've done for me."

"Thank you, Shinichi-kun," Moka answered. "You've shown me that not all humans are cruel, and you've helped me... more than you realize, my Kamen Rider."

"You're welcome, but you gotta admit I'm not completely human," Shinichi remarked.

"It makes no difference to me. Human or otherwise you have a good heart."

As they spoke to each other, they drifted closer together, so close that their faces were very near... and their lips, even nearer...

However...

"CAPU! Chuu~!"

Well, she was a vampire, and she did have to drink.

Moka released herself from his neck and licked her fangs which were still coated with his blood. "The sweetness, the density... together, they make your blood absolutely perfect..." Moka sighed with her hands on her cheeks.

"That's the weirdest compliment I've ever gotten, but I'll take it," Shinichi quipped, despite feeling drained. He had actually begun to get used to Moka's love bites. In fact, he was now getting a warm, almost melting feeling throughout his body whenever she drank from him. It felt... nice? Yeah, it felt nice.

"Your blood is still the tastiest I've ever had!" Moka rejoiced.

"I know. You keep telling me that." Although, technically he was the only one she'd ever drank from.

"Moka!" Kurumu cried out as she stomped over to the pair. "Are you drinking Shinichi's blood again? He needs it too, you know!"

"It's alright, Kurumu-chan," said Shinichi. "I'm used to it."

"Shinichi, how did you sleep? Have you been having anymore nightmares?" she asked. Kurumu was a succubus and another one of Shinichi's friends. At first she'd tried to use her Charm on him but both times had caused a violent reaction. After he understood her and stood up to Moka-sama for her, she fell in love and declared him as her Destined One.

"Not recently," Shinichi told her. He then saw she had a picnic basket. "What's that? More cookies?"

"Well, with Moka drinking your blood you're going to need to replenish yourself so I baked extra sweet cookies for you! The secret ingredient is love~" Kurumu giggled. A wash basin was falling onto her head but Shinichi caught it before it hit.

"Yukari-chan," he scolded as he spotted the witch. "What did I tell you about using magic on your friends?"

The little witch, Yukari Sendou, skipped over innocently as she said, "I was just swatting a pest." Yukari and Kurumu looked at each other and lightning sparked from their eyes, meeting in the middle. "Shinichi-san, if you need extra energy I have a potion for you!" Yukari held up a vial of some kind of bubbling, purple liquid. Yukari was a witch and had been alone for awhile now since entering Youkai Academy. However, she finally started opening up and making friends. Shinichi considered her like a little sister but her true intention was to be in a three-way relationship with him and Moka. Yukari and Kurumu didn't get along so well.

"Um…I'll…drink it later," said Shinichi. He had a feeling that potion might not agree with him so why risk it?

After the incident with GIN-SHOCKER which had happened days before, Yukari was told the truth about Shinichi. She never suspected he was a cyborg. That just made him even more amazing. The part where he lost his memories wasn't so amazing. It was tragic.

"OHAYO, KAMEN RIDER-SAMA!"

"Good morning, you three..." That was something Shinichi was not looking forward to. Taira, Nagai and Kasahara had become his loyal fans since the incident where he became Kamen Rider J. It was disturbing to say the least but after they experienced what he was capable of, they concluded it was just safer to stay on his good side. He'd also protected them despite them trying to drive him away.

"Hey, let me carry your books today! You must be tired after all the fights you get into!" Kasahara said as he ran up to Shinichi and took his backpack.

"Not really," Shinichi started.

"Nonsense!" Taira declared. "After what you did for us, we are going to pay you back anyway we can!"

"Pretty noble of you, in a creepy way," Kurumu said.

"Desu," Yukari agreed.

Shinichi Sanban wasn't exactly human and he wasn't a monster either. He was a Kaizo Ningen, a human who'd been altered with cybernetics and made into a cyborg. His cybernetic augmentations also allowed him to transform into Kamen Rider Showa and assume the forms of the Legendary Showa Riders. He'd unlocked the powers of 6 Kamen Riders so far: Ichigo, X, Amazon, Skyrider, BLACK RX and J, each with their own unique abilities that helped Shinichi in battle. Not only did Shinichi have to fight enemies within the school, but also agents of the mysterious organization GIN-SHOCKER who were intent of capturing him. The organization might have answers to his past but he wasn't about to go with them if he had anything to say about it.

Shinichi woke up with amnesia on his first day in Youkai Academy. He even made up his own name on the spot and had nothing else save for his backpack and the uniform he was wearing. Somehow, he'd gotten enrolled in Youkai Academy. When he went to the office to ask about details regarding his enrollment, he'd been told that they were classified even to him. Still, he got a dorm and a wardrobe even if all his clothes were identical uniforms for school and PE, and several pairs of socks and clean underwear. He hadn't had time to look for new clothes to add to his wardrobe even if there were stores where students could buy clothes on campus.

Youkai Academy was a strange place but Shinichi felt at peace here. He had his friends so what more could he need?

* * *

><p>Once again, the four friends went back to the Newspaper Club after classes were over with. Gin was with them and this time he was helping out for real. He had to with the freshmen holding his stash for blackmail anyway.<p>

"So is this the Newspaper Club?" a voice stated everyone turn to see a second year student walk in with a haughty air to him. He was a handsome young man with dark-streaked pale hair, wearing just a dress shirt with the top buttons undone and the standard uniform pants.

"Yes, can I help you?" Shinichi asked.

"Oh, I'm looking for Moka Akashiya," the 2nd year said.

"Huh?" Shinichi cocked his eyebrow. "What for?" He knew that because of Moka's popularity she would have admirers so this guy could just be one of them. Shinichi felt agitated when looking at the guy but calmed down. No sense assaulting him unless he did something to provoke him first.

"Oh, never mind, I see her," he said as he approached the pink-haired girl.

"Yes?" Moka asked, looking up at him.

"I'm glad I finally got to met you, Akashiya-san," the boy said, grinning with his pure white fangs, "My name is Junya Inui, a 2nd year student and vampire, just like you."

Everyone looked to Inui in surprise and not just by how casually he revealed his race to Moka. It was just how familiar he was acting with her despite just meeting her for the first time. Shinichi's fists clenched and unclenched as he watched Moka's expression brighten. She never thought she'd meet another vampire in Youkai Academy. Still, there were the odds that she might meet one of course. There were a lot of students.

"Hey, Inui-sempai, do you want to join the club?" Shinichi asked, cutting into Moka and Inui's conversation.

"Tempting, but I really can't," Inui said as he looked at Shinichi with a smug smirk. "So you're Shinichi Sanban, the bug doppelganger. I've heard a lot about you, even the part about you letting dear Akashiya-san feed off of you from time to time. What a brave soul you are. I'd like to know if you truly like her."

"She's my best friend ever since I came here, and she's helped me out a lot," Shinichi clarified.

"It's regrettable, especially if you do truly like her, but the vampire race is very particular about its rules," Inui continued, "'Do not turn rogue.' 'Do not drink the blood of the dead.' And one more rule, of course... when it comes to choosing a mate."

"Huh?" Shinichi blinked.

"Oh, excuse me," Inui coughed, "I must be getting carried away. You don't have to worry about that, do you?"

"Well..." Shinichi began.

"So, Inui-sempai," Moka interrupted. "What brings you here?"

"Oh, I just wanted to be able to meet a fellow vampire," said Inui. "I mean it's so horrible to be the only one of my kind here but then I heard that you were a vampire too and I thought we could get to know each other."

* * *

><p>After club activities were done for the day, Inui walked Moka back to her dorm, wanting to get to know her better, or so he claimed. "I'm sorry for being so impolite before," Inui said. "I saw you sucking his blood earlier today, that's why I came looking for you specifically. You're a little weird, though... never seen a vampire wear a rosario."<p>

"I am a vampire," Moka admitted, "but I wear my rosario to restrain my powers... and I haven't seen a vampire anywhere outside my own family before."

"Of course," Inui answered. "We have to guard ourselves from those who fear our power and would destroy us all because of that fear. That's why... I've never had real friends before. I'm hoping you can change that, Moka."

_'This man . . . he's . . . a lot like me_,' Moka mused internally.

"And I can't be among humans either because the vampire hunters would get me sooner or later," Inui went on. "Even if they weren't the ones out to kill me I would still be driven out regardless due to it being too dangerous for anyone but another vampire to be around me."

Shinichi, Kurumu, and Yukari had followed Moka and Inui and were now listening in from a hidden spot nearby. As threatened as Shinichi felt by Inui, he wanted to respect Moka's privacy and not intrude. Yukari had other ideas, and given that those ideas were dangerously similar to his, in a manner of speaking, he had no choice but to cooperate. Kurumu was just along for the ride out of loyalty to Shinichi.

"If they carry on and become a couple..." Kurumu thought aloud, grinning.

"Nooo!" Yukari moaned, clinging tightly to Shinichi. "That can't happen! Think of something, Shinichi-san!"

Shinichi shook his head, "I can't stop Moka from making friends." Despite his feelings of jealousy and concern when seeing Inui and Moka together, Moka had the right to make her own friends. "If she wants to be friends with this guy it's her choice. I don't have the right to forbid him." _'After all, we're __just friends_.'

The thought of going further with Moka had crossed his mind but whenever that happened his scar would throb and a painful memory would flash before his eyes. He had a memory of feeling love and loss but just couldn't place it.

"The rule of the vampires... it was just a rumor, but..." Yukari mused.

"Huh? What about it?" Shinichi asked.

"Yeah, I'm curious, too!" Kurumu joined in.

"I dunno... wait, what are you doing, Kurumu-san?" Yukari asked.

The next thing poor Yukari knew, she'd been tied up shibari-style and was now dangling from the tree.

"Wow, that was fast," observed Shinichi.

"You didn't have to go THAT far!" Yukari whined as tears comically went down her face.

"Just answer the question," Kurumu urged.

"Well, vampires are a very proud race," Yukari explained. "They value their strength above all else, and most of them believe that their strength is tied to the purity of their blood, so dating – let alone marrying– outside the race is a big no-no. Children born from unions between vampires and humans are called dhampirs, and are looked down on by full-blooded vampires. Of course, if the stories are true, many of those dhampirs are also rejected by humans and become reclusive assassins using the power within their vampire side to fight and kill Youkai, particularly full vampires, as a kind of revenge for their 'cursed birth'."

Shinichi felt an arrow pierce his chest. The girl he became friends with, the girl that help him with his forgotten memories and nightmares, now it seemed that she had been off limits from the start. He murmured, "...Guess, it makes sense."

"Shinichi-san?" Yukari asked with worry.

Shinichi's eyes looked down as he rubbed the spot where Moka usually bit him. He was already missing the feeling of her fangs sinking into his flesh, as strange as that sounded.

"We're too different."

* * *

><p>One week later, Shinichi watched as Moka and Inui walked the hallways of Youkai Academy together. He knew he should be happy that Moka had made a new friend that was the same race as her but he missed her. They sat in class together but never spoke to each other. The usual morning greetings were gone now as Inui was always with Moka. Even at lunch Moka spent her time with Inui.<p>

Shinichi had to face facts that he'd lost his best friend to someone else.

* * *

><p>Not quite unbeknownst to him, he was being watched by Kurumu and Yukari. He knew they were watching him; he just didn't give enough of a damn to go confront them about it. As he focused his attentions on Moka and Inui, Yukari and Kurumu chattered with each other about the present situation.<p>

"Shinichi-san seems down, don't you think?" Yukari mused.

"It's to be expected, what with Moka ditching him for Inui," Kurumu replied. "She doesn't even come to the Newspaper Club anymore."

"You don't find it weird?" Yukari asked. "I've been digging up as much dirt as I can find on this guy, and he's an infamous playboy from what I've heard. For all his talk of 'rules,' he doesn't follow them from what I can see. I don't get what Moka sees in him."

Kurumu frown for a moment at that news. "Now that you mention it, Moka being distant from Shinichi does seem a little too weird. She obviously values their friendship deeply so why would she stick with that Inui guy?"

"I don't know," Yukari guessed, thinking back to her own loneliness, "I guess the fact of seeing another vampire here excites her."

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Moka and Inui had gone outside to have a drink of tomato juice together. "Why do you seem so dazed?" Inui asked. "Aren't you happy to be with me?"<p>

"Sorry, I didn't mean to..." Moka replied, trailing off just as Inui flashed over to take her in his arms and lean in for a kiss. "What are you doing, Junya? Wait!"

"Why should we wait?" Inui asked, softly yet with an undercurrent of danger. "We're two of the same kind. It's only natural for us to be together, unless there's someone else you want. Someone like, maybe, Shinichi Sanban?"

"No..." Moka denied. "It's not... He and I..."

"Why don't we go somewhere private?"

* * *

><p>Shinichi was sitting under a tree alone in the forest, giving out a sigh. "Guess it wasn't meant to be..."<p>

"Shinichi!"

Looking up to see who called, he saw Kurumu. He got up and rubbed the wrinkles out of his slacks. "Oh, Kurumu-chan, what is it?" She wrapped her arms around his right arm and smiled.

"So...since Moka is obviously with Inui, why don't you and I finally get together?" she asked.

"...I guess that'd be fine," he answered, but he didn't sound too enthusiastic about it. Smiling, Kurumu leaned up to claim his lips but once she was half an inch away she suddenly backed away.

"No! Not like this!" she shouted, screwing her eyes shut in frustration.

"Huh, Kurumu-chan?" he blinked,

"I can't win your heart by default! I just can't!" As a succubus her pride was also at stake and to win against Moka like this just didn't seem right. "I'm no rebound girl!" She pointed at Shinichi, "Love is a battlefield!"

"Kurumu-chan, what are you talking about?" Shinichi asked.

"Shinichi, there's something you need to know about Inui..."

* * *

><p>Meanwhile in the graveyard, Inui decided to have some privacy with Moka. Once again, he was already trying to steal a kiss from her.<p>

"But... Junya, this is going too fast..." Moka stammered as she back away.

"There's no reason to worry," Inui smiled, still leaning in, "It's just you and me, alone."

"Please…no…" Moka pleaded.

"Come on, Moka…"

"You know, when a girl says no she really does mean no," said Shinichi who was perched atop a nearby gravestone.

"Shinichi-kun!" Moka cried out in surprise as she turned around.

"Yo, Moka-chan," Shinichi greeted with a salute.

"Oh, so it's you?" Inui asked. "I guess you do love this girl, not like it matters. Besides, based on our laws-"

"For someone who talks about vampire laws, you don't seem too worried about breaking them," Shinichi cut him off.

"Junya, what does he mean?" Moka asked.

"He's talking crazy," scowled Inui.

"You know, I heard from a really reliable source that you've gone out with quite a few girls and then dumped them once you got what you wanted from them," Shinichi continued. "Care to comment for the school newspaper?"

"Shut up, you damn bug," growled Inui.

"Wow, nice comeback," Shinichi retorted sarcastically, not sounding impressed. "Who writes your jokes?"

Inui then charged forward and knocked Shinichi off his perch with a punch. The Kaizo Ningen went tumbling along the ground from the blow.

"Shinichi-kun!" Moka screamed.

"That should teach you to watch your mouth!" Inui spat.

"Heh," Shinichi chuckled as he rose to his feet, dusting off his clothed. "Care to try again?" he challenged, his indigo eyes narrowed.

"Oh, so you really want to fight a vampire?" Inui retorted.

"I'd fight anyone to protect my friends," Shinichi answered, smiling at Moka.

"You suicidal moron..." Inui growled as his body began to ripple. His body grew in musculature as his veins became visible, and some even bulged inhumanly. His fangs extended, his nails grew sharper, and his eyes turned blood red.

"Is that what you really look like?" Shinichi mocked. "I've seen better, I really have."

"BASTARD!" Inui roared as he charged forward with killing intent. He started his assault with rage-filled punches that Shinichi seemingly dodged with ease. "Don't you get it?-! You will never have her! You are just trash! Just a piece of gum to be scraped from my heel!"

"Stop it!" Moka yelled at Inui. "We had an agreement! I'll be true to you... and so long as I am, you won't hurt Shinichi-kun!"

Inui and Shinichi both turned to her. "An agreement?" Shinichi asked, glaring at Inui.

"I was a solitary creature once. But that was before Shinichi came into my life... he was the first true friend I ever made... and he's become more precious to me, in all this time we've been together, than just a friend! I don't care if you're a vampire like me; hurting Shinichi-kun is unforgivable in my eyes!"

Shinichi smiled, kicking himself for being so stupid. Moka hadn't been with Inui because she'd chosen him over Shinichi; she'd been with Inui to protect the one she really loved, the one she really held in her heart. "Hear that?" he taunted Inui. "She was never yours. Let's Ride: Showa!"

"Solitary?" Junya repeated scornfully as Shinichi transformed. "That's just a line for picking up chicks! You're mine, Moka Akashiya, and if I have to kill this fool who thinks a suit of armor will save him, I will!"

"Oh really?" Showa asked as he walked over to Moka. Stopping next to her, he questioned, "Then how about we let her have a say in this?" He wrapped his fingers around her Rosario and tore it off.

Inui was suddenly trembling as he felt the demonic aura that was coming off Moka. He gulped as he witnessed her transform from cute and vulnerable to sexy and dangerous.

_'What?'_ he thought to himself. _'Her hair is turning silver... her eyes are becoming red... her body is even more delicious than before! Is this her real power! Is this her true self?'_

"So... you dare to trick and threaten my outer-self, you onimodoki?" Moka-sama said angrily. "Like how a fly imitates a wasp's colors to appear more dangerous than it actually is, you emulate stronger demons to bully weaker ones, even though you're no better. You're just a pathetic fake."

Showa blinked. He remembered hearing about those Youkai. Onimodoki were supposed to be like doppelgangers but unlike doppelgangers who could gain the abilities of the monsters they mimicked, they were in reality weak and frail beings. They only pretended to be more powerful monsters to intimidate the weaker ones.

"You dare call me a fake!-?" Inui screamed as he rushed at Moka-sama and Showa. "You call this strength false!-?"

"A vampire's power is not what you think it is," Moka-sama replied coolly, grabbing Inui by his distended collarbone and lifting him into the air. "It does not come from mere muscle. It is the very essence of a vampire channeled into strength." She dropped Inui disdainfully.

"Now it's time we go into overtime," Showa said, cracking his knuckles. Good thing Ichigo had paid him another visit as he was coming here.

* * *

><p><em>"Huh, Ichigo-san?" asked Shinichi as he saw the first Kamen Rider again.<em>

_"It's nice to see you again, Shinichi-kun," said Ichigo. "How have you been?"_

_"I've been great, except for a fact that this guy wants to force himself on Moka-chan," said Shinichi._

_"That weakling? You can beat him, no problem," said Ichigo._

_"Of course there must be a reason why we're here," Shinichi concluded. Was he going to unlock a new power?_

_"Yes, you are going to receive a new power. Don't be surprised. This is inside your mind," Ichigo replied. Footsteps could be heard and Shinichi looked to see a Rider identical to Ichigo approaching. The only difference was that his helmet was black and his gloves were red._

_"This is my brother, Kamen Rider Nigo," Ichigo introduced._

_"Nice to meet you," Nigo and Shinichi said at the same time._

_Nigo explained, "Shinichi, while Riders usually fight alone in times of great crisis we work together as a team. Ichigo and I were the first Kamen Rider duo, known as the Double Riders and it is time for you to receive the second half of that power."_

_"Really?" Shinichi asked._

_"Yes. Ichigo has the skill, but I have the strength. Now it is time for you to get both," Nigo said as he pressed his finger against Shinichi's forehead._

* * *

><p>Showa smiled as he looked to Moka-sama. "It's time for the Double Riders to make their debut in Youkai Academy!" He walked behind her and put his hand against her back. "Moka-chan, this might feel a little strange." His hand then glowed. "Let's Form Ride: Ichigo!"<p>

**INSERT SONG: MILLIONS OF ME**

Before she could ask what he was doing, Moka-sama stiffened as Ichigo's Typhoon Belt appeared around her waist. The fan that was inside the belt started to spin and all of a sudden she was encased in the armor of Kamen Rider Ichigo. It fit her body nicely and showed off her feminine curves.

"NANI!-?" Inui screamed. He never heard of a doppelganger being able to do that.

Moka-Ichigo-sama looked at her new armored gloves with curiosity. "So you can transfer you powers into others as well," she mused, "Interesting."

"Cool huh?" Showa grinned. "I found this out after unlocking Nigo-sempai. Now, Let's Ride: Nigo!" He became Kamen Rider Nigo and stood at Moka-Ichigo-sama's side. The Double Riders were back! "Inui, you're now facing the Double Riders! Are you ready, Moka-chan?"

Moka-Ichigo-sama glared at him from under her helmet.

"I mean Moka-_sama_!" he gulped as he corrected himself.

"Good," she purred. "Let's take this trash out."

"Follow my lead. Rider Jump!" Showa-Nigo said before jumping into the air. Moka-Ichigo-sama followed suit. Inui could only gape as they went into the air with the red moon behind them.

"RIDER DOUBLE KICK!" the Double Riders shouted as they stuck their legs out for their kicks. The flying kicks connected and sent Inui flying with tremendous force. The two kicks impacted Inui with enough force to crack, if not break, multiple ribs and maybe put some unhealthy pressure on his more sensitive organs. The pair landed and Showa-Nigo held his fist out to Moka-Ichigo-sama. She looked at him curiously before understanding and bumped her fist against his.

**END SONG**

"You're more impressive than I thought for being able to figure out that this punk wasn't the real deal. And that 'Form Ride' ability will be very useful in the future," Moka-sama said as their armors vanished into puzzle pieces. "That third rule he mentioned before is obsolete. No one follows it anymore. Most dhampirs are just bitter little children who can't come to terms with what they are."

"So all in all, he was lying," Shinichi said, looking at the defeated Inui. "Guess some of the more open-minded vampires thought it was stupid."

"That's right," Moka-sama smiled as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, "And it also means that I can do this."

To Shinichi's great shock and joy, Moka-sama's lips pressed forcefully against his as her arms tightened around his shoulders. At first, he was too stunned to do anything, his mind racing with questions and worries about the vampiric fighter's sudden turn for the amorous. Then his common sense caught up to him, and he realized that he had a beautiful girl willingly (and eagerly) kissing him, one that would be rather ticked off (and would express it most violently) if he didn't start kissing back...

Resolve gathering in his mind, Shinichi placed his hands on Moka-sama's hips, which he idly noted flared out a little more than her outer self's, and pulled her closer as he returned her kiss most enthusiastically. It was the first kiss he could remember ever having with anyone, least of all a beautiful girl like her, but he was determined to make the most of it. All too soon, however, it was over and Moka-sama was gazing at him with half-lidded molten red eyes.

"How's that for a down payment?" she whispered with sultry teasing in her voice. Winking, she plucked the rosario from him and placed it back on her choker. In a flash of light, she was back to her gentler self before fainting in his arms.

"Wow... what a kisser," Shinichi smiled to himself.

* * *

><p>The following morning, Shinichi walked to school as usual and spotted Moka. "Ohayo, Moka-chan," Shinichi said to Moka as he walked towards her<p>

Moka seemed to tense for a second before turning around to greet Shinichi. Her face was completely red, "O-ohayo Shinichi-kun. It sure was crazy yesterday, huh?" Moka laughed awkwardly.

"Yeah it kinda was, but I'm just glad that jackass is gone, though I was sorta surprised at my reward."

"Y-yeah! It shocked me too." Moka gulped awkwardly but jumped as she heard someone scream, "MOKA!" Both spun around to see Kurumu walking towards them

"Did you kiss . . .?" Kurumu questioned.

"Yes, we did..." Moka admitted.

"Since when?" Kurumu pressed on.

"S-since yesterday," Moka said her face turning a shade of red.

"Oh... in that case, let me congratulate you," Kurumu said as she produced two water guns.

"W-wait Kurumu-san, remember I'm weak against water!" Moka said trying to dissuade her.

"Who said these were filled with water? However, I'm not promising it's not something worse!" Kurumu growled. Moka gulped before she began to run away. "GET BACK HERE!" Kurumu shrieked as she chased after her.

"SHINICHI-KUN, HELP ME!"

Shinichi lightly chuckled at the sight "Just a normal day in Youkai Academy," he said. He paused, however, as he sensed someone behind him. He turned his head but saw no one. "Weird, I could've sworn someone was behind me." He shivered, "... and did it just get colder?" Shrugging he ignored the sensation as he began chasing after Kurumu in order to save Moka. Meanwhile, a head of purple hair poked out from behind a tree.

"Jiiiiiiiiiiiiii."

* * *

><p><strong>LEGENDARY RIDERS UNLOCKED SO FAR<strong>

1. Ichigo

2. Nigo

3. ?

4. ?

5. X-Rider

6. Amazon Rider

7. ?

8. Skyrider

9. ?

10. ?

11. BLACK RX (Includes BLACK, Roborider and Biorider)

12. ?

13. J

**KAMEN RIDER DATABASE**

"Welcome to another entry to the Kamen Rider Database," introduced Moka-sama with her hands to her hips. "In today's chapter, Showa demonstrated the ability to transfer his powers to another through the use of an ability he dubbed as 'Form Rode'. Temporarily, another person would have the power of a Rider of Showa's choosing. In my case I became Kamen Rider Ichigo. With this power, Showa and I taught that onimodoki a lesson using the Rider Double Kick which is the trademark combo attack of both Ichigo and Nigo. Speaking of Nigo, he is the Rider that Showa unlocked this chapter."

A screen showed Kamen Rider Nigo who resembled Ichigo save for his black helmet and red gloves. "HayatoIchimonjiwas a free-lancer photographer, was kidnapped by the organization SHOCKER in order to become a Kaizo Ningen able to fight the deserter Takeshi Hongo, aka Kamen Rider. However, before SHOCKER scientists could brainwash him, Hongo appeared and saved Ichimonji's sanity. Hongo later left Japan to fight SHOCKER branches overseas, and Ichimonji became his successor as Kamen Rider, protecting Japan from Shocker's actions. Sometime later, Takeshi Hongo returned to Japan and fought alongside Ichimonji. Now, Hongo was known as Kamen Rider Ichigo (#1) and Ichimonji, Kamen Rider Nigo (#2). The pair was occasionally called "The Double Riders". With Hongo back, it was Ichimonji who left Japan for training in South America. He allowed himself to be bitten by various venomous animals, gaining immunity to their toxins and new strength which also gave him red gloves. Kamen Rider Nigo would then return to help Kamen Rider Ichigo to defeat GEL-SHOCKER."

Looking to the screen, "Shinichi Sanban has greatly impressed me, which earned him the reward of my kiss. I wish to see what else he can do before I deem him worthy of more."

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: Looks like the Double Riders have appeared. Well, not exactly, but it was still awesome to see Ichigo and Nigo together even if it's really Moka-sama and Shinichi. It seems Moka-sama is starting to stake her claim on the amnesiac Rider. Still, can she show some more of her feelings in future? Well, we'll see. BTW, next chapter Shinichi meets a girl who's cold and ice but hot as hell.<strong>


	8. First Term: Ice Cold Hearts

**Chapter 8: Ice Cold Hearts**

It was a new day in Youkai Academy. It'd been nearly three months since Shinichi enrolled in this school and he was happy. He had a group of good and trustworthy friends who would be there for him. There was Moka the beautiful pink haired vampire who could become scary whenever her rosario was removed, Kurumu the succubus who claimed him as her Destined One, Yukari the witch who wanted to be in a three-way relationship with him and Moka (making him doubt if she was REALLY just eleven years old) and even Gin the perverted werewolf.

The latest issue of the Youkai Academy Newspaper had come out and all the members, minus Gin, were distributing said papers to the students. Most of the girls flocked around Shinichi for the newspaper while the guys got them from the girls. Moka was swarmed the most.

What Shinichi didn't notice was a girl staring at him from behind a tree. She had her eyes trained on him and a small smile on her face.

"Man, what a hit!" said Kurumu, wiping the sweat off her brow. "We're nearly all out."

"Yeah, we've really become popular," agreed Shinichi. As tiring as it was, he was enjoying the club's activities.

"Excuse me," a toneless, almost emotionless, female voice greeted. The Newspaper Club turned to see a beautiful pale girl with oceanic blue eyes and long, messy purple hair. The girl wore a white sweater with navy blue sleeves that was so loose it exposed the straps of a black tank top she wore underneath and the standard uniform skirt, plus striped thigh-high stockings. She seemed to have a lollipop in her mouth. "Are there anymore papers?" she asked.

Shinichi blinked and then looked at the one he was holding. "Oh, here you go. It's a bit wrinkled but you don't have to worry about it." He handed it to her and she accepted it. She then leaned in close, smiling.

"You get along so well," she commented, "I don't understand it."

"Huh?" Shinichi blinked.

"Ja ne," the girl said before walking away.

"Strange girl," Shinichi blinked.

"Shinichi-kun, do you know that girl?" Moka asked.

"No," he answered honestly, shrugging. "At least, I don't think I do."

Shinichi did feel a familiar chill when he saw the girl, like the chill he'd felt the day after he and Moka had dealt with the Onimodoki.

"Good job, everybody!" said Gin as he walked over to the group.

"And where were you?" Shinichi asked suspiciously. "I hope it wasn't anything perverted."

"Oh, I was doing advertising," Gin answered innocently. They were still holding his collection hostage, after all.

"I sure hope you were, because I'd hate for something like _this_ to get out," said Shinichi before yelling out, "EXTRA! EXTRA, READ ALL ABOUT IT! IS THE SERIAL PEEPING TOM STILL AMONG US? DETAILS ON PAGE 3!"

"Oi, quit it!" Gin snapped and Shinichi laughed. "Well, we're all out of papers," said Gin. "How about after school we have a party?"

"Yeah, a party!" agreed Kurumu.

"Sounds nice," added Moka.

"Desu," said Yukari.

Shinichi smiled. A party did sound like fun. They would need to go out and buy supplies like snacks and drinks. As the group headed inside, the purple-haired girl stared intently at Shinichi.

"Jiiiiiiiiiiii…"

* * *

><p>"We're welcoming back a student who's been absent for more than half the first term," said Nekonome-sensei. "This is your classmate, Mizore Shirayuki-san."<p>

Shinichi blinked as he saw the purple haired girl walk in. _'It's that girl from before,' _he thought to himself.

Nekonome-sensei then explained, "Shirayuki-san was ill so she couldn't come to school. I'm glad she's feeling better now."

"I am," Mizore nodded before taking her seat in the front. She then looked over her shoulder and smiled at Shinichi. The boy blinked again.

"Now, as I was saying…" spoke Nekonome-sensei.

* * *

><p>When lunchtime came around, Shinichi walked out of the classroom, having felt a strange chill this entire time. He was being watched, that much he knew and he had the feeling he knew who was watching him. It was Mizore Shirayuki, the new girl. Yukari seemed to know a lot about the student body of Youkai Academy, so he was going to ask her if she knew anything about Shirayuki the first chance he got.<p>

"Hey, why don't we go buy the snacks and supplies for the party now?" Moka asked him

"Sure, but I gotta ask Yukari about something first," Shinichi replied. "I'll meet you there, ok?"

"Sure, Shinichi-kun," Moka replied, and left. Just as Shinichi was about to go find Yukari, he was interrupted by Mizore.

"Are you following me?" Shinichi asked suspiciously.

"I read the newspaper that you passed out," Mizore replied. "Just as expected, your articles are very good." She smiled at Shinichi, removing the lollipop from her mouth again. "You're my favorite."

"Well, I guess I should be grateful that I have a fan," said Shinichi, smiling. Mizore smiled back. "Oh, and I wasn't able to officially welcome you back to class, Shirayuki-san. So, welcome back." He extended his hand in friendship and Mizore took it, smiling at the warm contact.

"Nekonome-sensei made sure I always got the school newspaper," said Mizore. She fished out a scrapbook and gave it to Shinichi. Shinichi opened the scrapbook and saw all the articles he'd written inside. His articles were mainly about student life from an outsider's point of view. "You have an insight of what it feels to be an outcast," she observed. Mizore had even written her own comments about his articles.

"Wow, this is great," said Shinichi. He closed the scrapbook and returned to Mizore. "Anyway, I gotta go do something. How about we hang out later after school ends, OK?"

Mizore smiled and watched him go. "Hang out…" she murmured. She liked the sound of that.

* * *

><p>Meeting up with the witch, Shinichi asked Yukari about Mizore. "Well…I don't know much about her."<p>

"I thought you knew everything, Yukari-chan," said Shinichi.

"Let me do some research and I'll get back to you on that, Shinichi-san," promised Yukari.

"Thanks," Shinichi smiled.

"Oh, and if I do a good job will you give me a kiss?" Yukari puckered her lips.

"Don't push it," Shinichi warned good-naturedly.

* * *

><p>After lunch, the Newspaper Club promised to meet after school in the clubroom so they could have their party. For the rest of the day Shinichi couldn't help but feel he was being watched and looked up to see Mizore gazing at him intently before turning her attention back towards the lesson. It happened each period all the way to the final bell.<p>

"Looks like it's time to party," said Shinichi.

"Yeah, let's party!" Kurumu cheered, hugging Shinichi, only to be pulled off by Moka.

"But first we need to prepare everything," said Moka. "Shinichi-kun, are you coming?"

"Actually…" Shinichi glanced towards Mizore who was packing up. "I'll meet up with you girls later. I got something to do."

"OK," said Moka and she dragged a protesting Kurumu out of the classroom.

"Shirayuki-san, let's go," said Shinichi as he approached Mizore. She looked up at him. "I did say I was going to hang out with you for a bit. Is that okay?"

Mizore gave a small and cute smile and said, "Let me take you to my favorite place."

* * *

><p>"This is my most favorite place here, where I like to be alone," said Mizore as she stood with Shinichi whilst overlooking the lake.<p>

Shinichi agreed, "We all got a special place where we go to be alone sometimes."

Mizore picked up a pebble and tossed it. It skipped seven times across the water.

"Neat trick," Shinichi admitted. She picked up a pebble and gave it to him.

"You try," said Mizore.

Shinichi nodded and wound up his arm before throwing it. However, he'd put too much power into his throw and the pebble flew across the lake like a bullet and hit a tree on the other side, embedding itself into the trunk.

"Uh..." Shinichi sweat-dropped and flicked his wrist. "I guess I put too much power in that one." Sometimes he just didn't know his own strength, which was caused by his cybernetic augmentations.

Mizore stared dumbly, then she giggled, "You're funny."

"Hey, you laughed," Shinichi smiled back, "That's good. A pretty girl like you should do that more often."

Mizore blushed slightly, "Am I really that pretty?"

"I'd be lying if I said no," Shinichi answered.

"Can I tell you something?" she asked.

"Sure," Shinichi nodded.

"Is it alright if we stay here a little longer? It gets really lonely for me here, but I can tell from your articles that you know the feeling of loneliness too."

Shinichi did know loneliness. For one he was the only cyborg in the school as far as he knew and unlike the rest of the student body he had no memory of growing up with a family. That feeling went into his articles. "I guess for a little bit longer it wouldn't hurt." Maybe he could even invite Mizore to join the party too so she could make more friends. She might like that.

"Yay!" Mizore cheered as she hugged Shinichi.

* * *

><p>"GIN!" PUT THAT COOKIE DOWN!" Kurumu roared as she violently kicked Gin in the face, sending him crashing to the floor.<p>

Moka blinked, "Ano... Kurumu-chan, wasn't that a bit much? It was just a cookie."

"Actually I think she actually made a smart move to stop him from eating that," Yukari said, knowing those were the love-potion laced ones, which would have been bad if the werewolf were to eat them.

"Ow... that really hurt," Gin groaned as he slowly got up. "Sheesh I bet you wouldn't do that if it were Shinichi."

"Again, you have no idea," Yukari remarked.

"Speaking of that doppelganger, where the heck is he? The party started twenty minutes ago," Gin said, checking his watch.

"I don't know, but maybe he has a good excuse for it," Moka stated hopefully.

* * *

><p>Back at the lake, Shinichi smoothed his pebble out before throwing it out to the lake. This time around, he managed to make it skip.<p>

"Thirteen times!" Mizore rejoiced. "See? I knew you could do it."

"It helps that I got a great teacher," Shinichi smiled.

"It's all in the wrist, Shinichi-san," Mizore said.

"Guess so," he nodded. He sat down on a log and looked at the lake. "You know, you're a really nice girl, Shirayuki-san. Why do you feel so lonely?"

"Oh," Mizore answered as she walked next to him and sat down. "I'm used to being alone. It's the way I've always been."

"Well that isn't right," Shinichi frowned. "Did you know how I felt alone when I got here? Well I'm not so alone anymore. Now I have friends like Moka-chan, Kurumu-chan, Yukari-chan, and Gin-sempai." Mizore seemed to stiffen. "Mizore?"

"Do you want to go to where Moka Akashiya is?" she asked, her voice once again going emotionless. "Don't go, Shinichi. If you do, I don't know what I'll do to that girl. No... it might be too late already, because I don't like her."

Shinichi got the chills, and he backed away from Mizore. "What are you saying?"

"Don't worry, Shinichi-san," Mizore continued, "She won't be a problem anymore."

* * *

><p>The door opened and everyone turned, hoping to see Shinichi but saw Mizore at the door instead.<p>

"Shirayuki-san?" Moka said confused

"Oh hello pretty lady. The name's Gin. So, do you want to join the club?" Gin asked with a charming smile. Mizore responded by flash freezing him, much to the girls' shock.

"Moka Akashiya, you are an eyesore." Mizore stated coldly.

In the blink of an eye, Mizore's hands were around Moka's neck, gripping tightly around her throat as the two girls collapsed with Moka on her back and gasping for air.

"Let Moka-san go!" Yukari shrieked as she hit Mizore with a stapler but gasped that the damage only showed that this Mizore was an ice clone. She was immediately frozen solid by it.

"Stay out of my way, Moka must be dealt with so that the real Mizore's wish can come true," the ice clone uttered. She turned back to the struggling girl and had an ice blade form with her other hand. "Now disappear."

* * *

><p>"What do you mean?" questioned Shinichi as he backed away from Mizore. "What did you do to Moka-chan?"<p>

"Nothing… yet," said Mizore dangerously. "But she's not going to be a problem anymore."

"She's my friend!" the Kaizo Ningen insisted.

"I'm sorry Shinichi-san, but I can't let you leave," said Mizore as the temperature around them began to drop.

* * *

><p>"What are you doing!-?" Kurumu shouted as she slammed both of her fists onto the fake Mizore's head. This resulted in the ice girl suddenly shattering like glass.<p>

Moka rubbed the chill off her neck as she looked at the remains of the would-be-assassin, "That was... a fake?" she blinked.

"It was an ice doll," Yukari explained. "Only a few known monsters could create clones like that."

"Never mind that!" Kurumu exclaimed. "We have to go find Shinichi!"

The girls nodded and ran out the room, leaving Gin to thaw himself out.

* * *

><p>"I cannot let you leave," Mizore spoke softly as the lake froze over with a thick sheet of ice. Ice claws covered her hands while her hair seemed to turn to ice as well. "I suppose you can plainly see that I'm a Yuki-Onna (snow woman) now. I will make you mine."<p>

"Now, let's talk about this!" Shinichi cried before he lost all feelings in his feet. Grimacing, he looked down to see that his feet were encased in ice. "Oh man, not good!" He began to shiver as well.

"If I freeze you, you won't go anywhere, right?" Mizore asked, walking toward Shinichi. "If I do that, you'll be only mine... We met each other because it was our fate to be together. We're the same, you and I. We understand each other like no one else can, and we can warm each other's hearts like no one else. Please... be mine, Shinichi Sanban."

"Shoot!" Shinichi grimaced as the ice soon crawled up his legs...

* * *

><p><em>Shinichi was looking at a Rider in a black bodysuit with silver armor on his chest. He also had silver boots and gloves that were accessorized with fringes. His helmet was silver with red eyes like a hornet's. He wore a red scarf as well. Giving a salute, the Rider introduced himself, "Hello, Shinichi! I am Kamen Rider Super-1!"<em>

_"Super-1?" Shinichi questioned._

_"Yes, the first Rider designed for space exploration. You seem to be a bit of a pinch," Super-1 stated._

_"I'm fighting a girl with ice powers."_

_"Well, then it's a good thing I'm here now. So, here you go, you know the drill! I grant you permission to use my powers!" Super-1 then pressed a finger against Shinichi's forehead._

* * *

><p>"Let's Ride: Showa!" Shinichi called as his body underwent the change to his armored form. While he transformed, the ice around him broke apart and shattered.<p>

"No," Mizore said, "You can't leave." She shot a blast of ice at him. No matter what she wasn't going to let him leave her. "Fate brought us together, can't you see? Only we can warm each others' cold hearts."

**INSERT SONG: KAMEN RIDER SUPER-1**

"Sorry, Shirayuki-san," Showa said as he continued to avoid the ice blast, "But I'd rather not be a popsicle! Let's Ride: Super-1!" Showa called and in a flash he was in Super-1's armor. Now he could use Super-1's special power, the Five Hands. "Hot & Cold Hands!" he called and his silver gloves turned green. The left glove was equipped with a cryogenic sprayer while the right glove was equipped with a flamethrower. "Sorry about this," said Showa-Super-1 as he pointed his right glove forward and activated the flamethrower.

"Nnn!" Mizore gasped, backing away from the flames. "Stop it!" She summoned ice dolls to surround Showa-Super-1 but they were no match for the flamethrower as they were melted down by the flames.

Now, because she was an ice-based Youkai, fire was like a nightmare to Mizore. In other words, she was extremely sensitive to the heat. Waving her hand, Mizore sent waves of ice at Showa-Super-1's flamethrower arm. Showa-Super-1 wasn't having any of that. Tightening his fist, he released a stronger stream of fire. The two opposing elemental forces hit each other, creating a huge cloud of steam.

"Too hot, too hot," Mizore trembled as she recoiled from the steam. However she blinked as she sensed the temperature changing from hot to cold.

"I'm sorry if I hurt you, Shirayuki-san," Showa-Super-1 apologized as he retracted his cryogenic sprayer and approached her, "But freezing me and keeping me from my friends isn't the way to earn someone's love and neither is trying to hurt their friends."

Mizore backed away fearfully as she began to cry, "I thought you understood me... I thought we could be together...! SHINICHI!" she screamed as her emotions went out of control and she created a blizzard. Showa-Super-1 was pushed back by the force of the blizzard before it disappeared and Mizore was gone from sight.

**END SONG**

"Shirayuki-san..." he uttered sadly. He now felt guilty as he'd accidentally rejected her. He had to find her and correct this misunderstanding as soon as possible.

"Shinichi-kun!" he heard someone shout. He turned around and saw Moka, Kurumu and Yukari running up to him.

Sighing, he reverted to his human form. "You're all safe…" he whispered.

"Shinichi-kun, are you alright?" Moka asked.

"I'm fine," Shinichi said as he wiped his nose, "Just feeling a little chilly."

"Oh, then let Kurumu warm you up, baby," cooed Kurumu as she grabbed his head and pressed his face against her chest, "If you catch my drift."

"Kurumu-chan!" Moka shouted. "Cut that out! He can't breathe!"

Shinichi, however, was only thinking, '_She was crying_…'

* * *

><p>With Mizore, she trembled with rage and pain at being rejected. She pushed herself onto her hands and knees, whispering, "Shi...ni...chi..."<p>

* * *

><p><strong>LEGENDARY RIDERS UNLOCKED SO FAR<strong>

1. Ichigo

2. Nigo

3. ?

4. ?

5. X-Rider

6. Amazon Rider

7. ?

8. Skyrider

9. Super-1

10. ?

11. BLACK RX (Includes BLACK, Roborider and Biorider)

12. ?

13. J

**KAMEN RIDER DATABASE**

"OK, this will be my first time hosting the database," said Shinichi as he stood before the readers. "Oh, hi, I'm Shinichi Sanban and in today's chapter I met Mizore Shirayuki who tried to turn me into a popsicle. In order to stop her I unlocked the power of…" the screen behind him showed Kamen Rider Super-1 "Bingo! Kamen Rider Super-1"

He explained, "Kazuya Okivolunteered to undergo cybernetic surgery in the International Space Development Program in the United States in order to become an astronaut who could survive in outer space without the need for a bulky external suit. After a successful operation, he was given the codename "Super-1". Before he could depart for space, however, the base where he received his operation was attacked by the Dogma Kingdom. Only Kazuya is able to escape alive. Determined to avenge the deaths of the scientists, he returned to Japan and as trained by a martial arts expert, Master Genkai. With this knowledge, he was able to transform into the powerful Kamen Rider Super-1."

Shinichi continued, "Super-1 finally toppled the Dogma Kingdom, only to encounter another evil group called the Jin Dogma. At this point the Junior Riders group and the bizarre Jin Dogma kaijin were introduced. Jin Dogma's monsters were based on household objects, such as ladders, basketballs, and refrigerators; reminiscent of Tsukumogami from Japanese folklore."

Shinichi added, "Ultimately, Kazuya defeated Jin Dogma, allowing Japan to exist in peace. He then finally fulfilled his childhood dream and ventured into outer space with the help of a new team of scientists."

Shinichi finished, "Returning to Earth, Kazuya would later ally himself with the past Kamen Riders, and along with Kamen Rider V3 and Riderman, would help to convince Ryo Murasame, the 10th Rider Kamen Rider ZX, to join their side."

Shinichi wrapped things up, "This has been today's entry of the Kamen Rider Database. Please stay tuned to find out which Rider is introduced next."

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: It's a short chapter that introduces Mizore Shirayuki and the emergence of the Kamen Rider Super-1 powers within Shinichi. However, now Shinichi wishes to save her despite her actions against her. Can he do it? Find out in the next chapter!<strong>


	9. First Term: Shocking Fury

**KAMEN RIDER CHROME: This is a conclusion to Mizore's introduction and Shinichi will unlock not just a Rider but another warrior from the past. Now, let us draw the curtains and enjoy this chapter.**

**Chapter 9: Shocking Fury**

The lonely Yuki-Onna was crying by herself in the forest surrounding Youkai Academy. Her icy tears dropped on the scrapbook she'd made of Shinchi's articles. As she wept over her broken heart, a pair of schoolboys approached her, having heard her weeping.

"Hey, are you all right?" one of them asked.

"Yeah, we just wanna help," the other added.

"Liars!" Mizore screamed, whirling upon them and unleashing an ice storm on them. "Leave me alone!" The two boys attempted to flee, but they quickly found themselves encased in ice. She looked at the frozen boys sadly. "Just leave me alone..."

* * *

><p>Mizore was absent at school the next day. Kurumu and Moka were relieved to see her gone but not Shinichi. He was worried about her. He'd scared her with Super-1's flamethrower and he wondered if she was alright. It was partly his fault (he believed) that she wasn't coming to school anymore.<p>

* * *

><p>"I am so glad that ice bitch is gone!" said Kurumu.<p>

Shinichi objected, "Kurumu-chan, that isn't nice."

"But Shinichi, she tried to freeze you!" Kurumu reminded.

"I know, I was there, but you didn't see..."

"See what?" Moka asked.

"She was crying." And it wasn't because of his flamethrowers. She was crying because she was now truly alone after being rejected. "I have to help her."

"But why?" whined Kurumu. Shinichi gave her a smile.

"Isn't it obvious? Because I'm a Kamen Rider."

* * *

><p>"Where Shirayuki-san is staying?" Nekonome-sensei asked curiously.<p>

It was after school and Shinichi was visiting the staff room where most of the teachers got their paperwork done. It had been pretty easy to find where Nekonome-sensei's desk was. She was the only one who had cat ears sticking out from her head.

"Hai," Shinichi nodded. "I wanted to see if she was okay." He was keeping the part about his and Mizore's fight to himself

"Oh, well that nice!" Nekonome-sensei smiled. "She is staying in the girls' dorm so I can give you the room number."

"You sure you wanna do that?" asked a rough voice asked from behind them.

Nekonome-sensei and Shinichi looked up to see who had been talking. They found themselves looking at a man who was wearing tracksuit pants and a sleeveless shirt. His skin was tanned and he had red hair. He appeared to be someone who thought they were slick. There was also something in his eyes that Shinichi didn't like.

"Ah, Kotsubo-sensei," Nekonome identified.

"Yo," he greeted.

"Hey, just what were you saying about Shirayuki-san just now?" Shinichi asked with narrowed eyes.

"You hadn't heard?" Kotsubo-sensei asked. "This is serious. Last night, Shirayuki met with two of my best soccer team players and damn near killed them."

Both looked at Kotsubo-sensei in shock, allowing him to go on, "After the poor kids got the life almost beaten out of them, she froze them in ice and if somebody hadn't found them, they'd be dead. As it is, they're in critical condition." He paused before continuing. "This is the second time she's acted out like this, and with her frequent absences both last year and this semester, I'd say this school's better off cutting its losses and expelling her."

"Really now?" Shinichi asked.

"Yeah, that girl is trouble," Kotsubo-sensei said with an unsettling smile, "You know why she was gone so long, kid?"

"She was sick, wasn't she?" asked Shinichi.

"That's the cover story," Kotsubo-sensei chuckled. "You see, she attacked a teacher, apparently for no reason. She just snapped all of a sudden."

"Huh?" Shinichi blinked. That didn't sound right. Sure, Mizore seemed to resort to violence, but only when there was a real reason. She didn't attack for no good reason. "Uh…are you sure? Could it have been a mistake?"

"Heck yeah I'm sure," Kotsubo-sensei chuckled. "You see, I'm the teacher she attacked. Put me down for a while too."

Shinichi scrutinized Kotsubo-sensei. He also seemed to be enjoying telling the story about how Mizore had attacked him. He was also leaving out a lot of details from his story. Like where he was attacked and what he was doing there in the first place. "I don't think she's the type person to resort to violence so easily."

"As if," Kotsubo-sensei snickered. "The ice was pretty unmistakable."

"How can you be so sure that it's really her?"

"The ice," Kotsubo-sensei answered. "Who else could it be?"

"She can't be the only one here who uses ice," Shinichi tried to argue. After all, as Super-1 he had access to a cryogenic sprayer. "There must be hundreds of monsters here. Shirayuki-san can't be the only one who uses ice."

"Ohhhh! That's a good point!" Nekonome-sensei gasped. "It could be someone else who uses ice. She's just the only one who we know who can!"

"And all this starts up the night of the day she gets back here?" asked Kotsubo-sensei with a frown. "Sorry, but I know a troublemaker when I see one."

"It could be a coincidence," Shinichi retorted, "Weird things happen here all the time."

"You know…" another teacher, Kagome Ririko, who overheard the conversation spoke up. She was a very beautiful woman, often dressed in cleavage-baring shirts (and that was some generous cleavage), leather miniskirts, and heels. The round glasses she wore gave her the image of a "sexy teacher," and she was the object of desire for nearly all the boys of Youkai Academy, "Sanban-kun has a point. Plenty of odd things happen out here with so many different monsters grouped together."

Kotsubo-sensei started to become agitated, "Hey, are you forgetting that she attacked me? Can we really let that go? The fact she hasn't said anything speaks for her guilt!"

"She won't talk to you," Shinichi answered. "Maybe she's afraid to for some reason. I might be able to get her side of the story."

"Oooh! You're right!" Nekonome-sensei smiled brightly. She quickly scribbled on a piece of paper and handed it over to the young cyborg. "Here you go! I wish you success."

"I promise," Shinichi smiled. He eyed Kotsubo for a second before he headed for the exit of the room. He was starting to feel that something was up and if he didn't do something soon, Mizore was going to get seriously hurt. As he was leaving though, Kotsubo-sensei was staring at his back with a scowl.

"He's going to be trouble," the PE teacher frowned.

* * *

><p>Mizore's dorm room was easy to find as it had her name on the door. Also, it was the only one with a layer of frost over it and felt cold as ice.<p>

"Shirayuki-san, are you in there?" Shinichi asked. He got no answer. "Look, I know you're in there so there's no reason to deny it." He went on, "Anyway, I heard that you attacked a couple of students. I just want to let you know that I don't believe you did it and I want to help you prove it."

He finally got an answer from the other side, "…Why?"

"Because…yesterday I saw your eyes. You were so sad and alone," he told her. "You and I are a lot alike. Even with my friends I feel like an outcast. They all have clear identities, but I don't." Pausing, he decided to clarify, "I have amnesia, which means I lost my memories. The only memories I got are the ones since my first day here in Youkai Academy. I don't know who I am, I don't know where I'm from, I don't know if I have family or not, and I don't even know what I am. Even the name I'm using is one I made up on the spot."He smiled, "But that's OK now because I'm happy to be here with my friends. So please, let me be your friend and help you."

He received only silence and sighed. He couldn't get through to her…

"Meet me later at the cliff overlooking the lake we went to yesterday," she answered.

…Then again, he had been wrong before.

* * *

><p>Mizore waited on the cliff overlooking her favorite place in Youkai Academy. Shinichi had promised he would come and she believed him. After all, he had believed that she had nothing to do with those two students being frozen. Hearing footsteps, Mizore's heart skipped a beat. Could it be...? She turned expectantly, hoping to see Shinichi only to gasp as it was Kotsubo-sensei.<p>

"You really are a troublesome girl, Shirayuki," sneered Kotsubo-sensei. "Why did you have to come back?"

"Sensei..." she whispered.

"Why the cold greeting? Didn't you say you loved me?"

"That was before you tried to force yourself on me," she accused.

He walked closer and closer to her as he grinned lecherously, "Well, I couldn't control myself and you did willingly give yourself to me."

"No...stay back..." she warned.

"Sorry, but I just can't control myself!" shouted Kotsubo-sensei as he lunged, only for Mizore to evade. He then went over the edge of the cliff and fell to his death. Mizore gasped.

"SENSEI!" Mizore screamed as she went over to the edge to see. She was then grabbed by a purple tentacle as she fell over but managed to grab hold of the edge by digging her fingers into the surface. She gasped for air and Kotsubo-sensei cackled as he was now in his true form: A Krakken.

"This is your fault for being so much trouble, Shirayuki," Kotsubo-sensei sneered. "If only you weren't so crazy, I might have been more forgiving. But I guess this is where it ends for you! HAHAHA!"

Mizore preyed, "Please...someone...help me..." She didn't want to die. She really didn't. "Shinichi…save me…"

"Let me drag you down to hell!" laughed Kotsubo-sensei. Mizore started to lose her grip. And then just about she was about to fall, someone grabbed her hand.

"I got you!" said Shinichi as he grabbed her hand. "Don't let go, Shirayuki-san!"

"Oh, no you don't!" Kotsubo-sensei snarled as he sent a tentacle at Shinichi. That was his cue to react and transform.

"Let's Ride: Showa! Weapon Ride: Vulcan Shooter!" Looking over the edge, Showa took aim and fired the Vulcan Shooter at Kotsubo-sensei, pelting him with laser fire. He cried out in pain and retracted his tentacle, allowing Showa to pull her up to safety.

"Don't worry, I got you, I got you," he comforted the frightened Yuki-Onna. "Come on, let's go."

"LIKE HELL YOU ARE!" Kotsubo-sensei roared as he jumped up before them. Showa shoved Mizore away to a safe distance but before he could get a clear shot, Kotsubo-sensei easily disarmed him as his tentacles wrapped tightly around the Kaizo Ningen.

"You really like the girl that much?" Kotsubo sneered, "Then you can both die together!"

"Shinichi!" Mizore cried.

"Damn it... not like this..." Showa struggled as he was slowly being crushed...

* * *

><p><em>In the endless white space, Shinichi was looking at a Kamen Rider whose armor was modeled after a rhinoceros beetle. He had red armor on his upper torso with a black S in the centre, wore a black bodysuit, white gloves and white boots. His helmet sported large green eyes and a horn in between said eyes. He also wore a white scarf.<em>

_He wasn't alone, however. Standing next to him was a girl in a red costume with a red miniskirt, yellow gloves and boots with a yellow scarf hanging from her neck. The costume had two rows of black spots on the front, two which covered her breasts with 'T's on them. She wore a red helmet decorated with black spots and antennae with a black mask over the upper portion of her face with green lenses covering her eyes._

_"I am Kamen Rider Stronger," said the Rider._

_"And I am Denpa Ningen Tackle!" the girl introduced herself._

_"And we welcome you, Kamen Rider Showa."_

_Shinichi nodded. "Nice to meet you," he replied._

_"We know how you've been trying to reach out to this girl and it touched our hearts," said Tackle. "That is how a Rider should be. He should always protect the ones he loves."_

_"And that is why we will lend you our power," said Stronger. Stronger and Tackle held hands then pressed their index fingers against Shinichi's._

* * *

><p><strong>INSERT SONG: KAMEN RIDER STRONGER NO UTA<strong>

Showa was slowly being crushed by the kraken's tentacles when he finally awoke with his new power. "Let's Ride: Stronger!" Showa called. He suddenly exploded with electrical power, causing Kotsubo-sensei to scream as he was thrown off with electrical burns on his tentacles. Mizore gaped as she saw Showa had transformed again into a different Rider from yesterday.

"Shirayuki-san, I'm going to need your help," said Showa-Stronger as he walked over to her, his right hand glowing. "This might feel a little strange." Getting behind Mizore, he put his hand against her back and called, "Let's Form Ride: Denpa Ningen Tackle!"

Mizore felt her body surge with power as her clothing changed to match the costume worn by Denpa Ningen Tackle. She stared down at the yellow gloves adorning her hands in confusion then looked up at Showa-Stronger.

"Ikuzo," said Showa-Stronger and she nodded.

"Hah!" Kotsubo-sensei roared as he lashed his tentacles out. Showa-Stronger and Mizore-Tackle punched the tentacles out of the way, much to Kotsubo-sensei shock. He didn't let that stop him as he continued to send out more tentacles to assault them. The duo continued to avoid all that came at their way.

Mizore had never felt this exhilarated before. She felt stronger, stronger than she could ever imagine. She could move faster, hit harder, and felt another power intertwine with her ice. But was Shinichi really a doppelganger? She never heard of a doppelganger that could transfer their own powers into others.

"DAMN YOU!-!-!" Kotsubo-sensei roared as he sent another tentacle. Mizore-Tackle leapt up and landed right on top of it before sending one of her ice bursts. She didn't expect the ice to be mixed with electricity, which electrocuted Kotsubo-sensei as it froze the tentacle and broke apart. Being a sea monster, he was very sensitive to electricity.

"You... you won't get away with this!" Kotsubo-sensei shouted painfully.

"Is that right?" Showa-Stronger growled. "You manipulated someone's emotion, just so you can have your sick kicks, and then tried to kill her when she made her answer clear!" He really hated when people manipulated others, "Teme... I'm going to make you pay for hurting Shirayuki-san!"

"Well, who cares?" Kotsubo-sensei said confidently. "Nobody is going to believe a student over a teacher!"

"Oh really?" Showa-Stronger questioned. He snapped his fingers and called, "Ero-sempai!"

Out from a bush, Gin appeared, holding a camera and a tape recorder. "I thought I told you not to call me that!" Gin shot back.

"You got everything?" Showa-Stronger asked.

Grinning, Gin replied, "Sure did, the confession and everything."

Kotsubo-sensei's eyes widened in horror and he lunged for Gin, "GIVE THAT TO ME!" However, he didn't get far as Stronger grabbed him by his tentacles and sent a shock for some good measure. "ARRRRGH!"

"Time to make some fried calamari!" Showa-Stronger mocked. "Shirayuki-san, are you ready?"

"Hai!" Mizore-Tackle nodded.

Kotsubo-sensei was still stunned by the earlier shock he'd received and was unable to react in time as Showa-Stronger and Tackle-Mizore charged at him. It would only take just one hit to take him out. Or two hits at once.

"DOUBLE ELECTRO UPPERCUT!" both Showa-Stronger and Mizore-Tackle executed uppercuts that impacted with Kotsubo-sensei's chin, shooting hi skyward. The two looked up to where Kotsubo-sensei had gone and then watched as gravity brought him back down. Spotting a nearby rock, Showa-Stronger got a wicked idea. He walked over and then nudged the rock over to where he calculated Kotsubo-sensei would fall.

"5…4…3…2…1…" he counted down.

**WHAM!**

Gin flinched as he took the picture. He mumbled, "Better him than me." Kotsubo-sensei had fallen with his groin hitting the rock and he let out a grunt before falling over. The two then reverted back to human form as their suits vanished.

**END SONG**

"Game Over," said Shinichi as he gave Kotsubo-sensei a thumbs-down gesture. "Hm, give us some batter and we can make takoyaki," joked Shinichi which made Mizore giggle.

"SHINICHI!"

Shinichi and Mizore turned to see the other girls running up to them. "Hey, girls," he greeted as his friends arrived.

"Are you alright?" Moka asked.

"Yeah, everything's good now," Shinichi replied. He noted how the girls were looking at Mizore. "It's alright," he told them. "She's a friend now." He smiled at Mizore, "Isn't that right, Shirauki-san?"

Mizore shyly smiled back.

* * *

><p>The students that Mizore had allegedly attacked had been frozen by her but she unfroze them as soon as she realized what she had done and left. There was still ice left behind from her actions. Kotsubo-sensei just used this to his advantage and attacked the two students and used the ice as evidence to support his case. However, Gin's pictures and recording cleared Mizore's name.<p>

As for Kotsubo-sensei, he'd been fired from his job for indecent behavior towards a student and assaulting students.

Shinichi was already writing the article when he heard a knock at the door. "Who is it?" he asked and felt a familiar chill. He smiled, "Ah, Shirayuki-san. Come on in."

Mizore entered, sporting a much shorter hairstyle. "Hello, Shinichi."

"You got a haircut," Shinichi noticed. "It looks nice on you, Shirayuki-san."

"Thank you, and please, call me Mizore."

"OK, Mizore-chan!" smiled Shinichi. Kurumu, Moka and Yukari were glaring daggers at the new girl who just glided over to wrap her arms around Shinichi.

"Looks like we'll be getting a new member," said Gin before muttering, "I just wished they joined because of me."

"Thank you for letting me join the club and thank you for saving me, Shinichi..." Mizore said as she hugged the boy she dearly liked. The girls glared dagger at Mizore, but understood that there was nothing to worry about…yet.

Shinichi, however, was shivering as his teeth chattered due to Mizore hugging him. _'I wish I wore a sweater.' _He wondered if he could find one emblazoned with an 'S' somewhere.

* * *

><p><strong>LEGENDARY RIDERS UNLOCKED SO FAR<strong>

1. Ichigo

2. Nigo

3. ?

4. ?

5. X-Rider

6. Amazon Rider

7. Stronger (and Denpa Ningen Tackle)

8. Skyrider

9. Super-1

10. ?

11. BLACK RX (Includes BLACK, Roborider and Biorider)

12. ?

13. J

**KAMEN RIDER DATABASE**

"Hello, everyone," said Mizore. "I am so happy to be here. It is my first time so please be gentle with me." As the screen showed an image of Kamen Rider Stronger, she explained, "Shigeru Johad bravado and an eccentric personality. He wore various t-shirts emblazoned with the letter "S", along with numerous other items of clothing, including a denim jacket with a rose emblem. Stronger usually made an entrance by whistling and then saying "The heavens call...The earth cries out...The crowd roars...All calling on me to strike back against evil. Now listen up, villains! I am the champion of justice: Kamen Rider Stronger!""

She added, "As Stronger, he uses the power of electricity that flows throughout his body. All his attacks were based on electricity, and the cyborg aspect of his body is much more prominent than in the previous series; for instance, his hands were metal coils that had to be covered when he was not transformed."

Mizore went on, "After the death of his best friend and mentor by Black Satan, Shigeru faked ignorance of their part in the murder by accepting their offer to become a cyborg in order to get his revenge on the organization, escaping before he could be brainwashed. In the process, Shigeru met Yuriko Misaki as they worked together against Black Satan. The two eventually meet Tōbei Tachibana as well."

Mizore continued, "Stronger, Tackle, and Tōbei fought valiantly against the evil cyborg forces of Black Satan, continually meeting the head agents General Shadow, and Mister Titan. Finally, Stronger was able to topple Black Satan once and for all. With his former organization in ruins, General Shadow formed the "Delza Army" to continue his malicious goals. Stronger would later undergo surgery and receive a new devastating 'Charge Up' form that made him more powerful than before."

Mizore finished, "Ultimately, all the previous Riders: Kamen Riders Ichigo, Nigo, V3, X-Rider and Amazon Rider wold assist Stronger to finally defeat the Delza Army and General Shadow."

The next image to show was that of Denpa Ningen Tackle as Mizore explained, "Yuriko Misaki was a modified human created by Black Satan. However, she was still inactive. While Shigeru Jo made his escape from Black Satan, being modified as Kamen Rider Stronger, he discovered Misaki on an operation table and awakened her. After being revived by Shigeru, she decided to become his partner to fight Black Satan. Overtime, she would eventually fall in love with him. She would later be killed by Doctor Kate, when she sacrifices herself to save Shigeru from being poisoned. Her death affected Stronger greatly, and he vowed to keep fighting until evil is defeated."

Mizore wrapped things up, "Shinichi and I made an awesome pair as Stronger as Tackle. It just proves we are fated to be together." She then blushed with her hands to her cheeks. "Oh, Shinichi…please be gentle with me~"

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: And so Mizore joins the group and she also received a power-up from Shinichi in the form of Denpa Ningen Tackle! Well, the girls are all gonna be vying for the cyborg's attention but what of the dangers that lurked in the shadows? Next up it's gonna involve snakes in the grass<strong>


	10. First Term: 26 Secrets to True Art

**I've disabled the anonymous reviews for. If you want me to respond to your reviews then please sign in and then I can reply. That is all I have to say. Now, without further ado, let us start the next chapter.**

**Chapter 10: The 26 Secrets to True Art**

Hitomi Ishigami was one of Youkai Academy's most popular teachers. She wore a black bandanna upon her head of blonde hair which had been fashioned into numerous thin and tight braids. She wore a trench coat over a black tank top and tight jeans. Her coat also sported pain stains but that was normal since she was Youkai Academy's art teacher. She even had her own fanclub comprising of mostly attractive young girls.

Shinichi was in her art class with Moka and Kurumu. Standing in front of him on an easel was a canvas that had been stretched upon a wooden frame. He sat on a stool and was holding a paintbrush in his right hand and a paint palette in his left. He was just putting in the finishing touches to his painting.

"That's quite the painting, Sanban-kun," admired Ishigami-sensei. She had told her students to paint whatever came to mind. Shinichi's painting was of the 13 Legendary Kamen Riders in their poses with the setting sun as the backdrop. "What inspired you?"

"Oh, it's just something I couldn't get out of my mind," Shinichi told the sexy art teacher, desperately not trying to stare at her cleavage.

"Well it is still quite the art work," Ishigami-sensei said, "Something like you would see in a manga. I'm sure you would make a wonderful artist one day."

"I try," Shinichi replied.

"I'll leave you to your work," said Ishigami-sensei. "I'm eager to see the finished product, Sanban-kun."

"Right," Shinichi nodded as she sauntered off to check on the works of the other students.

* * *

><p>"Missing students?" Shinichi blinked.<p>

It was the end of the school day when the Newspaper Club went back to their duties. Things had been relatively calm since the episode with Mizore and things had gotten a bit slow since then. Gin had called them all in to discuss recent events in which the Newspaper Club could report about. The Yuki-Onna was assumed to be there since she was always hiding behind something. Of course, the chill in the air was all the Kamen Rider needed to feel to know that she was nearby.

Gin explained, "Yeah, a lot of students have been going missing without any explanation. If this isn't news I don't know what is. So, as the Newspaper Club, it's our responsibility and duty to find out the truth."

Something didn't add up. Gin didn't get this serious unless...

Shinichi asked, "There are girls involves, am I right?"

Gin wasn't too ashamed to admit it, "Yeah, that's right..."

"And when we save them you're hoping to get all the credit," Shinichi guessed.

"Well, these girls are hot and they will be very grateful when we save them," grinned Gin.

"Thought so," Shinichi rolled his eyes. Still, if the story was legit they had to check it out.

"So, it's settled then!" said Kurumu as she wrapped an arm around Shinichi's shoulders. "Shinichi and I will investigate!"

She was suddenly frozen in a block of ice.

"This job requires stealth," Mizore argued as she came out of her hiding spot and leaned lovingly against Shinichi. A wash basin was headed towards her but was caught by Shinichi who gave Yukari a meaningful glare.

"I think it's better if Moka-san, Shinichi-san and I work together, desu!" said Yukari.

"Actually..." began Moka hesitantly, "I don't think I'll be able to do anything."

"Huh?" Gin blinked.

"Why is that, Moka-chan?" Shinichi asked.

"Well..." Moka was playing with her fingers. "I have plans."

"What kind of plans?" Shinichi pressed on.

"Secret plans," Moka answered. "Don't worry. It's nothing like what happened with Inui."

Shinichi took a moment to think about things and said, "Gin, I think I'll work alone on this story."

"You? Alone?" asked Gin.

"I can get into tight spaces, or did you forget that time we fought and you couldn't land a hit on me?" Shinichi said, grinning.

"Yeah, yeah," Gin muttered, rolling his eyes. That had been frustrating and humiliating. He did not want to be reminded of that incident when his claws just harmlessly passed through Biorider.

"You sure you can handle this on your own?" Kurumu asked.

"Hey, it should be no problem at all," Shinichi reassured her. "After all, I am a 'doppelganger'."

* * *

><p>Shinichi sighed as he scratched his head. So far the leads were leading straight to nowhere. None of the missing students left even a fraction of a clue behind. It was like someone had just spirited them away. He was half considering the idea that GIN-SHOCKER had entered the school and was kidnapping students for some reason or another. But then again, GIN-SHOCKER was after him and him only.<p>

There was one glaring clue that managed to catch his eye though. All the students were members of Ishigami-sensei's fanclub. Now that was an obvious pattern that he could follow. If Ishigami-sensei was being followed by a stalker or someone with a grudge, he was going to find out.

* * *

><p>"Oh my, someone may be stalking my fans?" Ishigami-sensei blinked in surprise and slight apprehension. "How terrible."<p>

"Yeah," Shinichi nodded, tying not to blush at how close they were. He'd come to the art classroom to speak to her and she had happily greeted him and soon the conversation took a turn for the subject. "Have you seen anyone suspicious when you met with your fans?"

"Well, no one immediately comes to mind," Ishigami-sensei frowned thoughtfully. "Although, now that other people are suspecting it I may not be imagining things after all."

"What do you mean?" asked Shinichi curiously.

"Well," Ishigami-sensei frowned as she seemed to recall a memory. "Sometimes when my fans would come to say to me or just talk about my classes, I would feel like as if someone was staring at me. I'd look around but I didn't see anyone suspicious. Still, if my students vanishing are connected to me in some way, I'd love to help."

"Any kind of lead would be helpful," Shinichi said.

* * *

><p>Ishigami-sensei was helpful enough to tell Shinichi whatever he needed to know. As he was walking out, he saw Moka coming his way. "Hey, Moka-chan!"<p>

Moka gasped, "Oh, Shinichi-kun!"

"It's late. Why are you still doing in school?"

"Well...ah...actually..." Moka stuttered.

"Oh, it's you, Akashiya-san," greeted Ishigami-sensei. "You're just in time for your art lesson."

"Art lesson?" Shinichi asked, looking at Moka with interest.

"I just want to improve," she told Shinichi. "Excuse me!" She walked past Shinichi and into the art classroom. Shinichi blinked as she watched him go but shrugged. This was Moka's choice and it wasn't much of a secret. Why did she keep it a secret though? Could she secretly be one of Ishigami-sensei's fans as well? Shinichi decided that maybe he should keep his eyes opened. Moka might end up another victim of whoever was taking those girls.

* * *

><p>Shinichi headed back to his dorm room. Of course, as he was walking alone on the path, he felt like he was being watched by something or someone. Since waking up in this school, he knew when to trust his gut. Normally it might have been Mizore looking to stalk him again, but Shinichi knew that she and Kurumu were both unable to stalk him at the moment.<p>

"OK, whoever you are, come out!" he demanded. He didn't get the chills like when Mizore was stalking him or the anticipation when Moka would bite him or when Kurumu would glomp him. He saw a figure walk out from behind a tree. It was one of his classmates. She was somewhat non-descriptive in terms of appearance. She looked like a completely average schoolgirl, which probably meant she was reasonably tough since the strongest monsters could produce the best disguises. "OK, why have you been following me?"

"I won't let you get close to Ishigami-sensei," the girl growled. She then began to change form causing Shinichi to go on high alert. Despite the rules of remaining in human form, the students would ignore them to get what they wanted. The girl in front of her, who was changing, was no different as she started to assume her true form. Her sleeves became tattered as her arms became wings. Her shoes were also ruined as her feet turned into talons.

"Why do these things keep happening to me?" Shinichi wondered aloud as the girl finished her transformation. She had transformed into half-bird and half-woman creature known as a harpy.

The harpy rose into the air and let out a loud shriek before diving at Shinichi with her sharp talons. Her skirt rode up, revealing her panties, but Shinichi did not have the time or the desire to admire the view. He quickly rolled out of the way as the talons slashed the ground where he once stood.

"Let's Ride: Showa!" Shinichi announced as his armor formed. Looking up, he saw the harpy coming down. Before her talons could rip him to shreds, he jumped to the side and planted a kick to her back. The harpy growled as she stumbled, but continued her assault with a direct charge.

"Time to fight flier with flier!" declared Showa as he activated his special power. "Let's Ride: Skyrider!" In a flash he transformed into Skyrider. He took to the air and the harpy also followed. "You're not the only one with aerial combat skills!" he taunted. He rolled when the harpy shot towards him. She then did a U-turn and brought up her talons to slash him. Showa-Skyrider expected this and shot towards her too with his own attack.

"SKY KICK!"

The harpy screeched loudly as she was shot to the ground and landed with a loud and painful crash. She was struggling to her feet, but Showa-Skyrider quickly landed on her back, effectively pinning her to the ground.

"OK, what is your problem!-?" he demanded angrily. He did not appreciate getting attacked, ever!

"You're going to take Ishigami-sensei away!" the harpy snarled. "I saw you! You were eyeing her all the time, asking her questions!"

"What?" Showa-Skyrider blinked. "You're attacking me because I asked her a few question?"

"Stalker!" the harpy snapped. "I know you're stalking her!"

"Like you're one to talk if you keep such a huge profile on everyone she comes in contact with," Showa-Skyrider hissed in annoyance. His eye narrowed dangerously behind his helmet. "You know, I'll bet you're the one who's been making Ishigami-sensei's fans disappear! What happened? They get a little too close for your liking?"

"What are you talking about!' the harpy demanded.

"I'm talking about all those girls who've disappeared!" Showa-Skyrider shot back. "The way you're acting makes you the prime suspect in this whole thing!"

The harpy glared at Showa-Skyrider in disgust, "Do I look like a kidnapper? Where would I stash all those girls?"

"There are plenty of places for you to hide them in this place!" Showa-Skyrider shouted.

"Listen to me! I did not kidnap anybody!"

"Well, you attacked me simply for speaking to Ishigami-sensei," Showa-Skyrider frowned. "Why should I believe you?"

"Because I'm the president of Ishigami-sensei's fanclub!" the harpy screeched. "The girls who disappeared were my friends! Why would I do such a thing to my own friends?-!"

"What?" Showa-Skyrider blinked. If what she said was true, then the harpy would have had no reason to kidnap Ishigami-sensei's other fangirls. But if not her, then who?

The harpy took advantage Showa-Skyrider's moment of distraction to fly off, sending him falling to his butt. Before she could get into a great distance, she was engulfed in ice and crashed to the ground inside a large ice block.

"What the-?" Showa-Skyrider blinked as he looked to the source of the small blizzard, only to find a familiar head of purple hair poking out from behind a tree. "Mizore-chan?"

"Are you okay?" Mizore asked as she revealed herself from behind a tree.

"Yeah, thanks," Shinichi sighed as he reverted back to human form.

"Shinichi!" the cyborg looked up to see Kurumu coming in for a landing. "I saw that harpy in the air and came here to see what was going on."

"She was trying to find you so she could follow you and saw the fight," Mizore commented as she walked towards the pair.

"Anyway!" Kurumu hissed, her plan to look like the loving maiden foiled yet again. "Why did that girl try to attack you?"

"I think she's the one that's been kidnapping all those girls for getting too close to Ishigami-sensei," Shinichi explained. "Apparently she noticed me asking her questions and keeping an eye out for suspicious people around her. I think she thought I was stalking her or something and she decided to try and 'put a stop to me'. Honestly, what kind of fans does Ishigami-sensei have?"

"Who cares? This is great!" Kurumu beamed. "You've cracked the case!"

Shinichi shrugged as he looked to the frozen harpy. Something was telling him that this case was far from solved. It just seemed too easy.

* * *

><p>"So, she denied everything?" Shinichi asked. Gin nodded. They were in the Newspaper Club room after handing the harpy to school authorities. It had been a full day since the girl's attack and Gin was relaying the information to his club members as to what had been discovered. As Shinichi had just said, it seemed that their initial assumptions weren't as accurate as some of them had been hoping. In fact, they were completely wrong.<p>

"No matter how much she was questioned she denied having anything to do with the missing girls," said Gin. After dealing with the authorities who took care of this sort of thing, Gin was very confident that the girl was telling the truth. The interrogation techniques were…effective.

"She has to be lying!" Kurumu snapped.

"I doubt that," Gin said. "I mean the best she can do is fess up but she hasn't even cracked."

"Something isn't right here," Shinichi spoke, his instincts still bothering him. Looking around, he noticed that one of their members had yet to make an appearance and it wasn't Mizore since she was hiding behind a desk with her chin resting on the edge. "Moka-chan still isn't back yet?"

"Guess so," Gin shrugged. He had been looking forward to seeing the pink haired vampire as well, but she had been AWOL since the final bell ended. "She must still be busy with whatever she's doing."

"Oh, she said that Ishigami-sensei asked her to be a model for her!" Yukari informed Shinichi.

"A model?" Shinichi wondered aloud. Well, Ms. Ishigami was an art teacher. Maybe she was looking for a new subject for a masterpiece. Moka was beautiful. Of course, the thought of Moka modeling just made images of what kind of modeling the vampire might be doing. Banishing the ecchi thoughts, Shinichi got to his feet with a sigh.

"Moka-chan did mention she was taking extra art lessons," mumbled Shinichi. Guess Ishigami-sensei didn't do things for free and in exchange for her help Moka was to be her model. Shinichi said, "She could be another target to whoever is _really_ behind this. I'd better find her."

"Why not stay with me?" Kurumu purred, using her patented 'chest bounce' technique to try and capture Shinichi's interest.

"Tempting," Shinichi laughed, "But maybe later."

Kurumu pouted.

* * *

><p>Shinichi went into the art classroom, looking for Moka, but there was nobody in the room. "Guess they went home already," said Shinichi. He was about to exit when he heard something. It sounded like faint crying and it was coming from a door inside the art room. The backroom in was used as storage space for art supplies. Curious, Shinichi went to investigate. Placing an ear against the door, Shinichi could indeed hear sobbing on the other side. Now concerned, he gripped the door handle and opened the door wide. His eyes widened in shock.<p>

Inside of the room were several statues. Each of them depicted a teenage girl, in the buff, and striking a pose. However, each statue's face depicted pain, fear, and a sense of betrayal. Even stranger, each of the statues was crying actual tears. That alone was shocking enough, but what made it worse was that Shinichi recognized the statues as well. Each one was a perfect match to the missing students. Having seen the profiles of the missing girls, he recognized them immediately.

"Wha…who could have done this?" Shinichi asked, horrified at what he saw.

"Oh, so you've found my collection," a female voice spoke up. Shinichi instantly whirled around in shock, his instincts keeping him from being caught totally by surprise. He found Ishigami-sensei standing in the doorway to the classroom, but her face looked nothing like the caring, enthusiastic teacher he had come to know. In fact, she looked downright sinister.

"So, you're the one behind all this!" Shinichi shouted as he glared at Ishigami-sensai. "You kidnapped these girls and turned them into statues!"

"Oh, you've caught me," said Ishigami-sensei with a frown before it shifted into a wide grin. "You're a smart one."

"Tell me why."

"Why? Why, it's for art, of course!" Ishigami-sensei proclaimed walking past Shinichi and towards her 'works'. "True beauty needs to be preserved. I'm doing these lovely ladies a favor by helping them preserve their natural beauty!" She gently caressed a petrified girl's face. A whimper was heard through the stone lips which could not move at all. "I was going to add Moka Akashiya to my collection but it wasn't the right time…yet."

"You are sick," Shinichi spat, his eyes narrowing as the teacher revealed her plans for his friend.

"And you're dead!" Ishigami-sensei snapped as her hair transformed into many, many snakes. Her skin cracked and turned a slight shade of green on her cheeks, revealing it to be similar to a snake's scaly skin. Her eyes turned yellow with slits pupils, giving her a more reptilian look. She had revealed her true form to be that of a gorgon, much like the legendary gorgon Medusa of Greek myth.

With a hiss she lunged at Shinichi and he rolled out of the way. However, one of her snakes lunged out and managed to bite into his arm. Flinching, Shinichi pulled the snake out of his arm and got some distance between himself and the deranged educator. However, he felt the area around his bite beginning to turn cold and stiffen. Fearing venom from the snakes, Shinichi yanked up his sleeve and gasped in horror to see the area around his bite slowly turning gray…like stone.

"Now you'll be joining my collection, Shinichi Sanban!" laughed Ishigami-sensei. "That bite will slowly turn you into a statue. That stiffness is just the beginning. Soon, you won't be able to move at all! I usually prefer girls, but variety is the spice of life." She licked her lips. "Odd…you taste like a human, though…" She apparently could taste whatever her snakes bit into.

Shinichi had to find a way to counter Ishigami-sensei's toxin. Ignoring her comment about him being human he called upon his power, "Let's Ride: Showa!" His belt unleashed a flash of light and he was in his armor. His arm still felt stiff though but he had just the cure for it. "Let's Ride: Biorider!"

In the form of Biorider, Showa could create an anti-toxin with his abilities. Now, he was purging himself of Ishigami-sensei's poison. He rolled his shoulder as he felt the stiffness coming out and let out a sigh. "Ah...much better." He drew out his Bio Blade and demanded, "Where's Moka-chan?"

The question was answered when the pinkette herself was walking into the classroom. "Excuse me Ishigami-sensei, but I'm here for-" She gasped at the sight before her. "What's going on here!-?"

"Moka-chan!" Showa-Biorider shouted. The pink-haired girl turned to the shape-shifting Rider. "It's Ishigami-sensei! She's the one responsible for all the missing students! She turned them to stone!"

"What!-?" Moka exclaimed. Her eyes looked to a door at the back of the classroom and she could see the stone statues, silently weeping about their fate. Some were even rocking slightly, what movement found inside their stone bodies being put to use.

Showa-Biorider turned back to Ishigami-sensei with a scowl. "You are so not going to get away with this," he growled...

* * *

><p><em>Back into the depths of Shinchi's mind, he was standing before a new Rider clad in a green bodysuit with a high upturned collar, white gloves, red boots, a silver chestplate with a red segment going down the center and a red helmet that had a wide and white strip going down the middle with green eyes.<em>

_"Hello, Shinichi Sanban. I've been expecting you," said the Rider. "I am Kamen Rider V3 and I am the Rider created by Nigo and Ichigo. They used their power to make me while they were originally reluctant. However, while I was in mortal danger they turned me into a cyborg. That is how I came to be. Shinichi Sanban, I have been watching you and I decided it's time for you to receive my power, along with my 26 Secrets." He put a finger against Shinichi's forehead. "Use them well."_

* * *

><p><strong>INSERT SONG: TATAKAE! KAMEN RIDER V3<strong>

"Let's Ride: V3!" he called and he was transformed into Kamen Rider V3. He did V3's signature pose and stared Ishigami-sensei down.

"Cheh, it doesn't matter what you turn into, I'll still turn you into stone!" shouted Ishigami-sensei as her snake hair lashed out towards Showa-V3.

"Special Hardened Muscles!" Showa-V3 called as the snakes bit into his arms. However, their fangs were unable to penetrate his armor.

"What!-?" Ishigami-sensei shouted in shock as her snakes couldn't bite into her intended victim's arms. Gripping the snakes, Showa-V3 spun around and around taking Ishigami-sensei for a spin. She let out an outraged yell as she was taken for a ride before Showa-V3 released her, sending her crashing into the shelf. Showa-V3 then looked towards the statues and activated another power of V3's. "Matrix Eyes!" His eyes glowed and he scanned the statues. "They're still alive…" He was relieved to discover that but then refocused his attention to Ishigami-sensei.

Ishigami-sensei once again lashed out at Showa. He was prepared for her again and called out, "V3 Barrier!" 1,000,000 volts of electricity ran throughout the surface of his body and when Ishigami struck, she was electrocuted and bounced off as she was sent sliding along the floor. "Give up, Ishigami! It's over! You can't beat me!"

Ishigami-sensei's eyes were insane as she glared at Showa-V3. She was not about to let herself be beaten by a bug. She looked to Moka and grinned sadistically. At least she should be able to make Moka part of her collection. She then ran towards Moka, her snakes baring their fangs.

Showa-V3 would have none of that. "This is Game Over for you!" he shouted as he sprang into action and executed a flying kick that sent Ishigami-sensei crashing against a nearby window, cracking it when she impacted against it. Showa-V3 then rebounded off Ishigami-sensei and called out, "V3 Return Kick!" as he executed a second kick that sent her crashing through the window and straight out the room. Showa-V3 then landed on the floor and turned to face Moka.

**END SONG**

"So, it was true she was trying to…" began Moka.

Shinichi finished as he reverted to human form, "Yeah, she was trying to add you to her collection. Now, let's help those girls but first…" He looked out the broken window and his eyes widened as Ishigami was nowhere in sight. "Crap."

* * *

><p>It was fortunate that Yukari knew how to make a formula to undo Ishigami's petrification. The day after Shinichi defeated her, Yukari went to work and one-by-one cured all the girls that had been forced to be part of Ishigami's macabre statue collection. New clothes were provided for them as well and both Gin and Shinichi stayed out of the art classroom until Yukari was done curing them. Shinichi did give Gin a warning look not to go and peep. The Newspaper Club took notes and statements and the girls expressed their gratitude…towards Shinichi.<p>

Needless to say, Gin, Moka, Kurumu, Yukari and Mizore were not pleased.

Shinichi, however, was still concerned about Ishigami-sensei. Well, he couldn't really call her 'sensei' now after what she had done but still the fact for the matter was that she was at large and probably plotting revenge. He had a feeling she was the type of person to return and pay back her enemies for the humiliation brought down upon her. Well, if that were to happen and if she did come back to execute her revenge then Shinichi would be ready for her.

**LEGENDARY RIDERS UNLOCKED SO FAR**

1. Ichigo

2. Nigo

3. V3

4. ?

5. X-Rider

6. Amazon Rider

7. Stronger (and Denpa Ningen Tackle)

8. Skyrider

9. Super-1

10. ?

11. BLACK RX (Includes BLACK, Roborider and Biorider)

12. ?

13. J

**KAMEN RIDER DATABASE**

"Hi, this is Moka Akashiya and in today's chapter Shinichi has unlocked Kamen Rider V3!" introduced Moka as V3 appeared on the screen behind her. "Shiro Kazami was a 22-year-old college student at Jōnan University with a major in biochemistry. But by chance, he accidentally witnessed the brutal murder of a road worker by a member of the secret terrorist society known only as DESTRON, which appeared after the destruction of GEL-SHOCKER and continued its predecessor's goal of world domination. To rid DESTRON of its witness, and taking no chances, they sent Scissors Jaguar to murder the entire Kazami family. Though he was forced to watch his family die before his eyes, Shiro was saved from the same grisly fate by the interference of Kamen Riders Ichigo and Nigo."

Moka continued, "Bent on revenge for his family's deaths, Shiro pleaded with the Kamen Riders to make him into a cyborg just like them. The two Kamen Riders refused at first, but after Shiro was mortally wounded while saving them, the two had no choice but to respect his wishes. As the Double Riders performed the operation, the DESTRON outpost was attacked and destroyed by Turtle Bazooka. The Double Riders were at a major disadvantage until Shiro joined the battle, now known as Kamen Rider V3. V3 went on to destroy his family's murderer while the Double Riders fought Bazooka Turtle, who now had a nuclear bomb in his body with intentions to destroy Tokyo. The Double Riders, feeling that Kazami was a worthy successor, took Turtle Bazooka away from the city just before the bomb exploded, leaving V3 to protect Japan on his own."

Moka finished on, "At V3's disposal are 26 techniques and weapons that were designed to aid V3 in a variation of ways from enhancing his abilities to destroying certain enemies. These were called V3's 26 Secrets so I can't say anything about them, sorry."

Moka wrapped up her report, "Kamen Rider V3 suffered through great tragedy but he became stronger as he found a new purpose in his life. I hope Shinichi is able to learn from his predecessor and finds his true purpose and memories. Well, see you all next time!" She waved, "Ja ne and Capu chuu!"

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: And so Kamen Rider V3 is unlocked and Ishigami is at large. What will she do next? Shinichi better be on guard for her retaliation in the future. But at least he has V3's 26 secrets to help him out. Well, in the next chap Kurumu's having trouble with math and we see another snake sexily slithering in the shadows.<strong>


	11. First Term: Lending a Hand

**Chapter 11: Lending a Hand**

"We need to take you out shopping!" said Kurumu as she pointed at Shinichi. The Newspaper Club (minus Gin) was having lunch when Kurumu suddenly made that announcement.

"Huh?" Shinichi blinked.

"Shinichi, didn't you say you had nothing else but your uniform and gym clothes?" Kurumu asked. "Summer break is coming soon and that means you'll be able to wear other stuff."

"But…this is comfy," Shinichi defended, regarding his uniform.

"Kurumu-chan is right, Shinichi-kun," Moka agreed. "You're going to need variety."

Mizore and Yukari also nodded.

"Well…I guess I could use some new clothes," said Shinichi.

"Great! We'll go after school!" said Kurumu.

"Is that something you all should be doing?" asked Ririko-sensei as she came to the table. All eyes were immediately on the sexy teacher in her low cut blouse and short skirt.

"Oh, konnichiwa, Ririko-sensei," Shinichi greeted.

"By the way, Sanban-kun, you did great at your math quiz as usual," said Ririko. "I just finished grading the papers and you got a perfect score!" Her eyes went towards Kurumu, "Kurono-san, however, needs to improve by a _very_ large margin."

It was true that Kurumu wasn't good at schoolwork. School was just a social thing and a way to find her Destined One, her Mate of Fate. She at least tried to pass her subjects and not end up as a complete failure. Unfortunately, her grades were slipping.

"Aww, come on!" Kurumu whined.

"That's alright, Ririko-sensei," Shinichi said, "If Kurumu-chan is having trouble, then I can help her out."

"Yahoo!" Kurumu squealed bouncily, "I knew you could always help me out!"

"I'm afraid I must protest," Ririko-sensei sighed, shaking her head, "Even if you are one of my best students, you would merely be tempted by her charms, and then you'd be messing around with her. No, you will be more of a hindrance to your girlfriend if she wants to pass."

"Girlfriend...?" Moka muttered under breath as her left eyebrow twitched. Mizore and Yukari were reacting similarly agitated by the statement. Only Kurumu was beaming at being called Shinichi's girlfriend.

"If knowledge and guidance is what you seek, then your teacher will give it to you," Ririko-sensei winked. "Come to my office after school hours. I'll give you the kind of instruction that Sanban-kun can't."

"Oh crap..." Kurumu moaned as tears comically flowed down her face.

Shinichi asked, "This is all just voluntary, right?"

Ririko-sensei shrugged, "I guess, but the offer still stands." She then walked off but not before giving Shinichi a wink. '_Ah…if only he wasn't one of my best students…_' she thought, then he could spend some after school time with her.

"Kurumu-chan, it's your choice who you want to tutor you. I'm happy to do it. I don't mind," Shinichi reassured her

"Shinichi-kun, didn't you hear what she said?" Moka reminded him.

Shinichi blinked, "Ririko-sensei was offering Kurumu a free tutor session." It seemed the 'girlfriend' comment had gone over his head and he hadn't noticed.

* * *

><p>"This is bad! Very bad!" Kurumu whined as the friends were all back in the club room. "I can't take that class!"<p>

"What do you mean?" Shinichi asked.

"Because she's strange," Kurumu said. "She's really passionate about teaching, but she's got a one-track mind and gets fixated to the point that she goes overboard." A jealous growl escaped her lips. "But all the boys go gaga over her because she has big boobs! Mine are way bigger!"

Unbeknownst to Shinichi, Moka was peeking at her own breasts inside her shirt. Yukari giggled, "Jealous of your own teacher's boobies? What a baby you are, Kurumu!"

"If anyone here's a baby, it's you," Kurumu retorted with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. She got close enough that she could pat Yukari's chest just to demonstrate her point. "Look how flat you are!"

Yukari yelped in shock, but quickly recovered. "It's better than having those useless behemoths!"

Mizore also took the liberty to peek under her shirt. She smiled. She may not look it, but she was quite full herself.

"Silly girl," Kurumu remarked. "My breasts are prized not just for their size, but for their softness, too." She took Yukari's hand and placed it on one of her mountainous breasts. "See?"

"That's not what men want!" Yukari protested, taking Kurumu's hand and placing it on _her_ chest. "Mine are prized for their youthful and supple smallness!"

"Should you guys really be doing this with me here?" Shinichi asked. That was a bad idea in retrospect, as that turned the feuding girls' attention onto him and they each placed one of his hands on their breasts. "Hey, what are you doing?"

"Who's better?" Yukari asked.

"Why ask that? We know the answer already!" Kurumu declared.

"Yeah, mine!" Yukari insisted.

"No, mine!" Kurumu maintained.

Just then, Shinichi saw an ice spike pointed at Kurumu and Yukari. "Take his hands off your chests, or boob girl loses her pride and joy," Mizore murmured threateningly.

Shinichi pulled his hands off their chests, not wanting to see Kurumu's breasts get sliced off. He spoke, "OK, this is getting a little too out of hand."

"What's so bad about after school studies, anyway?" Yukari asked. "Besides, if you get lower than 30 marks on the semester finals, you'll have to stay here for summer school instead of getting to go on vacation. Now's the time to get back into fighting form!"

"Well, if she really insists," Shinichi said as he scratched his head. "Kurumu-chan can swing by my place to study."

The girls all gasped. "But Shinichi-san!" Yukari tried to say.

"It's important for Kurumu-chan to pass right? So there isn't much of a choice."

* * *

><p>Kurumu was trembling with anticipation as she stood outside of Shinichi's dorm room. Along with her study material, she had brought along her cookies. She could already imagine the scenario. She and Shinichi would study together, then she would point at a problem that was confusing her, he would lean in and notice how cute she was...then...then he would KISS her!<p>

"Kyaa...!" Kurumu wiggled back and forth. She felt a tap on her shoulder and spun around, only to gape at Moka, Yukari and Mizore. "What are you three doing here?" she hissed.

"We came to study," said Mizore.

"And we don't trust you being alone with Shinichi-san," added Yukari.

"But he invited _me_!" Kurumu growled.

"I don't think he'd mind," said Moka. "Plus, the more the merrier."

Kurumu huffed and knocked on the door. It opened and Shinichi smiled at them. "Welcome, and good evening, Kurumu-chan, Yukari-chan, Mizore-chan and Moka-chan!"

"Good evening, Shinichi!" the girls all greeted with smiles.

"Well, come on in," Shinichi said, gesturing past the doorway. The girls walked inside and stopped to see his room.

The girls found Shinichi's room to be...well...bare. There was the desk and bed, but there were no personal belongings. Then again, since Shinichi was an amnesiac who didn't remember where he was from or had anything to begin with that was surprising. Still, after all this time, they expected him to have already personalized his living space by now.

There was one personal item, which sat on his desk. It was a photograph of all of them together in a frame.

"Well... your room is pretty... space-ish," Mizore spoke, trying to look for something nice to say about the lack of décor.

"Maybe we should help get you some personal belongings for you to call your own too," Moka said.

"And I have just the thing!" said Kurumu as she took out and unrolled a poster. "Ta-dah! Here's something to hang on your wall!" It was a poster of Kurumu in a bikini and posing sexily. "This way you'll always be able to look at me!"

"Kurumu-chan!" Moka shouted as she snatched away the poster and rolled it back up. "That's too distracting!"

"Can I have it?" Shinichi asked.

"Shinichi-kun!"

"What? She was offering. Wait, Kurumu-chan, do you always carry that thing? Were you just waiting for the right timing?"

"Guilty as charged," confessed Kurumu.

Yukari then spotted leaning against the wall in the corner of the room the painting Shinichi had made that depicted the Kamen Riders on a sunset backdrop. "Isn't this painting you did in Ishigami's class?" the little witch asked.

"Yeah, but I don't think it's that good," Shinichi said, rubbing the back of his head.

"What are you talking about? It's amazing!" said Yukari. Shinichi was so talented. How could he deny it? The evidence was right there.

"That's what Ishigami said too, but I don't care for the opinions of a psychopath who petrifies girls," Shinichi told Yukari, "But thanks, Yukari-chan. Your opinion matters." He added, "Speaking of Ishigami...Moka-chan, you said she was giving you extra art lessons in exchange for you to be her model. Were you planning on painting something?"

"Yes, but it's still unfinished," she said, blushing.

"I'd like to see it someday," he said, smiling.

"Aren't we here to study?" interrupted Kurumu.

Shinichi realized she was right, "Oh, right! Almost forgot! Lemme get the low table! Make yourselves at home…Kurumu-chan, why are you taking off your vest?"

"You said make myself at home," said Kurumu.

"Let's keep our clothes on, please," Shinichi insisted. "Remember, we're here to help you pass your math final."

"Shinichi-san, if you're so smart how come you didn't get No. 1 for the midterm exam?" asked Yukari. "Why did you only get No. 2?"

Shinichi was embarrassed and admitted, "I can't write so well in Kanji."

* * *

><p>About an hour and a half into the study group session, Shinichi's explanations had only served to make Kurumu more confused than when she first started. Yukari was the only one who could really get the terms and formulas he was talking about. Moka and Mizore had an inkling of it, but it still went over their heads. Kurumu, however, was completely lost. Luckily, Shinichi was able to simplify the content for her. Moka even said that if things got tough that Kurumu should try to think of it as a game.<p>

Kurumu whined in frustration and despair, "Mou...I'll never get this! I'm going to fail!"

"Don't stress out, Kurumu-chan," Shinichi said soothingly. "You just need to do this problem step-by-step. Just like this." Shinichi was pretty patient when he explained and clarified the stuff Kurumu couldn't understand, which was most of the math involved. It would take time but he was confident that she would get it.

_'I have to do this, for Shinichi!'_ Kurumu swore in her mind. _'I want to spend summer break with him! I have to pass! I have to!'_ There were fires of determination in her eyes.

Yukari looked up at the clock and said, "It's getting late."

"Oh, so it is," said Shinichi as he looked up. "I guess we can call it a night."

"But I'm still not getting any of this!" Kurumu whined.

"Now, listen to me, Kurumu-chan. You just need to apply yourself, OK? Oh, and call them. If you get stressed while taking your exam then it will all be for nothing." Shinichi advised.

Kurumu seem hesitant for a moment before nodding.

"Let's meet up tomorrow again," he suggested. The girls smiled, looking forward to visiting Shinichi again.

* * *

><p>The next day during after school hours, a female student came to the Newspaper Club. She said that she was willing to pay good money for them if they investigated something for her.<p>

"So your boyfriend started acting strangely after his tutoring sessions with Ririko-sensei?" inquired Gin.

The girl nodded, "Yes, ever since then he's started he stopped talking to me and won't meet me after school like we used to. His eyes look really dull now, and he doesn't ever answer his phone." Her fists hardened, "I don't like it. Ririko-sensei is up to something."

"See? I told you something is up with her!" Kurumu exclaimed as she jumped from her seat. "And earlier today she said that I had to report to her office tomorrow! What if Ririko-sensei does what she did to her boyfriend to me?"

"Calm down, Kurumu-chan," Moka said, "We won't let that happen."

"Actually, this gives me an idea," Gin said, smiling in thought. "Since Kurumu-chan has to go to Ririko-sensei's office tomorrow, we have a man-inside... er, girl-inside, I guess."

"What do you have in mind, sempai?" Shinichi asked.

"Shinichi, follow me to my dorm," Gin answered. "I have some items that we can use."

* * *

><p>"And here we are!" Gin said humbly as he opened the door. As Shinichi expected, his room had a lot of pictures of cute girls on the wall, most of them in sexy poses. The perverted side of him would wish to come to this room more often but the no-nonsense side of him said it was just not the time.<p>

"Nice room," Shinichi commented, wiping the blood from his nose.

"Thanks. Now where did I put that box...?" Gin pondered as he went under his bed and began digging around. Several things like some old tech, collections of porn and some erotic novels were tossed out before Gin came back up with a silver briefcase of some kind.

"What is that?" Shinichi asked with an arched eyebrow.

"My old spy equipment," the grinning wolf said, "When I was a pup, I used to pretend that I was some kind of top secret agent that went to exotic lands to stop bad guys and stuff like that. It was my dream."

"Oh?" Shinichi asked, smirking, "And what made you stop?"

"I still plan on becoming a spy!" Gin retorted. "After all, spies get the ladies! I mean, look at James Bond!"

"Ain't it the truth," Shinichi snickered in agreement. "Anyway, there is a transceiver, right?"

"You bet," Gin grinned. "It may be old, but it still works."

"I got an idea. But I'm gonna need some tools and a few knick-knacks."

* * *

><p>It was the day Kurumu would report for her tutoring session with Ririko and Shinichi would show off his more intellectual and clever side.<p>

"Here, these are for you," said Shinichi as he opened his hand to present a pair of matching amethyst stud earrings.

"For me?" Kurumu squealed. "Oh, that's so sweet! You shouldn't have!"

"Actually, these aren't just simple pieces of jewelry," Shinichi told her, making her frown. "They are actually two-way transceivers disguised as earrings."

"Where did you get these?" she asked.

"I made them. Gin was nice enough to provide the tools and parts," Shinichi said. "Now, put them on."

Kurumu nodded and put the earrings on. "How do I look?" she asked. Even if the earrings were actually communication devices, she hoped that they at least looked great on her.

"Wow, they really do match your eyes," Shinichi admired. "Anyway, once they're turned on we'll be able to hear whatever's going on through this walkie-talkie here."

"Right," Kurumu nodded.

"And here's a brooch with a camera built in so we can see what you see," said Shinichi as he hooked the brooch onto her bow-tie. "Kurumu-chan, I know this goes without saying, but please be careful, OK?"

"I will, I promise."

* * *

><p>Kurumu was so embarrassed right now. As soon as she arrived, Ririko-sensei had forced her into a maid outfit, a very sexy French maid costume, and forced her to serve the math teacher tea. She always dreamed of doing this for Shinichi, but not for her wicked math teacher. This was just wrong! What was math suppose to do with all this anyway? It made no sense at all!<p>

As Kurumu was walking to serve another student working in the office, a flicker of light caught her eye. She saw that it was coming from Ririko-sensei's main office. Cracking the door slightly opened, she gasped at what she saw.

Ririko-sensei was in her true form of a lamia. Her upper half remained unchanged, but her lower half had transformed into a thick, giant serpentine tail and its tip was split open like a flower. "It looks like I'll have to give you some proper instruction again, to keep you from thinking about your little girlfriend," Ririko-sensai spoke huskily.

The tail's opened tip gripped the top of the boy's head tightly. Kurumu recognized him to be the boyfriend of their client. He screamed as he attempted to fight off the mental intrusion. "I'm sending the knowledge directly into your mind so you won't have room for anything else but your sensei and your studies! It's for the best! You'll thank me later!"

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, the Newspaper Club was watching everything via a monitor linked to the brooch camera Kurumu was wearing. To say that they were all stunned by what they saw would be an understatement.<p>

"That is just so wrong on so many levels," said Shinichi as he saw what Ririko-sensei was doing. She may look sexy but the snake parts weren't doing anything for him.

Mizore growled, "I knew that teacher was trouble."

"OK, this has gone far enough! I'm, going in!" said Shinichi as he got up and ran out the door. Kurumu was under threat of danger now if Ririko-sensei caught her.

"Shinichi-kun! Wait!" Moka called as she, Yukari and Mizore followed.

"Don't forget about me!" Gin shouted as he ran to catch up.

As Shinichi was running towards Kurumu's rescue, he summoned up his belt as he assumed his pose while running and called out, "Let's Ride: Showa!" Light and jigsaw puzzle pieces burst out of his belt before bonding to his body, transforming him into the two-toned and green-eyed masked warrior.

Showa continued to run and reached the office that Ririko-sensei was using for her private tutoring sessions. Skidding to a halt in front of it, he threw it open and shouted, "KURUMU-CHAN!"

"Oh, what's this?" asked Ririko-sensei as she spotted Showa. It was a good thing that he had arrived. It seemed Kurumu was next for the mental intrusion, "A student in his true form?"

"Ririko-sensei, I am going to have to ask you to…" Showa paused as he saw Kurumu in her maid outfit. "Hey, you look really great, Kurumu-chan!"

"Shinichi, watch out!" Kurumu yelled as Ririko-sensei's tail came swinging at him and he was slammed against the wall.

"Ow…" he groaned and the others arrived.

"So, you're Sanban-kun," Ririko-sensei as she looked at Shinichi. "Well then, I know you don't need a tutoring session but I clearly see that you've been distracted. I can't have one of my students slipping in his grades." She then opened up the tip of her tail. While she was approaching Showa, the ceiling began to crack and then all of a sudden it burst right on top of Ririko-sensei. She screamed as she was buried in rubble and a figure was seen standing on top of her and the rubble.

It was large and covered in red armor. Its body shape resembled a crab but it stood on two legs. It had a humanoid head with eye stalks. Its left hand was a crab's pincer claw and its right hand was a spiked mace. Around the crab creature's waist was a familiar belt.

The Newspaper Club had arrived just in time so see Ririko being buried and the creature who'd done in

"What is that?" Gin questioned.

"It's GIN-SHOCKER!" Kurumu, Yukari and Moka identified from the belt it wore.

"GIN-SHOCKER?" Gin and Mizore echoed.

The monster stood on top of Ririko-sensei who was buried under rubble and had swirly eyes. She'd been knocked out. Crab-Borg spotted Showa and grinned. If he managed to bring BLACK 13 back to headquarters than he might be rewarded and earn a seat among the organization's executive officers. The GIN-SHOCKER monster declared, "BLACK 13, I, Crab-Borg, have come to bring you back to GIN-SHOCKER! Resistance is futile!"

Showa, of course, was not about to let himself be captured. "OK, then let the games begin," he said. "Weapon Ride: Vulcan Shooter!" He summoned his Gatling laser pistol and fired at Crab-Borg, only for the shots to do no damage. "What!-?"

"My armor is impervious to damage!" gloated Crab-Borg and he lunged forward. Showa jumped back so he wouldn't be smashed by Crab-Borg's mace arm.

"Nowhere to run or hide, BLACK 13!" shouted Crab-Borg as he struck with his crab claw.

"Weapon Ride: Laser Saber!" Showa countered the claw with his sword but it was then knocked out of his hands. The mace smashed against him and he crashed against a bookshelf. "Ugh!"

"Shinichi-kun!" Moka screamed.

"Hey! Who is that guy?-! What does he want with Shinichi!-?" Gin demanded.

"He's from a group called GIN-SHOCKER, and I'm pretty sure that they aren't nice people!" Yukari said. "We don't know why they want Shinichi-san just that they are after him for some reason!"

"Then they must be stopped," Mizore scowled as her claws began to form.

"Hah!" Crab-Borg yelled as he leapt over with his mace raised over his head. Showa rolled to the side just as the weapon landed, but the Crab-Borg caught up quickly. The two traded blows before Crab-Borg used a painful uppercut that sent Showa flying up and falling down on his back.

"Shinichi!" his friends all screamed.

"Just give up, BLACK 13!" the Crab-Borg sneered. "This armor was made especially to fight against you! Now I'm bringing you back to GIN-SHOCKER whether you like it or not!"

Showa growled as he slowly got up to his feet. What he needed was a weapon to break through that armor, but what?

* * *

><p><em>The Rider who now appeared before Shinichi was a bit different from the rest he'd met before. His helmet for instance didn't cover his whole face left everything from the nose down exposed. His right forearm was a big and bulky gauntlet with a hook attached to it. His suit was black with red armor on the chest and he sported silver gloves. He was also wearing a silver glove on his non-mechanical arm. He also wore a yellow scarf.<em>

_The Rider introduced himself, "I am Riderman, also known as Kamen Rider Yongo (#4)."_

_"Hi, Riderman-san," said Shinichi._

_"Shinichi, a Rider doesn't necessarily have to be superhuman. The only aspect of me that's cybernetic is my right arm here. However, I make up for my lack of strength with my ingenuity and intelligence to outsmart my enemies and exploit their weaknesses. As for weapons I have access to the Cassette Arms, and now they are all yours." Riderman raised up his right arm._

_"Are you going to poke me with that hook?" asked Shinichi._

_"Oh, sorry," Riderman apologized as he withdrew his right arm and then put out his left arm and put his finger on Shinichi's forehead. "Now go and fight! Win!"_

* * *

><p>"Let's Ride: Riderman!" shouted Showa as he became Riderman and stared down the Crab-Borg.<p>

**INSERT SONG: OUR RIDERMAN**

"Hah! A change of costume won't help you!" Crab-Borg laughed as he threw his mace out. Showa-Riderman dodged Crab-Borg's mace as it smashed to the floor violently. The crab-type Cyborg Mutant hissed and spat foam at Showa-Riderman.

Showa-Riderman leapt out of the way as the foam hit the floor, causing the surface to sizzle and bubble due to a chemical reaction. The foam ate through the floor, causing Showa-Riderman to think in realization, _'Acid!'_ He had to finish this fight quickly.

Crab-Borg then grabbed Showa-Riderman by his neck in his pincer hand and laughed, "Is this all you can do, BLACK 13? How weak!" Suddenly, he was hit by wash basins and he howled, "What is this!-?" His claw froze over. "My claw!" It was frozen and brittle, which allowed Showa-Riderman to break it with his strength, shattering the frozen claw apart with his fist. "MY CLAW! YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

"It's time we finished this," said Showa-Riderman. "Drill Arm!" He lunged forward and began to drill through Crab-Borg's armored front.

"Hahaha! Try as you might, BLACK 13, you cannot penetrate my armor-Huh?" The drill was boring a hole through the armor. "Hey, stop it!" He swung his mace but Showa-Riderman ducked.

"Your outsides are tough but what about your insides once I fill them up with lead?" Showa-Riderman asked and Crab-Borg's eyes widened in shocked realization.

"NO! DON'T!"

"Machinegun Arm!" The Drill Arm changed into a machinegun and Showa-Riderman began to fill Crab-Borg with bullets, causing him to cry out in pain as his insides were being shredded by the barrage of bullets. Showa-Riderman withdrew his Machinegun Arm and watched as Crab-Borg collapsed.

"GIN-SHOCKER...will...get you..." swore Crab-Borg weakly. His body then slowly started to liquefy. Apparently, Showa-Riderman had ruptured the tank containing the acidic foam and it was eating up its host's body. Oddly convenient, but Showa-Riderman wasn't complaining.

* * *

><p><strong>One explanation later...<strong>

"What? You're a cyborg?" Gin gaped at Shinichi.

"Yeah, that's right," Shinichi confirmed.

"Why didn't you tell me before?" Gin demanded.

"You tried to frame me," Shinichi deadpanned. "I didn't think I could trust you yet."

"What about me, Shinichi?" asked Mizore.

"You never really asked, and everyone assumed I was a bug doppelganger so I just went with that. It worked for me so far," Shinichi answered. Mizore was upset that Shinichi hadn't trusted her enough to tell her but she nodded in understanding. It was his secret. "As far as I know I could've been human, then again maybe not. Not sure what I really am. The cyborg thing is the only thing that makes sense," he told them.

"And GIN-SHOCKER?" Gin asked.

"They seem to know about me since they keep calling me 'BLACK 13', whatever that means. But, I don't think going with them is worth getting my memories back. They're just bad news."

"So, what about Ririko-sensei?" asked Moka, referring to the knocked out knockout of a math teacher.

"We should report her, and have her sent to the hospital," Shinichi said. "I wonder if she'll get fired." He then asked Kurumu, "By the way, Kurumu-chan, are you going to keep that outfit?"

* * *

><p>While Ririko went overboard with her teachings, her intentions were not malice. She was just trying to help her students pass in the best way possible. She did, however, get a two-week suspension from her job. As for her victims, breaking the spell she had over them had erased all the knowledge she had given them, forcing them to start all over again, but at least they were no longer mindless math zombies.<p>

The final exams came and went, and everyone got back their grades. A lot of people were satisfied with what they got, including...

"I PASSED! I PASSED!" Kurumu cheered gleefully as she jumped up and down. She grabbed Shinichi and kissed his cheek. "THANK YOU SHINICHI! YOU'RE SO WONDERFUL!"

"See? I knew you could do it," Shinichi smiled.

Moka, Yukari and Mizore glowered at the scene but said nothing. They should be happy for Kurumu, but why weren't they?

"What about me?" Gin complained. "It was my spy tech he used! Don't I deserve a kiss?" He puckered his lips.

**WHAM!**

Gin was launched into the wall as he slid down on the floor with blood trailing comically down the wall.

"You can kiss my fist," Kurumu growled as Shinichi merely chuckled nervously with a sweat-drop. He made a note never to piss off the succubus.

* * *

><p>"What?-!" an imposing voice snarled as he slammed the report down with distain. "Another one of our Cyborg Mutants was defeated?-!"<p>

"This is definitely turning out to be a problem," a stoic female voice said. "It seems that BLACK 13 clearly does not want to be brought back. And those female friends of his do not wish for him to leave either."

"That is beside the point!" the first voice continued. "How can our elite Cyborg Mutants lose to a bunch of schoolgirls?-!"

"Calm down, Nagazawa," a third voice said. "It is clear that these schoolgirls who are with BLACK 13 are not human. How else could they have defeated our men?"

"What are you saying, Ankokou?" the female asked.

"Before he was... decommissioned, Spider-Borg reported that one of the girls he fought was a pure blooded vampire. If my speculations are correct-"

"You don't honestly believe in that nonsense?" Nagazawa spat. "Most likely he made up that nonsense hoping to gain leniency!"

"True but what about the damage he received?" the female continued. "I can recognize BLACK 13's brutally easily, and I could tell that most of it was not his MO."

Nagazawa growled. "If that is the case, then perhaps we've been going to soft. We must rethink our strategy, quickly."

"Precisely right, Nagazawa," another voice spoke as he joined the conversation. "What we should focus on is investigating BLACK 13's new home. You know, learn the lay of the land."

"A recon mission?" the feminine voice inquired. "A splendid idea!"

"I agree," Ankoku concurred.

"Che, whatever," Nagazawa snorted.

"Very well, Dr. Gebok. You have your choice of cyborgs for the mission," Ankoku assigned. "Gather as much information as you can on BLACK 13's location. Perhaps we can learn something useful."

"Of course, sir."

**LEGENDARY RIDERS UNLOCKED SO FAR**

1. Ichigo

2. Nigo

3. V3

4. Riderman

5. X-Rider

6. Amazon Rider

7. Stronger (and Denpa Ningen Tackle)

8. Skyrider

9. Super-1

10. ?

11. BLACK RX (Includes BLACK, Roborider and Biorider)

12. ?

13. J

**KAMEN RIDER DATABASE**

"OK, so _now_ it's my turn!" huffed Gin. "OK, OK, here we go. Well, today we're going to look at Riderman, also known as Kamen Rider Yongo and the Avenging Demon." The screen showed Riderman as Gin began his explanation, "Joji Yuki was a DESTRON scientist who was framed for treason by a jealous Marshal Armor. Joji was sentenced to death by acid, losing his right arm in the process. He was rescued by fellow scientists who built him a new cybernetic arm to replace the one he'd lost. Afterwards, he swore a vendetta against Marshal Armor while still maintaining loyalty to DESTRON. He even went so far as to fight V3 so he could prove his loyalty. However, once he found out that DESTRON was the true enemy he decided to fight them alongside V3."

Gin continued, "Joji Yuki, as Riderman, lacked the cybernetically enhanced strength the other Riders had. He made up for this handicap with his smarts and an array of weapons called Cassette Arms. His Cassette Arms include Hook Arm, Sickle Arm, Swing Arm, Net Arm, Machinegun Arm and Drill Arm. His most powerful weapon is the Power Arm which is used hack away at both obstacles and enemies alike."

Gun finished, "So, even if Riderman is the weakest of the Riders, that doesn't make him weak at all. Well, that's all the time we have today. I'm going to go and do some 'research'."

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: And so the genius Riderman has been unlocked. Kurumu also passes her exams with Shinichi's help. Next up it's time to get down and dirty with the gang! Peace out!<strong>


	12. First Term: ZX's Ninjutsu

**Chapter 12: ZX's Ninjutsu**

As a reward for helping her pass her math exam, Kurumu took Shinichi out shopping. They were going to get some new clothes for his wardrobe. Arriving at the on-campus clothing store, Kurumu shoved articles of clothing into Shinichi's arm and shoved him into the changing room to try them on. He learnt quickly that he couldn't argue with a woman while she was in 'shopping mode' so he just went with it. He carefully selected what he wanted to try out.

Kurumu waited in anticipation. She wanted to see Shinichi in fancy new duds. When the curtain of the changing room was pushed open, she looked up and saw Shinichi.

"So, how do I look?" asked Shinichi as he showed off his new clothes. He was wearing a denim jacket over a black t-shirt that had a golden 'S' on it, blue jeans and finally a red scarf hung from his neck. Oddly enough, the scarf looked good on him.

"You look great!" Kurumu beamed. "Now, let's go find you some swimming trunks!"

Shinichi was an amnesiac who had no idea how he got enrolled in this school for monsters. However, he somehow got a monthly allowance from an anonymous source. It was always sent in an envelope and he always found it pushed under his door. His name was always on the envelope each time. Not seeing any reason to let it go to waste, Shinichi used the money for his daily expenses.

* * *

><p>"That girl can sure shop," said Shinichi as he walked back to his dorm room, carrying a bag filled with his latest purchase. "But whatever makes her happy…"<p>

He walked up the stairs of his dorm building and then walked towards his door when he spotted Moka. "Moka-chan?" She almost shrieked in surprise when she heard his voice.

"Oh, Shinichi-kun! Konbanwa," she greeted.

"Konbanwa. What are you doing here?" he asked. Did she want some blood?

"Here you go, Shinichi-kun. This is for you" said Moka as she handed her present to Shinichi. It was large and rectangular and covered in wrapping paper. He unwrapped it and saw that it was a painting of him. It was a portrait that was split down the middle. The left half of his portrait was of his human form while the right half was of his Rider form. Surrounding his face in a circle were the faces of the other Riders he'd assumed so far. "What do you think?"

"I…I love it," he admitted. He hugged her, "Thank you, Moka-chan."

Moka blushed as she was being held in his arms and smiled softly while hugging him back.

* * *

><p>Even when final exams have come and gone, the students still had a couple of weeks of school left before summer break. Meanwhile, the Newspaper Club was hard at work. They had put it off long enough and with all the stuff that had happened recently it was good that they finally had time for this.<p>

"Come on, hurry up!" ordered Gin as he waved a fan in front of his face with one hand while holding a cup of coffee in the other. In the Newspaper Clubroom, Shinichi was with the girls and Gin. They were on a deadline too. They had to get the latest issue of the school newspaper done to be printed before Monday and it was Saturday. They were all sitting at their makeshift work table which had been made by pushing six desks together. Yukari was using a laptop to edit the newspaper articles and printing them out while the others were cutting and pasting the articles for the newspaper pages.

"You know, this would be a hell of a lot easier if you helped out," Shinichi glowered at Gin.

"Quit yapping and get to work!" Gin ordered.

"He's like a manga editor," said Yukari. Her fingers felt sore from tapping the keyboard.

"Hello everyone!" Nekonome-sensei said cheerfully as she entered. "Working hard, I see!"

"Most of us," said Shinichi, eyeing Gin who scowled back.

"Well, why don't you all take a break? I've brought snacks," said Nekonome-sensei as she handed them all snacks.

"I was feeling hungry," said Shinichi as he accepted. He then gaped at the 'snacks'. "Sensei, this fish is raw!"

"It tastes best fresh!" Nekonome-sensei answered. "Oh, Kurumu-chan, this letter was left in front of the classroom for you."

Kurumu took the letter. It was probably from one of her many secret admirers. "Wonder who'd send me a love letter?" She opened it up and what she found instead of a love letter, however, was a set of photos of her…dirty pictures. Some of them showed her in her underwear. '_What!-?_' She also found a note telling her to meet the sender at the Monster Tree in the main schoolyard. Kurumu quickly disposed of the items in the trash.

"Hey, what's wrong, Kurumu-chan?" Shinichi asked.

"Oh, nothing!" Kurumu denied. "Anyway, guys, I gotta go! I just remembered I have something to do!" She made a rush out of the clubroom.

"Wait, but the deadline!" Moka yelled.

"She's already gone," Shinichi sighed.

"Hey, let's just finish without her!" said Yukari. "We don't need a ditcher!"

"Kurumu-chan…" Moka murmured. As they continued to work, Moka recalled the first time she and Kurumu met. "I wonder if…she really does consider us friends."

"Moka-chan?" blinked Shinichi.

"I mean the only reason she joined the club is to be close to you, Shinichi-kun," said Moka. "I doubt Kurumu-chan even does consider me a friend. Maybe…"

"You shouldn't be quick to distrust your friends without reason," Shinichi argued. "Maybe she's got something important she needs to deal with. We'll just wait here."

"Well, with her gone you have to do part of her work!" ordered Gin.

"Why don't you get your butt here and do some work as well, Ero-sempai!-?" Shinichi snapped.

"Will you ever stop calling me that?"

"Will you ever stop being a perverted wolf? If not, then no."

Gin grumbled under his breath.

* * *

><p>Kurumu followed the directions to the Monster Tree. The piece of foliage had definitely earned the name since it looked like an actual monster rather than just a simple tree which grew to look somewhat strange. Not many people went near it these days since there was a rumor going around that it was actually a monster that was just sleeping. Others say they had stepped inside its mouth and nothing happened. However, in a school where nothing was as it appeared, lots of people didn't like to take unnecessary risks.<p>

"Come on out, creep!"

"Oh, how mean, Kurumu-chan." Kurumu looked up to see a teen with brown hair that covered over one eye and freckles with a camera in hand. He looked like one of those greasy types who you never wanted to talk to because you knew something wasn't right about them. The creepy grin the guy had on his face certainly amplified the effect. Kurumu felt dirty just by how he was looking down on her.

"Who are you!-?" she demanded, ready to pounce and attack.

"Forgotten about me, already?" the teen snickered. "I'm Nagare, one of your fans. You once asked me to take photos of you."

"Oh, yeah!" Kurumu remembered. Back when she had her harem plot going on, she asked the guy to do a photo shoot for her so she could get her image going around and boys would try to meet her in person so she could charm them. Now that she had met Shinichi, she didn't need that anymore and had simply forgotten about him. Apparently he hadn't forgotten about her though. "So, it was you who took those pictures!"

"Yup, and if you don't want me to spread them all over school, you'll go on a date with me!" said Nagare.

Kurumu scowled. She really didn't want those dirty pictures to be spread. She'd be having perverts from all over the school coming after her. Not to mention all of the girls would think she was some kind of cheap skank. What else would everyone think if someone spread photos of her in her underwear all over the school? She already spread sexy photos of herself once already. "O…OK."

"Now, all you have to do is dress up in any cosplay of my choice and pose for pictures. First the gym clothes, then a school swimsuit, then a maid and…"

* * *

><p>Eventually Kurumu returned to the clubroom. She had never felt so humiliated in her life. Even posing as a maid for Ririko-sensei hadn't been this bad. Nagare had a whole wardrobe of cosplay outfits ready to be used. Apparently he had been putting a lot of thought into his little plot. She didn't mind dressing up…so long as Shinichi was there to appreciate the view, but Nagare's perversely grinning face made her feel sick and dirty. She was just glad that he was done with his stupid photos and she could get back to work.<p>

"I'm back," she sighed as she entered the room, trying to look like nothing was wrong, but the stares she was receiving certainly weren't making her feel better.

"And just where were you?" Yukari frowned, her hands on her hips like a scolding mother.

"I was…dealing with something important," Kurumu answered. "I…I'm sorry it too so long."

"That's okay," Moka sighed. "We got most of the work done already."

"Oh…okay," the succubus nodded.

"Just try not to get tangled up next time," Shinichi added as he and the rest of the group headed for the door, hoping to relax in the dorms for a while. "We need everyone on this and we're getting close to the deadline."

"Got it," Kurumu nodded solemnly.

"Kurumu-chan, are you alright?" Shinichi asked.

Kurumu wanted to tell Shinichi, wanted him to deal with that creep Nagare, but then he might spread her pictures in retaliation.

As everyone left, Kurumu walked over to the nearly finished draft of the school newspaper, "They really did get most of it done." There wasn't much left to do but select which articles would go where and put the paper together. Now Kurumu felt even worse. She had at least hoped that something would be left for her to do, so she could make up for some of the time she had wasted dealing with that slimy jerk and his perverse photography. Now she really wished she could have punched his lights out, but then he would have just spread those damn photos.

"Why so glum Kurumu-chan?"

Kurumu whirled around to see Nagare grinning with that stupid grin and leaning on the side of the door frame. He looked as smug as ever.

"You!" the succubus snapped, staring daggers at her fellow student. "Thanks to you now everyone thinks I ditched work!"

"Hey, you're the one who decided to leave in order to protect your own reputations. Pretty selfish if you ask me," Nagare shrugged guiltlessly.

"You were the one who snuck to my window so you could take those photos!" Kurumu shrieked, just itching to beat that smug grin off of his face.

"Maybe, but no one's gonna believe that considering your little harem plot in the past," Nagare laughed. Gripping his camera, his grin became a little wider. "Now, about tomorrow…"

"Woah, hold on! There's not gonna be tomorrow!" Kurumu hissed "I posed for your stupid photos already! Deal's over!"

"Well, for those photos anyway," Nagare shrugged. "But you know, these cosplay shots I got are pretty good. It would be a shame if I _lost_ some, but I made lots of copies so I can afford to lose them anyway. But I'm just so clumsy so I might drop some again and again and never know where they might end up."

"Nnnnnn!" Kurumu hissed. "Fine! Just don't you dare spread those photos! I'll be back at the Monster Tree tomorrow so you can take more."

"Clever girl," Nagare laughed as the blue-haired girl stomped past in her anger and shame. Gazing around the room, his eyes landed on the draft of the school paper done up in an envelope. Seeing it brought another sinister smirk across his face as an idea came to him. Walking across the room, he grabbed the envelope and began to examine it.

* * *

><p>"It's gone, it's all gone!" Moka panicked. The Newspaper Club had returned the following day to finish their work only to discover it missing.<p>

"All the data's been deleted!" Yukari added as she checked her laptop. "And the backup disks are gone! Ew, and my keyboard's all slimy!"

"And we worked all day on it yesterday too!" added Shinichi.

"How unfair…" Mizore frowned.

The group had returned to their clubroom, ready to put the paper together for submission to Nekonome-sensei who was in charge of printing them up for distribution. However, arriving at the clubroom, they discovered their final draft missing along with the backup disk and all of the data on the computer to be deleted. Everyone had put a lot of work into getting the work done on time and the feeling of despair was pretty heavy in the room. They didn't want all their hard work to have gone to waste, but that's what it looked like.

"We've got no choice people! We're working on a deadline now so all we gotta do is to do it all over again!" Gin ordered. Ever since he had joined the newspaper club since he first came to the school, he had never missed a deadline. Sure, he slacked off now and then, especially since he became the president, but you could always count on him to get the paper done on time and ready to print. He hadn't missed a deadline before, and he wasn't going to start now!

Kurumu knew, of course, whom was behind this. '_Nagare! That slimy jerk!_' That slimebag wasn't content to just mess with her alone and blackmail her into getting his perverted photos. Now he seemed to be drawing pleasure from messing with her fellow club members too. Enough was enough! She might have been willing to go through with the photos, but her pride and reputation wasn't worth letting all of their hard work just go to waste. Snarling, she dashed for the door, leaving a trail of dust.

"Kurumu-chan, where are you going!-?" Moka shouted, but Kurumu did not answer. "Kurumu-chan…"

"Forget the ditcher!" Yukari snapped. "We have work to do and we have to do it fast!"

"Something's not right," Shinichi frowned.

* * *

><p>"Nagare, you slimy bastard! Come on out!" Kurumu shouted as she showed up at the Monster Tree again. As expected, Nagare was sitting on one of the branches with that stupid grin on his face. In one hand he was holding his camera, all polished and ready for use. In the other, he was holding the nearly finished draft of the school paper along with the backup disks. His grin just bragged how he thought he had her right where he wanted her. It wasn't too hard to figure what he wanted with that stupid look on his face.<p>

"Looking for this?" he smirked, waving the envelope around carelessly.

"Give that back!" she demanded.

"Oh, and why should I? Unless of course you're willing to do something for me in return…" Nagare said lecherously.

Kurumu trembled. "Just…give it back."

"Why don't you get on your knees and beg? How about you do it naked too?" Nagare chortled. His finger was already going to his shutter button, thinking she would submit like she did for his photos. However, he then quickly produced a lighter instead, bringing it close to the envelope as he began playing with the igniter. "Now, off with your clothes Kurumu-chan!"

"What?" the succubus cried out.

"Off with your clothes, Kurumu-chan!" he laughed, "Or say bye-bye to this piece of garbage. Honestly, I could write better articles in my sleep! And this photography? Shameful!"

That did it. "It's not garbage! It's something me and my friends worked so hard together to make!" She let loose her wings and flew straight at Nagare. He was taken by surprise as she snatched the draft out of his hands. "Yahoo! Got it!"

"Oh…now you've done it…" Nagare snarled as a sort of tendril came out from his neck. "Take this!" He started to pump out some sort of weird gas which made Kurumu cough.

"W-what is this!-?" Kurumu shouted between coughs.

"I was just going to take photos, but maybe I'll just take your body instead! And when you're unconscious, you can't stop me!" He drooled, his teeth becoming spread apart as his whole body began to sag and droop like there weren't any bones in it.

"No…" Kurumu moaned.

* * *

><p>Kurumu felt like she was in a nightmare. At the moment, she had locked herself inside of the equipment shed, huddled in a corner with the draft of the school paper in her arms. The gas that Nagare produced was definitely potent. Her wings felt like lead so she couldn't fly and her vision was swimming slightly. If she had inhaled any more of the gas then she would have been out cold and at Nagare's mercy. Last she checked, the boy seemed pretty damn determined to take her in every way possible.<p>

"Damn it…" She felt so weak and helpless. "Shinichi…everyone…help me…" she began to sob.

"Nowhere to run, Kurumu-chan…"

Kurumu's eyes widened as she scrambled away. She saw slime coming in through under the door and saw a pair of eyestalks and a scary grin. The organism alone looked like a pile of snot and Kurumu thought she might gag at the sight of him. "Here I am…Kurumu-chan…"

"W-what are you!-?" Kurumu demanded. She didn't want to sound afraid, to at least show courage despite the fact that her odds didn't seem so good at the moment. She wouldn't give the freak the satisfaction in making her look weak and himself look powerful.

"Oh, just a slimy slug monster," said Nagare, and he really did look like a huge monster of a slug with his grin as he left slime as a trail. His eye stalks easily scraped the ceiling of the shed and the grin filled with large rectangular teeth made him look like a nightmare to her. "Now, don't be shy. Let me a give you a hug!"

Kurumu's courage failed as she let loose a scream. Normally madslugs weren't all that scary…if you were prepared. They specialized in terrifying people and loved to do it as often as they could. Needless to say Nagare was doing quite well with his people's favorite pastime.

"_Shinichi! Over there!"_

"_I see it! Let's Ride: Showa!_"

Suddenly, the door was smashed off its hinges with the item in question slamming into Nagare and dropping him flat underneath it. Kurumu looked up to see Kamen Rider Showa huddling at the doorway, poking his head inside to see just what the slimy slug monster had been so interested in. His eyes instantly went to Kurumu, seeing her huddled in a corner.

"Kurumu-chan, are you okay?" Showa asked, his green eyes showing relief.

"Shinichi…" Kurumu smiled. That was when the door shifted as the organism underneath it groaned, dealing with the sudden impact.

"Ew…" Showa grimaced, suddenly seeing the slug sliding out from under the door and the trail it was leaving behind. "What did I drop the door on?" He watched as Nagare slid out from under the door and managed to turn himself around, glaring at him with his crooked teeth and extended eyes. "OK, now that is just the grossest thing I've ever seen!"

"Don't interfere!" Nagare lunged at Showa, sticking to the Rider's body. Showa tried to pry the slug off of his torso. However, he was revealing himself to be just as slimy as he was sticky as Showa tried to get a good grip on the monster but his fingers kept slipping.

"Hey, get off me!" shouted Showa as he stumbled back, trying to peel Nagare off. "You slimy little freak, get off me!" He sniffed, "Ugh! You stink! You smell like infected cheese on a hot plate!"

"KURUMU-CHAN'S MINE! MINE! MINE!" Nagare shouted as he continued to stick onto Showa. He began to secrete some sort of acidic slime which began to burn through Showa's armor. Panicking, Showa decided to throw Nagare off the only way he knew how.

"Let's Ride: Stronger!" As he changed into Kamen Rider Stronger, electricity coursed through his body and zapped Nagare with so much electricity that the slug monster had to throw himself off Showa-Stronger's body so that he didn't get burnt by the electricity. The slug monster landed heavily on the dirt some feet away. Groaning, he managed to ooze himself upright, facing off against Showa-Stronger once again.

Meanwhile, Kurumu was still in the shed, holding the draft protectively. She was shivering from the experience. Usually a succubus would be able to fly away from any kind of scary situation, but being forced inside of an enclosed space with her wings feeling like lead had been a somewhat frightening experience. It was this frightened girl that Moka found as she entered while Shinichi and Nagare took their fight elsewhere.

"Kurumu-chan!" Moka exclaimed as she dashed towards her friend. "Are you okay?" She knelt beside Kurumu. "You're not hurt or anything, are you?"

"Moka…" Kurumu had tears in her eyes. "MOKA!" the succubus threw her arms around the vampire.

"You've risked everything to save our newspaper. I'm sorry I doubted you." Moka slowly hugged Kurumu back.

"How did you know?" Kurumu asked.

"You're still wearing your transceivers," said Moka as she was referring to the studs Kurumu was wearing in her ears. "We heard everything. We even found the photos that were being used to blackmail you. Kurumu-chan, you shouldn't have tried to deal with something like this yourself. We would have helped you no matter what."

"Oh…Moka…" Kurumu sobbed. She knew she should have had more faith in her friends and asked them to help. But those photos were so embarrassing and her damn succubus pride in dealing with clingy men probably helped her make her decision. Now she wished she just came clean and told what her problem was. Shinichi probably would have liked those photos anyway…damn hindsight.

"Shinichi might need help. Let's go!" said Moka.

"I know. That slimy worm is gonna pay for messing with me and my friends!" Kurumu's wings and claws were out, her adrenaline having flushed the last of Nagare's gas out of her system.

Nagare knew that fighting Showa-Stronger physically would mean dealing with that electrical body again but the slug monster had other ways of attacking. He spat out balls of slime at Showa-Stronger who dodged them. It seemed that Nagare was used to targets that would run away. While Showa-Stronger was kept busy dodging blasts of slime, the slug monster had managed to get in close.

"DIE!" Nagare roared and Showa-Stronger thought he was about to get crushed by the slug's body slam. However, at the very last minute, he was snatched out of harm's way and in Kurumu's hands.

"Kurumu-chan?" Showa-Stronger blinked.

"What would you do without us, Shinichi?" Kurumu smiled before depositing him safely a safe distance away. Moka joined them too, with the draft of the newspaper in her hands. Of course, Nagare took notice of her right away.

"Oh, Moka Akashiya too! That's great! I'll take pictures of you too!" Nagare cheered. He immediately started drooling as his eyes began roving over Moka's form unashamedly. It made the pinkette shudder in revulsion. Just one look and she already wanted to take a bath.

"Fat chance, you perverted, slimy, disgusting piece of fish bait," said Showa-Stronger, trying for the banter. "Are you really so much of a loser that you need to blackmail girls into going out with you? That's just pathetic!" Those words made Nagare mad.

"RARGH!" Nagare roared as he unleashed a cloud of gas.

"OK, that's just gross!" said Showa-Stronger. "Dammit, smells like a skunk juggling dead hamsters!"

"Shinichi, that gas will knock you out if you breathe it in!" Kurumu warned.

"Now she tells me!" cried out Showa-Stronger. He started to cough and his vision was starting to blur. His body was also starting to feel heavy as well.

* * *

><p><em>Shinichi was brought to face another Rider clad in silver and red armor who wore a green scarf. Around his left thigh was a white band. He looked towards Shinichi silently as Shinichi stared back at him. The Rider then walked over to Shinichi and without a word put his finger against Shinichi's forehead. "I don't think I have to tell you what needs to be done," said the Rider.<em>

"_Who are you?" Shinichi asked._

"_ZX (Z-Cross)."_

* * *

><p>"My poison gas will incapacitate you!" gloated Nagare, "Then I'll make you watch helplessly as I have my way with those girls!"<p>

Kurumu was now beyond pissed off. She was upset, embarrassed, scared, and downright angry! Hurting her was one thing, but hurting her friends and trying to destroy the precious work they did together was completely unforgivable. Her eyes glowed with an evil red light as her aura rose.

**INSERT SONG: DRAGON ROAD**

"Let's Ride: ZX!" Showa-Stronger called and in a flash of light he was transformed into Kamen Rider ZX. Nagare paid it no mind. No matter what Showa turned into he would still be weakened by the gas. However, Showa-ZX wasn't being affected by the gas. His helmet sported a filter that prevented him from being poisoned and he looked towards Nagare who seemed confused. Why wasn't Showa-ZX weakened and unconscious on the ground?

Showa-ZX looked towards Nagare and then he pulled off his right elbow pad. Four spikes shot out of the elbow pad like an 'X' and Showa-ZX just cried, "Cross Shuriken!" and tossed it through the air at Nagare. It struck and then…

**BOOM!**

The Cross Shuriken exploded, causing Nagare to cry out in pain as part of his body was blown off. "Wha…what…?" uttered the slug monster in pain and shock. Another Cross Shuriken was thrown and exploded, sending Nagare flying through the air painfully as he screamed, "ARGH!"

"Microchain!" Showa-ZX called as he swung a chain at Nagare, binding his body. The thin chain was attached to his right glove and ended with a weight that sported several hooks. He then activated the Microchain, causing electricity to course through it and into Nagare's body. The madslug screamed as he was being roasted.

"That's for hurting Kurumu-chan," said Showa-ZX. "Speaking of which, I think she wants to have a few words with you."

That was Kurumu's cue and she unleashed her power. All of a sudden reality seemed to warp all around them.

"Huh!" Moka gasped, feeling the energy that her friend was giving off. It was way more powerful than normal!

"_It's her true power,_" a tough female voice spoke from her rosario, _"__A succubus is not only able to Charm her victims with her gaze, but is also able to cast illusions. It seems that in her rage the succubus has awakened her potential.__"_

"Huh?" Moka looked down to see the eye one her rosario glowing, "Who are you?"

"_I'm the other you,"_ the voice said. _"For now, enjoy the show."_

Nagare felt the earth tremble beneath him, which made him pause. Looking around, he saw the Monster Tree beginning to groan and growl. To Nagare's horror, the eyes of the tree began to light up with a monstrous glare as its roots tore themselves out of the ground. The Monster Tree lashed out, trapping the increasingly terrified slug monster within its grasp.

"Nooo! LET ME GO!" Nagare screeched as he was pulled closer to the Monster Tree's widening mouth.

"Now…as a close friend of mine likes to say…KNOW! YOUR! PLACE!" Kurumu shrieked, diving down at the screaming slug monster. Her razor-like nails slashed through his slimy body, making his pain become very real. Trashing and writing in pain, his gas production was halted and what gas was made quickly dissipated into the air.

Showa-ZX then prepared to finish it and launched himself into the air before executing a powerful flying kick, "ZX KICK!" His body glowed red with energy as he shot towards Nagare.

Nagare was too busy being wrapped up in the illusion of the Monster Tree chewing on him to dodge. The ZX Kick smashed into his face, knocking several teeth out and rendering him unconscious.

Showa-ZX landed on the ground and in a flash of light that was followed by several puzzle pieces, he returned to his proper form. "Game Over," he declared as his thumbs-up turned into a thumbs-down.

**END SONG**

"That's what you get for messing with my friends," Shinichi frowned, hoping that the illusion had been as terrifying as it looked from a distance, if not more so.

* * *

><p>The aftermath hadn't been pretty. Nagare was immediately turned in for what he tried to do and Nekonome-sensei reported that he would definitely be expelled. The Headmaster did not take kindly to someone blackmailing his students or trying to rape them. What happened to Nagare after that depended on what the madslug leaders decided. Although she reassured them that despite of their fondness for scaring humans, not all madslugs were as horrible as Nagare.<p>

Kurumu was accepted back into the club with open arms. However, even with the return of their draft, the club had to work like crazy to get the paper ready. Nekonome-sensei had come to get the paper ready for printing and found the club all asleep with the finished paper ready to be handed over. Gin was slumped over on his desk, drooling much like a dog would. Shinichi was leaning back on his chair, Moka and Kurumu both burrowing into his sides. Mizore slept with her back against Shinichi's legs while Yukari had her head in Moka's lap.

"It seems their friendship was as strong as it ever was," Nekonome-sensei smiled as she collected the original copy of the paper. "They've all earned this break."

* * *

><p><strong>LEGENDARY RIDERS UNLOCKED SO FAR<strong>

1. Ichigo

2. Nigo

3. V3

4. Riderman

5. X-Rider

6. Amazon Rider

7. Stronger (and Denpa Ningen Tackle)

8. Skyrider

9. Super-1

10. ZX

11. BLACK RX (Includes BLACK, Roborider and Biorider)

12. ?

13. J

**Kamen Rider Database**

"In today's chapter, Shinichi once again came to my rescue and unlocked a new Rider form. I guess it's a good thing I'm still wearing these ear studs he gave me. Anyway, time to see the Rider of the chapter!" Behind Kurumu, the screen showed the image of Kamen Rider ZX.

She began, "Kamen Rider ZX's real name is Ryo Murasame. One day he and his sister were shot down while flying over the Amazon jungle by a terrorist organization known as the BADAN Empire who then had both of them captured. Later, BADAN killed his sister and tureds Murasame into a cyborg warrior named ZX and brainwashed him. However, an accident enabled him to regain his memory. Murasame later became a Kamen Rider to avenge his sister. His first encounter with the past Kamen Riders was when he mistook both Kamen Rider Super-1 and Riderman as soldiers of BADAN"

Kurumu continued as she highlighted ZX's abilities, "ZX has the most cybernetic body among the Kamen Riders thus far and his body has many hidden abilities that are similar to a ninja. His whole body has weapons like explosive shurikens disguised as elbow pads and he also has a weapon called the Microchain that can generate electricity. Other weapons include the Impact Bombs mounted on his knees and a hidden Electro-Knife. He also has rocket boots, and a hologram generator. Like I said, he's like a ninja. His most powerful attack is the ZX Kick."

Kurumu pointed out, "As you can see, Shinchi has only one Rider left to unlock. Who is it gonna be and what will he be like? We'll find out soon enough! See you guys later!" She blew the readers a kiss.

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: And so only one Rider is left to be unlocked. I bet you know who he is. Anyway, Kamen Rider ZX is awesome but he wasn't able to show even half of what he could do. That can be properly fixed in the next chapter. Anyway, see you guys next update! And remember…Let's Ride!<strong>


	13. First Term: ZO's Encore

**Chapter 13: ZO's Encore**

Gin suddenly pointed at Shinichi, "You're a secret agent!"

Shinichi stared at his senior like he was a nut, "I'm a what?"

"A secret agent!" the werewolf repeated. "It makes perfect sense."

Shinichi had to hear this, "Oh really? What makes you say that?"

Gin smirked, "I've had my suspicions but after seeing you make those miniature transceivers for Kurumu, all the pieces fell into place."

Shinichi cocked an eyebrow, "That's your evidence? I might just be good with machines."

"Nobody's _that_ good," Gin denied. "You took apart my spy equipment to make those things and your own communicator."

"Com-link," Shinichi corrected.

"And you're starting to make others too," he pointed out.

"Well, with all that has happened so far and might happen we're going to need to stay in touch in this school. But that doesn't prove I used to be a secret agent."

"Then there are those GIN-SHOCKER guys you told me about," Gin continued, "They seem pretty interested in you."

"It's because I represent their biggest threat," he shrugged. "Anyway, I can't be a secret agent. I mean, I'm what? 16? I'm too young to be one."

Gin frowned in thought as he considered that reason. "…You got me there," he sighed.

"I mean, who in their right mind would hire a teenager to be a secret agent?" Shinichi continued with his rant. "Plus, being a secret agent takes years of training."

"And how do you know that?" Gin questioned.

"It's common sense. Think of all the skills they'd have to learn!"

"Well, it's my only theory," he shrugged. He looked at what Shinichi was writing. "What's that?"

"My journal," Shinichi answered as he wrote on the paper. "I wanna record my memories."

Gin looked over Shinichi's shoulder and grimaced, "Wow, you really can't write in Kanji."

"It's not my fault I can't get the strokes right!" he snapped as he packed his things. "Anyway, I have to go. Later, Gin-sempai." He left the clubroom and shook his head in disbelief, "Seriously, he thinks I'm a secret agent? Next thing you know he's gonna say I was kidnapped at a young age and was brainwashed!" He stopped and blinked "…Why does that sound familiar?"

* * *

><p>In an undisclosed location, several black clad figures were seated with a video projector shining upon a screen. The projector was showing an image of none other than Shinichi. Most of the figures in the room seemed to be less than interested in what was being shown. However, they had been asked to be there and they couldn't refuse from one of their own, especially since their leader was also present. They couldn't refuse knowing that.<p>

"His name is Shinichi Sanban and he allegedly has amnesia," a female member explained. She was standing near the projector, manning its operation.

An arrogant male voice snorted, "So? He's just a bug doppelganger. What's so interesting about a damn insect?"

"This," the female continued to explain, showing footage of Shinichi in his various forms. "While a doppelganger would have to touch a person to assume their form, Sanban can freely shape-shift into different insect monsters of unknown species."

The video showed Shinichi as Ichigo, then as X-Rider, then as Amazon, then as Skyrider and then so on. The slides showed all of Shinichi's "monster" forms. In each one of them he was fighting one of the other students in the odd case one of the members of the faculty like Kotsubo or Ishigami. The video also gave them some idea as to the abilities that each of Shinichi's forms held, but many in the room felt that they only scratched the surface.

"And there's more," the female continued. "It seems that Sanban can also transfer some of his power into another person so they can also change forms, something we have never heard a doppelganger is capable of doing."

Now THAT caught their attention. The next scene of the video showed Showa pushing some of his power into Moka-sama, allowing her to take the form and powers of Kamen Rider Ichigo. The scene after that showed the same with Mizore, except she was turned into Denpa Ningen Tackle.

"What is that belt around his waist? It seems present on all of his monster forms," said the male voice.

"We are unsure, but witnesses claim that before Sanban assumes his monster forms, he summons this belt," said the female. "We originally assume and it could just be a limiter seal and he was deactivating it to transform, but due to the inconsistency of his forms, I am unsure."

He contemplated before speaking, "Have him watched. I want to know more about him. He's not an outcast Ayashi, that's for certain. He's likely some sort of shapeshifter who can mimic the forms of other creatures. I have never heard of a doppelganger such as him before. So, what else is known about him?"

"He is a member of the Newspaper Club. It seems they've revived with new members. The members consist of Yukari Sendou, Kurumu Kurono, Mizore Shirayuki and Moka Akashiya."

"Those eyesores?" Yukari had been known as a trouble maker, Kurumu had been known as a seducer, Mizore had attacked a teacher and finally Moka… Moka was very popular. To the man, any student who drew too much attention to themselves was an eyesore. "Let us pay them a visit."

* * *

><p>"Here you girls go," said Shinichi as he presented his latest creation to them.<p>

"Bracelets?" asked Moka.

"You shouldn't have," Mizore smiled. It was nice to receive gifts.

"Not exactly. These are your new com-links," Shinichi told them. "Kurumu-chan already has those earrings so she doesn't get one but I just thought we could all keep in touch." He showed off the wristwatch he was wearing, "This is mine and Gin's got one too."

The girls looked at the bracelets. There were three of them in different colors. One of them was pink, another one was yellow and the final one was purple.

"Here, let me put these on for you," Shinichi offered. He took Moka's hand and snapped the pink bracelet on. He then did the same for Yukari and Mizore. Yukari got the yellow bracelet while Mizore got the purple one.

Shinichi explained, "As you can see, the gems are actually buttons. Just press down on it to make a call. They're all linked so we'll all hear them but the person who is to receive them has to activate their own com-link as well." He added, "Kurumu-chan is outside now. Try and give her a call, Yukari-chan."

Yukari pressed the button on her yellow bracelet and called, "Kurumu-san, are you there?"

Much to their surprise, Kurumu's voice came out loud and clear, "_Yes, I can hear you. Guess he finished making your com-links_."

"Shinichi-kun, how did you make these?" asked Moka.

Shinichi answered, "I guess I'm just really good with machines. Anyway, I think it's about time we give out the latest issue of the newspaper, don't you agree?"

* * *

><p>It was in the morning hours in which the Newspaper Club would pass out their newest editions for the student population at their school. Despite the craziness of the slug monster which almost got their latest edition destroyed, they managed to get it done on time and ready for publication. The group had gotten popular with all work the put into the papers. However, things were about to take a turn for the worse as the mood grew cold. Shinichi looked to see the students stepping back and making a path for a group of students who did not wear the standard green uniform. Instead, the men were dressed in black and white coats as the girls were dressed in black and white jackets. Shinichi cocked an eyebrow at them and also at the other students who seemed fearful of them.<p>

"Greetings," the apparent leader of the group, an imposing blond young man in a dark coat, announced with a respectful bow. "I'm Kuyou, the head of the Student Police. I'm pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Also pleased," Shinichi answered tersely, bowing as well. There was something about this guy that he didn't like.

"So you're the new Newspaper Club," Kuyou remarked. "You do good work. Just one problem, though." He picked up one of the copies. "I don't recall having inspected this first, though."

"Inspection?" Shinichi asked. "Never heard of freedom of the press?"

Kuyou's eyes flashed with outrage and he kicked down the newspaper stand. "How dare you!-? Don't you realize that when a gang like yours just runs around doing whatever you please, it causes problems for the peace and order of this academy!-?" He stared coldly at Shinichi, the sudden calmness of his tone even more frightening than his outright anger. "Contrary to what you might have assumed, you are not the arbiters of justice here. We are, and we will crack down on all unsanctioned activity in the immediate future... starting with renegades like you."

"Is that a threat?" Shinichi challenged, staring Kuyou down.

"Stop it!" Kurumu shouted. "We were just passing out newspapers!"

"Shinichi, Kurumu, don't!" Gin shouted. "All you're doing is provoking those guys!"

Just then, a tall dark-haired girl spat, and Kurumu's wrists were entangled in a sticky thread extending from the dark-haired girl's mouth. "I see this Newspaper Club is still filled with lowlifes," she remarked with cool disdain. She let out a soft chuckle as she came closer to Kurumu. "Such a stupid, whorish girl. Just like last year."

"You, you –!" Kurumu yelled, her outrage so great she could barely speak.

"Last year?" Shinichi asked, shifting his inquisitive gaze to Gin, who looked like he was caught in some manner of internal struggle. Like he was having a moral dilemma of sorts.

"Don't think that you can keep carrying on as you have!" the dark-haired girl shouted, stomping one of the fallen newspapers under her heel... and relishing Kurumu's expressions and noises of dismay. The students watching were also horrified at the cruel display, but they were also fully aware of the Student Police's reputation – and no one wanted to end up like the newspapers currently being crushed. "Do anything without our permission ever again, and we'll do even worse to you."

As the Student Police walked away, Kuyou turned to the dark-haired girl, "Keito."

"Yes, sir?" Keito asked.

"Watch them," Kuyou ordered. "See how they react."

* * *

><p>Gin chastised both Kurumu and Shinichi, "You both have no idea how lucky you both are!"<p>

"What's your problem, Gin? Those bastards stomped on our hard work!" Shinichi snapped at Gin. Just a thought of that smug blonde made Shinichi's blood boil. Even the guy's holier than thou attitude made Shinichi just want to transform into J and stomp him under his boot.

"Shinichi, keep your voice down!" Gin hissed.

"Why should I?" Shinichi shot back.

"Yeah, Shinichi's right," agreed Kurumu. She had managed to get that webbing off her wrists.

"Listen, those guys are not to be trifled with. The Student Police rule the school. Even the teachers are afraid of crossing them," said Gin. Hearing Gin like this was a bit unsettling. It was almost like...

"Gin, they're the reason you were the only member left before we joined," Shinichi concluded.

"Yeah, that's right," Gin admitted. "We thought we could change things but..." Gin trailed off. "That's why I don't wanna lose anymore members ever again."

"Oh, Gin-sempai," said Moka sympathetically.

"But why _now_?" Shinichi asked. "Why did they come _now_ to harass us?" They had distributed the newspaper before so why did the Student Police decide to show up today and not all those times before. Also, Shinichi noticed how Kuyou was looking at him. It was like he was expecting Shinichi to do something.

"It doesn't matter why now. We're under their radar," said Gin. "I'm sorry, but it looks like we're finished."

"I won't believe that," said Shinichi. He was holding a copy of the paper they had worked so hard on, the one they spent a weekend to finish before the deadline, the one that they had saved from that slimy Nagare. "The Student Police have no right to prevent us from doing what we're supposed to do."

"What? You think you're some hotshot reporter?" Gin asked. "Anyone who goes against the Student Police will be punished!"

Shinichi then repeated what Gin had said on the first day they met, "'We are the Newspaper Club. It is our job to seek out news and report it to the student body, regardless of the danger to our lives. We must be willing to risk all for the sake of our craft, because this isn't gonna be a walk in the park'." He asked, "Doesn't that sound familiar, Gin?"

Gin blanched. He didn't think Shinichi would remember that speech after all this time. "Yeah…but…" he tried to argue.

"Fear gives the corrupt their power," Shinichi retorted. "I won't be part of that."

"Desu, Shinichi-san's right! We can't be afraid!" Yukari said.

Mizore silently nodded and Moka smiled as she agreed with Shinichi.

"Shinichi, are you sure you don't have brain damage?" Gin asked. Since learning about Shinichi's amnesia, he often wondered the cause of it. Could it have been because of a hard blow to the head?

"I'm thinking very clearly," said Shinichi. "If the so-called 'Student Police' wanna mess with us they're gonna have to go through Kamen Rider Showa. Girls, it's time to show them what we're made of! The next time those pseudo-flatfoots come to bother us, I am gonna shove my fist down Kuyou's throat!"

"YEAH!" the girls cheered.

"You're crazy," Gin said, shaking his head. "You're all absolutely crazy."

"Hey, some of the greatest people in history were crazy," shrugged Shinichi.

"Look, I'm just-" the door slid open to reveal a panicked Nekonome-sensei.

"Nekonome-sensei, what's wrong?" asked Moka.

"Ara, something horrible!" the teacher cried.

* * *

><p>"A <strong>SUPER <strong>Newspaper Club!-?" the Newspaper Club exclaimed at once.

Nekonome-sensei nodded, "That's right! I overheard it in the staff room. The Student Safety Committee is going to launch their own newspaper." She cried, "What will we do!-?"

"Great," muttered Gin sarcastically. "This is just what we need."

"So what if they have their own newspaper?" Kurumu snorted.

"You don't understand how those guys work. They can make you do anything with threats and blackmail. That's their forte," said Gin, exasperated.

"We're not afraid, are we, Shinichi?" said Kurumu as she grabbed Shinichi's arm to gain his support.

"If they want a fight, then we'll give them one!" Shinichi said.

"If Shinichi-san isn't afraid then neither am I!" proclaimed Yukari.

"Me too," added Mizore.

"Count me in as well!" Moka said energetically.

Gin sighed and placed his hands on his head, trying to soothe a headache…a big headache.

For the entire week, the Newspaper Club worked hard on their next issue. They weren't going to lose to this NEW SUPER Newspaper Club that the Student Safety/Police Committee was running. No way! Kurumu was not going to lose and she knew just how!

"Tadaa!" Kurumu announced, showing off what they would wear tomorrow. "We'll be wearing these tomorrow when we give out the next issue."

Shinichi and Gin both gawked. It was the very same French maid outfit that Ririko-sensei had made her wear. Now she was putting it to good use. She smiled adorably as she did a twirl. "What do you think, Shinichi?"

Moka glowered as Mizore and Yukari frowned. Kurumu was just doing this to show off to Shinichi who was adjusting his collar because of the rising heat.

"You think that's going to work?" Shinichi asked as he wiped his bloody nose.

"Of course!" Kurumu declared. "No one can resist cute girls in French outfits!"

"Must you always be so vulgar?" Moka growled.

"Don't worry about it! I've got some for you too!"

"EH?"

It was the following morning and the Newspaper Club was ready to give out their papers. The girls were all in their costumes, waiting for customers…but nobody came.

The reason was actually very simple. The Super Newspaper Club was opposite of them and handing out papers to a very enthusiastic student body. It turned out that all of the members of the Super Newspaper Club were female, _very_ attractive females. They were also wearing skimpy swimsuits which were the reason why the males of Youkai Academy were rushing in. swimsuits beat maid outfits all the time.

"This sucks!" Kurumu frowned. "What do they have that we don't have?"

"No shame apparently," Mizore huffed.

"We got off lucky in this case," Gin huffed. "They Student Police can get really violent if they want to."

"This is totally unfair!" Kurumu continued to rant. "Who do those punks think they are?"

"Shhh!" Gin hissed angrily, clamping Kurumu's mouth shut. "They have eyes and ears everywhere! If they hear then things will get worse. Let's just accept defeat now and they'll back off."

"But why though?" asked Shinichi. "I mean, isn't there a headmaster here?"

"Yeah, but he has to be away a lot," Gin sighed. "That's why the Student Police have so much power. They enforce the rules while he's gone. Even if we tried to expose the corruption, we need proof and the Student Police are real good at hiding their tracks."

"Lousy rotten jerks!" Yukari frowned.

"I said shut it!" Gin cried, getting afraid. "Do you wanna die?"

"So they're willing to kill too?" Shinichi frowned. "That makes me lose even more respect for them than I ever had! And I never had any to begin with."

From her place with the Super Newspaper Club was Keito, Kuyou's second in command. She looked towards Shinichi and smirked.

* * *

><p>"Stupid bitchin', authoritative asstards," Shinchi growled to himself as he kicked a rock, "They think just because they're the freakin' Student Police that they can do whatever they want? That just pisses me off!"<p>

Shinichi was walking back to his dorm. After a grueling day of being unable to give out any newspapers, he just wanted to have a nice and long 'date' with his bed. Of course, as he was walking along the path in the eerie forest, his senses picked up a presence.

_'No…not one. Four,'_ he corrected mentally. "You can come out now," said Shinichi. Was it GIN-SHOCKER again coming to take him away?

Keito walked out from behind a tree and leaned against it with her arms crossed. "Good evening, Shinichi Sanban."

"Ah, Keito-san, was it?" Shinichi asked He knew her name from Gin. "How do you do?" No reason to be impolite unless the girl provoked a response, even if he didn't like her. Still, there were those three other presences he sensed. His antenna hair was twitching.

"Isn't it a little late to be out?" she asked.

"I wasn't aware there was a curfew," responded Shinichi as he kept up his guard.

"Oh, we're trying to enforce it. All students must be in their dorms by…10 pm."

Shinichi checked his watch. "Well, I got ten minutes left."

"But unfortunately for you, you will be late," said Keito as she snapped her fingers. "Girls, show him a good time!"

Jumping down from the trees was a trio of girls in the standard Youkai Academy uniforms. They had assumed their true forms which resembled insects, specifically a butterfly, a dragonfly and a beetle. "Fangirls?" asked Shinichi mockingly as he put down his backpack.

"Slaves, really. It's one of the more merciful fates for those who oppose the Student Police," said Keito, smirking. Tonko Oniyama (Dragonfly Girl), Shijimi Chono (Butterfly Girl) and Sumae Mizuno (Beetle Girl) were the Presidents of the Literary Club, Japanese Tea Ceremony Club and Yaoi Manga Club, respectively. Their clubs had been disbanded by the Student Police and they were made slaves by Keito. "They do my every bidding."

"Must be nice to have others to fight for you," said Shinichi as he narrowed his eyes. For a moment they were cold and black but the color returned to them. "Well, seeing as they're bugs I might as well do the same! Let's Ride: Showa!"

Via a camera hidden inside her badge, Keito was sending footage of Shinichi's transformation back to headquarters. Kuyou would be pleased.

_'OK, I already unlocked 12 Riders. I think that's more than enough to deal with these girls_,' thought Showa. The three Insect Girls attacked, taking into the air. Butterfly Girl was first as she kicked at Showa. He blocked with his forearm. Beetle Girl slammed into him from the side, nearly knocking him off balance as Dragonfly Girl attacked and went swinging at him. Keito watched as her slaves overpowered Showa. It would be easy to take him down and bring him to Kuyou for questioning.

Showa gritted his teeth and decided to switch forms, "Let's Ride: ZX!" He assumed his red and white armored, ninja-like Rider form. Suddenly, smoke burst forth from his shoulders, covering the entire area in thick smokescreen. The Insect Girls coughed as they accidentally breathed in the fumes.

"Where is he!-?" demanded Butterfly Girl.

"I can't see! Can't see!" whined Beetle Girl.

"Dammit!" cursed Dragonfly Girl. "Chono, let's use our wings to blow away this smoke!"

Butterfly Girl nodded and together with Dragonfly Girl they beat their wings and blew away the smoke. They thought they were in the clear but Beetle Girl gasped as they found themselves in an entirely new predicament. They were surrounded by ZX clones.

The ZX clones were actually holograms created by the real Showa-ZX. He was hiding among them and since they couldn't sense him, they couldn't tell where he was attacking from. He didn't want to hurt them too badly so he decided to be merciful with them. They were doing this against their will.

He bound them together with his Microchain and sent a shock through it that stunned them. They slumped to their knees, unconscious as Showa-ZX withdrew his Microchain and reverted back to Showa. "Now, where's the other one?" he asked, looking around. He kept his eyes trained on his surroundings.

He walked forward cautiously and then he felt his foot getting stuck upon something. Looking down and resetting his vision to normal, he discovered that he'd walked through a string of spider webbing. "Uh oh," uttered Showa before the thread tied around his ankles like a noose and he was dragged upwards, hanging upside down. He then saw Keito nearby but she had changed. She now looked like a twisted hybrid of a spider and woman. "Ugh," he let out in disgust. Those Insect Girls at least looked hot despite their transformations. Keito was just nightmare fuel.

"I am a Jorogumo," Keito explained, her eyes trained upon Showa, "And like the bug you are you've just been caught in my web. Now it's to wrap you up nicely for Kuyou-sama." She began to produce thick spider silk and started to bind it around Showa. There was no way for him to break out as she quickly enveloped him in a cocoon.

* * *

><p><em>Meanwhile, in the endless white space, Shinichi was receiving a visit from the last Rider in his arsenal.<em>

_"Huh, J-san?" asked Shinichi as he saw the Rider in the green armored bodysuit._

_"I'm ZO," the Rider corrected. "I get that a lot, by the way. J and I do look alike." Upon closer inspection, Shinichi saw that his armor was different as it was patterned with gold lines that were like the veins on a leaf._

_"Sorry," Shinichi apologized._

_"Shinichi Sanban, it looks like you're in quite a pickle. Reminds me of my own fight with a Spider Woman," said ZO._

_"Any advice?" asked Shinichi._

_Holding up his index finger, ZO said, "Just one," before putting it on Shinichi's forehead._

* * *

><p>Back in the real world, Keito admired her masterpiece. "Alright, time to take you home." The cocoon was rocking back and forth. "Give it up. You can't break my…" She paused as she saw it was glowing red and green from the inside. Then, red and green light was bursting out of it, causing her to cover her eyes. All of a sudden, the cocoon exploded and the blast blew Keito away.<p>

**INSERT SONG: AI GA TOMARANAI**

She opened her eyes and saw Showa but in a new form. He was dark green with gold lines in a pattern reminiscent of those found on a leaf. He was on one knee. Then, he stood tall and stared Keito down with his red eyes. "Let's start this Game," he told her.

Getting into a battle stance, Showa-ZO was ready to take the Jorogumo down. Keito attacked first, lunging at him with her fangs bared. He jumped and rolled out of the way. Keito shot webbing at Showa-ZO from her rear but he leapt about like a grasshopper, dodging the globs of webbing which hit the trees. She then leapt at him, striking with her spider legs. He blocked them with his forearms, sparks coming off with each hit. Finding an opening, he punched Keito hard in the gut, sending her staggering backwards. Snarling, she shot venom at him but he jumped and did a flip before landing on Keito's back.

"Ride em, cowboy!" he shouted as he gripped Keito tightly by her hair. She tried to buck him off but he only held on tighter.

"Get off me!" she shouted at him.

"OK, take this!" said Showa-ZO as he leapt off Keito while at the same time kicking her in the back. His body flashed as he reassumed his default form. "Weapon Ride: Laser Saber!"

Keito shot webbing at him but they were cut by Showa's sword, the cut ends smoking as the spider silk lay useless on the ground. He then summoned another weapon. "Weapon Ride: Gravity Hammer!" He dismissed his Laser Saber and gripped the Gravity Hammer tightly in his hands. Rearing it back over his shoulder he slammed it down hard upon the ground. The shockwave made the forest floor tremor and also tossed Keito into the air. Showa then swung his Gravity Hammer, hitting Keito so hard that she flew through the forest, smashing trees in half in her flight before she stopped once she was out of his line of sight. "Game Over," said Showa as he did a thumbs-down meant for Keito.

**END SONG**

* * *

><p>Keito was found wounded by the other Student Police members and taken to their private infirmary to be treated. Kuyou expected a full report from her. She did have something important to say to him.<p>

"He…doesn't have…Youki…" Keito uttered weakly.

Youki was the energy all monsters possessed and standard to all. It was how their power levels were judged. However, Shinichi Sanban had none despite showing off impressive feats of power. His transformation showed that he wasn't human but then what was he?

Of course, now Kuyou had an excuse to bring Shinichi in. He'd 'assaulted' a member of the Student Police which was a severe crime in Kuyou's eyes. Now Kuyou could take down an eyesore who presumed himself above his laws.

"He's human," a voice spoke and Kuyou looked to see Ishigami casually leaning against the doorframe.

"Hitomi Ishigami," frowned Kuyou. "You're a wanted woman, you know."

"Yes, I know. I got carried away and got caught," said Ishigami offhandedly.

"You said 'he's human'. Are you referring to Shinichi Sanban?" Kuyou inquired.

"Yeah. You see I got a bite out of him and he tasted unmistakably human," Ishigami confirmed. "His transformation ability, however, is not human nor is it monster. It's something else."

"Something else?"

"Kamen Rider. I suggest you look it up, Kuyou."

"Do you think you can just walk away?" Kuyou questioned.

"I expect you to see the bigger picture. Who do you hate more? A criminal like me or Shinichi Sanban who thinks he's above the rules?" Ishigami asked. "He openly opposed you in front of the school. The more support he gains the less influence your group will have. You can't allow that, can you?"

"No, of course not. The students need to know who has their best interest at heart and who's in charge," said Kuyou resolutely.

"Then take Shinichi Sanban down, spread the word, and you won't have any trouble. Oh, and don't forget his friends in the Newspaper Club. They printed a rather unflattering article about me. I'm just an artist."

"They're already on thin ice as it is. So therefore I can kill two birds with one stone."

**LEGENDARY RIDERS ALL UNLOCKED!**

1. Ichigo

2. Nigo

3. V3

4. Riderman

5. X-Rider

6. Amazon Rider

7. Stronger (and Denpa Ningen Tackle)

8. Skyrider

9. Super-1

10. ZX

11. BLACK RX (Includes BLACK, Roborider and Biorider)

12. ZO

13. J

**KAMEN RIDER DATABASE**

"Well, it looks like I've finally unlocked the last of the Riders," said Shinichi as he looked at the complete list. "Let's just hope it's enough. Anyway, let's look closely at the featured Rider of this chapter." The screen behind Shinichi showed Kamen Rider ZO. "Now, as you can see, Kamen Rider ZO resembles Kamen Rider J. However, notice the pattern on his suit?" J was shown standing side-by-side with ZO. "See? J has green trim and ZO has patterns similar to a leaf's vein. Anyway, let's get to the more important part."

Shinichi continued, "Masaru Aso, aka Kamen Rider ZO was originally an assistant to Doctor Mochizuki until the doctor conducted experiments on him. Horrified at being made into a grasshopper-like cyborg, Masaru went into hiding in the mountains for two years until he awoke with an unconscious urge to protect Hiroshi. Though he hated Mochizuki, Masaru eventually forgave him before learning the man was telepathically communicating with him."

Shinichi added, "As ZO, his only attacks are ZO Punch and ZO Kick. One of ZO's special features is the Break Toother, a breathing apparatus stored around the mouthplate that shoots out vapors, baring resemblance to fangs when extended."

Shinichi went on, "ZO fought against the Neo Organism who created monsters to find and bring Hiroshi to their master. ZO defeated both of them before finally fighting the Neo Organism who took on the form Doras. Doras absorbed ZO during the battle. However, ZO managed to break free and defeated Doras with his ZO Kick!"

Shinichi finished up, "Well, now that all Thirteen Legendary Riders have appeared, what's next? Well, all I know that it's gonna be action-packed! I just can't wait!"

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: Now all the Riders have been unlocked. Oh, and for those who don't know it ZO also fought a Spider Woman Kaijin in his movie. Next up is the aftermath of Shinichi's actions. What will he do? The climax of this arc is coming soon so watch out and enjoy!<strong>


	14. First Term: Raising Your Power to Gold

**Chapter 14: Raising Your Power to Gold**

"YOU STUPID ASSHOLE!" Gin snapped angrily "I knew you wanted to fight them, but fighting them literally!-? And sending Kuyou's right-hand-woman to the hospital!-? Are you trying to cause a feud?-!"

It was the very next day in the club room and Shinichi had just told them all about his fight with the second-in-command of the Student Police Keito. They were all shocked on how one of the Student Police had attacked one of their friends without being provoked. But the one who was most unhappy was Gin, and it wasn't because of what the Spider Woman did.

"Gin, that spider bitch started it, and would have clearly turn me to a slave if I hadn't act. It was a clear case of self defense," Shinichi said calmly. "If anything, that was a case of police brutality."

"That's not the point!" Gin growled. He grabbed Shinichi's wrist and began to drag him to the door. "We're going right to their headquarters and straightening this mess out. Maybe some groveling would work."

"It's too late for that," a new voice growled.

Gin and Shinichi looked up at the door to see several students in black uniforms at the door. In the front of the group was Kuyou.

"Shinichi Sanban," Kuyou spoke. "You are hereby under arrest by the Student Safety Committee."

"What charges, Kuyou?" asked Gin. This way he'd know what to grovel for.

"Assaulting an officer," Kuyou stated before grinning darkly, "And suspicion of being human."

Shinichi's eyes widened slightly. 'How could he know?' Shinichi had done his best to hide that he was a human cyborg. His transformations, which always had witnesses, would obviously prove he was anything but human and keep suspicion of him. However, Kuyou had found out. He clenched his fists, prepared for whatever Kuyou had planned for him.

"Now Kuyou, that's just insane..." Gin began to say, sweating as to how Kuyou could have known when handcuffs were place on him. "Nani, what this?"

"For suspicion of harboring a human on school grounds, you and your club are all under arrest," Kuyou snickered. "I hope your prepare for a thorough investigation."

"Hold on," said Shinichi as he stepped forward. "Look, I may not like Gin all that much because he's an incorrigible pervert (Gin: Hey!) which we can all agree is true, but it's me you want, isn't that right? I'm the one who put one of your own in the hospital. Gin and the others had nothing to do with that."

"Oh, so you're just giving yourself over in exchange for their freedom?" asked Kuyou. "How noble of you."

"Just give me your word that you won't harm them and I will go with you," Shinichi said.

One of Kuyou's subordinates yelled, "Hey, you're in no position to make demands from Kuyou-sama!" Suddenly, he was frozen in fear as Shinichi looked directly at him. Shinichi's eyes were as black as a void for a few seconds before returning to their indigo color. This did not go unnoticed by Kuyou.

_'I know he's not exactly human, but he isn't a youkai either,'_ thought Kuyou. _'Still, I might be able to use this to my advantage.'_

"Very well, Shinichi Sanban. The rest of your club is free to go. You on the other hand are coming with us," said Kuyou as he removed the handcuffs from Gin.

"Not gonna cuff me?" asked Shinichi.

"Youkai suppression cuffs won't do much good against someone like you," Kuyou spoke. "Now, come with me."

Shinichi looked back to his friends and mouthed, "It'll be alright," before leaving with Kuyou and the Student Police.

* * *

><p>Shinichi was led by the Student Police towards what they called a secured location to deal with the likes of him. He wondered what they meant by that until they reached the place. This time only Kuyou was left with him as Kuyou had ordered his subordinates to perform other duties.<p>

"Nice place you got here. Who does your interior decorating? I'd like to give them a call," said Shinichi as Kuyou led him to the underground dungeon.

"I was told you liked to make jokes, Shinichi Sanban. Even in your current position you can't help but make quips," Kuyou observed.

"Life's too short to be emo," Shinichi shrugged. He then saw the cells were filled with students. "This is a prison," he stated, frowning.

"The unruly students, the rebels, the criminals and those who don't follow the rules are put here so that order can be maintained," said Kuyou. "You should understand that, right, Kamen Rider?"

Shinichi cocked an eyebrow.

"I was told by an anonymous that you were human but I have my doubts. However, you don't have youki either. I wonder how you got your power," said Kuyou.

"Been asking myself the same question since day one," said Shinichi, keeping a straight face, but internally scowling as he saw all the students imprisoned. This just wasn't right.

"I did my research. Kamen Riders are warriors of justice. Therefore I'd like to offer you a position in my organization," said Kuyou. That surprised Shinichi.

"I thought you were arresting me for being human and hurting one of your own," said Shinichi.

"Keito will heal, but I can't allow someone as powerful as you to roam free. I mean you're not exactly human, are you? Not even a youkai. You're a freak and people often fear freaks they don't understand," said Kuyou.

"Sounds like you have experience with that."

"The powerful are often misunderstood. However, I learnt since young that it's better to be feared than to be loved. So will you accept my offer?"

"If I say 'no' I'll be locked up, am I right? Or executed? I suppose you prefer the latter rather than the former," Shinichi said.

"Bright too. At least you know your current position."

"Well, I've been told I was smart but I've also been told I'm reckless," Shinichi shrugged. "The answer's 'no', Kuyou. Hell no."

"I can make your life very difficult for you," Kuyou said, frowning.

"Something tells me I've been there and done that," Shinichi said.

"And what of your friends?"

"Clearly you underestimate them, and clearly you've underestimated me," said Shinichi. "The Student Police is a joke but I'm the punchline!" He then paused. "OK...that sounded a lot clever in my head."

"Hm, then there's no talking to you anymore."

"Negotiations have broken down, huh? Well, Let's Ride!"

* * *

><p>"What will happen to Shinichi-san?" Yukari asked weakly.<p>

"I… can't say," Gin said solemnly. "Worst case scenario is that he could be burnt at the stake."

"But they can't do that to him!" Kurumu cried, "They can't!"

"Unfortunately, they can. And they have for semesters before," Gin shot back.

"This sucks…" Mizore frowned.

"Shinichi-kun…" Moka muttered sadly. He had given himself up so that the rest of them could be safe. He had done so much for them and she had yet to thank him for it. She hadn't even help to return his memories. Getting up, she turned to her friends. "I'm going to help Shinichi-kun," she said firmly.

"Moka?" Kurumu blinked at her.

"Just think about it," Moka said, "He helped all of us when we were each in trouble! He even defended us from the GIN-SHOCKER soldiers. He did more for us than we did for him. Now he is the one who needs us!"

Yukari jumped from her seat. "Yeah! Let's save Shinichi-san!"

"I'm not going to let some jerks who think they rule the school take my Destined One from me!" Kurumu declared as she also got up.

Mizore just nodded as she also stood up.

Gin shook his head, "You guys are nuts…" Then he slowly smiled as he also stood from his seat, "But I guess that makes me nuts too."

"Gin-sempai," Moka smiled happily.

"Shinichi is still a member of our club, so I'm not going to let what happened to my old club happen to him," Gin said. "I still remember the way to the dungeon. That's where they're most likely keeping him. If we hurry, he could still be untouched."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Kurumu said, "Let's go!"

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Showa was fighting against three of the members of the Student Police who, along with Kuyou, made up the group called 'The Four Kings'. They were a golem, a Cerberus and a Jiang Shi.<p>

"Let's Ride: Super-1" called out Showa as he became Super-1 "Hot & Cold Hands!" His gloves turned green and he fired the cryogenic sprayer, freezing the golem instantly. "Power Hands!" The Power Hands were Super-1's red gloves which greatly enhanced his strength. He targeted the golem and called, "Megaton Punch!" His punch was so powerful the golem's body shattered to pieces, leaving behind his naked and unconscious human form. "That was easy! Yikes!" He ducked under the Jiang Shi attack.

"Let's Ride: BLACK!" He turned into BLACK and aimed his belt at the Jiang Shi. "Kingstone Flash!" His belt unleashed blinding red light that forced the Jiang Shi to cover her eyes as she shrieked. Showa-Black then leapt at her and executed his attack, "Rider Punch!" She was sent flying and tumbled along the floor, knocked out.

Last one was the Cerberus. Showa didn't have to do much. "Let's play fetch, fido! Let's Ride: X!" He drew out the Ridol Stick and jumped. "Ridol Longpole!" He called as he extended the Ridol, the extended end hitting the Cerberus' middle head right between the eyes, stunning him. "Let's Ride: Stronger!" He then called out, "Electro Fire!" He slammed his palm on the floor and sent lightning streaking along the surface. The Cerberus howled as he was electrocuted by Showa-Stronger. He then asked, "So, Kuyou, got anything more? Or was that just the warm up?"

Kuyou chuckled, "I suppose I could use some entertainment right now." Fire began to encircle Kuyou's feet as he grinned. He decided to show this fool exactly why he was the leader of the Student Police!

A fireball flew at Showa-Stronger at high speed, exploding and sending him tumbling along the floor of the dungeon. The force of the explosion actually caused him to revert back to his default state.

"My flames are too hot for any Youkai to handle," said Kuyou. "Now, show me that power you're so proud of."

"Well, if you insist!" Showa rose to his feet and charged at Kuyou with a roar as Kuyou grinned.

"Let the execution begin," said Kuyou as Showa's fist flew at his face.

* * *

><p>"What happened to them?" Moka asked, referring to the beaten up and knocked out Student Police members who were lying on the ground in front of the dungeon's entrance.<p>

"Hey, look at this," said Kurumu as she picked up a note that was taped to one of them. "You're welcome. Signed: The Black Blur," she read. "Who the hell is the Black Blur?"

**BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!**

"What was that!-?" yelled Yukari.

* * *

><p>Showa shot at Kuyou with his Vulcan Shooter, only to be blocked by a wall of flame. Flame arrows then shot out of the wall and straight at Showa, forcing him to zigzag around in order to dodge. The hallway was narrow so there wasn't much space. Suddenly, an explosive fireball hit him, causing him to scream as he was sent tumbling backwards, "AH! SONOVABITCH!"<p>

Showa had used his other Rider forms against Kuyou but the leader just shrugged them off like they were nothing. Just what kind of monster was Kuyou? Was he like Moka-sama, an S-Class creature? That would make sense and he was some kind of fire manipulator. Kuyou was revealing his power and hadn't even shed his human disguise.

"I could always try J," murmured Showa. J could stomp on Kuyou. However, he saw all the prisoners in their cells and shook his head. If he tried using J and assumed Jumbo Formation they could get crushed.

"See? Now you're the one who underestimated _me_," said Kuyou as he pointed a flaming finger at Showa. He hadn't even assumed his true form. That was how powerful he was. Clearly he was one of the school's strongest Youkai.

"Yeah..." groaned Showa. His armor had taken a lot of damage.

"You should have taken my offer when it was still available," Kuyou scowled.

"Oh shut up!" Showa yelled as he ran up once again, only for Kuyou to blast him with another fireball which sent him flying backwards. He was flung against the wall as his armor shattered completely. "Oh...things just get better and better..." he mumbled.

"Now, you die," said Kuyou as he prepared the finishing blow. Suddenly, he got distracted as he was hit by wash basins. "What? What is this!-?" he yelled in outrage.

"SHINICHI-KUN!" Moka shouted and Shinichi and Kuyou saw the girls and Gin coming.

"Oh, so you've come to help this freak," sneered Kuyou.

"Yeah, and I got dragged along," said Gin. "I can't let a newbie look cooler than me."

"Shinichi-kun, rest now," said Moka as she knelt by Shinichi.

"Moka-chan?" Shinichi asked.

"Shinichi-kun, take my rosario," said Moka. Shinichi put his fingers around the rosario and pulled. However, it did not come off. "Huh? What's wrong?"

"I…I can't pull it off," said Shinichi.

"Never mind, I can handle this myself," Gin said, cracking his knuckles. "And I've got a bone to pick with him anyway." Without speaking another word, he transformed and warped right up to Kuyou and one single moment, he managed to strike Kuyou with a flurry of punches. The final punch was sent to the gut, causing him to double over, and it was wrapped up with a painful roundhouse kick to the head, which sent Kuyou flying back.

"I don't care if you are justice. You're not messing with my club. Not ever again," Gin spat as he shifted back to human form.

"Wow, that was awesome!" Kurumu cheered. Gin grinned and put up a thumbs-up in victory. "You're still a pervert though!" she added which caused Gin to hang his head in disappointment.

Shinichi looked over to where the leader of the Student Police had fallen. He asked, "Is he down?"

"I don't know, but I don't want to stick around to find out," Gin said, "Let's get out of here."

The rest all agreed and went for the exit. However, it was not over yet as Moka's danger senses flared. She turned and gasped as she saw a flash of fire headed right for Shinichi's back.

"LOOK OUT!" Moka shouted as she pushed Shinichi out of the way. With its intended target gone, the fire arrow pierced Moka right in the shoulder and she shouted out in burning pain.

"MOKA!" Shinichi screamed as he caught her falling form. Yukari gasped out loud when she saw one of her most favorite people in the world get wounded.

"You…" Kuyou growled as he stood with his arm outstretched, "You pieces of filth think you can just walk away like that? This isn't over!"

Shinichi didn't pay attention to what happened next. All that mattered was the girl he was cradling in his arms. She was his very first friends as far that he could remember and the reason he'd stayed in Youkai Academy. She was also the one who'd awakened his hidden power for the first time. He loved her. There was no doubt about it, and not just her. He also loved her other self and not just for her looks. Moka and Moka-sama were two sides of the same coin. One side was cute, sweet and gentle while the other one was confident and strong-willed. He couldn't decide who he loved more. He couldn't.

Now, the sweet and gentle Moka was lying in his arms with a hole burnt through her shoulder because she had risked her life to protect him. He clenched his eyes shut and gritted his teeth as he held her.

A memory flashed in his mind as he held a girl like he was holding Moka, a girl whom he cared for, a girl he wasn't able to save. He couldn't remember her name but the feeling he was having now was the same that he had when that girl had died in his arms.

Meanwhile, as Shinichi was holding an injured Moka, the rest of the Newspaper Club was being overpowered by Kuyou. He injured them severely for their actions against him. He was just too strong for them. It turned out that Kuyou had only been playing possum after the beating he took from Gin so he could finish them off once their backs were turned.

"That is what happens to those who challenge my justice!" Kuyou declared before he started to laugh. Shinichi was still holding the wounded Moka close against him as he screwed his eyes shut. He gently lay her down and stood back up.

Shinichi stared at Kuyou coldly. "Justice?" he questioned. "You don't know the meaning of the word. You're just like a typical Yakuza boss. You rule through fear. It's not justice you're after, it's control. You're a control freak and the worst kind because you actually believe you're doing this out of justice. You're self-deluded."

"How dare you…?" Kuyou growled in anger at the insult. "Who do you think you are!-?"

"Who do I think I am? I am Kamen Rider!" Shinichi answered, "And thanks to you I've realized a new power." He raised his arm and snapped his fingers. Suddenly, mystic circles in the shape of clock faces appeared under his friends. The mystic circles all glowed with an emerald light as the clock hands moved counterclockwise. This wasn't just for show. In fact, their wounds were starting to vanish as they felt themselves being energized. Even their clothes were being mended. Moka, who was lying on the ground, started to regain consciousness as her eyes slowly opened and she looked up to see a grinning Shinichi.

Kuyou was taken aback by this. "What…what is this!-?" he demanded. "What are you!-?" He had no records of Shinichi ever having this ability.

"What am I? I thought I already told you," said Shinichi as his Spark Core appeared. "If you have trouble remembering, then let me tell you again! I'm Showa! Kamen Rider Showa! Seigi no Senshi! And now, it's time to see whose justice is stronger. Yours or mine?" He pointed at Kuyou, "Dead End Game…Start. Let's Ride: Showa!" He was transformed. Then, turning to Moka he grabbed her rosario. "Sorry, Moka-chan, but I'm going to need the other you for this." He then pulled it off, unsealing Moka's true power. Moka-sama let out a yawn and then smiled at Showa.

"Took you long enough," the vampire said. She rubbed the previously injured area. "Interesting…" she murmured.

"Better late than never," Showa remarked and they turned their eyes towards Kuyou who was shaking with rage.

Showa didn't give Kuyou a chance to attack as he dashed towards the leader of the Student Police. A fireball soared over Showa as he ducked before he leapt forward, shouting, "Let's Ride: Ichigo!"

"Toh!" Ichigo nailed Kuyou across the face with a punch, sending him reeling. He then followed up with a snap kick to Kuyou's gut before executing a heel kick to Kuyou's jaw. "Let's Ride: Nigo!" The only thing to change was the color of his helmet, gloves and boots. In the black helmeted and red gloved form of Nigo, he continued his assault.

"Ora ora ora ora ora!" called out Showa-Nigo as he performed a barrage of punches, hitting Kuyou repeatedly in the chest before knocking him backwards with a tornado kick.

Kuyou growled and sent a fireball flying at Showa-Nigo.

"Let's Ride: V3!" Showa stood against the fireball in the form of V3. "Red Lamp Power!" His belt absorbed the fireball, much to Kuyou's shock and then fired it back at double the intensity. Kuyou was blown off his feet and sent tumbling, burning and smoking from his own attack.

"Let's Ride: Riderman!" called Showa again as he became Riderman. He watched as Kuyou rose back to his feet and aimed his right arm at the man. "Machinegun Arm!"

Kuyou howled as he was peppered by a spray of bullets courtesy of Showa-Riderman. He erected a wall of flames to melt the bullets but that was only a temporary solution.

"Blaster Arm!" The Machinegun Arm then morphed into an energy cannon and it fired a burst of energy that broke through the wall of flame and smashed into Kuyou, sending him flying backwards. "Let's Ride: X!"

As Kamen Rider X, Showa wielded the Ridol and pressed the 'H' button to turn it into the, "Ridol Whip!" The Ridol Whip was similar to a riding crop and X-Rider would use it as a fencing sword. Closing the gap between them, Showa-X slashed at Kuyou, cutting open Kuyou's uniform. The Student Police leaded lashed out and grabbed the Ridol as Showa-X tried for another swing.

"You bastard!" Kuyou roared. Nobody attacked him like that and lived, especially not some freakish bug!

"Let's Ride: Amazon!" called Showa and in a flash he was in the form of Amazon Rider. Kuyou was holding onto empty air as the Ridol vanished during the change and then he let loose a scream as Amazon's claws slashed across his face.

"Let's Ride: Stronger!" Showa-Stronger then jabbed his fists into Kuyou's chest and launched him backwards with an electrical attack. Kuyou flailed his arms about as he soared through the air, which was where Showa wanted him. "Let's Ride: Skyrider!" Showa called as he jumped and tackled into Kuyou, sending them both tumbling.

Showa-Skyrider began to pant as he rose to his feet as Kuyou shook with rage. So many changes in a short time were draining, but He still wasn't finished yet. Not yet. "Let's Ride: Super-1!"

"DIE!" Kuyou fired a stream of flames at Showa.

"Hot & Cold Hands!" called Showa-Super-1 as he activated the flamethrower and countered Kuyou's flames. The two streams of flames met in the centre, pushing against each other. Showa-Super-1 was straining and Kuyou's flames were overpowering his. He then ducked to the side and executed his next change.

"Let's Ride: ZX!" He pulled off the Cross Shurikens that were on his elbows and tossed them, hitting Kuyou with the explosives. Kuyou was covered in smoke. Showa-ZX wasn't finished and removed the Impact Bombs mounted on his knees and threw them into the smoke and another explosion rocked the underground dungeon.

Reverting back to his default form, Showa was breathing heavily before he turned to join his friends but then he sensed that it wasn't finished and turned around to face the fading cloud of smoke.

"You…you…you…" Kuyou growled, glaring furiously at Showa who dared to violate his worldview. He was the law! He was justice! Nobody had the right to say differently, especially not some freak with human blood coursing through his veins. "HOW DARE YOU!-?" Kuyou roared as flames exploded off him. Everyone was nearly blown away by the power Kuyou was displaying until he revealed his true form as a demon fox with four flaming tails.

"So, this is his true form," murmured Showa and then Kuyou changed again, blending together his human and demon fox form to assume a humanoid form, which was nude and he had pointed ears as well as pale skin. His flaming tails were still present.

"I WILL WIPE YOU OFF THE FACE OF THIS EARTH!" Kuyou roared as he unleashed his attack. His tails fused as one and he spun around, lashing out with a wave of fire headed for them.

"WATCH OUT!" Showa shouted as he jumped in front and shielded his friends. "Let's Ride: Roborider!" The Prince of Sorrow should be able to endure the heat but The flames were so hot that he could literally feel them through his armor.

He needed a way to win! He needed help!

* * *

><p><em>Shinichi was transported to the infinite white space where he'd met the Legendary Kamen Riders. Standing before him were the Thirteen Legendary Riders as they gazed towards him. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I failed you all." They did not respond verbally or with body language. They just looked at him expectantly. "I have your power but I've let you all down. Now…my friends are going to suffer and pay the price for my actions…" His fists were clenched, "But…that's even more reason for me not to give up!" He looked to the Legendary Riders, eyes filled with determination as he raised his voice.<em>

_"PLEASE, LEND ME YOUR POWER EVERYBODY!" Shinichi pleaded to the Thirteen Legendary Showa Riders. They all gazed at him and nodded before glowing with light. They then turned into orbs of light that collected in Shinichi's hands. The orbs of light then formed into a hexagon-shaped device with a clear round window in the centre. Arranged around the circular window were the symbols of the Showa Riders with his at the very top._

_It was the Legacy Driver._

_"Shinichi, this is all our power," said Ichigo's voice. "Use it wisely."_

_"I will," promised Shinichi as he put the Legacy Driver over his Spark Core._

* * *

><p>A disembodied voice then called out loudly, <strong>"ULTIMATE RIDE: LEGACY MODE!"<strong>

**INSERT SONG: SAMURAI (BY TACKEY AND TSUBASA)**

The flames which hit Showa were suddenly violently dispersed as Showa became surrounded by a pillar of golden light that pierced the ceiling of the dungeon. A mysterious figure was sitting on the roof of Youkai Academy and smirked as he saw the golden pillar of light. "Well, looks like things won't be peaceful here either. Oh well, peace is boring."

Falling from the ceiling was what appeared to be a suit of armor that then fell upon Showa's shoulders and body. Once the bright light died, Showa was shown wearing a new suit of armor. It was gold with broad shoulders and arranged in a circle on the chest were the symbols of the Showa Riders with his at the top. The centre of the circle also depicted his emblem. Flaps of armor hung from the sides, back and front of his belt. His gauntlets and boots had also become gold. Finally, his emerald eyes turned gold as well. His bodysuit had also changed from white to silver. Mounted on his Spark Core was the Legacy Driver he'd received from the Legendary Riders to harness all their power at once.

"Piercing the Darkness! The Heir of the 13 Kamen Riders of Legend! Kamen Rider Showa…Legacy Mode!" Showa declared in his new form.

"Shinichi-san…gained a new power, desu!" Yukari gasped in surprise. This new form was so shiny, sparkly and just radiated with power.

"Kick his ass, Shinichi!" Kurumu cheered. Leave it to her Destined One to always come through when it really counted.

"Damn, he's such a show off," grunted Gin. "But I am so glad I'm not fighting that." While he didn't want to admit it, he was afraid of Shinichi and wanted to stay on his good side. He couldn't say the same for Kuyou though.

Mizore could only nod silently.

"So, Shinichi, this is your true power," Moka-sama said as she admired him.

"Minna, let me handle this," said Showa as he walked towards Kuyou.

"Don't be so arrogant!" Kuyou roared as he threw fireballs at Showa, only for him to smack the fireballs away with his fists and the ones that did hit did no harm to his armor, stunning Kuyou.

"Legacy Saber: Gun Mode!" he called as he summoned his weapon which resembled a golden shotgun but with a blade folded back against the barrel. He then shot at Kuyou repeated, the shots exploding against the Kitsune Demon as he staggered from each hit. "Legacy Saber: Sword Mode!" He pulled the grip of the gun up so it was straight with the rest of the weapon and the blade folded out.

Fireballs were launched at Showa but he killed them with slashes of his sword as he continued to advance on Kuyou. Kuyon then sent a whip of flame at Showa but he leapt over it and swung at Kuyou, slashing him across the chest with his sword. He then spun and bashed Kuyon in the face with the pommel before sending him tumbling with a back kick to the gut.

Kuyou pushed himself back to his feet and roared, his tails all enflames as he prepared to execute his final attack. Unfortunately, he was just too slow.

"Minna, your turn," said Showa and the others went on the attack. Howling, Gin repeatedly slashed Kuyou across the body, using his speed to keep out of Kuyou's range of attack and make him dizzy. Then, the Kitsune Demon was pelted by ice kunai hurled by Mizore. He tried to burn her only to be slammed upside the head by a falling anvil courtesy of Yukari. Growling, he eyed the witch hatefully only to be trapped in Kurumu's illusion as a mist concealed them from his eyes. Striking fast, Moka-sama began to land kicks upon Kuyon, hitting him in the side, his chest and also his stomach before she jumped and dealt a kick into his face, rebounding and doing a backflip as Kuyou was sent staggering.

"Finish it," said Moka-sama.

"Legacy Saber: Gun Mode!" Showa called. He then removed the Legacy Driver and attached it to the side of the weapon.

"**LEGACY CHARGE!**" the Legacy Driver called as Showa aimed his weapon at Kuyou. The symbols of the Showa Riders floated around him before becoming orbs of light that swirled into the barrel.

"Rider Legacy Burst!" he called as he pulled the trigger and fired 13 simultaneous bullets of energy which reformed into the speeding spirits of the Showa Riders. One by one, Kuyou was hit by the Riders and he cried out in pain from the series of blows. Showa then sped towards Kuyou, his Legacy Saber converted into Sword Mode. He shouted, "Owari da!" and with a single slash struck Kuyou with the blade. The energy within the sword caused an explosion.

"Game Over!" said Showa with his back facing Kuyou as he did a thumbs-down for him.

**END SONG**

"Im…impossible…" uttered Kuyou as he fell unconscious, covered in bloody injuries and scorch marks.

"Nothing is impossible, Kuyou," said Showa. His friends were all stunned by the display of power. Showa's armor vanished and Shinichi's eyes closed as he passed out, the girls shrieking after him in panic. Clutched in his hand was the Legacy Driver which had granted him his new power.

* * *

><p>When Shinichi awoke, he found himself staring at white ceiling. Looking around, he found himself in the infirmary, and he was covered in bandages. He glanced to the side to see the cute pink-haired vampire, with a worried expression, sitting next to his bed. "Moka…chan…?"<p>

"Shinichi-kun! You're awake!" she squealed and then hugged him.

"Ah-! Moka, it still hurts a bit!" Shinichi winced. Moka blushed as she released him. "Man I'm glad you're safe."

"Yeah, me too," Moka replied. "We were all worried when you passed out."

Shinichi asked, "So, how long was I out?"

"Four days," she answered. Shinichi's eyes widened. He'd been unconscious that long? "It's the last day of school. Oh, and here's your report card."

"Moka-chan, what else happened?" Shinichi asked.

"After you passed out, we freed all the prisoners. Then the Student Police got disbanded and all the members expelled," explained Moka.

"Wow, I can't believe I missed that," said Shinichi. "So how is everyone else?"

"They're all doing fine!" Moka smiled. "Ano, Shinichi-kun, what kind of power did you use back there to heal us?"

"I think it was some kind of time control," he said, "I found out I could do it after you... well... took the hit..."

"Oh."

"Moka-chan," Shinichi said seriously, "Kuyou could have killed you. I wouldn't have forgiven myself if anything happened to you."

"And he could have killed _you_," Moka countered."You're the first friend I ever made here and my best friend. You helped me to open up to other people. More importantly, you showed me that not all humans were cruel." She hovered over him and brought her head closer to his, "And I really... really... she breathed softly as she dipped lower.

Shinichi expected her to sink her teeth into his neck but then felt her soft lips pressed gently against his. He was stunned but the reacted appropriately as he closed his eyes and kissed her back.

Moka broke the kiss and leaned back, her cheeks pink. "That would technically be our first kiss," Shinichi pointed out. This was the Outer Moka, not the Inner Moka (Moka-sama).

They shared a moment of awkward silence when all of a sudden the door was thrown open and Kurumu came in with Mizore and Yukari. "Shinichi, are you awake yet? I made a new batch of cookies! Freshly baked!" When she saw him she squealed and sprang towards him, only to stop as she was frozen in a block of ice while in mid-air. "ACK!"

"Shinichi," smiled Mizore.

"You're awake, desu," said Yukari.

"Yeah, I'm awake," said Shinichi, smiling. His stomach growled. "Is there…anything to eat? I'm starving."

* * *

><p>Rumors of Kuyou's defeat at Shinichi's hands spread like wildfire and when he was finally let out of the hospital the Kaizo Ningen was hailed as a hero. The entire student body carried him on their shoulders, celebrating the fact that they no longer had to live under the corrupt control of the Student Police any longer.<p>

Summer break was soon upon them and Shinichi learnt that Nekonome-sensei had organized a trip to the human world for them. While he was human, in a matter of speaking, this would be his first time venturing outside the school's mystic barrier. He couldn't wait to see what the outside world was like.

And he wasn't alone either. He had his friends with him. Of course he was still going to need a bike. He couldn't be a Kamen Rider without something to ride, could he?

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER DATABASE<strong>

"It's the final episode!" Kurumu cried in panic. "It's all over!" She was then knocked down by a water basin as Yukari walked in.

"It's only the first arc, you dumb cow!" Yukari huffed. "We still have summer break to look forward too."

"Summer's too hot," Mizore murmured as she snuck into view in front of the camera.

"I'm gonna kill you, you brat!" Kurumu roared as she lunged but she got frozen solid.

"Calm down," Mizore said coolly.

"Now, now, everyone," Moka spoke, "We still have to talk about Shinichi-kun's new armor."

She turned to face the camera as the others flanked her sides as they all announced, **"And here's Kamen Rider Showa's Legacy Mode!"** The screen behind them came to life and showed video footage of the fight with Kuyou. Showa was donned in his Legacy Mode armor and mounted on his Spark Core was the Legacy Driver which he'd used to assume this new form.

"Shinichi-san was able to access this form after he gained the Legacy Driver from the spirits of the Legendary Riders," said Yukari. "When it's mounted onto his Spark Core, it allows him to assume this form."

"Shinichi kicked ass when he used that cool Legacy Mode!" Kurumu boasted.

"The Legacy Mode is Showa's most powerful form to date," Moka continued, "And is believed to have full access to the powers of the 13 Legendary Riders."

"And then there's his main weapon," Yukari added, "The Legacy Saber! It has 2 modes: the Gun Mode and Sword Mode! Shinichi-san's final attack is the Rider Legacy Burst; which can only be used in the Gun Mode. He fires thirteen orbs of light that transform into the Legendary Riders and they each strike the enemy before Shinichi-san deals the finishing blow with the Legacy Saber's Sword Mode! Shinichi-san is amazing!"

"However, I don't think Shinichi has used the Legacy Mode's full power," Mizore pointed out. "He did defeat Kuyou rather easily. Who knows what else he's capable of?"

"Well, maybe he'll show us more in the next season," Moka said hopefully as they all faced the camera and waved.

"**SEE YOU NEXT TIME!"**

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: And so ends the very first arc of S+V, but don't worry. There's more to come, trust me. I'd like to thank Kamen Rider Bushido and Tailsmo for their help in bringing this fic to life and this fic wouldn't have been possible without them. Next arc will begin soon so please hold on to your hats and be sure to wait for the next update. It will be worth it.<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Voice Actor List (so you know what they sound like)<strong>

**Shinichi Sanban/Kamen Rider Showa: Yuri Lowenthal**

**Moka Akashiya (Inner/Outer): Stephanie Sheh**

**Kurumu Kurono: Wendee Lee**

**Mizore Shirayuki: Michelle Ruff**

**Yukari Sendou: Sherry Lyn**

**Gin Morioka: Vic Mignogna**

**Shizuka Nekonome: Lia Sargent**

**Ishigami Hitomi: ****Mary Elizabeth McGlynn**

**Kuyou: Crispin Freeman**

**Legacy Driver's Voice: Fumihiko Tachiki (he voiced the Gaia Memories and is the narrator for Kamen Rider W)**


	15. Witch's Knoll: Danger! BLACK 13!

**Kamen Rider Chrome: So it's August, which is around the time the Japanese school kids are let out for summer vacation. Now, the 2****nd**** arc will begin and we will have the setting change to the human world! Prepare for new characters and also some old favorites. Prepare and…LET'S RIDE!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 15: Danger! BLACK 13!<strong>

Days since Kuyou's defeat at the hands of Kamen Rider Showa, Shinichi's fanclub had grown dramatically. Not only did it include the three former members of the 'Love-Love Alliance' who'd founded it, but also large number of the student body, mostly girls, who thought that he was cool and awesome. That much was evident from all the fanmail he was getting.

The rumors were spread by the Student Police's prisoners which had been freed and with Kuyou and his group being disbanded and expelled, the students could rest easy. However, this also meant that there was no longer a group to police the rules of the school.

* * *

><p>"I always knew Kuyou was corrupt," sighed the Headmaster as he took a sip of tea.<p>

"Well, nothing to do about it now. The fox and his posse have been run out of the school," replied Topper. "So, what will you do?"

"Well, I could always have the Student Police reformed with new members. We can't have any sympathizers among them though or else it'll be the same as before."

"Might I nominate a candidate for the role as the new leader?" inquired Topper.

"Who do you think would make a good leader?" the Headmaster asked.

* * *

><p>"RIDER KICK!"<p>

**WHAM!**

Chopper Rikishi lay unconscious on the school roof. The troll who was also the captain of the school's wrestling team had been outraged when he heard that Kuyou had been defeated. He then opted to fight and defeat the guy who'd defeated Kuyou, in other words Shinichi. Shinichi initially declined until Chopper took Moka hostage. It just took one Rider Kick to knock him out. How pathetic.

"Moka-chan, are you OK?" Shinichi asked the vampire. He pulled her into a tender hug. "Thank goodness." When Chopper had threatened to kill Moka, something inside him just snapped and he showed no mercy. "Come on, let's get out of here. I'll buy you tomato juice."

* * *

><p>"Huh? The human world?" Shinichi asked. He was enjoying a bowl of cheery-flavored kakigori (shaved ice) that Mizore had made for him. He was in the Newspaper Club room with all his friends.<p>

"That's right!" Gin confirmed. "Nekonome-sensei got us special permission to go to the human world!"

"That's great!" said Kurumu cheerfully. "Maybe if we go out to the human world then we can restore more of your memories!" she said to Shinichi.

"That's wonderful news, isn't it, Shinichi-kun?" Moka smiled.

Gin could only moan sadly as he was once again ignored.

Shinichi nodded. This would be a new experience for him. What was the human world like? He noted that Yukari didn't seem too happy about it. "Yukari-chan, what's wrong?"

"I don't want to go," she answered. "I don't want to go to the human world."

"Huh, why not?" asked Shinichi.

"Because humans are scary! And they live in big stone cities! It just doesn't feel natural to me!" said Yukari. Witches drew power from the nature around them.

"Well, you don't have to come, brat," said Kurumu.

"Kurumu-chan, don't be so mean," scolded Shinichi. Shinichi put his hand on Yukari's shoulder. "Don't worry, Yukari-chan. I'll protect you." He then showed her Amazon's friendship sign which she copied. He smiled.

"What does that sign mean?" asked Kurumu.

"Friendship," Shinichi and Yukari answered together.

"Minna-san!" greeted Nekonome-sensei as she entered. "If you must know we're going to the human world, but as an added bonus we have someone else tagging along!" The new arrival entered the room.

"Hello, I'm Leon Smith," the new boy introduced himself. He wore the standard uniform and had long black hair that was tied in a braid with two unruly bangs that stuck out of his forehead. Hanging around his neck was a pair of goggles. His eyes were a piercing silver color.

"Smith-kun has been helping me out a lot this entire semester, so as a token of gratitude I invited him along!" smiled the catwoman.

"Hey, you're Shinichi Sanban, right? I heard you beat Kuyou," said Leon.

"That's right," confirmed Shinichi. "Nice to meet you. As long as you don't try to kill me we'll get along fine." He extended his hand which Leon took and shook.

"Likewise," the new guy said.

"And I'm Ginei Morioka, the CLUB PRESIDENT!" said Gin loudly and proudly. "Welcome to the club! It's a bit late but since you're coming along I guess that makes you a member!" He thought, however, _'Great, another guy. Why couldn't it be a cute girl or something?_'

"You can also call him Ero-sempai," added Shinichi.

"HEY!" Gin snapped.

"Well, it's true," Shinichi insisted.

"You don't need to broadcast it to everybody! What about my good reputation?"

"What good reputation?" quipped Kurumu.

* * *

><p>Shinichi couldn't feel any happier than today as he waited for the bus to come. It was officially summer vacation and Shinichi along with the entire Newspaper Club staff were going to travel to the human world for summer. It would be his first time out of the academy and more importantly though, it was his chance to restore some more of his memories.<p>

"Good morning, Shinichi-kun," a lovely voice said behind Shinichi, prompting him to turn around. The beautiful vampire was dressed in a dark pink one-button blouse over a reddish-magenta dress and cherry red shoes. Shinichi thought that she couldn't get any lovelier but boy was he wrong. "You came early. It's still thirty minutes until everyone's supposed to be here."

"Yeah, but I had nothing to do," Shinichi answered with a smile. "You look great by the way."

"Thank you," Moka said as she blushed slightly, "I see you're wearing the clothing that Kurumu-chan got for you. It looks nice."

"Thanks," Shinichi said as he pulled on his shirt. "Though I'm gonna have to get some new clothes to wear. I can't wear this all the time."

Moka couldn't help but giggle. He was right after all. The pair climbed up to the lowest branch on the nearest tree since they would be here for a while. "Well, I wish to tell you that my Inner Self has been speaking to me," said Moka, fingers on her rosario. "She wishes to fight you."

Shinichi blinked at her with wide eyes. "For real?"

Moka nodded. "The fight with Kuyou left her unsatisfied since she was not able to do much about it. She wishes to fight you and your 13 Rider forms."

Shinichi scratched his head. "Well, I don't want to get in a fight with either of you. But I don't like disappointing a lady either." He looked at her and said, "I guess it might not hurt. I could use a sparring partner anyway," he then waved his index finger, "But no J." He didn't know how strong Moka-sama was to deal with a 60-foot tall giant.

"Of course," Moka said as she held his hand. "Um... may I...?" she asked as asked bit her lip.

Shinichi sighed and removed his scarf. This had become a routine for them. Moka just loved the taste of his blood. "Be my guest."

"Thank you," she smiled as she leaned in closer. As her fangs pressed into his neck with a soft "CHU~!" a warm sensation passed over him. Ever since that first time the sting of her love bites started vanishing and were replaced by an amazing feeling of bliss. He didn't know why he was feeling this way, or if this was what happened when vampires fed out of a favorite host enough times, but he wasn't complaining.

His hands did move unconsciously to her hips, pulling her close.

"Moka-chan, I want to thank you," he said to her as she released herself from him.

"Thank me? For what?" she asked.

"Well, you didn't have to help me with my memories and I know you had very bad experiences with humans, but even now you're willing to go back to the human world." He saw her frown. "Sorry, I didn't mean to bring up any bad memories."

"No, it's fine. It was lonely. I just can't imagine what it's like to not remember your own past," she said sympathetically.

"I know. I don't remember anything except for all the stuff that's happened since the first day I was here," he admitted. "But these memories I have I promise I won't forget them."

Moka smiled. He wasn't depressed about losing his memories. Still... there was something nagging at her. "Shinichi-kun, you said not all your memories are good ones."

"Are you asking me if I want my memories at all?" he asked. She nodded. "To be honest, I'm not sure, but they are my memories. Good or bad I need to face them." He smiled. "At least I'm not alone."

Moka smiled back, "Oh, Shinichi-kun…"

"Moka-chan..."

"Shinichi-kun..."

"Moka-chan..."

"Shinichi-kun..."

"Moka-chan..."

"Shinichi~!Yahoo~!"

The two love birds blinked at the voice near them, and then noticed how close they were together. The pair blushed and scooted away from each other, although Kurumu was close enough to see what just happened.

The succubus' eyes twitched at the sight. "What the hell were you two doing?-!" Kurumu growled as she pulled a familiar looking water gun, only to be frozen in place in a block of ice as Yukari and Mizore approached the group.

"Calm down, Boobzilla," Mizore calmly jabbed.

"Yeah, Moka-san just wanted some of Shinichi-san's blood!" Yukari defended.

"Indeed. At that angle it was obvious just a casual drink instead of a lover's embrace." Mizore said. It was really the main reason she didn't throw an ice kunai at Moka's head.

Shinichi and Moka hopped down from their perch. "So I guess we all got here early," Shinichi said.

"Looks that way," Kurumu nodded after Yukari thawed her out with a magic kettle of hot water. "Still plenty of time left before the bus arrives."

Shinichi looked and saw that they were all packed and ready to go. Still, Gin, Nekonome-sensei and Leon hadn't arrived yet. Digging into his back pocket, Shinichi fished out a deck of playing cards.

"So...anyone interested in a game of poker?" he asked casually.

All the girls raise an eyebrow "Poker?"

"Yeah since Gin, Leon and Nekonome-sensei aren't here yet, I think we can play a game until they show up."

"It would be a good way to pass the time," Moka said.

"Yeah, that sounds like fun," Kurumu nodded.

"Let's do it, desu!" Yukari beamed as Mizore nodded.

Shinichi watched as the girls suddenly huddled together, making silent bets, before sitting in a circle with Shinichi. He shuffled like a professional and then dealt them each their hands of five cards each.

"Alright, so here's how we play…" Shinichi began.

* * *

><p>Several minutes passed and there were squeals of victory and moans of defeat. By that time Gin, Leon and Nekonome-sensei had come, the bus arrived and everyone took their seats. Mizore sighed happily as she sat next to Shinichi while the other girls pouted with annoyance.<p>

Leon was dressed in a sleeveless black shirt with black slacks. He also wore a pair of leather boots on his feet. He was seated next to Gin.

"Oi, do you think something happen?" Gin asked curiously as he looked at the girls.

"Who knows? It was probably something silly like winning something." Leon said, not knowing how right he was.

The bus driver looked out from his seat with an eerie glow from his eyes. "So, you're Shinichi Sanban, eh?" he said with a gruff voice, "I've heard a lot about you from the Headmaster."

"You did?" Shinichi blinked. Did this mean that the Headmaster knew about him after all?

"Yep," the driver grinned. "A lot of crazy stuff will be coming your way now… I hope you're prepared for it."

"Thanks…" Shinichi answered, "I'll keep that in mind."

"Okay, now that everyone is here, let's get this trip started!" Nekomone-sensei stated happily.

* * *

><p>As the bus went into the tunnel, Shinichi's started developing goosebumps on his tingling skin. He felt a bit odd. This tunnel wasn't normal. Then again, what was normal in Youkai Academy? The bus exited the tunnel and the odd feeling Shinichi had just vanished.<p>

Shinichi spent most of the trip looking out the window, taking in the view of the world beyond Youkai Academy's barrier. Mizore fell asleep and rested her head against his shoulder. He didn't mind at all.

Once arriving at their hotel where they would be staying for their trip, Nekonome-sensei said, "I'll get us checked in. You all can use this time to explore. Just be careful, alright?"

* * *

><p>As Shinichi walked around in the city with the girls, it didn't go unnoticed by them that they were being watched. Well, the girls were getting all the attention. Shinichi was being envied. While Kurumu was drinking up the attention and Mizore ignored it, Yukari was nervous and clung closely to Shinichi.<p>

"It's fine, Yukari-chan," said Shinichi, smiling. "I'm here." He held her hand tightly, their fingers intertwining.

Yukari looked at him and smiled. He was just so sweet and kind. She was an only child so she didn't have any older sibling. But if this was what it was like to have an older brother, she couldn't complain.

Shinichi then spotted a mother walking hand-in-hand with their young child and then all of a sudden he had a random memory flash…

(MEMORY)

_"Kaa-chan! Kaa-chan!" a little boy holding a balloon in one hand pointed to the arcade. "What's that?"_

_"It's called an arcade, honey," a woman whose face was blurred answered cheerfully. "Do you want to go in?"_

_"Yes, yes!"_

_The two entered and the little boy went to the whack-a-mole machine and pointed at him._

_"I wanna play that!"_

_"OK, let me put you on the chair, honey so we can play together."_

_"Thank you, Kaa-chan!"_

(MEMORY FLASH ENDS)

"So...I did have a mother..." he murmured.

"Did you say something, Shinichi-kun?" Moka asked.

"I...I think I've been here before when I was a kid," he answered.

"Really?" Kurumu exclaimed happily. "That's great news!"

"What did you remember?" asked Moka.

"I was a little boy and my mother took me to the arcade. We played whack-a-mole," he told them. At least there was one good memory. However, his musing would suddenly be interrupted as he screamed, "DUCK!"

He pushed all the girls to the ground as a rocket soared over them and then struck the ground nearby, causing an explosion. The people began to scream and panic as they started to flee.

Shinichi looked up and focused his telescopic eyesight and saw perched atop a nearby building was a GIN-SHOCKER Cyborg Mutant.

* * *

><p>"Blast, I missed!" yelled Rocket Gecko-Borg in frustration. He was a gecko-like humanoid with rocket launchers mounted on his shoulders. He also had a targeting system built into his eyes. "Well, I can try again!"<p>

* * *

><p>"GIN-SHOCKER!" Shinichi identified when he saw the creature and its belt.<p>

"What?-! Again!-?" Kurumu cried. "Can't those guys ever leave us alone?-!"

"Apparently not," Mizore said with a shiver in her voice. She was understandably stunned with what just happened.

"Come on, we have to get out of here!" Shinichi shouted as he led the girls through the panicking crowd.

* * *

><p>"Ahh, it's been a long time since I was able to get into action like this!" Rocket Gecko-Borg said as he started hopping from roof to roof with a demonic grin. His superiors had told him that BLACK 13 was spotted entering the city with the people that were with him. His mission was simple: subdue and capture BLACK 13 and eliminate the girls with him.<p>

"Let's see. Where are you, BLACK 13...?" the gecko Cyborg Mutant muttered as he activated his targeting system to search for the Kaizo Ningen. "Ah-ha! There you are!" Rocket Gecko-Borg grinned as his he spotted the boy to be down below and not too far from him. He grinned as he took aim. "FIRE IN THE HOLE!" the Cyborg Mutant roared as he unleashed the rockets.

* * *

><p>Shinichi looked back as he saw the rockets flying right towards them. What kind of sick people were GIN-SHOCKER if they were willing to fire rockets on innocent school girls? Granted, school girls that weren't human but still innocent nonetheless. "Damn it! Take cover!" Shinichi shouted as they all dove into an alleyway. The rocket flew past and exploded, causing more screams of fright to be heard.<p>

Shinichi grimaced as all the cries cut through the air. He looked to his friends and saw that they weren't faring any better. Yukari was crying into Moka's chest as the pink-haired girl did the best she could to comfort her, but she was just as freaked out. Kurumu and Mizore were even hugging each other for security as the trembled on the spot. Understandably, none of the girls ever had rockets launched at them before.

Shinichi had to stop this now. Rocket Gecko-Borg was just going to keep doing what he wanted until he got what he was after or was stopped. Standing up, he summoned his belt, causing the girls to look at him.

"Shinichi-kun, where are you going?" Moka asked.

"Stay here," he told them. "Let's Ride: Showa!" He transformed and his armor formed. The flashing of his green eyes signified that the transformation was complete.

"But..."

"Stay here! Let's Ride: Skyrider!"

He shot into the air towards the building to confront the Cyborg Mutant. Rocket Gecko-Borg saw Showa-Skyrider and fired more rockets which Showa-Skyrider kicked upwards so they would explode harmlessly. He then rocketed towards Rocket Gecko-Borg and tackled into the Cyborg Mutant, sending them tumbling along the floor.

"Glad I got your attention, BLACK 13," Rocket Gecko-Borg.

"Can't say the same," Showa-Skyrider frowned. "Don't you freaks know I'm on summer vacation?"

"Summer vacation?" Rocket Gecko-Borg mocked as he stood up. "Hehehe, so the rumors are true after all. The terrifying BLACK 13 who singlehandedly brought military bases to their knees is trying his hardest to act like a normal school boy! HEHEHE!" Rocket Gecko-Borg cackled madly as if he were high on drugs.

"What so funny?" Showa-Skyrider snapped.

"Oh nothing! It's just the fact that someone who has so much blood on his hands think they can act just like a regular kid is so fucking hysterical!" Rocket Gecko-Borg cackled.

"What the hell are you talking about?-!" Showa-Skyrider snapped as he flew at the Cyborg Mutant. Rocket gecko-Borg grinned as his tail waved with electricity crackling from it. It bashed into Showa-Skyrider, sending him flying backwards and forcing him back into his Showa Form.

"Still want to play dumb? Very well, you can keep your act as I send you to hell!" The Cyborg Mutant sneered. He lashed out his tail again, but Showa was prepared this time. He summoned his Laser Saber and rushed in to effectively cut off the tail, causing Rocket Gecko-Borg to scream in pain.

"What's wrong?" Showa taunted, "I thought geckos could grow their tails back."

"Bastard!" Rocket Gecko-Borg roared as he fired his rocket launchers. Showa switched to Biorider Form and liquefied himself to effectively avoid the attacks as he got in close and began striking the Mutant Cyborg in all corners. Thanks to being in the form of water, Showa-Biorider could not be damaged as he attacked at such a range. But that didn't stop Rocket Gecko-Borg from trying

"D-damnit," Rocket Gecko-Borg nearly shouted as he jumped back with his chest opening to reveal a salvo of rockets. "You may be tough, but let's see how well your friends handle being blown up! OPEN FIRE!"

The rockets went flying and Showa-Biorider immediately reacted as he changed into Skyrider. Gecko-Borg then made his escape. He would survive to fight another day. He just hoped he didn't fail too miserably the next time. GIN-SHOCKER had zero tolerance for failure.

Meanwhile, Showa-Skyrdier flew after the rockets. He needed to blow them up quickly and then he got an idea.

"Let's Ride: ZX!"

In ZX he activated his jet boots and then flung his Cross Shurikens at a couple of rockets, hitting them. They exploded instantly. Then he flung his Impact Bombs which were mounted on his knees, destroying a few more explosively. He then flung his micro-chain at some and tied them up into a bunch as they exploded. The explosion was too close to him and he was flung towards the ground only to be caught in Kurumu's arms.

"Kurumu-chan?" he questioned the succubus as she started to hover down to ground level.

"Are you okay?" Kurumu asked concernedly as the rest of the girls circled him.

"Yeah, thanks for the save Kurumu-chan," Showa-ZX said gratefully, glad that she and everyone were okay.

"No problem," said Kurumu. "Just…don't forget that we can help."

"I'll keep that in mind."

* * *

><p>"Tsk," Rocket Gecko-Borg snarled as he limped into the abandoned street which he'd attacked. "You may have won this one Cicada boy, but when we meet again, I will win!"<p>

"I'm afraid you will never live to see Showa again," a voice stated calmly, this made the mutant whirl around to see a flicker of light before he screamed as he was cleanly cut in half. He exploded instantly.

"Rest in Peace..." The figure stated as he walked away from the remains of the Cyborg Mutant.

* * *

><p>Back at the hotel, Shinichi and the girls met with Leon, Gin and Nekonome-sensei. What happened was on the news and someone managed to capture a picture of Showa-Skyrider flying. Then the explosions were also seen in the air.<p>

Leon asked, "What the hell happened when you guys were out?"

"Oh, well some crazy lunatic tried to attack people so I decided to stop him," Shinichi quickly lied, hoping Nekonome-sensei and Leon bought it.

Luckily the teacher did, "Well I'm glad you are concerned about people's lives Sanban-kun, but I want you to be careful next time. Humans aren't that big on monsters so turning into one in broad daylight is not a good idea."

Moka whispered, "Shinichi-kun, do you think we should tell Nekonome-sensei about..."

"No," he denied. Their cheerful catwoman teacher didn't need to be troubled with that kind of information. Still that Cyborg Mutant was still at large. He would need to track him down and destroy him. But first, he had a feeling he needed some wheels.

* * *

><p>Later, Shinichi decided to take a walk and explore the city alone. Of course he had another reason for going out. He was going to get a motorcycle. He couldn't be a Kamen Rider without something to ride, could he? This could be his chance of finally fulfilling that empty part of his identity.<p>

It would be a custom model, specially made for him according to his own specs. Now he just needed to find a place to get it made. He'd heard that there was a custom motorcycle shop in town. So he was hoping this place should be able to make his motorcycle.

Continuing his quest, Shinichi finally found what he sought. What was before him was a light green, two-story building with a garage and storefront on the main floor. The garage door was closed. Over the front door was a metal cutout of a black dragon with red eyes and its mouth agape. The side on the dragon read: "DRAGON'S DEN."

"This must be the place," he said before opening the door. "Excuse me?" Shinichi called as he walked in.

He saw a girl at the counter, reading a book. She had snow white hair that went past her shoulders and two elbow-length bangs that framed her face. He noted that her eyes were deep blue and looked as cold as ice. She also had a bored expression on her face. What he could see of her wardrobe was a white jacket with a black fur collar and black fur sleeve cuffs and she wore a black tank top underneath and he noticed her impressive cleavage. She had a snowflake-shaped pendant hanging from her neck. He admitted to himself that the girl reminded him of Mizore.

The girl looked up from her book and spotted Shinichi. "Hello..." she almost whispered.

"I heard you make custom motorcycles here, is that right?" Shinichi asked. The girl nodded and he continued as he pulled out a piece of paper, "Can I ask you to make me a motorcycle with these specs?"

The white-haired girl read the paper before she picked up the phone, "Onii-sama, we have a customer..."

A door from the back opened and a man came walking up to the front desk. His hair was short, spiky with many of his bangs spiked and styled to look like horns, lightly tanned skin, and deep blue eyes. He wore a sleeveless black shirt and a pair of jeans. Shinichi spotted a golden cross-shaped pendant hanging around his neck with an oval-shaped ruby in the center.

"Hey there, whassup?" the man greeted. Yuki handed him the paper and he read it. He asked, "So you need a motorcycle, huh?"

"Yeah," Shinichi nodded. "By the way, how long does the work take?"

"Well, for what I have planned for this motorcycle," he started, "It'd take about a week tops since I have to order the parts from home. Our tech is more advanced than what's in this small town."

"And the cost?" he inquired.

"Just about 5,000 yen for the shipping fees," he answered.

"And the cost to build the motorcycle?"

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that," the man dismissed. "I get the parts from my dad back home."

Shinichi looked at the guy and cocked a brow, "So I just pay 5,000 yen? That's it?"

"Yeah, man," he smiled.

"What's the catch?"

"Hey, do I look a kind of guy that would con a customer?" he frowned.

"Sorry, but we just met so I can't make a judgment," Shinichi clarified.

The man thought for a second and spoke again, "OK, so how about this: I build you the motorcycle first with the parts I have here and you test it out. If you don't like it, then you can walk away and we won't have to see each other ever again."

"Deal," Shinichi nodded. "I'm gonna be in town for a few weeks." He put down a piece of paper with his phone number written on it. "Here's my contact info. Later, and thanks."

"Perfect," he smiled before Shinichi left. "Yuki check how many Momentum Drives are left, please." She nodded and headed to the back. He read more details from the paper and grinned, "This is gonna be one of my best works ever..."

* * *

><p>Around that time, two people were sitting together at one of the parks that the city played host to. One was a boy around 16, who looked to be of American descent. He had neat black hair that reached down to his chin, and red eyes that seemed to be as bright as a sunset. He was wearing a blue shirt with a black X on it, blue jeans and black sneakers. He was also wearing a blue bandana on his forehead.<p>

Behind him with her arms around his waist was a girl who was not only of the same age, but also the same height. She had long silky brown hair that went past her shoulders with the bangs on her head that looked like folded fox ears. Her eyes were in a crystal shade of blue and her face looked happy and content as she rested her head on the boy's shoulder. Her wardrobe consisted of a red Chinese blouse that showed her bare arms, tight black pants and brown boots that reached to her knees.

As the couple was enjoying one another's company, a ring was heard from the boy's pocket. Blinking out of the moment, he loosed the girl's arm slightly, to pull it out. Flipping opened, he answered. "Yo... Hm, what? Alright, be right over."

"What was that this time, Airen?" the Chinese girl asked with a slight pout.

"Yuji," he answered as he stuck his phone back into his pocket. "He said that he and Yuki-chan are starting on another project for a new client and he needs my help on it. It must be a big one if he called me."

"Must be some client," she blinked.

"I'll bet," he nodded. "Anyway, I'll see you later."

"Good luck on it then. But then again, you won't need it," the girl smiled as she pecked him on the lips.

* * *

><p>"Welcome back, Shinichi-kun," Moka greeted as Shinichi returned to the hotel. "How was your walk?"<p>

"It was OK," he answered.

"Did you manage to find that thing that attacked earlier?" she asked.

"No, I tried but I couldn't find him," Shinichi answered. "So, what are we having for dinner?"

* * *

><p>Shinichi returned to the Dragon's Den a week later. "Hey there, Yuki-san," he greeted.<p>

"Welcome back…" she returned as she sat at the counter.

"Hey, Shin!" Yuji called as he and another boy his age wheeled in a vehicle from the back of the shop.

It was sleek, silver in color, had three wheels, four exhaust pipes that were on the sides of the rear wheel, and a golden XIII was plated to the front fender. (It's modeled after Placido's D-Wheel "The Terrible Omen" from Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's)

"Meet your new motorcycle," Yuji grinned.

"Wow, she's just as I designed her!" Shinichi marveled.

"She was definitely a challenge, but with Netto's help we were able to get her done," Yuji gestured at the red-eyed boy next time him.

"Netto Kusanagi. Nice to meet you," Netto greeted as they shake hands.

"Hi, I'm Shinichi Sanban. Nice to meet you too," he returned.

"What will you call her?" Yuji inquired.

"The Cyclone-X3,'" he answered. Shinichi had thought of the name beforehand and it seemed to fit.

"Not bad," Yuji smiled. "She's gonna need one more coat, so you can help me put one on."

* * *

><p>Outside, the girls had been following Shinichi and quietly approached the Dragon's Den.<p>

"Shinichi-kun has been acting strange for the past week," Moka said worriedly.

"What if...what if there's another woman?" Yukari panicked.

"I'll freeze her..." Mizore coldly promised.

"No floozy is coming near my Destined One!" Kurumu assured.

They spotted an open window and put their ears to the gap so they could listen in on what was going on.

"So, what do you think?" they heard an unknown man ask.

"She's gorgeous," Shinichi said gleefully. "And it really just costs 5,000 yen?"

"Yup, so get on and ride her."

"I will. I can't wait to get on and give her a ride."

That was the last straw.

"SHINICHI!" the girls shouted as the door burst open.

"If you wanted to have sex with someone, pick me!" Kurumu volunteered, "I'll even do it for free!"

Yuji looked to the front and blinked, "What the hell?"

"Girls!" Shinichi jumped.

"¡Ay, caramba!"Netto gaped.

"Where is she?" Mizore demanded.

"How could you do this to us, Shinichi-san!-?" Yukari cried.

That was when Yuki got between the boys and girls as she had a pair of Desert Eagles in her hands, aimed right at the Youkai Academy girls. "Do not disturb Onii-sama and his client..." she threatened. Her eyes began to glow and even Mizore was a little deterred by the girl's killing intent.

"Uh, Yuki-chan?" Netto gulped, "Anger management please..."

"This isn't like the last time, Netto," Yuki replied coldly, "I did not shoot them this time, did I…?"

"Yuki, just lower the guns, please. I'm sure it was just a misunderstanding," Yuji said calmly. Yuki nodded and holstered her guns at her thighs. "Now then, why were you guys acting so non-plus about a motorcycle?"

"Huh?" the girls blinked confused. "Motorcycle?"

"Yeah, we were talking about his new motorcycle," Yuji said.

"He asked for our service and we made him this," Netto added, patting on the newly dubbed Cyclone-X3.

"New motorcycle? Then it wasn't...?" Moka began to say, feeling embarrassed.

"Wait... Did you guys think I was paying someone for sex?-!" Shinichi said in surprise.

"Err... Well, it's not our fault you keep calling it a 'she'!" Kurumu said defensively.

"Were you girls following me?" Shinichi asked.

"Well, you've been acting strange for the entire week we were here," said Moka. "And you've been talking a lot on the phone and you don't even tell us who you've been talking to."

"I kinda wanted to keep this as a surprise," said Shinichi.

"So, this is really yours?" Moka asked as she approached the motorcycle.

"This is her," Shinichi patted the motorcycle. "My new bike, the Cyclone-X3"

"My employee and I built her," Yuji added

"Um...hi," Netto waved.

"And we were just gonna start painting her," Shinichi finished.

Yuji started pushing the girls out, "So if you'll excuse us, we are very busy and have to put in protective gear during the painting procedure. Now please wait outside." He closed the door. "Alright, no more distractions."

"So, let's start painting," Netto suggested to Shinichi.

"Definitely," Shinichi agreed.

* * *

><p>The next day, Yuji took everyone to a race track in town so Shinichi could test his new wheels. He got a license beforehand, so there were no problems. The girls were sitting in the stands. The Cyclone-X3 was a given an extra clear coat to protect it against the harsh elements.<p>

"OK, this will be its first test drive," Shinichi said excitedly.

Yuji tossed him a helmet, "Try not to break any bones. I'll keep record of your time and her performance."

"Well then...let's ride!" Shinichi grinned as he revved the engine and sped down the track. He zoomed around the circuit on the Cyclone-X3. The girls watched him maneuver along the curves with ease.

"But he's never ridden a motorcycle before!" Moka said in shock.

"I guess he's a natural," Kurumu surmised as she watched.

"Go, Shinichi-san!" Yukari cheered.

Yuji kept his eyes on both Shinichi and the timer. He had a pad that monitored the Cyclone-X3's speed. "Good, looks like she's holding up well," he nodded.

Shinichi reaches the goal and then he slowed down. He stopped and removed his helmet, "A+. Good job." He gave Yuji a thumbs-up.

"Yeah, she clocked in at 120 mph in under 2 minutes," Netto added with an impressed smile.

Shinichi rubbed the Cyclone-X3's chassis affectionately, "Now I think this will be my one and only ride. I just love the feeling of something big and hard vibrating between my legs." Awkward silence followed for a moment after that statement. '_What's wrong with me?_' Shinichi thought. Did he just not have a language filter?

"That's good," Yuji nodded, ignoring Shinichi's 'big and hard' comment, "And you have to be the one to care for her, just as she takes care of you out on the road. A motorcycle is more than just a vehicle; it is part of you, heart and soul," he said as he patted his chest where his heart was.

"I'll remember that," Shinichi nodded. "Yuji-san, Netto-san, Yuki-san, thanks."

"No problem," Netto smiled as Yuki simply nodded. "Whatever you need you can just call us for it."

Shinichi nodded back and turned to the girls. "So, what do you guys want to do today?"

"The beach! The beach!" Yukari cheered.

"It sounds like a good idea," Moka nodded.

The conversation was suddenly interrupted by a shrilling screech cutting though the air. A red blur suddenly appeared out of the sky and landed to the ground with dust picking up.

"What the?-! Another GIN-SHOCKER goon?-!" Kurumu cried.

"Huh?" was all Yuji, Yuki and Netto could say.

"That's right!" Grease Monkey-Borg nodded gruffly. He had golden armbands with a gold chest-plate. His arms were as hairy with red fur as expected. His face looked a lot like a gorilla's, but it had a gold band around his forehead. His feet were strapped with a pair of sandals. Oddly, there was a large tank strapped to his back. "I'm here to pick the slack that punk Rocket Gecko-Borg left off." He pointed to Shinichi who scowled, "Alright BLACK 13, I'm taking you back!"

"BLACK 13…?" Yuki questioned to the girls.

"Something that GIN-SHOCKER has been calling him!" Moka explained. "We don't know why they're after him just that they are!"

"Is that right?" Yuji frowned.

"Are you people deaf or something?" Shinichi scowled as he got up from his motorcycle. "I told you! I'm not going anywhere with you freaks! Let's Ride: Showa!"

The flash of light appeared and Showa was placed into his armor. Yuji, Yuki and Netto all looked on in shock what they saw.

"Kamen Rider…" Yuki muttered.

"So that's why he needed a motorcycle," Netto added. "What's a Kamen Rider without a ride?"

"So you really are trying to revolt, eh BLACK 13?" Grease Monkey-Borg growled as he out a large red staff with gold ends. "Looks like I'll have to mess you up first!" With a roar, he raised the staff over his head and leapt at Showa. Showa rolled out of the way, causing the earth to shake as cracks ran through the ground, and brought out his own Laser Staff (Laser Saber Staff Mode). The two combatants rushed at one another and started to engage. Sparks flew out as the weapons parried one another.

"Shinichi! Hang on!" Kurumu shouted as her claws appeared.

"No! Stay back!" Showa shouted as he was brought into a deadlock. "I don't want any of you hurt!"

Grease Monkey-Borg grinned. "You know, my superiors were wondering what kind of people those girls with you are. Once I bring you in, I'm sure they would make perfect contributions to GIN-SHOCKER."

Showa's eyes narrowed, "Wrong choice of words ASSHOLE!" He kicked off of Grease Monkey-Borg and began slashing his staff around, causing pain for the Cyborg Mutant.

"Weapon Ride: Vulcan Shooter!" he called out as he summoned firearm. He began shooting at the large ape. Then he lunged forward and kicked him in the face.

"Ugh!" Grease Monkey-Borg snarled as he stumbled back. Seeing Showa come at him again, he did a leap over his head before hitting him in the back with his staff. Grease Monkey-Borg turned to see Showa staggering from the hit and then grinned. As Showa turned around, the ape's body shimmered before he turned into an exact copy of Showa himself.

"What?" Netto gasped.

"No way!" Yukari cried.

"Oh no!" Moka exclaimed.

"Ah crap!" Showa shouted out before the doppelganger Showa took advantage of his shock to attack with his own Laser Staff. Showa was stuck fighting with himself as he countered all the slashes, but Grease Monkey-Borg didn't just copy his form, but also his moves so all of them were countered and Showa was sent reeling. Grease Monkey-Borg didn't stop there as he spat black oil into Showa's eyes, blinding him.

"They said I had to bring you alive, but they didn't say by how much!" Grease Monkey-Borg sneered as he changed back to normal. "Now BURN!" he shouted as he blew fire at him. However, the flames never touched him as Yuji stood in the way and blocked the flames. No, he was ABSORBING the flames. He took in a deep breath and sucked the flames into his mouth. This shocked Grease Monkey-Borg.

"Nobody hurts my clients while I'm around," said Yuji and he opened his mouth to breathe back out the flames he'd swallowed in the form of a fireball. Grease Monkey-Borg howled and jumped out of the way as the spot where he'd stood exploded.

"Yuki, my belt," Yuji called.

"Hai, Onii-sama," said Yuki as she reached inside her bag and then pulled a hi-tech belt out with a black strap and white buckle that was framed by golden fangs and fitted with a horizontal slit. She tossed it to Yuji who swung it across his waist as it locked magnetically to the other side. He then pulled athick white card with black circuit lines and a black "Z" in the center from a case on the belt's left side and smiled at the Cyborg Mutant.

"You wanted a Rider, now you're going to deal with one," said Yuji. "Henshin!" he called as he slid the data card into the belt's buckle.

"**ZERO FORM!"** a computerized female voice from the belt called out as it projected a white Z from the buckle before it bust into shards of white energy.

Yuji was then covered by a black bodysuit with white plating on the sides of the sleeves and thighs. White gauntlets, with armored plating on the back of his hands with black gloves adorned his arms with a pair of gold claws that were folded back on his wrists. His legs were covered by white greaves, with black boots, and gold claws were folded back against his shins. He had white armor covering his torso and his white shoulder pads were blade-like and curved back. He wore a black helmet with a white, lion-themed, face plate with gold fangs and red eyes. Red nodes rested on the outside of his wrists, knees, elbows, and ankles. A black, cat-like tail swished back and forth behind him.

**Music – "Strike Laser Claw"**

"Who are you?-!" Grease Monkey-Borg demanded. "

"The name's Kamen Rider Liger," the new Rider introduced, "And it's time to get wild!" He roared and charged ahead as he punched Grease Monkey-Borg in the face, following up with a left hook to the gut and a spinning left back kick that launched the Kaijin into a set of tires.

"Fudo-san is a Kamen Rider, desu!" Yukari gasped.

"I can't believe it," uttered Moka. She knew there were other Riders but never thought they would meet one so soon.

"Man, he's cool," admitted Kurumu. Mizore nodded silently. Of course they would also add in their heads, '_Not as cool as Shinichi though._'

The gold claws on Liger Zero's wrists folded over his hands as he slashed away at Grease Monkey-Borg's body, sparks bursting from the contact as flesh and metal was torn away as well. The Cyborg Mutant growled as it blasted his flames at the new Rider as they were evaded by Liger Zero as he weaved from side to side on all fours like a big cat. He then jumped and flipped through the air before delivering a drop kick to Grease Monkey-Borg's face, making him stagger back as Liger Zero stood to press a black button on the top of the buckle.

"**FULL CHARGE!"**

The claws on his arms began to glow with gold energy as he charged at Grease Monkey-Borg.

"Stay back!" he panicked as he blasted him with his flamethrowers.

Liger Zero ignored the flames as he reared back his right arm and shouted, **"Strike…Laser…Claw!"** and swung forward, landing several feet behind Grease Monkey-Borg as his head (from the upper jaw up) slid off and fell before he collapsed and exploded. The claws folded back and Liger Zero muttered, "May the Crimson Dragon have mercy on your soul."

**End Music**

Showa managed to wipe away the oil that had concealed his eyesight. He hadn't seen a thing but he did hear all the action. He just wanted to take a look at Liger Zero and…

…he froze. His eyes locked onto Liger Zero and then his head started to throb.

Liger Zero walked over to Showa and asked, "Are you okay, kid?" The reaction he got was not what he expected.

**POW!**

**Music – "Seizure of Power" by Marilyn Manson**

Showa's fist landed against Liger Zero's face and sent him tumbling along the ground. The girls gasped when they saw Showa attack Liger Zero out of nowhere and both Yuki and Netto were shocked.

"Shinichi-kun, what are you doing!-?" yelled Moka. She couldn't believe that Showa would just attack Yuji like that after the other Rider practically saved him.

"Kamen Rider…Kamen Rider…Kamen Rider…" Showa repeated.

Showa's eyes suddenly flashed, changing from green to blood red. "KILL ALL RIDERS!" he roared and his armor suddenly changed color. All the white parts turned pitch black. This shocked the girls but not as much as what he did next. He moved like a blur and Liger Zero cried out as sparks flew from his armor. Showa stopped moving and had his back turned to Liger Zero. Extending from his forearms and the back of his feet were curved blades of red energy.

"Shinichi-kun!" Moka shouted.

"What happened?" Kurumu asked.

"BLACK 13…" uttered Yukari under her breath.

"What?" Mizore asked.

"Those monsters from GIN-SHOCKER keep calling Shinichi-san 'BLACK 13'. I think this is what they meant," Yukari clarified.

BLACK 13 turned back around, his eyes trained on Liger Zero. This time the white Rider wasn't going to be caught by surprise. His claws were at the ready as he held them out before him. "Kid, I don't know what's going on but you better stop."

BLACK 13's only response was to disappear in a black blur that was so fast that Liger Zero couldn't catch up. Liger Zero suddenly yelled as he was struck from all directions as red energy streaked along his armor. BLACK 13 then stopped blurring around and kicked Liger Zero hard in the midsection, sending him tumbling along the ground.

BLACK 13 advance don Liger Zero but then found his feet had been frozen in ice. The ice began to creep up his body. Looking over, he saw that it was Yuki.

"Leave Onii-sama alone," Yuki warned. She pulled out a pair of Desert Eagles from behind her back and opened fire on BLACK 13, peppering his body with bullets. BLACK 13's response to that was to whip out his Vulcan Shooter and aim it at her. Netto pushed her out of the way as shots were fired.

Liger Zero quickly grabbed BLACK 13 by the neck and arm, gripping tight. "Nobody pulls a gun on my sister!" roared Liger Zero as he looked BLACK 13 in the eye. However, this was a mistake on his part as BLACK 13's eyes began to glow. Liger Zero's eyes widened as he realized, _'OH, SHIT! HE'S GOT FUCKING LASERS!'_

**ZAP!**

Liger Zero was hit point black by the optical laser blast and he was sent flying, trailing smoke from the attack. Seeing him in the air, BLACK 13 aimed and opened fire at Liger Zero, peppering him with shots from his Vulcan Shooter before Liger Zero landed, smoking on the ground. BLACK 13 pointed his gun at his feet and shattered the ice with several shots before he walked towards his prey.

Liger Zero grunted as he pushed himself to his feet and then rolled out of the way to avoid an axe kick that would've sliced his head off as the energy heel blade cut into the ground. BLACK 13 then fired his optical lasers at Liger Zero again and he blocked with his claws. He was still pushed backwards.

"Energy blades and laser eyes…" listed Liger Zero. "What next?"

He got his answer as several spheres of energy hovered around BLACK 13 like miniature suns. The black-clad Rider then pointed at Liger Zero and flicked his wrist, sending the explosive barrage right at him. Liger Zero screamed, "NOW THIS!" He had to move around quickly to avoid being hit by the barrage of energy spheres. Seeing his opponent moving, BLACK 13 decided to stop him. A blade of crimson energy extended from his right wrist and he swung it out. The blade stretched forward and then became like a whip before it bound Liger Zero around his right ankle and tripped him up. The bombardment fell upon him like asteroids and a series of explosions erupted.

Liger Zero lay on the ground as his belt deactivated and spat out the card as he muttered, "Ow…" BLACK 13 wasn't finished yet and started walking towards him only for his path to be blocked by Moka.

"Shinichi-kun, yamette!" Moka shouted, arms spread out, "Onegai!" BLACK 13 stared at her blankly. "This isn't you! Remember, Yuji-san's your friend! He made you a new motorcycle! Don't do this! Please, don't do this!" He started to advance and Moka desperately held him back by wrapping her arms around him, crying. "Turn back…go back to the kind boy who protects his friends…this isn't you…" He didn't struggle but he did tremble. His eyes began to blink, shifting rapidly between red and green.

"Mo…Moka…" he uttered hoarsely. He then released a scream as he tossed his head back. His armor violently shattered off him in the form of sharp shards and he collapsed into her arms.

**End Music**

"Shinichi-kun…" Moka whispered, stroking his head.

"Ow…" Yuji said as he rose to his feet. Yuki was instantly at his side.

"Daijoubu, Onii-sama?" she asked as she helped him up.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"What just happened?" Netto asked. He turned to look at the Youkai Academy girls, "Do you girls know anything about this?"

"Easy, Netto. I don't think they exactly know either," Yuji defended.

"But…"

"We'll figure this out when he wakes up." He looked to the girls, "That OK with you all?" They nodded. "Good, then let's take him back to the Den. These GS guys won't find him there."

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER DATABASE<strong>

Yuki walked in from the side and face the camera, bowing before speaking, "Good evening… I am Yuki Fudo, and I will be talking about the recent turn of events in Showa + Vampire." She moved to the side as the screen displayed Showa's Cyclone-X3. "The Cyclone-X3 is Showa's new motorcycle, constructed by Onii-sama and Netto Kusanagi. Its true function has yet to be revealed, but it is capable of speeds of up to 120 mph and possibly greater."

She pressed a button on a remote in her hand and the next image was Yuji transforming into Kamen Rider Liger. "This is Kamen Rider Liger…" she continued, "An armor system used by Onii-sama, Yuji Fudo. The system grants him enhanced speed and agility like a large cat to compliment his already-present strength. The Zero armor is Liger's default mode, activated by the CAS (Conversion Armor System) Cards that Onii-sama has created. Onii-sama is in the possession of 3 other CAS Cards and he would have used them if were not for BLACK 13's interference…" She narrowed her eyes as the temperature in the room began to drop.

"Yuki! Yuki, stop!" Yuji frantically ordered as he rushed in from the opposite side to calm his sister. "It's OK, Yuki. I'm right here, and I'm fine. See?" She nodded and handed him the remote. "OK, so I'm sure you know me as 'the guy who got his ass handed to him by BLACK 13,' however if I knew that would've happened then I would've been better prepared. Anyway, I digress."

He pressed a button and the monitor showed Showa turning into BLACK 13 and giving Liger Zero a curb stomping. "You know, in retrospect, that was one hell of a beating…" he sweat-dropped. "So, BLACK 13 is shown to possess energy blades that can extend from his arms and feet, as well as turning said energy into whips that can ensnare the opponent. He's shown to exert super strength and the soreness that still lingers on my face is proof of that. He also has super speed and was able to hit me multiple times within seconds. Not to mention the fact that he has fucking heat beam eyes of death!" The monitor showed Liger getting blasted in the face by said eye beams of death. "Thank the Crimson Dragon I still have my good looks…" he cringed as he saw the footage. "Anyway, all I can say for now is that this there is more to this BLACK 13 than meets the eye and I only have a feeling that more tricks will be revealed if he decides to say 'Hi' again. But for now, see ya next time," he and Yuki waved.

* * *

><p><strong>Kamen Rider Bushido: Well, Yuji sure got curb-stomped and he just appeared. Wonder what other madness is in store for Shinichi and the others in this summer vacation. Just so everyone remembers and for first-time readers who don't know, Kamen Rider Liger is my shout-out to the Liger Zero from the hit TV show, ZOIDS! Also, Yuji and Yuki are my own OCs.<strong>

**Kamen Rider Chrome: And this chapter marks the first appearance of BLACK 13. What is he? What other secrets does Shinichi hold within him? Answers to these questions and more will be answered as you continue to stay tune.**

**Tailsmo4ever: Netto and his Chinese girlfriend are both mine. You'll be seeing more of them as the story goes on.**


	16. Witch's Knoll: Fears of Past & Future

**Kamen Rider Chrome: In our previous chapter Shinichi gets his new bike from Yuji Fudo, aka Kamen Rider Liger. While testing out his new machine, a Cyborg Mutant attacks and blinds Showa with oil. That prompts Yuji to transform and defeat the GIN-SHOCKER agent. However, Liger then has to defend himself from Showa who transforms into a black-armored form called BLACK 13. Just what is BLACK 13?**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 16: Fears of the Past and Future<strong>

"What happened...?" Shinichi groaned as he rose from his slumber, his head throbbing."Why does my head hurt...?"

"You're awake," Yuji noticed as he turned in his seat."That's good."

"How did we get here?" he asked."What happened to that monster?"

"Relax, I took care of it. And you're in my room, on the second floor of the Den."

"Did I black out or something?"

"Yeah, you kind of did," Yuji nodded.

"Are the girls OK?" Shinichi asked.

"Yeah, but they're more worried about you."

"Yeah...it's starting to become a bad habit for me," Shinichi sighed. "I guess you want an explanation, don't you?"

"We can take it slow," Yuji suggested."I'm in no rush to know everything."

"How about cliff notes?" Shinichi chuckled.

"That's fine," Yuji nodded.

"To make a long story short, I'm a cyborg and GIN-SHOCKER is an organization that wants me for some reason and they've been after me for months. That monster was one of their agents."

"I see. Well, they won't find you here."

"So, what's your story?" Shinichi asked as he sat up."Where did you get your Rider powers?"

"I designed the system on a whim after doing my own research on the Legendary Riders," Yuji summarized.

"You just never expected to put it to practice," Shinichi concluded.

"True and I've tested it several times before moving here. Let's just say that I'm better at using it now than back then. The battle yesterday was my first real combat test."

"Yeah, I'm sorry I missed it."

"Don't worry about it," Yuji chuckled."If those GS guys attack again, then you might get your chance."

"I just wish they didn't come after me while I'm with my friends," he frowned."I'd rather take them on myself."

"I guess it's something heroes have to deal with, Yuji sighed. He then got up and tossed Shinichi some clothes."Come on, those girlfriends of yours are waiting for you."

* * *

><p>"So, can you tell us what happened back there?" Netto asked the Youkai Academy girls. They were all in the living room on the second floor of the Dragon's Den, which was Yuji and Yuki's home. The Youkai Academy girls were on the couch as Yuki sat in a recliner and Netto was using a chair from the kitchen table.<p>

"BLACK 13..." Moka frowned.

"Yes, we know. But what is BLACK 13?"

"I think I can make an educated guess," Yukari offered. All eyes on the genius and she backed away, "OK, don't raise your hands all at once, desu! It's just a theory but I think the reason GIN-SHOCKER wants Shinichi-san is because...because..." She didn't want to say it out loud, knowing how the others would react.

"BLACK 13 was probably designed by this...GIN-SHOCKER..." Yuki finished as she stared into her water bottle. The girls' eyes widened in shock. If this was true, then...

Kurumu gasped, "No way! How can that be?"

"It would explain why they would want Sanban so badly..." Yuki replied.

"How horrible," Moka cringed.

"It explains everything," Mizore nodded.

"They took him from his family and altered his body without his consent." Moka growled as her fists clinched. She was disgusted by these vile people.

"And he must've suffered some kind of trauma which caused him to lose his memories," Yukari concluded.

"What? Lose his memories?" Netto blinked as he said that in English. "He has amnesia?"

"That would imply that he's been through a lot of turmoil..." Yuki theorized.

"His scar too," Moka added.

Yuki nodded. She too noticed the XIII scar on Shinichi's head.

"Can I ask something?" Mizore spoke up. "How come Fudo-san is a Rider too?"

"Onii-sama made Liger," Yuki responded.

Kurumu's mouth hung wide, "He MADE it?"

Yuki nodded, "We graduated from Duel Academy 3 years ago... After researching the original Kamen Riders, he was inspired by their actions and designed the Liger on a whim...Onii-sama is a genius when it comes to science and technology, like Otou-sama..."

"Can I see it?" Yukari asked.

"If you ask him..." Yuki admitted.

"Ask me what?" Yuji said as he came into the living room with Shinichi right behind him. He was wearing a grey sweat shirt and sweat pants.

"SHINICHI!" the girls cried as Yuji evaded their glomp and Shinichi was tackled onto the floor.

"Hey, girls, what's up?" the Kaizo Ningen chuckled. "Glad you're all fine. I was worried."

Yukari approached Yuji and asked, "Could you please show me the Liger System?"

"Sure thing, but you'll have to keep it a secret," Yuji negotiated. "You never know who could be lurking around."

Yuji took out the Liger Belt and CAS Cards and handed them to Yukari, who observed the gear with interest. She knew a little bit of technology and had even invented some machines of her own once before. This Liger System was definitely too advanced for her taste though. Maybe she could learn something from Yuji.

"This is really cool," Yukari admired as she handed the system back to Yuji. "It seems to be an all-around combat armor that can be used in particular situations."

"Hey, you got it right on the first try, kiddo," Yuji smiled.

"Oh, I got a question," Kurumu raised her hand. "What was the deal with you two breathing fire and making ice walls yesterday? It's safe to say that both of you aren't human."

"Oh, you mean this?" Yuji snapped his fingers and produced a flame that danced on his index finger.

"Wow," Moka breathed.

"How are you doing that?" Mizore asked.

"It's Pyrokinesis," Yukari supplied, "It's like how Kuyou conjures flames. However, this control isn't forced. It comes out naturally instead. Fudo-san, are you by any chance a Youkai?"

"You could say that," Yuji answered. "My sister and I come from a group of beings that are on another level compared to other Youkai. We're called Manakytes."

"Manakytes?" Shinichi and the girls echoed.

"We're a special mix of human and dragon, created by God..." Yuki added.

"We're probably the rarest breed of sentient beings on this planet," Yuji continued. "Plus, few of us are grouped in the category of Tenjyu."

Yukari gasped, "T-Tenjyu, desu ka?"

Moka looked to the little witch, "What are Tenjyu?"

"I once read that the Tenjyu are as powerful as gods!" Yukari exclaimed. 'Tenjyu' even translates to 'Divine Beast'! Like the Kirin, Shisha, or even the Chinese Dragon! They're much stronger than vampires and even kitsunes, so strong that they're well above the SSS Class! There's still no rank to classify them in!"

Yuji nodded, "Yeah, but you're thinking of the Supremes, missy. We're nowhere at their level yet. We're still babies compared to them."

Kurumu blinked, "Supremes?"

"The final stage of Manakyte evolution..." Yuki answered, "It's comparable to godhood."

"Like our mom and dad," Yuji added. "You see, Supreme Manakytes not only have complete mastery over their individual element, but they have lived for over thousands of years, some even existing since the conception of time and space."

"They're that old?" Moka gasped.

"Yeah, unbelievable right? If she wanted to, our mom could light you like a supernova by just staring at you."

The girls gulped. It sounded like Yuji's mother was real fierce.

"And your dad? What can he do?" Shinichi asked.

"Oh, he's a wind type and one of his specialties is speed. He can even rob you of your entire oxygen supply. You'd suffocate and you won't even know that it was him! Aside from that, he's pretty nice, when he doesn't put a bullet in your head anyway."

Once again, the girls cringed. It sounded like Yuji and Yuki's parents were a couple of extreme badasses.

Shinichi, however, was more impressed. "Wow, they sound awesome."

"Tell me about," Yuji grinned.

Kurumu turned to Netto, "So what about you? Are you a Manakyte?"

Netto shook his head. Good thing this girl already had a target of affection; otherwise he'd be in a bumbling mess right now, "No, no I'm not. I'm a Kaizo Ningen."

"Really?" Yukari blinked, "You too?"

"Yuji and Yuki-chan are both VERY computer savvy, but the technology I use is far more advanced. That's why Yuji called me over to help with the Cyclone-X3. Not to mention..." as Netto trailed off, his eyes turned to a pile of broken junk to the corner and his eyes started glowing blue with wireframes on the irises. Electricity spilled over the junk before it suddenly came alive, causing Shinichi and the girls (minus Yuki) to jump. The parts began to merge and form together before it all turned into one ten foot sized robot with its head nearly touching the ceiling. Even though the parts looked useless and out of date, this robot looked rather high tech. All the girls looked on in awe at the incredible machine. And Mizore was so stunned, that her lollipop fell right out of her gaping mouth.

"S-sugoi!" Moka gasped.

"How did you do that?" Mizore asked.

"I'm a technopath," Netto answered as he waved down his hand, causing the robot to disengage and sit down. "That means I can freely control and manipulate machines at a whim. I can also link up with computers to find information faster and hack into mainframes with ease. Not as amazing as the powers Yuji and Yuki-chan have, but still very useful."

"So how did you become a Kaizo Ningen?" Moka asked. "Did you get kidnapped too?'

Netto's expression clouded, "I can say that I wasn't kidnapped in anyway, but... I'd rather not talk about it anyway."

"Oh," Moka started to feel guilty in asking him that, "Sorry."

"Don't worry about," Netto said, his expression brightening, "I would rather look forward to the present and the future anyway. Anyway, we still don't know why GIN-SHOCKER wants you guys, but we won't let them get to you."

"Indeed," Yuki agreed

"Thanks you three," Shinichi smiled.

"So you guys were going to the beach before all this craziness happened, right?" Yuji asked. "How about tomorrow? I heard it was going to be a raining today anyway."

"Sounds like a plan to me!" Kurumu smiled.

"I'll even bring my girlfriend along. She always loves to meet new people," Netto smiled.

"Then it looks like we have our summer plans ready," Shinichi smiled. "I'll tell Gin-sempai, Nekonome-sensei and Leon. We'll have ourselves a beach party!"

"Yeah! Beach party!" All the girls cheered, all except for Yuki who just went, "Yay..."

No one sensed a raven staring at them through the window from a lamppost.

* * *

><p>The next day, Shinichi was sitting on the beach with an expression of bliss on his face. "Ah~ now this is heaven." The heaven he was referring to was young and beautiful girls in swimsuits. Kurumu was wearing the same yellow bikini she'd worn that day when he'd defeated the Swim Club. Yukari was in a school swimsuit, and Mizore was wearing a white and purple striped bikini, sitting under an umbrella and applying sun-block. Moka was also in a bikini and despite not being able to go into the water she looked lovely in her pink bikini. She was also applying sun-block because of her sensitive skin.<p>

Shinichi was wearing a pair of black swimming trunks with a white XIII stitched into it.

"Shinichi-kun, could you apply some on my back?" Moka asked.

"OK!" chirped Shinichi almost eagerly.

Nearby, Gin could only grit his teeth and growl in frustration, "Why...why is he so damn popular?" He was dressed in red trunks.

"I think defeating Kuyou had something to do with it," Leon commented, "Or maybe it's the fact he's a huge mystery they wanna figure out." He was in a black t-shirt with a white cross on it and matching black trunks.

"But he doesn't even remember who he is!" Gin argued.

"Hey, I just call it like I see it," he shrugged.

"Hey guys! Sorry were late!" a voice called over to them. It was Netto and he was wearing blue and black swim trucks. He wasn't alone either. With him was a pretty brown haired Chinese girl in an orange two piece bikini.

"So you must be Netto," Leon said as he shook his hand. "I'm Leon. Nice to meet you."

"Hey, you two," Netto smiled. "This is my girlfriend, Qiao. She wanted to meet you guys."

"Nihao!" Qiao greeted with a smile. Her form seemed to sparkle in the sunlight. "I'm Qiao Xang! Nice to meet you!"

A roaring engine was heard as everyone looked over to the edge of the hill where a white 2012 Ford Mustang with black racing stripes pulled in. Yuji and Yuki exited the car as the former went to the bag and hauled coolers onto his shoulders.

"Who's ready to party!" the fire Manakyte cried. He was dressed in a white button-down shirt and white trunks with tiger stripes.

Yuki was dressed in a black one-piece with white snowflake patterns, a white sun hat, and matching lace skirt.

Gin blushed as he gazed at Yuki, going up to her and slicking his hair back, "Darling where have you been all my life?-!"

Yuki saw Gin coming and grabbed his arm, twisting it behind him, and kicking him in the ass before he fell face-first into the sand.

"Sorry guy, my sister usually plays for the same team," Yuji called out as he approached the beach, with Yuki right behind him.

Gin pulled his head out, spitting out sand as he growled, "Should've said so sooner! Man... How come I'm the only one without a girl who digs me?" Gin moaned as he saw how beautiful the girls were.

**WHAM!**

A beach ball hit Gin in the back of the head and knocked him over.

"Oi, Ero-sempai, can you give us the ball?" Kurumu yelled.

Gin grumbled.

As Moka lay on her stomach while Shinichi applied the sun-block lotion, the pink-haired vampire was having a mental conversation with her inner self.

_'He's become even more interesting_,' said Moka-sama. She had witnessed BLACK 13's brutality and secretly enjoyed how violently systematic he was when fighting Yuji. Also, he didn't hesitate. _'Why did you have to stop him?'_

_'It was scary,'_ responded Moka. _'I hate seeing him suffer like that.'_

_'Hmph, well he doesn't remember what he did. Will you tell him?'_

_'I'm not sure I will, but what I do know is that he won't like it so I won't tell him.'_

_'Already keeping secrets, hm?'_

"Shinichi, here," said Mizore as she handed Shinichi a bowl of shaved ice. This time it was covered in strawberry syrup.

"Thank you, Mizore-chan!" smiled Shinichi.

"Shinichi, let's play some beach volleyball!" called Kurumu.

"Yes, come on, desu!" Yukari called.

"Kay, girls!" Shinichi called back.

Qiao smiled as she and Netto watched the exchange, "Well, he seems popular."

* * *

><p>Yukari was busy building a sand castle and as a genius she was able to build the biggest and best sand castle on the entire beach. It looked like some kind of grand palace belonging to a princess.<p>

Yukari began to swoon, imagining herself as a princess who was being swept off her feet by a knight in shining armor. However, her daydream would be violently interrupted when something invisible flattened her sandcastle.

* * *

><p>Shinichi heard Yukari's scream and dashed off to help her. Was she in trouble? He had to know. He arrived and saw a monstrous lizard towering over Yukari. Its head looked like a bone white mask with many sharp teeth.<p>

"Let's-" Shinichi began to activate his transformation but would be rudely interrupted.

The lizard-like creature was instantly killed by a black blur, its blood splashing against the sand as a diagonal cut appeared on its mask. It let out a howl. Yukari, stunned, was picked up by none other than Leon. In his right hand was a katana sword and it was stained by the creature's blood. Yukari then watched as the Hollow seemed to fade out of existence.

"Hollow, purified," confirmed Leon as he put Yukari down safely. He then sheathed his katana and asked, "You okay, kid?" She nodded silently. Leon smiled and ruffled her hair. "Good. Shin would kill me if something happened to you."

The others were stunned by the performance. It had happened so quickly. One moment the lizard-like creature had just appeared to devour Yukari and the next its face was sliced in half before it was vanquished. Shinichi was just in the middle of transforming when it happened. It just happened so fast.

"So, are we gonna have a barbeque or what?" Leon asked.

Everybody facefaulted.

* * *

><p>"I think he's a werewolf like Gin."<p>

"Well, I believe he's a Tsurube-otoshi."

"Well I don't care what he is. He saved Yukari-chan."

Moka, Kurumu and Mizore were arguing about what kind of monster Leon was. The group was enjoying a barbeque with Yuji working on the grill.

"Here," said Shinichi as he handed Leon another plate of shish kebabs.

"Thanks," said Leon as he took the offered plate.

"No, I should be thanking you. You saved Yukari-chan's life," said Shinichi. Shinichi had first treated Leon with some degree of wariness and suspicion but his earlier act of heroism had earned his trust.

"Hey, it's no problem. I'm sure anyone would've done it," said Leon.

"Here, Leon-san," said Yukari as she offered him a cold can of orange soda.

"Thanks," said Leon as he took the can. His fingers brushed against Yukari's slightly and she blushed before she took a seat elsewhere.

"Uh-oh," frowned Shinichi.

"What?" Leon asked.

"I think you've become her latest crush," said Shinichi.

"So? What's the problem?" Leon asked. Shinichi just chuckled.

"Oh, you'll see, my friend. She ain't as innocent as you'd like to believe. Believe me."

* * *

><p>"So, I've been listening to some local rumors and I heard something interesting," said Gin. "There's this hill called Witch's Knoll and it's said to be haunted."<p>

"Haunted? As in ghosts?" Shinichi asked.

"What, are you scared?" teased Gin.

"No, just making sure."

"Anyway, there are rumors of people disappearing at that place. Sounds like news to me. We should investigate."

"Witch's Knoll..." murmured Yukari. She wondered how it got its name.

* * *

><p>"Those are a lot of sunflowers," Leon spoke up as he, Shinichi and the girls went to Witch's Knoll. The group went to explore Witch's Knoll and found the hill covered in a field of sunflowers. The golden flowers were so beautiful and the girls couldn't help but admire their natural beauty. Shinichi's reaction, however, was a different one. As soon as Shinichi saw the sunflowers, he had another memory flash.<p>

(FLASH)

_"Sunflowers are always beautiful. It's like holding a piece of sunshine."_

(FLASH)

"Holding a piece of sunshine," murmured Shinichi.

"Did you say something, Shinichi-kun?" asked Moka.

"I think…someone once told me about…sunflowers being like holding a piece of sunshine," he said.

"Hey, what's with him?" Leon asked, referring to Shinichi.

"Oh, Shinichi gets random flashes of memory now and then," said Gin. He was joining this little exploration to have his chance of being heroic.

Yukari was holding Shinichi's hands tight. "We should go," she insisted. There was something about this place she didn't like. It was like there was something dark and malevolent about this place. It was the same feeling she got from that lizard thing. Despite the beauty of nature surrounding them she couldn't help but feel like they were being watched.

"Aw…does the little baby wanna go home?" teased Kurumu.

"I'm not a baby!" Yukari snapped. She let go of Shinichi's hand and dashed off.

Shinichi frowned at Kurumu. "What?" she asked.

He chided, "Kurumu-chan, that was mean." He then went off to look for Yukari.

"Was it something I said?" Kurumu questioned obliviously.

* * *

><p>"I'm not a baby," mumbled Yukari as she walked through the sunflower field. "I'm not... I'll show her..."<p>

As she continued to march through the field, she thought about everything that she once thought. She'd grown up in a small village sealed off at the bottom of a gorge. She'd been raised to think of humans as her enemy all her life. And then... the boy she adored, Shinichi, turned out to be a human who was forcibly turned to a cyborg against his will.

She wondered what kind of people GIN-SHOCKER were to turn someone into a killing machine. They were people that shouldn't even exist. If they were willing to do to humans like what they did to Shinichi, what would happen if they found out about Youkai?

Yukari thoughts, however, halted as she realized that everything had just gone eerily quiet.

"Why hello," a voice stated. Yukari turned around to see a woman walking towards her. She seemed to be around the same age as Yuji and Yuki, if a little older. She was wearing a gothic outfit that composed of a pink top and a long black skirt. She had long dark hair with her hair styled with two ponytails coming from the sides of her head and bright red eyes. On her shoulder was a raven that gazed intently at her. The raven cawed before it leapt off the woman's shoulder and flew up to Yukari.

"Kyaa!" Yukari shrieked as she waved her hands to keep the bird away.

"Oh, don't be frightened," the woman said, comforting the younger witch. "The ravens you see here are my friends and they can be your friends, too."

"Who… Who are you?" asked Yukari.

"Oh my apologies. I really should introduce myself. My name is Ruby, and I am one of the witches of Witch's Knoll," Ruby smiled.

"You're a witch?" Yukari asked.

"Yes," Ruby answered. "What's your name?"

"Yukari," Yukari answered.

"Yukari-chan I really wanted to be your friend, so I came to get you."

"Is this place your home?" Yukari questioned.

"Actually it is my master's home but she allowed me to live here out of the kindness of her heart," said Ruby. But then she frowned as she added, "However, those filthy humans are trying to take this home away from us."

"Filthy humans?" Yukari asked.

"Yes, humans are filthy creatures. They are selfish, vile and evil. Don't you see? Humans are our enemy. They are pitiful, weak creatures that only know how to destroy. Witches don't need to have anything to do with them."

Yukari frowned and then began, "But…Shinichi-san…"

"Yo! Yukari-chan!" Shinichi called. Yukari spun around and beamed as she saw him. However, Ruby just scowled when he arrived. "Don't wander off, OK? I know Kurumu-chan can be a little mean but just ignore her. She doesn't really mean it." He then noticed Ruby. "Oh, who's your lovely friend here?"

If Ruby weren't so pissed off right now, she'd be blushing and giggling up a storm.  
>"So you've come to desecrate our hill again you filthy human!-?" she shouted in disgust. And eerie pink light appeared around the older witch as a brass staff mounted with crescent-shaped ornament holding a red gem appeared in her hand.<p>

Shinichi blinked, "Pardon?" He then realized, '_Witch!_'

Ruby waved her wand around and from out of the flowers sprang three large green plant-like creatures. They were lifted high off the ground by a single vine each. They had huge red bulb-like sacks that hung down like potbellies. On the stomachs was a sharp mouth with a large number of teeth. They all looked at Shinichi hungrily.

"Gross!" Shinichi frowned.

Ruby grinned wickedly as she ordered, "Leave Yukari-chan but devour the human! Go!"  
>The creatures obeyed and lunged at Shinichi, who was in front of Yukari in an instant.<p>

"Let's Ride: Showa!"

Light burst from Shinichi's belt as he assumed the form of Kamen Rider Showa. The first of the plant monsters tried to take a bite out of Showa but he was ready for it.

"Weapon Ride: Vulcan Shooter!" Showa called as he drew his firearm and fired at the plant monster, filling it up with holes. The plant monster dropped to the ground, dead, much to Ruby's ire. The other two flanked Showa and he frowned. He looked to Yukari and got an idea.

"Yukari-chan, this might feel weird!" said Showa as his hand glowed. He got behind Yukari and put his hand on her back.

"Get your filthy hand off her!" Ruby shouted.

"Let's Form Ride: ZX!" called Showa as he transferred the power to Yukari. Kamen Rider ZX's belt appeared around Yukari's waist. The belt then released a flash of light from it as Yukari felt herself gaining power…and height.

When the light faded, Yukari was in the form of ZX…a VERY feminine form of ZX. She had curves that the armor showed off and her height was that of an adult.

"What?" Ruby gaped.

"Yukari-chan, there's a knife hidden in the band around your left thigh," Showa instructed as he summoned his Laser Saber.

Yukari-ZX nodded as a panel on the white band opened. Yukari could see a handle and gripped it before pulling it out. She admitted the ZX Electro-Knife which was a single-edged blade that was the length of a short sword.

"Back-to-back!" Showa ordered and Yukari-ZX was quick to comply, holding the Electro-Knife in a reverse grip. "Now!"

The plant monsters attacked both Riders and the one that lunged at Showa was sliced diagonally. Yukari-ZX didn't hesitate and stabbed forward, running the blade of the Electro-Knife through the plant monster. It screeched as it struggled but then turned dead. Yukari-ZX trembled as she withdrew the Electro-Knife.

"I'm sorry," Showa apologized. "I know it's not easy to take a life but considering what they were about to do..."

"I know," nodded Yukari as she changed back. She then turned her eyes towards Ruby. "Ruby-san, why?"

"Because this is what we must do," Ruby replied with a growl, "To save this land, we must destroy all humans who threaten us. Humans just like him!" she exclaimed, pointing to Showa.

"Shinichi-san's not like that!" Yukari cried in defense, angered at how the older witch insulted her friend.

"He's simply tricked and lied to you," said Ruby as she looked towards Showa. It didn't matter if he'd transformed. He was still just a human. She could tell. Even if the transformation seemed strange to her it was probably some human trick.

"Listen, lady," said Showa, pointing at Ruby, "You don't even know me, so don't go around badmouthing people before you even give them a chance or get to know them. I really hate people who judge me like that. So you better stop calling me a liar."

"What will you do about it?" Ruby sneered.

"Well, I'll just have to take a big pole and shove it up your ass!" he declared.

…

Ruby and Yukari both stared at him, blushing.

"O…kay…" Showa spoke awkwardly, "That sounded a lot dirtier than I intended."

"Regardless!" Ruby shouted, recovering quickly, "Yukari-chan is coming with me! Then she'll be convinced!" Six black raven-like wings burst from her back. She then hovered and then flapped her wings at Showa. Feathers suddenly darted through the air like arrows, heading straight for the Rider.

"Yukari-chan, watch out!" Showa shouted as he shielded the witchling. The feathers flew at him, scratching against his armor as they hit causing him pain as sparks flew. Yukari could hear him grunt under the assault. He should be fighting back but why couldn't he?

Ruby still continued her assault on Showa. However, why wasn't he fighting back? Did he think he could keep up this pretense? She knew what humans were like so why did he bother pretending to protect Yukari? Why? It was confusing. But her Master's words were always true and Ruby herself had witnessed the cruelty of humans.

A kitchen sink suddenly slammed into her head from the sky, knocking her out instantly. Her eyes were swirling as she fell flat on her back.

"Sorry, Ruby-san," Yukari apologized.

"Shinichi!" Kurumu cried as she ran towards the Rider. The other girls, Leon and Gin weren't too far behind.

"Wow, hot babe," admired Gin as he started taking pictures of Ruby.

"Shinichi-kun, who is she?" Moka asked, referring to the unconscious witch.

"It's a long story, Moka-chan. For now we'll need to restrain her," Showa said.

"I got just the thing!" Kurumu said as she held up rope, a ball gag and fluffy handcuffs.

He sweat-dropped, "Kurumu-chan, where did you get all that stuff?"

Leon, meanwhile, was pocketing something away. "Soon…very soon," he swore under his breath. Now was not the right time.

* * *

><p>Once Ruby came to, she found herself lying in a bed. She tried to move but realized that her arms had been pulled up over her head and her wrists had been handcuffed to the headboard of the bed. She was also had a ball gag stuffing her mouth.<p>

"Ah, good, you're awake," said Shinichi as he sat in a nearby chair. "We were hoping you'd get up soon, sleeping beauty."

She tried to retort angrily but her shouts came out muffled.

"Looking for this?" asked Shinichi as he held up her wand. Ruby's eyes widened. "Yukari-chan, did you put that silencing spell on the room?"

"Yes," Yukari confirmed, looking regretful as she saw the state Ruby was in.

"Alright, now we can remove the gag," said Shinichi as he untied the gag and removed it. "OK, now we can start-"

"YOU FILTHY HUMAN FREAK! LET ME GO! LET ME GO!" Ruby began to scream. The handcuffs rattled. "Yukari-chan, why?" Ruby asked. "Why side with them?"

"She's loud," said Gin as he and the others entered. Ruby glared at them.

"OK, now let me clarify something first," said Shinichi as he pointed at his friends one-by-one, "Vampire, succubus, yuki-onna and a pervert."

"Hey!" Gin snapped.

Shinichi chuckled. "Oh, and you obviously know Yukari-chan is a witch."

Ruby snorted, "You expect me to believe what you're saying?"

"Well, you didn't expect me to transform and kill your plant monsters either, did you?" retorted Shinichi evenly. "Now, why did you attack me? And I expect a good answer or you're not getting out of those cuffs."

"You pervert," hissed Ruby. "Why are these handcuffs furry anyway?"

Shinichi glanced at Kurumu who smiled back and then back at Ruby, "Never mind that. Just answer the question."

Ruby was silent, glaring at Shinichi.

"Well, then we have no choice but to interrogate her," said Shinichi.

"Alright!" Kurumu said as she held up several vibrators…VERY big vibrators. Moka covered Yukari's eyes and Ruby's eyes went wide.

"Kurumu-chan…what are those?" asked Shinichi.

"Oh, my interrogation kit! I bought these from a sex shop earlier!" grinned Kurumu. She then approached Ruby menacingly as the bound witch shook her head back and forth, eyes wide with fright.

That was when Yuji came in and greeted, "Hey, what are you…" He stopped and saw the situation, "What the hell, man?-! Why is she in handcuffs?-! And furry ones no less!"

Shinichi denied, "It's not what you think!"

Yuji yelled at Kurumu and what she was holding, "What the hell are you doing?-!-?-!-?-!"

Kurumu answered, "Shinichi wanted me to interrogate her."

"That's not how you interrogate someone!-!-!"

"How do you think succubae get answers?"

"God dammit!" Yuji growled as he helped Ruby out of her position. He broke her handcuffs and helped her up. "Obviously, this place isn't safe for her! Especially with you (Kurumu) in the area!"

"Why are you helping me?" Ruby asked in bewilderment.

"Before you say anything," Shinichi added, "Yuji isn't human either."

"I...uh... No reason!" the Manakyte replied as he guided her to the door. "Now let's go! You'll be safe at my place." He turned to Kurumu, "And you better not try and follow us!"

"Mou...you're no fun," Kurumu huffed.

"Kurumu-chan, sometimes you scare me," Shinichi noted.

* * *

><p>Ruby rode with Yuji on a large black and white motorcycle, modeled after a tiger-like cat with a monitor facing Yuji with the handle bars at his sides as they headed to the Dragon's Den. They pulled into the Den's garage as Yuki was standing by. Ruby was holding Yuji by the waist and she had to admit that the man's broad back felt nice as she laid her head against it.<p>

"Okaeri nasai, Onii-sama," Yuki welcomed. "Is she a customer or your girlfriend...?"

Yuji blushed, "Neither...! She's a guest! A guest! Just close up while I take her upstairs."

"OK..." she nodded as she proceeded to close shop.

Yuji looked back at Ruby, "I'm sorry about my sister. She makes assumptions quickly..."

"Why did you bring me here?" she asked.

"Seeing you restrained like that...made me feel uncomfortable," he replied. "Anyway, you'll be fine here. Let's go upstairs."

Ruby followed him upstairs until they entered a living room that was sectioned into two parts, where one led to two bedrooms on one side and a kitchen toward the other side, with two bedrooms next to each other and a bathroom around the corner. He led her to a table where she took a seat while he stepped into the kitchen and began to make coffee.

"So, why were you tied up like that?" he asked as he prepared the coffee.

"It's complicated," she relied.

"I'm sure you felt...defiled, for a lack of a better word."

"It's just...well...they had good reason to restrain me," Ruby frowned.

"Did you do something wrong?" he asked as he set the kettle on the stove.

"You can consider me a prisoner of war."

"I see. Well, you're not a prisoner here." He took the kettle and poured some coffee into cups as he placed a cup on the table.

"Why are you so kind to me?" she asked.

"I was taught to be kind and courteous to girls," Yuji shrugged. "Now drink up, you look like you need it."

Ruby stared at the liquid suspiciously.

"It's my uncle's Blackfeather Roast, the best coffee back home. Probably the best on Earth," Yuji grinned.

Ruby took a whiff and took a careful sip which was followed by Yuji drinking from his own cup. After some awkward silence, Ruby began to speak again.

"They were trespassing so I attacked them," she mumbled, but Yuji heard her clearly.

"Trespassing?"

"On the home I share with my master, Witch's Knoll."

Yuji blinked, "Oh, you live up there?"

"Yes...ever since...never mind," she frowned.

"Huh, didn't know that place was inhabited," Yuji chuckled. "I thought there were only those sunflowers up there."

"My master planted them, but they won't be there for long." Ruby clutched her cup as she became angry, "Those damn humans want to develop the hill, replace all the sunflowers with cold stone and metal. That's why I have to protect it. But...they have my wand." Ruby's wand was left with Shinichi and the others.

"Do you wanna go back home?" Yuji asked.

"Yes, I do, but I'm just so tired," she admitted.

"Well, you can spend the night here if you want," he offered. "I have a few spare rooms here. Or you could sleep with my sister if you're feeling lonely. To be honest, we don't get too many guests."

"Thank you," she nodded before asking another question, "By the way, that insect-man that captured me told me you aren't human. Is that true?"

Yuji removed his glove and rolled back his sleeve. Ruby noticed a crimson red mark on his forearm, shaped like a serpentine creature in an S curve with a single wing, two claws, and an arrow-like tail. He then closed his eyes as his right arm was covered in deep blue scales that ended with claws.

Ruby laid her hand on the scaly armor. It felt smooth, but it was harder than it looked when she knocked on it. "How can you live so peacefully with these humans? They're just a plague on this world."

"Well, for one thing I used to be human before I changed," he answered as he rolled down his sleeve. "So I guess my social skills haven't changed much."

"So, you'd protect them?" she asked.

"Only because I feel I have to and because of how I was raised," he answered. "Besides, you're pretty human yourself."

"Don't compare me to them!" she snapped. "Humans are cruel and destroy everything they touch!"

Yuji shook his head, "That's not what I mean." He took her hand, "Come with me," and he guides her to the living room and puts her in front of a mirror, with Yuji standing behind her. "Now, tell me what you see."

"It's just a mirror," she answered.

Yuji chuckled, "OK, now tell me what you see in the mirror."

"You and me," she frowned. "So? What's your point?" She inwardly admitted that this was getting annoying.

Yuji took her hand as their palms laid against each other. "We have the same hands and fingers, like humans. We have the same arms, legs, and feet, like humans; as well as the same eyes, ears, skin, lips, and hair as humans." He chuckled as he tapped her nose, "Even that cute little nose of yours. Do you see where I'm going with this or do you need me to explain further?"

"We look human, but that's only in appearance," she huffed. "Inside, humans are ugly."

"I'm glad you understood the first part at least," he sighed. "You see, the term "Human" is only a characterization of what you are instead of who you are. Just like the term "Witch" is only a characterization of humans who are capable of using magic." He looked to a Yin-Yang clock above the HD TV, "You see the Yin-Yang clock up there?"

Ruby gazes up. She knew the discipline. "It represents balance," she admitted, "And harmony of two opposing forces."

Yuji nodded, "Yes. As you know, the white half of the circle represents the Light, or Good, while the Black half represents Darkness, or Evil. The smaller circles that lie in the larger halves are opposite colors. This can also apply to the morality of humanity. Where there is Light, there is also Darkness. Mankind is capable of both great good AND great evil. It's a struggle of morality that existed since mankind's existence, which is true, but also represents the fact that one has a choice to do good or evil, depending on which aspect dominates the individual." Neither also was unaware of how Yuji was holding Ruby, as his arm was wrapped around her waist comfortingly.

"My parents died because of humans," she admitted.

"I see..." he paused, waiting to hear more.

"We were out in the human city for the first time," she reminisced, "I was excited but then a drunk driver came and... Then I saw them lying on the road and the man drove away. He didn't even stop to try and help them. He just left them there."

"I admit that Humanity has produced its fair share of evils," he acknowledged. "Adolf Hitler, Sadam Husain, Napoleon Bonaparte, Christopher Columbus; people who were doing things for the best intentions for their people turned out to be dark individuals. But Humanity has also produced some very good people."

"I'd believe it when I see it," she scoffed.

"There's Shinichi, for example."

Ruby blinked, "Him?"

"Well, he fights to protect those girlfriends of his. And there's more." He looks to the side and Ruby sees a man with hair similar to Yuji's and beautiful woman with long, dark burgundy hair as they looked very happy.

"Your parents?" she inquired.

Yuji nodded, "Yes. You see, my father and mother, along with my family, fought against criminals, evil gods and even time traveling cyborgs 20+ years ago. If they had failed, then our home town or even the world would no longer exist."

"They sound like courageous people," she observed.

He chuckled, "My mother was considered anything but courageous when she and my father met. When my mother was young, she had great difficulty controlling her power. The people around her, even _her_ parents, were afraid of her and cast her out. She began to lose faith in others and wore a mask as a kind of shield from humanity as she was later called The Black Rose Witch."

Ruby gasped, "Your mother was the Black Rose Witch!-?"

Yuji nodded, "Yes. She's also one of the most powerful psychics in the world now. That was before she met my dad. They had a Duel and when they realized they were both children of the Crimson Dragon, he defeated her and broke through her shell. But she was only shaken up and was far from opening up to him. It took another Duel and putting himself in danger as my father reached out to help her before my mother accepted him as a friend and gain control of her powers as well. As you could guess, they fell in love later after that and even married; which brings us to here and now."

"But what about my parents?" she snapped as she began to cry before him. "Shouldn't I avenge them? Don't I have the right?"

Yuji hugged her close, wiping the tears from her eyes, "Possibly, but if you do that you may never be the same again. And I like you this way..." He chuckled, "You know, we should be lucky to even know or remember our parents."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Shinichi has no memory of his past before he was turned into a cyborg. He has no memory of his mother nor his father, or the life he shared with them."

Ruby froze, "He...he doesn't?"

He shook his head, "No, but despite that, he's decided to fight for the memories he's currently made with those girls he's with."

Ruby was silent with her thoughts.

Yuji then noticed how close he was to Ruby before jumping back with a fierce blush on his face, "In any case...you must be tired, so I'll go draw you a bath!" And he ran to the bathroom past the kitchen. Ruby blinked before taking the chance to check out one of the guest rooms.

* * *

><p>Yuji sighed as he ran the water in the bathtub. "That was stupid," he scolded himself. "I went and got too close to her. Too attached," he muttered as he stared at his hand. "Yumi…"<p>

"_It's one of your weaknesses,"_ a voice spoke.

Yuji frowned as he looked into the bathroom mirror, where he saw a reflection of himself; but the reflection had black sclera and was in a black bodysuit.

"What do you want, Abyss?" Yuji demanded.

"_You crave attention, and fear rejection,"_ the reflection, known as Abyss, stated. _"Those are your weaknesses. Why else did you never reveal to Yumi what you were? You were afraid of what she would think of you. And now she's dead, never knowing your secret."_

"What's your point?"

"_My point is that you're attracted to the witch now,"_ Abyss said. _"That explains how you so openly revealed what you are. And how you held her in your arms; the same way you held Yumi in your arms."_

"I don't have to take this shit from you," Yuji spat. "I loved Yumi, you didn't."

"_I couldn't,"_ he corrected. _"I'm your darkness, remember? "Yin and Yang, Light and Darkness, balance, and harmony of two opposing forces. Quite poetic,"_ he acknowledged.

"Are you going somewhere with this?" Yuji groaned.

Abyss pointed at Yuji, _"Stop living in the past and take what's yours or I'll do it for you!"_ He then disappeared as the reflection in the mirror rippled and faded, leaving Yuji's regular reflection to look at.

"He talks too much," he sighed.

* * *

><p>It was spacious, but some boxes that were still unpacked. That's when Ruby spotted a picture frame on the bed that was face down. She took it and saw a young girl with short brown hair and brown eyes as she was wearing a red school uniform. Also in the picture was Yuji in a black uniform and they were both smiling.<p>

"Yumi Omura."

Ruby turned to see Yuki at the door. "What?"

Yuki walked in and sat with Ruby on the bed. "That was Onii-sama's first girlfriend: Yumi Omura."

"I see."

"She died almost 2 years ago..."

"I'm sorry," she apologized, feeling somewhat insensitive.

"Cancer; one of the many diseases that destroys humans..." Yuki frowned, "It was the last time I ever saw Onii-sama cry, so I did my best to comfort him."

"And yet he can still smile," Ruby said in amazement.

"That's his front. Onii-sama still cries in his heart because of his inability to save Yumi, and has kept women away for fear that they might die as well. However…" she paused.

"However?"

Yuki looked at Ruby, "Onii-sama seems to like you…"

She blushed and sputtered, "W-what?-! How can you say that? W-we just met and…"

"I noticed it the way he held you in front of the mirror," she replied.

Ruby's blush deepened, "You saw that…?"

Yuki nodded, "Onii-sama held me once like that, and Yumi as well… When he meets a girl he likes, Onii-sama is always kind to them and makes sure she's comfortable. It was how Otou-sama and Okaa-sama taught him."

"You said he held you once as well," she noted. "Did you two…?

"I comforted Onii-sama with my body," Yuki replied.

"You slept with him," Ruby realized, becoming red in the face. "But he's your brother, isn't he?"

"Onii-sama was in pain, and I would do anything to ease that pain," Yuki said firmly. "Besides, I'm more into girls anyway…"

"So you're…"

"Lesbian," she nodded. "Well, maybe bisexual… I'm not sure."

"I see…" Ruby sweat-dropped.

Yuki then revealed a set of pink pajamas with sunflower patterns, "These are mine… you can use them while you stay here."

"Thank you," Ruby smiled as she accepted the pajamas. "By the way, I never caught your name, or your brother's for that matter."

Yuki took Ruby's hand and kissed it, making Ruby blush, "Yuki Fudo…" She then got up and turned to leave before she continued, "And Yuji Fudo is Onii-sama's name…"

As Yuki left, Ruby stared into the pajamas as they reminded her of her master and the knoll. She wished to go back, but she needed rest as well as her wand. She fell back onto the bed as her head rested on the pillow.

"Yuji Fudo, huh?" she mouthed. "A nice name, for a nice man…"

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER DATABASE<strong>

"Hello, everyone," Ruby greeted with a smile. "My name is Ruby Tojou, and I will be hosting today's Rider Database!"

She pressed a button on the remote and the screen revealed the scene where she and Yuji were hugging.

"That's not it!" she cried as she hit the rewind button. She pressed the play button where they pulled into the Dragon's Den on Yuji's motorcycle. "Here we are," she smiled. "Our subject today is Yuji Fudo's, aka Kamen Rider Liger, motorcycle…um…let's see…" She then bugged, "What?-! Are you saying that we don't even know the bike's name?-! How can that be?-!" She blinked, "Wait, what? This is the first time it's been shown? Oh, silly me," Ruby blushed out of embarrassment. "But then, how we can conclude the database?" she asked.

"I'll help," Yuji offered as he entered from the opposite side.

"F-Fudo-san!" Ruby gasped, her blush growing deeper in color.

He nodded with a smile before facing the camera, "The name of my D-Wheel is White Blaze, designed after a liger which is a large cat that is crossbred with a lion and tiger."

She blinked, "D-Wheel? What's that?"

Yuji then pressed a button, which showed footage of a Riding Duel. "A D-Wheel is a special motorcycle that's used in Riding Duels, a new form of competitive dueling back home in Neo Domino City. By linking your Duel Disk with the D-Wheel, more power is put out through its Momentum Drive when in a Riding Duel, which uses Speed Spells and Speed Counters instead of the regular Spell Cards in Duel Monsters."

"I'm sorry, Fudo-san," Ruby frowned, "But what you're saying doesn't make much sense to me."

"Don't fret, Ruby, for more will be explained in the future," Yuji assured. "Also, more data on White Blaze will be disclosed in the next episode of Showa + Vampire. However, the viewers will have to wait, since White Blaze's specs are currently classified. And it didn't get much screen time anyway…"

"I see," she smiled. "Then until next time, everyone!" Ruby and Yuji waved.

* * *

><p><strong>Kamen Rider Chrome: And so we are introduced to the witch Ruby Toujo. Anyway, I'd like to thank Kamen Rider Bushido and Tailsmo for all their hard work. We'll get to the action soon enough so be patient. You'll love what's coming next.<strong>


	17. Witch's Knoll: The Battle of Witch

**KAMEN RIDER CHROME: And so the group will continue more of their adventures here. This is the final chap of the Witch's Knoll arc but that doesn't mean it's all over.**

**Chapter 17: The Battle of Witch's Knoll**

Ruby caught a whiff of something delicious hanging in the air, causing her to stir as she rose from her bed. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, and walked toward the kitchen as the combination of hunger and the smell of food beckoned her. She walked in to see Yuki sitting at the kitchen table. She wore midnight-blue pajamas with white snowflake patterns on them.

"Ohayo…" Yuki greeted as she turned to Ruby.

"Ohayo gozaimasu," Ruby returned with a smile.

"Oh, Ruby," Yuji called from the kitchen, "You're up! Good! Just have a seat cuz food's almost ready!"

Ruby nodded as she took a seat opposite to Yuki. She looked to her left and her eyes widened as she saw Yuji in shorts and a sleeveless shirt that clung to his body. She could make out the muscles his shirt hid, as well as his arm and leg muscles and she found them quite pleasing. She was blushing and unconsciously licked her lips.

Yuki noticed how Ruby gazed at her brother and subtly smiled to herself.

"OK, so since today is Sunday, we all get pancakes!" Yuji chirped as he laid plates that were stacked with five pancakes each. Several bottles of syrup were already set at the table. He returned as he handed the girls glasses of orange juice.

"Itadakimasu…" Ruby thanked as she first took a bite of the pancakes. Her eyes widened as her face became all smiles, "Oishiiii~… This is so delicious!"

"Crow-jisama taught Onii-sama how to cook…" Yuki said as she cut into her pancakes before pouring strawberry syrup onto the stack.

"Yeah, I learn a lot from my family," Yuji nodded. "So, once we're done here, we'll go get your wand from that hotel and we can take you home, Ruby."

"Thank you very much," she smiled. "I admit that I am grateful for your hospitality."

"Anytime," he smiled.

* * *

><p>A few hours later, Ruby was once again riding the White Blaze behind Yuji as he drove down the road, with Yuki right next to the bike as she rode on a blue D-Board. The two Manakytes and witch made it to the hotel where Shinichi and the others stayed at. The three of them went up to the hotel room the group was sharing and knocked on the door.<p>

"Yeah?" Shinichi answered as he opened the door for them. The two Manakytes and witch entered.

"I want Ruby's wand," Yuji requested.

Yukari brought it to Yuji and he handed it to Ruby, who was happily reunited with the staff.

"Are you sure about this?" Shinichi asked.

"1: It's hers, so she gets it back," Yuji listed, "and B: Yes, I'm sure."

"Onii-sama is a good judge of character," Yuki added, "like Otou-sama..."

"I just need to ask a couple of questions," Shinichi stated to Ruby, "Like why there were plant monsters on Witch's Knoll and what do you intend to do with them?"

Yuji turned to Ruby and asks kindly, "Do you want to answer that or not?"

"Considering that you tried to kill me I think I deserve to know," he crossed his arms.

Yuji glared at the Kaizo Ningen, "Chill, man," and turned back to Ruby, "Could you tell us why?"

Ruby hesitated before speaking softly, "They are creations of my master and she...she intends to...she intends to..." She shut her eyes as she continued, "She intends to raise an army against the humans."

"Which brings me to my next point," Yuji said. "I'm gonna take Ruby back to her home and find out what the hell's going on up there and see if I can straighten this whole thing out."

"And we're going with you," Shinichi added as the girls nodded.

"Sure, but one more thing," Yuji said before pointing at Gin, "If you try anything funny with Ruby, I'm gonna melt your face!"

Gin gulped.

"Yuji, can I talk with you, in private?" Shinichi requested.

"Oh, OK," he blinked.

Shinichi and Yuji step outside as he spoke, "Last night I was in Rider form and taking a ride on the Cyclone-X3. Something happened."

"What happened?" he asked before he started to panic, "Did she explode!-? Oh, Crimson Dragon, please don't tell me she exploded!"

Shinichi sighed and stomped his foot, "No! I'm saying that my helmet picked up a conversation on a secured radio channel."

Yuji sighed heavily, "Oh, thank the Crimson Dragon! OK, so, about that convo?"

"They were talking about Witch's Knoll, getting rid of the witches, and digging. I think I picked up GIN-SHOCKER's communications. It was all scrambled but that's what I think," Shinichi reported.

Yuji frowned in though, "Hm... That sounds serious. I should let Ruby know."

Shinichi nodded, "Yes, and now you know why I'm coming. They mentioned it was going to be today but I'm not sure what time. By the way, you're acting pretty protective of a girl you just met."

Yuji blinked, "Really? What makes you say that?"

"Careful observation," Shinichi answered. "Plus it was fairly obvious."

Yuji blushed and looked away from Shinichi, "Well...there's no particular reason, really! We're friends now...and I always look out for my friends...!"

"Uh-huh..." Shinichi nodded slowly, "Still, don't let your fondness cloud your judgment. She's still involved in all this."

"Right... In any case, we should saddle up and roll out to the Knoll, right now."

* * *

><p>Ruby led them to her Master's home which rested in the middle of the sunflower field on Witch's Knoll. Shinichi was honestly expecting something more eerie but maybe these witches were trying to blend in and a creepy old castle or mansion would only draw unwanted attention.<p>

"I swear, if this is a trap..." Shinichi frowned.

"Once her boss knows we're not exactly human we should be fine," Yuji assured before turning to Ruby, "Right?"

"She's also wary of other races," Ruby frowned sadly, "You know how other monsters treat us witches as boarder beings."

"I know all about it," Shinichi said. "And we're not like that. Are we?"

"I dunno..." Yuji trailed as he glared at Kurumu.

Ruby waved her wand and the air shimmered, revealing the log cabin where her master resided. "Here it is, away from the prying eyes of humans," she said.

Yuji smiled as he viewed the landscape, "Looks nice. Real homie."

"Follow me," she beckoned. She went forward and opened the door. "Oyakata-sama, I've returned," she bowed.

There was an old woman in a cloak and hood, sitting in a rocking chair.

"Welcome home, Ruby," Lady Oyakata greeted. "I was worried when you didn't return."

Yuji steps forward and gets down on one knee, bowing his head, "She was injured so I took care of her in my home."

Lady Oyakata's head snapped up slightly, "You...you're not human. I can sense it. What are you, boy?"

Yuji took a breath as he answered, "I am of the Manakyte race, part of the Tenjyu group of sentient beings. My name is Yuji Fudo, son of Yusei and Aki Izayoi-Fudo."

"Aki Izayoi-Fudo?-!" Lady Oyakata gasped. "You are the son of the Black Rose Witch?-!"

"That's right," Yuji nodded. "And she isn't just a witch, she's a Manakyte like my father."

Lady Oyakata glanced up, "It is an honor to have you here at our humble home. Please, make your stay comfortable." Her eyes then turned to Shinichi and then sneered, "A human! Ruby, you brought a human here!-?"

"Wait!" Yuji stood quickly. "Shinichi is no mere human. He's what's known as a cyborg. His life has been tampered with and we have reason to believe that the same people who seek him out for it are after this territory."

"You mean the land developers who wish to tear apart my sunflowers?" she inquired. "Don't worry. I have it all taken care of."

"You mean your field of monster plants? I doubt they can do much against GIN-SHOCKER," Shinichi remarked.

"Do tell," she glared.

"From what we have learned," Yuji sweated, "they are strong when it comes to technology and I have seen what they are capable of with my own eyes. They have tampered with nature and have created abominations of science. I have reason to believe that they may even bring an army of monsters to this beautiful place. With your permission and cooperation, my sister and associates will assist you in protecting the knoll and the sunflowers that you have grown here."

Lady Oyakata smiled softly as she closed her eyes, "That is very kind of you, but I have my own plans."

Yuji blinked, "Say wha...?"

Lady Oyakata's face morphed into an expression of hate, "I will use my powers to not eliminate this GIN-SHOCKER but to destroy the human city nearby!" Her eyes were full of rage and insanity.

"Oh...fuckberries..." Yuji sweat-dropped.

And then the whole place came to life.

* * *

><p>Plant monsters attacked the group viciously and they were forced to fight for their lives.<p>

"Was this part of you plan!-?" Shinichi demanded.

"I forgot that old people usually don't like having young people helping them!" Yuji shouted as he punched away a plant monster, "A terrible miscalculation on my part!"

"Miscalculation? Sure, if that's what you want to call it! Let's Ride: Showa!" Showa ran over to Moka and quickly ripped off her Rosario, "We're gonna need the other you here, Moka-chan."

Moka's transformation took place almost instantly as her curves became fuller, her hair fading from pink to silver, her fangs became sharper and her eyes becoming narrower with blood red irises and slits for pupils.

Moka-sama stretched and then performed a backwards roundhouse kick, nailing a plant monster in the face and sending it flying into two of its kin, knocking them off their feet.

"It's been awhile since I've been out," said Moka with the voice of a mature woman rather than that of a cutesy teenager. "Hello, Kamen Rider."

"Hey, Moka-sama," said Showa. He learnt to call Inner Moka with a more respectful honorific. He didn't want to be on the receiving end of one of those kicks, armor or not. "Weapon Ride: Laser Saber!"

Kurumu and Mizore assumed their true forms as the succubus released her wings, tails and claws while Mizore's hair turned into ice and ice claws covered her hands. Standing back to back, the two girls gave each other nods before dashing into battle, slashing plant monsters apart.

Gin let out a howl as he too transformed and while the moon wasn't out he could still fight with fangs and claws. Yukari supported with her magic, conjuring cards with sharpened edges, sending them flying and decapitating the plant monsters.

"Well, that was interesting. Can't transform yet..." Yuji whispered to himself as he glanced at Showa. "I'll have to do this the low-tech way." His scales covered his body as he cracked his knuckles, "So much for freakin' diplomatic negotiations...!"

Heavy construction machinery rolled onto the hill with a foreman and his crew leading the march.

"Now what?" Kurumu whined.

The construction workers tore away their uniforms to reveal themselves as GS-Soldiers. The foreman tore off his disguise to reveal himself as a humanoid cactus monster with vines hanging off his body. The soldiers, armed with machetes, began to slice away at the plant monsters.

"Kill everyone," Cactus Vine-Borg ordered, "but bring BLACK 13 to me!"

"Looks like GS is here," Yuji grimaced. He turned to Showa and Ruby, "I'll do what I can to hold them off! Yuki, let's rev it up!"

"Hai, Onii-sama!" she obeyed as she drew her pistols.

GS-Soldiers were gunned down as Yuki and Yuji faced them. Yuki was also covered in scales as they were white and matched her hair. She had her pistols at the ready, her trigger finger getting itchy.

* * *

><p>Yuji fought against plant monsters and GS-Soldiers who were also fighting against each other. Witch's Knoll had turned into a battlefield with three sides fighting for dominance. Yuji knew he could trust Yuki to be on her own. He made sure to stay out of Showa's sight for the next part of his plan. He didn't need a repeat of what had occurred at the race track.<p>

"Surrendering would be the smarter move," said Cactus Vine-Borg as he stood before Yuji arrogantly.

"I don't think so, asshole!" Yuji denied as he slung his belt on pulls an orange card with neon blue circuit lines on it with a blue S in the center from his card box. "Henshin!" he called as he slid the card into the buckle.

"**SCHNEIDER FORM!"**

The buckle projected a blue S that turned orange as shards of orange energy encased his body and became a new set of armor, with the bodysuit still black. He now had orange plating on his sleeves and thighs. His orange gauntlets had glove plating and a neon-blue blade on each arm, folded back. His orange greaves also had the blades on the side of his legs. The orange lion face-plate had five blades on the bottom corners, sides, and top of the helmet, folded back. The tip of the tail also had orange armor plating with two smaller blades. A pair of blades was also attached to his back. The orange helmet also had long armored ears extending back.

"So, the reports were true," Cactus Vine-Borg sneered. "Another Rider does live here."

"The name's Liger, and it's time to put your ass on the chopping block!" he pointed.

"We shall see about that, Rider! **Needle Arm!**" he called as long, needle-like blades extended from his arms as he charged at Liger Schneider.

Schneider's arm blades extended out and he charged as well as the two clashed in the middle, the cyborg swinging his arms violently with the Liger Rider parrying him blow for blow. He swung his tail, the blades on it slashing across Cactus-Vine-Borg's chest as he spilled blood…or some other fluid. He continued slashing at Cactus Vine-Borg. He then flipped back and pressed the magic button.

"**FULL CHARGE!"**

Orange energy arced into his armor as all his blades extended outward, including the blades on his helmet, acting like a second mask as they began to glow. He then charged at Cactus Vine-Borg, who retaliated by launching his vine-like fingers that were tipped with spears.

"**Buster Slash!"** Liger Schneider called as he sliced through the vines and flying right past the Kaijin. He slid to a halt as they blades folded back and Cactus Vine-Borg fell to pieces like salad, only to reform at Yuji's confusion and irritation.

"Did I mention I can regenerate from physical damage?" Cactus Vine-Borg sneered. He then jumped high into the air and spun as he called out, **"Needle Storm!"** and launched a rain of sharp needles on Liger.

Liger Schneider took a defensive position behind a truck to shield him from the rain of needles. "Dammit… If this keeps up, I'm gonna be here all night," Yuji grimaced.

* * *

><p>A distance away from the Cyborg Mutant's fight with the Liger Rider, Showa was being overwhelmed. He'd been separated from the girls and fighting both plant monsters and GS-Soldiers by himself. Sure, they were just cannon fodder and fell quickly by his sword and gun but their numbers made up for their lack in fighting power and they were starting to overwhelm him.<p>

He wouldn't give up but they kept hammering down on him endlessly.

"Kuso…" Showa cursed as he gunned down several GS-Soldiers and plant monsters with his Vulcan Shooter. He didn't notice several sneaking up behind him until it was too late.

But then, he was saved as a sword sliced several plant monsters and GS-Soldiers in half, letting them collapse without a care. The assailant used his fingers to wipe the blood off his blade and shoulder his sword. "Alright, who else wants some?" he asked, his voice distorted under his helmet.

Nobody knew who he was but it was obvious what he was: A Kamen Rider.

**Music – "Still in the Dark (Rock Version)"**

He wore a black bodysuit, with the armor being a stark contrast with its bright golden color. His helmet was styled after Anubis with red eyes. The chest plate had a muscular design to it and two golden metallic bracelets, with the eye of Horus on them, adorned both his arms. He was wielding a massive black blade that was shaped like an Ankh and covered in golden hieroglyphics. On his legs were metallic golden boots that went up to his knees.

"Kamen Rider!" the GS-Soldiers exclaimed.

"That's right, and this is where it-" His sentence was cut short when Showa suddenly swung at him. "Whoa!"

"Kamen Rider…Kamen Rider…" Showa growled, his eyes turning red.

Kurumu flew over the battle and spotted Showa. She smiled, relieved that he was alright, but then she saw that there was another Rider within Showa's line of sight and remembering the last time Showa saw another Rider became worried. Her worries became confirmed when she saw Showa's eyes glowing red.

Kurumu, seeing this, knew what was coming and gasped, "Oh no!"

Kamen Rider Showa suddenly roared as his armor turned completely black and his eyes turned red. He had changed into BLACK 13.

* * *

><p>"Not this again," groaned Liger when he heard the roar.<p>

Cactus Vine-Borg could only snicker. "Ah…I forgot. Anti-Rider BLACK 13 is still active."

* * *

><p>BLACK 13's energy blades came out of his forearms and he lunged for Necros. The Egyptian Rider parried with his sword, sparks flying off as their weapons connected. Not allowing this to stop him, BLACK 13 swung his leg and slashed the heel blade against Necros' chest plate, sending him reeling. Growling and snarling like a beast, BLACK 13 began swinging wildly at Necros who was forced to back up a step for each blow he blocked.<p>

Necros went for a horizontal swing but BLACK 13 jumped and then landed on the tip of the sword before he rushed and kicked Necros in the head, knocking him off his feet as BLACK 13 flipped off the tip and landed on his feet.

"Damn…" Necros cursed. He had to hold back, however. Shinichi wasn't in control of his own actions so he couldn't be blamed. Still, he could at least knock BLACK 13 out and hopefully once he came to he would forgive him.

The plant monsters lunged at both Riders but BLACK 13 was a blur of motion as he sliced them up and made them mulch. Necros was his prey and he would not allow some plants to defeat _his_ prey.

Necros then rushed in, going on the offensive and forcing BLACK 13 on the defensive. Blades clashed violently and Necros was able to slash BLACK 13 across the chest and then send him reeling with two kicks to the chest. Necros then raised his blade but lasers fired from BLACK 13's eyes, hitting Necros square in the chest and sending him skidding backwards. A couple more lasers fired, killing a couple of GS-Soldiers that were coming up behind Necros, shooting them right in the face. They fell with holes where their faces were and Necros looked towards BLACK 13. "Damn, he's not showing any mercy," he whispered. He didn't have any choice. If he couldn't kill BLACK 13, he would have to restrain him. Otherwise, this battle would become harder than it was supposed to be.

Necros then blurred out of sight and BLACK 13 tried to track his movements, only failing due to Necros' impressive speed. Necros was then slashed and bashed around in all angles, his feet leaving the ground as he was being struck from all sides by a black blur. An explosion of sparks sent him tumbling along the field and Necros reappeared, kicking up dust.

BLACK 13 snarled but then ended up being attacked by plant monsters and GS-Soldiers. Outraged, he began to tear into them. He would not be stopped until his target was destroyed.

"Better clean this up quickly," said Necros as he pulled out a gold and silver cell phone with the word 'MOBIRIDER' stamped across it. He flipped it open and above the keypad was a keyhole. In his other hand he held up a small figure shaped like a Kamen Rider. He squeezed and it folded down at the waist to become a key.

"Rider Change!" Necros declared as he put the key into the keyhole and twisted. A symbol resembling a beetle appeared on the screen as the phone called out loudly, **"KAMEN RIDER DARK KABUTO!"**

Hexagons began to cover Necros' body, forming into a new suit of armor which was complete once the eyes flashed. The armor was sleek with metal plates on the arms and legs and metal bands around the ankles and wrists. His shoulders were rounded and he sported a black chest plate with a red circuitry pattern on it. His black helmet sported yellow eyes and a single horn from a Japanese Rhino Beetle. A black beetle acted as the belt buckle.

He had become Kamen Rider Dark Kabuto.

Kurumu was stunned to see the transformation and said, "I thought only Shinichi could do that."

"Clock Up," Necros-Dark Kabuto ordered as he slapped a pad on the left side of his belt.

"**CLOCK UP!**" the belt announced. All of a sudden, he blurred out of sight. Clock Up allowed a Rider to move so fast that it was like they were invisible. However, in his point of view he was moving at normal speed and only the world around him had frozen.

He picked the monster plants and GS-Soldiers off one by one, sending them flying with punches and kicks. They remained suspended in the air before…

"**CLOCK OVER!**"

Time restarted for him and the GS-Soldiers and plant monsters all exploded.

BLACK 13, noticing him, began to swipe and slash at him but Necros was able to easily dodge as Dark Kabuto. He flipped open his Mobirider phone again and produced another figure which folded into a key. Ducking under a swipe, he activated his next key.

"Rider Change!" This time a symbol resembling a mitsudomoe appeared on the phone's screen.

"**KAMEN RIDER KABUKI!"**

His body became covered in pink cherry blossom petals which then exploded off his frame, revealing his new form. He sported green armor which consisted of gauntlets, boots and a breastplate with metal ribs under the breast plate. Flaps of green armor hung from his belt which sported a mitsudomoe on the buckle. He had shoulder-pads shaped like demon heads with a red horn jutting from the one on the right. His helmet bore no face but was black with markings like a kabuki dancer. The horn on the left side was longer than the one on the right and set in the middle of his forehead was a demon's face.

He then drew a tuning fork which was decorated with a demonic face. It turned into a katana as the blade extended. Sparks clashed as BLACK 13's energy blades connected with Necros-Kabuki's katana. He knocked BLACK 13 backwards with a kick before slashing him across the chest. Putting the sword away, he reached behind his back and pulled out a pair of taiko drumsticks which were topped with demon heads. He tapped them together and waited for BLACK 13 to come close. When the black Rider came for another attack, Necros Kabuki bashed his taiko drumsticks into his chest. The force of the blow was so explosive that it sent BLACK 13 tumbling along the field.

Necros-Kabuki saw BLACK 13 getting back up and prepared for the worst, only for Kurumu to drop out of the sky and hold him back by his shoulders. Kurumu looked BLACK 13 in the eye, pleading, "Shinichi, stop this! Other Riders aren't your enemy!" He didn't seem to hear her. She whispered, "I know I promised not to do this, but you leave me no choice!" She stared him in the eye and activated her race's ability, _'CHARM!'_

With her eyes locked with his, she activated her Charm power. She knew that it caused Shinichi pain but they desperately needed him back. "Please…" she begged, "Let this work…"

BLACK 13 threw his head back and howled in pain. Kurumu backed away. Had she made it worse? She watched as he fell to his knees, clutching his head in pain. She saw the red eyes on the helmet flash between red and green before finally settling on green. His armor then reverted back to its black and white color instead of the full jet black of BLACK 13. "Thank goodness…" Kurumu whispered, relieved.

**End Music**

"Ow…" Showa groaned. "Why do I feel like I got steamrolled, twice?" He shook his head. He then noticed the succubus, "Huh, Kurumu-chan?"

"I'm glad you're back," she smiled.

"Did I go somewhere?" he asked, confused, once again not recalling what had occurred as BLACK 13. He spotted Necros-Kabuki and immediately got in front of Kurumu protectively.

"Relax," said Necros-Kabuki as his body shone and he reverted back to Necros, "I'm on your side. But let's talk later. We got a city to save."

Showa nodded and ran alongside the other Rider as Kurumu looked on, smiling. Still, how long would her Charm hold back BLACK 13? Would this be the last they saw of the black-clad monster that GIN-SHOCKER had created?

* * *

><p>Moka-sama had lost sight of Showa and scowled. "Where is that Rider?" she demanded as she used her kicks to knock down the creatures. She didn't hold back against the GS-Soldiers, considering them abominations of science like Yuji had said.<p>

She then heard laser gunfire and smiled as she saw Showa coming and was even more surprised to see him fighting alongside another Rider whose design was Egyptian in appearance. Even Mizore, who was freezing up her enemies, and Yukari were surprised. Why hadn't he gone berserk?

Kurumu landed and told them, "He went BLACK 13 but I used my Charm on him. He should be alright." All three narrowed their eyes at the succubus, "Look, I know I promised I'd never use it on him again, but what was I supposed to do? At least now we have a way to bring him back if BLACK 13 takes over again."

"Be sure it isn't a temporary solution," Moka-sama warned.

Meanwhile, Liger Schneider saw Showa and Necros, fighting against the enemy forces against each other. He knew the other was a Rider from the get-go but was even more surprised when he saw Showa wasn't attacking him.

"Looks like they're gonna be OK," Liger Schneider nodded.

"Pay attention!" Cactus Vine-Borg demanded as he rammed Schneider with his spiked arms, sparks erupted everywhere. He swung his arms as the long needles scratched at the Rider's armor and kicked him down as he went rolling.

"Now you die!" Cactus Vine-Borg cackled as he shot his vine fingers at Schneider.

**STAB!**

"What?" Liger Schneider blinked as he looked up, only to see what horror had just occurred.

Ruby stood in front of Liger Schneider, shielding his body with her own as she was pierced by the spear-tipped vines.

"RUBYYYYY!" Liger cried as he ran. Cactus Vine-Borg's vines were then slashed to ribbons by Showa's Laser Saber and he pushed the Cyborg Mutant back with his Vulcan Shooter.

Liger Schneider was cradling Ruby, "Ruby, why did you do it? Why?"

"Because…you showed me…kindness…" she said to him as her eyes began to close. She coughed up some blood and the Rider panicked.

"Don't you dare die on me, Ruby! You hear me? Don't you dare! Open your eyes! Please!" Liger Schneider pleaded with her, shaking her body. Showa knelt down in front of them. "Shinichi?"

Showa offered, "Let me help," as he put his hand on Ruby's shoulder. He began to concentrate as a clock face glowed on the ground. The hands went in reverse and Liger Schneider watched as the injuries began to vanish and her cloths mended themselves. Even the blood stains were gone. Liger Schneider looked up at Showa in amazement.

"Time reversal?" Liger Schneider asked as Showa withdrew his hand.

"Don't ask me where I got this power because I don't know," he shrugged, "I'm just glad I do."

**Music – "Black Blade" by Two Steps From Hell**

"Thank you," he nodded as he turned to face Cactus Vine-Borg. Liger Schneider tore off the belt as his armor shattered into orange shards of energy, under the light of the moon, all could see his face as the whites of his eyes are filled in with black as it creeps though his eyes as black and red flames engulf him. This punk almost killed Ruby and now he had to pay!

"You're on fire!" Showa gaped.

"Yuji-san!" Ruby cried in horror.

The fire is dispelled as Yuji was now covered in black chainmail and black armor, like dragon hide and two black bat-like dragon wings spread from his black, with an armored tail hanging from the skirt of his armor. His arms and legs were covered in black greaves and gauntlets that were tipped with claws. His head is covered by what looks like a black dragon's head with horns and red eyes.

"_**Waga na wa...Abyss (My name is…),"**_ Yuji declared in an ethereal voice. _**"I shall cast judgment."**_ A black Duel Disk morphed on his left gauntlet as he draws a card and slaps it down on the blade. _**"Rise from the depths of Hell! Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"**_

Black flames erupt in front of him as something flies out from it and into the sky. It was a dragon, with black scales and red eyes that matched Abyss's armor to a T. It roared as it eyed Cactus Vine-Borg with anger.

Cactus Vine-Borg screamed, "What in God's name is THAT?"

Abyss pointed up, _**"Your judgment. Red-Eyes! Destroy Cactus Vine-Borg! KOKUENDAN (Dark Flame Pulse)!"**_

The black dragon roared as it charged a ball of black energy in its mouth before firing, launching the ball at the cactus cyborg that let out a shrill of agony as he was instantly incinerated.

"_**Judgment has been cast,"**_ Abyss declared. He then eyed Yuki as she was also battling the GS Soldiers.

Yuki danced around the battlefield as she blasted holes through the soldiers. She glided around their advances either smacked them down with her pistols or shot them down, going for headshots or filling them with holes like Swiss cheese. She jumped out of the group and Yuki landed on her feet, several feet away from them, and answered with a bored expression, "Sorry, but you're going to die now." She then closed her eyes and crossed her arms against her chest, her pistols still in hand. She muttered, "Accessing Genesis Mode..."

Yuki became encased in a dome of white energy as she levitated slightly off the ground. Her guns began to glow white and extended, encasing her arms and turning into long cannons. The sides of the cannons had six-pronged snowflakes on them. She then grew three ice-like spikes which ran down her upper arms. She waved her arms and the dome dispersed, making Yuki crouch as she eyed her targets.

She muttered, "Genesis Mode acquired..." Her eyes began to glow blue and snow began to gather around the spikes. "Resonance factor stable. Noise level: 0.3 %..." Yuki continued. The snow grew larger and turned into rings that surrounded the cannons and were being absorbed into the barrels. "Feedback in four seconds...three...two...one..." Still crouching, she brought the two arm cannons side by side as the barrels glowed brighter and brighter. **"Stardust Requiem..."** The cannons blasted two wide beams of ice energy, pushing Yuki back slightly. The twin blast hit the GS army and they were enveloped by the blast. They were now completely made of ice. In the blink of an eye they shattered, turning into sparkling specks of dust.

The Abyss King approached Yuki and spoke, _**"Stand down."**_ She nodded as he eyed the construction machines. He then drew three cards and slotted them into the Duel Disk. He looked up and called, _**"Red-Eyes! KOKUENDAN!"**_

The Red-Eyes Black Dragon roared as it launched three more fire blasts at the machines, utterly destroying them with its hellfire blasts. The dragon vanished as did the armor as the flames engulfed Abyss and brought Yuji back.

**End Music**

Showa gulped. Necros and the others also saw what Abyss had done and saw the power he had.

"So, this is a Manakyte's power," Moka-sama smiled. So there was another one worth testing her strength against.

The GS-Soldiers, seeing that their CO had been defeated, decided to retreat and started to flee.

"Yeah, you better run!" Kurumu taunted.

"Well, glad that's over," said Yuki as she put her guns away.

"And I was able to make myself look cool," grinned Gin.

Kurumu snorted, "Like that would ever happen."

"No…it's not over yet," said Ruby as she saw Lady Oyakata standing in the distance. "Lady Oyakata, please wait! You don't have to destroy the city!"

"Ruby, I'm surprised. Haven't you forgotten that humans took the lives of your parents?" Lady Oyakata questioned.

"I'll never forget but while in the city I met very kind people (Yuji & Yuki). They may not be human but they assure me that humans are not as evil as we believe," argued Ruby.

Lady Oyakata shook her head, clearly disappointed, "Ruby, I had high hopes for you. I thought you saw things my way. You and I both know how humans have treated us." Her eyes fell on Yukari and the little witch hid behind Showa, not wanting to be gazed at. "What about you, little witchling? Would you join me?"

Yukari shook her head rapidly and then answered, "No!" She didn't like humans all that much and they scared her too, but that was no reason to want to destroy them.

"Lady Oyakata," said Necros, "If you destroy the city then more people would come to destroy you. It'll just be a cycle of hate, anger and destruction. Neither side will know peace. Are you willing to start a war?"

"THEY STARTED IT FIRST!" she shouted, "AND NOW I WILL END IT!" Her ancient tome opened and she began to chant a spell as the pages flipped, glowing with unholy light. The sky darkened as lightning flashed.

"Oh no!" Ruby gasped.

"What is it?" Yuji asked.

"She's about to activate a forbidden spell!" Ruby screamed, "MASTER, DON'T DO IT!"

But it was already too late as monster plants jumped out of the ground and onto Lady Oyakata. She wasn't being mauled by them, of course. Instead they were actually merging with her. More and more monster plants joined in the pile, fusing their bodies together as the group watched.

"Oh…fuckberries," Yuji cursed as a giant plant monster towered over them. Ruby fell to her knees in despair and sorrow.

"She's done it…activated the forbidden magic," the young witch sobbed.

"Why is it forbidden?" Showa asked.

"Because once it has been performed it can never be reversed. Lady Oyakata will be stuck like that forever until the day she dies," said Ruby.

"Well, then that just means it has to come now," said Showa as he produced the Legacy Driver. It was the hexagon-shaped device which allowed him to assume Legacy Mode. "Sorry about this, Ruby. And I'm sorry for treating you like an enemy." He locked the Legacy Driver upon his Spark Core and activated it.

"**ULTIMATE RIDE: LEGACY MODE!**" the Legacy Driver called out as a pillar of gold light shone around Showa. Once the light faded, Showa was donned in his Legacy Mode armor and holding the Legacy Saber in Sword Mode in his right hand.

**Music – "5D's Theme" (Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's)**

"**SO YOU DARE TO CHALLENGE ME?-!**" the old witch roared. "**THEN YOU SHALL DISSAPPEAR WITH THE HUMANS!**"

Thorny vines shot towards the group but the three sword-wielding Riders immediately took care of them with swings of their blades. Necros' Ankh-shaped sword moved like a blur, slicing the vines up like ribbons while Showa's blade left a golden trail with each swing. The two Riders then leapt up and engaged Oyakata head on.

"**YOU'R E MINE!**" the old witch roared as she shot out a storm of vines.

Necros changed quickly and then shouted, **"Shakkaho!"** A red sphere of energy shot out of his hand. There was a huge explosion when the orb hit its mark.

"Legacy Saber: Gun Mode! Fire!" Showa fired his weapon, unleashing a blast of golden energy at the vines, blasting a hole through the mass.

Howling, Oyakata continued her assault to crush the Riders.

Necros unhanded his sword and allowed it to levitate in front of him as he called upon another spell, **"Tenran!"** His sword spun like a fan, firing a tornado-like blast at the vines, repelling them from him.

Yuji turned his attention to Ruby, "Ruby, is there a way to stop her?"

Ruby frowned, looking down at the ground sadly. To expose her Master's weakness would be an act of betrayal. However, now Lady Oyakata had turned herself into a monster. Her heart had become consumed with so much hatred and rage that Ruby no longer recognized the witch who'd taken her in when she was young.

"Her book," Ruby told him. "It's her foci, like my and Yukari's wands. Without it she won't be able to cast magic. Destroy it and she'll be defeated."

Yuji nodded. "Guys, I need an opening!" he said to the other Riders.

"We better do this quick!" said Showa as he changed his Legacy Saber back to Sword Mode. "You ready?" he asked Necros.

Necros nodded as he produced a figure that resembled his armor before folding it into the form of a key. In the centre of his sword's guard was keyhole. He put in the key and twisted, causing energy from the key to be transferred into his sword. "**FINAL BREAK!**" the sword called.

At the same time, Showa attached his Legacy Driver to his sword, causing the Driver to call, "**LEGACY CHARGE!**" Showa gripped his weapon tightly as it began charging up, the blade glowing with power as lightning sparked from it.

"**NECROS STRIKE!"** Necros called as he swung his sword, unleashing an immense blast of energy which flew at the vines.

"**RIDER LEGACY SLASH!"** Showa called as he rushed at the vines and auras in the shape of the other Showa Riders shot out of his body, each armed with their own Legacy Saber. They all slashed at the vines, severing them completely. The burns from the energy slash attack prevented them from regenerating.

Yuji walked up, looking up at Lady Oyakata's monstrous form. "Ruby," he called.

"Yes?" she responded.

He slung the belt on pulled out the white CAS Z-Card, "We're finishing this now. Henshin!" he called as he slotted the card in the buckle.

"**ZERO FORM!"**

The white shards of energy took form as Yuji's transformation was complete. He then shot his hand to the sky and called out, "DESCEND, SUZAKU!"

Yukari and the others looked to the sky and she pointed, "Up there!"

In the sky was a shining red light as it descended up the hill with jet-like speed. It came into full view and was actually an armored bird, half the size of an average adult human, its armor painted red with golden talons, feathers like blades, and a golden beak. Its red eyes flashed as it cawed, showing off its impressive wingspan. Its back was also fitted with two machineguns.

"Suzaku, **Power-Link!**" Liger Zero called as he jumped high into the air. Suzaku cawed as its body disassembled into pieces of armor. The pieces snapped onto Liger's white Zero armor, and the wings and machinegun pack snapping onto his back as the linking was complete. **"Kamen Rider Liger! Phoenix Mode!"** he posed.

Yukari exclaimed, "Wow!"

"Awesome!" shouted Kurumu.

Mizore's eyes just widened.

Moka-sama smiled with approval.

As for Gin, he just grumbled in envy about Kamen Riders being showoffs.

"Ruby!" Liger Zero Phoenix called, "Time to fly!"

"Hai!" she nodded as her wings formed and shot up after Liger Zero Phoenix.

Liger Zero Phoenix opened fired with his machineguns, peppering Lady Oyakata's monstrous body along the chest. The mass of vines tried to swat him away, but his jet-like speed and aerodynamics avoided the attack.

"Ruby! Let's finish this!" Liger Zero Phoenix declared as he hit the button.

"**FULL CHARGE!"**

His right hand clasped with her left as Ruby aimed her staff and Liger Zero Phoenix aimed his left hand at the book. The mark on his right arm glowed with a bright crimson light as red energy from the belt spiraled around them.

"FOR THE FUTURE!" they declared. **"CRIMSON MYSTIC INFERNO!"**

And red circle of magic runes projected in front of them as it launched blast of crimson fire took the form of a dragon as it shot straight for the book, destroying the tome which triggered an explosion as everything faded to white.

**End Music**

* * *

><p><strong>Music – "At the End of the Battle" (Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's)<strong>

Lady Oyakata slowly opened her eyes to see Ruby smiling down at her as she cradled the old witch in her arms. Yuji and the others were standing a distance away, watching the two. They were in the sunflower patch, which gave off the feeling of soft dream world as the light shone down on them.

"Ruby…" Oyakata tried to speak. "Can you forgive an old woman for making such a foolish mistake…?"

"Of course," Ruby smiled as she shed tears for the coming parting of her mistress.

"My anger and hate for the humans pushed me over the edge, and I sealed my own fate by using the forbidden spell…" she sobbed. She turned to see Yuji watching them. "Boy…" she called.

Yuji approached the two and kneeled before Oyakata. "I'm here," he said.

She reached up and grasped his hand, "Promise me, that you will protect…my precious Ruby, and take care of her… This is…my final request as a dying old woman…"

Yuji nodded, "Of course I will." His mark, as well as Yuki's, began to glow as he stood up. "It's time," he said as they raised their right arms to the sky.

And from the sky descended the Crimson Dragon in all its glory; letting out an ethereal roar as it gazed down and Yuji and the two witches. It opened its mouth and Oyakata was carried up as she felt the warmth of the Crimson Dragon's power. She smiled as she drew her last breath before she was taken into the Crimson Dragon's mouth. The celestial beast roared one final time before it took the air, vanishing into the sky once again.

"Be at peace, Oyakata," Yuji said as Ruby approached him and they embraced each other. She sobbed into his chest as he held her close, stroking her hair tenderly as they stood silently in the night.

**End Music**

* * *

><p>Necros had disappeared after the battle and nobody knew who he was or where he had gone. Of course, Nekonome-sensei then came and told them that their battle had not gone unnoticed by the people in the city. There were people who wanted the Witch's Knoll to be preserved as it was the only natural source of beauty in the area.<p>

A gravestone had been planted for Lady Oyakata and while she had been an enemy, she had been forgiven as everyone paid their respects.

Back at the Dragon's Den, Shinichi was on the Cyclone-X3 and talking with Yuji and Ruby. "So…you'll be living here in a city filled with humans," Shinichi said to Ruby.

"Don't worry," said Ruby, "It'll take some getting used to but I believe I'll manage." She took Yuji's hand in hers and the Manakyte blushed.

"So, what will you do now?" asked Yuji.

"It's still summer vacation," said Shinichi. "Gonna stick around for a bit and maybe find some answers."

"I hope you restore your memories," said Ruby.

Shinichi cocked an eyebrow and shrugged, "Yeah, I just hope I like what I find." He put on his helmet and then drove off. Ruby watched the bike go and Yuji saw the look on her face.

"I could make you a bike," he offered.

"Really?" she questioned.

Yuji smiled and led her back inside.

Meanwhile, as Shinichi was speeding down the road, sitting at the edge of one of the city's tall building's rooftop was Leon. "He's got some potential, but we gotta do something about that BLACK 13 form of his before he loses control again." He then reached into his pockets and pulled out the Mobirider that Necros had used along with the figure that resembled Necros. Putting them away, Leon stood up before vanishing in a black blur.

* * *

><p>A man was looking at the screen of his computer which played the footage of the battle on Witch's Knoll. "Kamen Rider Liger and Kamen Rider Necros. How interesting. Ah, and it seems that BLACK 13 is still active. Wonderful, wonderful." He put his fingers in a pyramid as he contemplated, "Hm…maybe it's time for BLACK 13 and I to be reunited. Son, Daddy's coming for you."<p>

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER DATABASE<strong>

"Hello again, everyone!" Ruby smiled as Yuji stood next to her. "This is the Rider Database and we will be discussing about today's entries!"

"That's right, Ruby," Yuji nodded. "And we'll start with the introduction of this show's 3rd Kamen Rider; Necros." He pressed a button on the remote and the screen revealed Necros fighting the plant monsters. "This Kamen Rider seems to have a darker motif compared to Showa and my Liger System. As for its features, it appears to be based off Anubis, the Egyptian God of the Dead."

"That sounds scary, Yuji-san," Ruby cringed.

"Well, in Egyptian mythology, Anubis was the one who judged you based on your actions in life. He would use a scale and feather to weigh your soul. If the feather outweighed your soul, then you'd go to heaven. However, if your soul outweighs the feather, then you were dragged down to the Underworld."

"Amazing," she awed. She then saw Necros transforming into Dark Kabuto then Kabuki in the fight against BLACK 13. "By the way, how did he change his appearance?" she asked.

Yuji viewed the footage and replied, "Well, like all Kamen Riders, Necros can alter his appearance based on the kind of gear he uses. In this case, Necros uses those keys with a special cell phone to change into Dark Riders, like with my CAS Cards."

"Dark Riders?" she blinked.

"Kamen Riders who were considered evil," Yuji clarified. "Kabuki was a traitor to the other Oni Riders and Dark Kabuto despised Kabuto. In the end, he sacrificed his life to save Kabuto."

"How tragic," she sobbed.

"Indeed," Yuji nodded before continuing with the footage. "Moving on, we'll now discuss my own system, as well as two new forms that were debuted this episode. The Schneider CAS Card emphasizes close-combat capabilities and precision attacks. The Vi-Blades on Schneider's armor are capable of slicing through any known material on Earth except itself, which is E-Carbon. Its special attack is the "Buster Slash," which allows me to cut through the enemy in one strike. Shame that it was used on the wrong kind of opponent…" he sighed.

"Don't worry, Yuji-san," Ruby patted his back, "You'll surely get a better opponent next time! Now, what about that mechanical bird?"

"Ah yes," Yuji nodded as the footage displayed Suzaku. "This is Suzaku, a mechanical bird I created several months ago, after Yuki and I opened the Dragon's Den. Its jet-like speed and agility makes it the fastest bird on Earth. It's also equipped with two XM307 Grenade Machine Guns, giving Suzaku incredible firepower should it get caught in a dogfight, including E-Carbon talons. By a voice command from me, Suzaku can disassemble itself as we initiate the Power-Link process, adding some extra armor onto the Zero armor and giving me the ability to fly. This process can only be done with CAS Z-Card since it's the most balanced."

"Sugoi!" Ruby clapped, "You must have devoted a lot of time and effort when you developed all these features!"

"That, and a lot of blood, sweat and tears," Yuji nodded.

"Well, that's all the time we have, so we'll see you next time!" Ruby and Yuji waved.

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: And so we close up on the Witch's Knoll Arc. The next arc will actually be more focused on Shinichi's lost memories as he meets someone he never expected to meet. It's a family reunion like you'd never believe.<strong>

**KAMEN RIDER BUSHIDO: This concludes a short, but epic arc! Hope you guys like this one as much as the last!**


	18. Family: The Good and the Bad

**KAMEN RIDER CHROME: This time it's time to start the show. It's time for the 3****rd**** Arc which I would like to call the "Kazoku Chapters". Kazoku is Japanese for 'family' and that will be theme of this arc, which doesn't take place very long since the Witch's Knoll Arc. Of course, as you can see, Shinichi is gonna be reunited with family, both good and bad. Well, without further ado let us begin the 3****rd**** Arc of S+V.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 18: The Good and the Bad<strong>

Shiori Banabara had just finished her latest book and saving the manuscript in her computer before printing it up. She let out a sigh and yawned before stretching. It was already so late. She glanced up at the clock. It was 2 AM. "I better get to sleep," she mumbled. She had a book signing tomorrow.

Shiori Banabara was staying in a hotel. She was in the middle of a book tour promoting her latest book and would be doing book signings in all the local bookstores that sold her works. The woman who looked to be between her late thirties and early forties was a famous authoress of adult literature and well-known in Japan as one of the greatest writers born.

However, all that fame didn't make her any happier. She hadn't been truly happy since that day ten years ago. She fished out a photograph from her wallet and sighed. It was a picture of her and her family which she'd lost years ago.

Her husband had died half a decade ago and over a decade ago she'd lost her son. He'd gone missing and while attempts had been made to find him none of them brought any good news. The police had to close the case but Shiori and her husband didn't give up on the search. Shiori still held onto the hope that her son was alive. However, another tragedy struck 5 years afterwards and her husband was said to have died in a traffic accident.

All she had were memories and the hope that even if her husband was gone that her son was still alive, somewhere out there.

* * *

><p>"Sounds like I missed quite the party," said Leon after he listened to his friends' accounts on the battle which had taken place on Witch's Knoll.<p>

"You should've been there," said Gin as he boasted, "I was so awesome!"

"Baka, Shinichi did most of the work," said Kurumu. Gin grumbled about stupid, showoff Riders.

"I'm just happy for Ruby-san," said Yukari. "I'm glad that Yuji-san decided to take her into his home."

"I bet," smiled Shinichi. "So, we got a couple of more weeks here in the city. What do you want to do?" Mizore looped her arms around Shinichi.

"Ice skating," she suggested. She'd found an indoor skating rink and would love to go with Shinichi.

"Actually, I got a better idea!" said Kurumu. "Do you guys know about Shiori Banabara?"

* * *

><p>Yuji was sitting at the table, reading a magazine while Yuki sat in the living room watching TV. He was reading several articles on Shiori Banabara. He and Yuki were fans of her work and he admitted that the middle-aged woman looked as radiant as ever. Her hair was long and reached the small of her back. Her eyes were half-lidded, appearing to be almost seductive and she also had a nice smile on her face. He found it hard to believe she looked so young despite her age. Maybe she was actually a Manakyte; he chuckled at that thought. He then blinked when he noticed something. The ahoge atop her head, the indigo eyes and matching hair… somehow, these features reminded him of Shinichi.<p>

"Weird," he shrugged as he continued reading.

Ruby had exited the shower and was wrapped in a towel and drying her hair with another one.

"What are you reading, Yuji-san," she asked as she approached him.

"Reading articles about Shiori Banabara," he answered as he didn't notice Ruby in a towel.

"Shiori Banabara?" she blinked.

"Yes, she's a famous authoress who specializes in adult literature," Yuji nodded.

Ruby blushed, "Adult literature?"

"Yeah, we even have her entire collection to date and-WHOA!" he cried as he fell backward from being startled by the towel-clad witch. "R-R-Ruby…! Towel! Towel!"

She looked down and blushed even deeper, "Oh, I'm sorry! I just finished in the shower!"

Yuki walked into the kitchen and looked down at the magazine. "Onii-sama," she called as she pointed at an article, "Look…"

Yuji got up and scanned the article Yuki was referring to and his eyes widened before crying out, "HOLY SHIT! SHIORI BANABARA IS COMING TO TOWN! GET READY GIRLS SO WE CAN CHECK IT OUT!" and he ran into his room to change.

"He must be excited," Ruby giggled. She then noticed Yuki staring intently at Shiori's picture. "Yuki-san?"

"She resembles Shinichi…" Yuki noted.

Ruby looked at the photo and blinked, "You're right." They stared at each other. Could there be some connection between Shinichi and the authoress?

* * *

><p>The group, led by an excited Kurumu, was walking towards the bookstore where Shiori Banabara would be signing her books. Kurumu was holding a copy of one of Shiori's books to her chest as she skipped along. The content of the book was a bit…mature for Yukari but Shinichi had skimmed through it and liked how detailed Shiori was.<p>

"Oh, I can't wait to see her!" squealed Kurumu as she bounced along the sidewalk. "Should I shake her hand, or bow? Maybe I should shake her hand."

"Fangirl," Yukari rolled her eyes.

"I think I'll buy a copy too," said Mizore.

"Moka-chan, what about you?" asked Shinichi.

"Well…I guess I could…for a souvenir," said Moka, blushing.

"You know, I should get one too," grinned Gin.

"Heh, you would Ero-sempai," snickered Shinichi.

Leon had his hands in his pockets and was looking around. Something felt off.

And then all of a sudden…

"AHA! SON! I'VE FINALLY FOUND YOU!"

The group looked up ahead to see a man in a white lab coat and fedora with black shades over his eyes. He had blond hair and also gloves on his hands. The group looked at him in confusion, like he was some kind of nut. The man frowned, "Aw…please don't say you don't remember your daddy?"

"Excuse me, sir, but are you talking to me?" Shinichi asked. The man pointed at Shinichi dramatically.

"THAT'S RIGHT! YOU, MY BOY, ARE MY SON! NOW, GIVE YOUR DADDY A HUG!" He spread out his harms. Shinichi was getting a bit creeped out and backed away. This made the man frown again, this time deeper. "Oh, so it is true. You have lost your memories. I really wish it hadn't happened." He clapped his hands together, "Well! It's nothing I can't fix!"

"Shinichi, who is this freak?" Gin whispered to Shinichi who shrugged.

"I have no idea," said Shinichi, "But…he seems familiar."

"Now then, it's time to go home, BLACK 13," the man said and Shinichi's eyes widened. Aside from his friends, only one other group knew that name.

"GIN-SHOCKER," scowled Shinichi.

"YES, NOW YOU REMEMBER!" declared the man.

"Who are you!-?" Shinichi demanded.

"I AM…THE AMAZING AND STUPENDOUS, SUPREME GENIUS OF THIS WORLD…DR. GEBOK!" the man answered, pointing to the sky. "MY GENIUS LIGHTS UP THE SKY!"

Shinichi murmured, "Doctor…Gebok?" That name made his scar throb.

"Now, let's go home, my boy, so daddy can fix you," beckoned Gebok.

"He's not going anywhere with you, you freak!" growled Kurumu.

"That's right," added Mizore.

"Leave Shinichi-kun alone," said Moka.

"He's not going anywhere with you," said Yukari.

"They really love him," Leon said to Gin.

"Shut it," growled Gin in annoyance.

"Now this is an interesting development," said Gebok as his voice turned cold and sinister, "But it makes no difference. You are still coming back with me, BLACK 13." He whipped out a rectangular device with a tuning fork mounted on it. There was a dial and buttons on it. "This will make things easier for me!" he declared as he turned the dial and pressed the button.

Shinichi suddenly screamed and fell to his knees.

"SHINICHI!" the girls shrieked.

"That can't be good," Gin gulped.

Shinichi collapsed, writhing on the ground as he held his head, screaming bloody murder as blood began to leak from his ear, eyes and mouth. He screamed, "MAKE IT STOP! MAKE IT STOP!"

"EMP, short for Electro-Magnetic Pulse. A surefire way to deal with troublesome cyborgs," said Gebok like he was some kind of promoter on a TV advertisement.

"STOP IT!" screamed Moka. "STOP IT, YOU'RE HURTING HIM!"

"It didn't have to come to this if he just came along willingly," Gebok shrugged guiltlessly. "I'll turn down the EMP, just hand him-"

**Thud.**

"Ara?" Gebok blinked and looked down to see the hand holding his EMP device lying on the ground. He then felt the tip of a sword pointed at his throat.

"Leave," Leon threatened.

Gebok then did the smart thing. He turned tail and ran, turning a corner. Moka, Yukari and Gin stayed with Shinichi as Kurumu and Mizore gave chase and turned the corner, "MATTE!" However, Dr. Gebok just vanished into this air.

Leon picked up the device and then turned it off. It was easy because the ON/OFF button was clearly marked. He stared down at the hand. Instead of blood some kind of black, oily substance leaked out of it. A trail of it followed Gebok's path of escape but then it just vanished.

"Shinichi-kun…Shinichi-kun, are you okay?" Moka asked. The cyborg had passed out and the pinkette had his head on her lap.

"We have to bring him to Yuji-san," said Yukari urgently.

* * *

><p>Yuji examined the device after welcoming the Youkai Academy group into the Dragon's Den. Shinichi was put in a bed to rest. "It looks like this thing generates Electro-Magnetic Pulses. No wonder it worked on Shinichi," he analyzed.<p>

"Why would that hurt him?" asked Kurumu.

"Well, Shinichi's a cyborg, isn't he? That means he's got mechanical parts in him like wires and circuitry. EMPs can mess up those sorts of things and even damage them. Longer exposure to a higher frequency can even kill computers, which I assume is how Shinichi's brain works," said Yuji. "This thing here would be the ideal weapon for an evil organization to use against rogue cyborgs in order to keep them in line."

"Also got this," said Leon as he put down the hand he severed from Gebok. "It's not natural."

"Of course, this is a bionic hand," said Yuji. Yuki and Ruby came in. "How's the patient?"

"The EMP rattled through his system. Fortunately, the damage does not seem to be external. He should recover soon…" Yuki replied.

"Shouldn't we take him to the hospital?" Gin asked. Yuji glared at the wolf. "What?"

"Do you wanna explain to them what the heck happened to Shinichi when they X-Ray him?" Yuji dared, "I assume that his innards had all been replaced with cybernetic equivalents. They'll ask too many questions. Besides, the way this EMP Device was set on it was only meant to incapacitate Shinichi, not kill him. Shinichi should be fine."

"How do you know?" asked Mizore.

"Let's just say my family has had run-ins with cyborgs, and they aren't that easy to kill. They usually have an automatic self-repair system to help heal them when they get damaged. I'm guessing Shinichi won't be any different." He asked, "So, where were you headed?"

"Oh, we were going to see Shiori Banabara at a bookstore," said Kurumu.

"No way! I was gonna go!" Yuji exclaimed.

"Are you a fan?" Kurumu asked.

"The biggest," quipped Yuki with a small smile. "You should see Onii-sama's collection, as well as mine..."

"It was very…enlightening," said Ruby, blushing.

"We were about to head out when you all came along," said Yuki.

* * *

><p>When Shinichi came to, the first words coming out of his mouth were, "How did I get here? What happened? And why does my head hurt?"<p>

"Shinichi-kun, you're awake!" Moka beamed as she hugged him.

"Hey, Moka-chan," he smiled, "How did I get here?"

She blinked, "You don't remember?"

"Not really. Last thing I remember was going down to meet Shiori Banabara and then I blacked out," he groaned. He stood up as Moka followed him out of the room.

"Are sure you should be walking around?" she asked worriedly.

Yuji spotted him and called out, "Hey, where are you going?"

"Gonna take a walk to clear my head," Shinichi answered.

"There's a park about a block from here," Yuji informed.

"OK, I'll try not to be out too long," he nodded as he headed down stairs.

Yuji turned to Yuki, "Send out Laser Beak. I wanna keep a close eye on him and make sure nothing bad happens."

Yuki nodded as she went to her room.

* * *

><p>On his way to the park, Shinichi found an interesting shop. The sign was in the shape of a top hat and it was called 'Topper's Pawn Shop'. Curiosity got the better of him and so he went inside. The bell above the door jingled. "Hello?" he asked. There was nobody manning the shop but the door was unlocked. Shinichi looked around. It didn't seem to be any type of specialty store, but then again it was a pawn shop. Random items were on display and there was probably another room for the larger objects. His eyes wandered and then he spotted something sitting on the shelf. He went over and picked up a harmonica. It was beautiful and shiny and had odd symbols on the surface.<p>

"That's an enchanted harmonica, you know." Shinichi jumped with fright and spun around. Looking at him was a man with unkempt blond hair under a black top hat. His nose was long and pointed and he wore the oddest clothes since he was in a green overcoat and wore a polka-dot bowtie. "Oh, where are my manners? My name is Topper and welcome to my shop."

"Hi…" Shinichi replied awkwardly, still holding the harmonica.

"Well, you seem to be interested with that harmonica? Would you like it?" asked Topper.

"I'm…not sure," said Shinichi, looking at the harmonica. Topper could sense the boy's hesitation but deep down he knew Shinichi wanted it.

"I see it in your eyes, my boy. You want it," said Topper. "Oh, and this harmonica has a special power. Whoever hears its melody, whenever in states of rage and anger, will be instantly pacified."

Shinichi stared at the harmonica, "Really?"

"That is if you believe in magic," Topper shrugged.

"I kinda do," said Shinichi. He'd seen Yukari cast spells so he knew magic was real.

* * *

><p>Shinichi left the shop and held in his hand was the harmonica. It hadn't been very expensive. It just cost him 2,500 yen. He sat down on a park bench and put the harmonica to his lips. He didn't think about what he was about to play and just started playing as he blew into the instrument.<p>

At the same time, Shiori Banabara was taking a stroll in the park. The book signing earlier had been a collection of crazed fans who were so excited to meet with her in person. She gave them as much attention as she could as she signed their books one-by-one, even posing for a few photos and shaking hands. It had been exhausting and so afterwards she decided she just needed to take a walk and relax.

That was when she heard the song.

"No way, it can't be," she uttered. She fondly recalled that song. It had been something she sang to her son as a lullaby when he'd been a baby. She knew it anywhere. But it was impossible. She was the one who wrote it so how could someone else know it?

She followed the melody and found Shinichi playing it on a park bench. She carefully approached him and asked, "Excuse me?" Shinichi stopped and looked up at her. "Where did you learn that song?"

"I don't know," he answered. "It's just something that came to me."

"I see…do you mind if I sit here?" she asked.

"It's a free country," he shrugged. She sat down.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Sanban, Shinichi Sanban," he answered. "And you are…?"

"I'm surprised you don't recognize me," said Shiori, "I'm Shiori Banabara."

"The novelist? My friend's a fan of yours."

"Oh, really?" Shiori asked, interested for once. There was something about this young man that was familiar.

"Yeah, and we were kinda heading to your book signing but we got sidetracked so we missed it," said Shinichi.

"Don't be disappointed. I'll be visiting all the bookstores in this city so you might get your chance," said Shiori. "But…" Shiori took out a copy of her book and signed her name on the inside before handing it to Shinichi. "Here, take it," she offered.

Shinichi stared at the offered book and asked, "Are you sure?"

"Hey, I'm the writer and when I say it's alright it's alright," she said. Shinichi nodded and took the book. "I hope your friend likes it."

"She sure will. Thank you, Banabara-sensei," said Shinichi. Suddenly, his eyes widened and he grabbed her arm. "WATCH OUT!" He pulled her far from the bench as something dropped out of the sky and smashed the bench to pieces.

"Wha…what happened?" Shiori asked, clearly shaken.

Shinichi's eyes narrowed as he saw the humanoid creature which resembled a pteranadon but with metal wings and talons. It also had GIN-SHOCKER's belt around its waist, identifying it as one of their Cyborg Mutants.

"BLACK 13!" called Ptera-Borg. "You're mine!" Shinichi grabbed Shiori's hand and pulled her up to her feet.

"What is that!-?" she shouted, eyes wide as she stared at the monster.

"Just run!" Shinichi shouted as he started to run, pulling Shiori along with him.

"YOU CAN'T RUN OR HIDE!" squawked Ptera-Borg as he spread his wings and flew after them. Shinichi looked over his shoulder at the monster chasing them and let go of Shiori's hand.

"Go! Run!" he said to her.

"What about you?" she asked.

"Don't worry about me! Now go!" he shouted. Shiori quickly ran as fast as she could but she didn't go far. She took cover behind a tree and gasped as Ptera-Borg knocked Shinichi down.

Shinichi grunted as he rose to his feet, glaring at the hovering Cyborg Mutant. Ptera-Borg then opened his mouth and fired a sonic pulse that hit Shinichi. He stiffened when he got hit and started to feel dizzy, his head pounding. His stance was wobbly as he held his head. He then fell to his knees, one hand to the ground and the other on his throbbing scar.

"Dr. Gebok told me to bring you back alive, but he never said in what condition. But don't worry, he will fix you," said Ptera-Borg as he approached Shinichi.

"Kuso…" Shinichi cursed as his vision started to get blurry. He was seeing double. That sonic pulse had messed him up.

**WIZZ!**

"Arg!" Ptera-Borg snarled as he was suddenly hit by a gold laser on the shoulder blade. He stumbled a bit and looked to where the attack came from. It was Qiao who was holding up her hand like a gun, glaring at Ptera-Borg. Oddly, her finger was glowing in golden light. Next to her was Netto, and around his waist was a metallic silver belt with a core that was slowly changing colors.

"I guess it's a good thing we went for a walk in the park," Qiao frowned, keeping her finger set on the Cyborg Mutant. "This guy must be from GIN-SHOCKER."

"In that case, I know just what to do with him," Netto frowned as he walked forward. The belt started to emit small beeping sounds as he did.

"Just who the hell are you?" Ptera-Borg demanded.

"I'll show you what I am!" Netto declared. He waved his arms out in front and slammed his left fist to the side and had his right arm across the chest "Henshin!"

"**DIGITIZING,"** a calm and digital female voice called from the belt.

**Music- "Derezzed" by Daft Punk**

Netto seemed to freeze up as digital wireframes covered up his body. He was then broken up into tiny digital squares and instantly reformed into a grey form before color filled up from the bottom up. Completed, he was now wearing a navy blue bodysuit with blue metallic boots and gauntlets with emerald gems at the bases of the gauntlets and the top of the boots. Silver metal bands were wrapped around his forearms and shins. He had rounded shoulder pads and a blue metal chestplate with yellow circuitry patters. The blue helmet had a large yellow visor with a divider in the middle and a silver mouth guard that appeared to be insect mandibles. Lastly, he had antennae on his helmet shaped like a V.

"Kamen Rider Mega!" Netto announced in an electronic voice, "Standing by for combat!"

"Go get him, Airen!" Qiao cheered.

"Kamen Rider?" Shiori mouthed as she watched from her hiding place.

"Che! Another Kamen Rider huh? Makes no difference!" Ptera-Borg squawked as he lunged forward, "If you kill you and bring BLACK 13 back, I'll get a huge reward!"

"Like that'll ever happen!" Mega snapped as he too jumped forward. As the two combatants got into range, Mega struck first as he planted a fist to Ptera-Borg's face. The dinosaur Cyborg Mutant got struck down and rolled up to his feet as Mega caught up. The firefly Kamen Rider started to plant several kicks on Ptera-Borg's chest, followed by a reversed roundhouse kick and a flash kick that knocked the Cyborg Mutant into a tree, which broke in half.

"Damn you!" Ptera-Borg roared as he fired another sonic pulse to weaken Mega. He wouldn't have any of that. His body suddenly turned into blue electricity and bounced out of the pulse's path, causing an explosion on the spot he stood. The electricity flew around the trees before landing on the side of one and before reforming into Mega. He was standing right on the side of the tree as if gravity shifted for him.

"You'll have to do better than that!" Mega taunted.

"Is that so?" Ptera-Borg shouted before firing more sonic pulses. Each time he did, Mega would convert to his electricity form and move to another tree as the each one he stood on got blasted with bark flying out. As Ptera-Borg was about to launch another blast of sound, the electric fighter suddenly moved forward and struck him from all sides, causing electrical damage.

"Narg!" Ptera-Borg roared as he stumbled from each strike.

The electricity flew backwards before converting to Mega once more. "You really have to be kinder to the trees you know!" he said disapprovingly. "Looks like I'll have to teach you that too! Shishi Henshin!"

"**INFERNO LEO."**

Red light spilled out from his belt and covered his body. In a flash, his armor started to change shape. His bodysuit became red, his armor turned orange and the circuitry patterns vanished. The gems also turned red in color. His helmet now took on the appearance of a red lion head and his visor turned orange. Lastly, his shoulder pads took the appearance of lion paws. He reached out with his right hand and red digital codes appeared out and took form of a red staff with orange edges. He grabbed it and twirled it around to get a good feel of it.

As Inferno Leo Mega raced forward, Ptera-Borg fired more sound blasts to keep him away. The Rider deflected the shots with each swipe of his Leo Staff, each emitted flames as he did. Getting into range, he bashed the heavy weapon against the enemy Cyborg Mutant with small explosions happening each time. He spun his weapon up before slamming it down on Ptera-Borg's head, causing more painful flames to erupt. Then he clenched his fist as it burned with fire and threw it into Ptera-Borg's face, sending him flying backwards from the explosion.

Growling, Ptera-Borg wasn't going to take the abuse much longer. Getting up, he roared and charged at the Kamen Rider, and tried to swipe at him. Mega jumped over the attack with an impressive speed, even his now heavy armor. Ptera-Borg tried to attack again, but Mega soon started to hop all around and over Ptera-Borg, irritating him to no end.

"Would you just STOP!-?" Ptera-Borg demanded. What that got him was an explosive kick to the back, sending him skidding across the ground.

"Time to finish this up," Mega said as his form flickered back to its original state. He then tapped the core on his belt.

"**FINAL DOWNLOAD."**

He stretched out his leg as energy ran down it from his belt. The gem on the boot glowed before producing binary codes that encircled it.

"Prepare for immediate de-resolution!" Mega shouted as he ran towards the fallen Ptera-Borg.

"No! Stay back!" the Cyborg Mutant pleaded.

Mega ignored him as he jumped into the air and stuck out his lethal foot as the codes began to spin faster. The kick connected with the Cyborg Mutant, and sent him flying deeper into the park. He could no longer be seen, but there was an explosion in the distance that signaled his destruction. Mega landed as soon as the attack was made. Flicking his wrist, he declared, "You are deleted!"

**SONG END**

"Alright Airen!" Qiao cheered as she hugged her boyfriend.

"Easy, Qiao-chan," Mega said, "Let me get out of my suit first."

"Oh, sorry," Qiao blinked. Mega nodded and tapped his core again. With a cry of **"REBOOTING,"** the armor flickered off and he was back to Netto once more. "Now we can hug," he smiled. Qiao grinned before wrapping her arms around him and pressing her lips against his.

Shinichi had seen everything and was starting to recover as he slowly struggled to stand on his two feet. He stumbled dizzily but then Shiori caught hold of him before he could collapse again.

"I got you," Shiori said to him.

"I thought…I told you…to run," he said to Shiori.

"Hey, are you both alright?" Netto asked as soon as the short make-out ended. He was holding His girlfriend by the waist with her hands on his shoulders.

"I'm fine, just a bit dizzy," answered Shinichi.

"Come on, we better get to the Den," said Netto. "Qiao-chan, do you mind carrying Shinichi?"

"Gotcha, Airen!" Qiao walked over to Shinichi and picked him up bridal style.

"H-Hey!" Shinichi shouted. This was so embarrassing.

"You can't walk straight so shut up and hang on," she ordered.

"You should come with us too, for safety," Netto said to Shiori.

The novelist hesitated. She had seen this young man transform and fight an actual monster. Still, being with him was better than being out in the open. What if that thing had friends? "Alright, I'll go with you," said Shiori.

"Let's go!" Qiao cheered before dashing off, leaving a trail of dust.

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER DATABASE<strong>

"Hey there! Qiao Xang here in this latest entry of the Kamen Rider Database! Today, we will be reviewing Kamen Rider Mega!" the cheerful Chinese girl waved as Mega's fight with Ptera-Borg appeared on the screen behind her. "Mega's true identity is my childhood friend Netto Kusanagi, who, like Showa, is a cyborg. You might not be able to see it at first but the motif of this Kamen Rider is that of a firefly. Notice how the visor and circuitry patterns on the chest glow? It's pretty simple to guess once you notice it. Mega's abilities are all based on technology. Even when outside the armor, he can manipulate machines to do whatever he wants. He can also walk on walls and ceilings, jump over high objects in a single bound, and even turn into electricity to escape enemies and attack without risking damage. There are also plenty of other things he can do, but I can't tell you because that wouldn't be fun."

She pressed the button on her remote to switch to Mega turning into his Inferno Leo form. "Mega has access to three alternate forms which he can use to turn the tide of the battle, each with a unique element and different abilities. This form is known as Inferno Leo, and you can already guess what it's based on. This form give's him greater strength and grants him fire based attacks. It also makes him much more durable." The footage then showed Mega slamming his weapon against Ptera-Borg. "He also has weapon called the Leo Staff, which is great for dishing out heavy attacks. The only known weakness is that it can be a bit sluggish at times, but then again, there's a reason for this to be his heaviest form."

"There are still a lot of other powers that Mega has in his arsenal, but like I said it would be no fun to expose my Airen's secrets like that," Qiao grinned as her eyelids lowered and gave the "naughty, naughty" finger wave. "But anyway, that's all for this chapter. You'll be seeing more of us!" Qiao finished with a wave.

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: Well in this chap Shiori and Shinichi meet. Is there a connection between them? Also, the debut battle of Kamen Rider Mega, aka Netto Kusanagi. Now GIN-SHOCKER have another Rider to worry about. What will happen next? If you wish to know you gotta wait. Also, don't forget to R&amp;R. Feedback is important. It helps us improve! Ja ne!<strong>

**Tailsmo: Kamen Rider Mega is my own shout out to Megaman Starforce. I'm thinking of making a fic for him soon.**


	19. Family: Mother & Son Reunion

**Chapter 19: Mother-Son Reunion**

Leon was taking a lone walk around the city. He was a loner by nature and rarely associated with others. Joining up with the Newspaper Club was just an excuse to get out of Youkai Academy for a bit of fresh air and to stretch his legs. Nekonome-sensei was kind enough to invite him along and he'd accepted without complaint.

He had no friends in Youkai Academy. He never really made an effort to make friends but he was alright with being alone. He didn't think he deserved any friends, really.

There was reason for his self-imposed loneliness, one that he was unwilling to share with others. It was the reason he carried a sword with him and why he rarely smiled. He just never found any reason to smile anymore. He could give small smiles, briefly, but then they would just vanish from his face and his expression would return to the neutral and stoic one he'd always worn.

Leon came across a Shinto shrine and after shrugging ventured inside. "Maybe I should pray or something. Not like it'd make a difference," he mumbled. He kept his hands in his pocket and walked along the path and spotted someone sweeping the ground.

She had orange hair that was tied into a ponytail at the base of her neck and was dressed in the standard clothes of a shrine maiden (white kimono top with a red hakama). Leon also couldn't help but notice that she had a very curvaceous body. She was humming as she swept the floor, unaware of his presence.

"Excuse me," he said and she let out a loud, "EEP!" in response before dropping her broom.

"Oh my, oh my oh my! How clumsy of me!" She went to pick up her broom. Blushing, the young shrine maiden recovered and turned to face Leon. "Yes?" she asked.

"I'm sorry for scaring you," Leon apologized.

"Oh, it's alright. Welcome, sir," she greeted. "Are you here to buy charms or make an offering? Maybe even pray at the shrine?"

"I think I'll do all three," he answered. Suddenly, his cell phone began to ring. He took it out of his pocket and said to her, "Excuse me for a minute." He flipped it open and stared at the screen. His eyes widened as he saw something alarming.

The air above them began to warp and distort as SOMETHING was coming through. Leon quickly pocketed his cell phone and turned his gaze towards the large, black, fur-covered arm that was coming out of a 'tear' in the air, followed by another, and then it was like the tear was being forced open. He saw a skull-like mask come through, with a huge bulbous nose, sharp teeth and a crown of spikes around its head. It then leapt out of the tear it made which closed soon afterwards. The creature stood like a gorilla and was BIG. Like all Hollows it sported a hole in its chest but Leon was more concerned by the type of Hollow he was facing.

'_Adjuchas!_' he cursed in his mind.

"KYAAA!-!-!" the girl shrieked as her wide eyes fell upon the creature. Leon blinked.

"You can see it?" he asked.

"What do you mean if I can see it? It's standing right there!" she shouted, pointing.

Leon realized that the girl must have high spiritual potential to be able to see the Hollow. The Hollow raised its arm and was about to grab the miko but Leon swept her off her feet and carried her out of harm's way as the Hollow's hand came down, smashing on the ground.

Leon skidded to a halt, putting the shocked miko down and told her, "Take cover!" From its hiding place, Leon pulled out his katana and unsheathed it before facing the Hollow. It roared again and brought its hand down. She shrieked at the explosion of debris but then she saw Leon standing on the creature's knuckles. He then ran up the arm and once he was close enough he swung his sword at the creature's skull like mask. The blade of his sword cleaved its mask in two and it howled before Leon kicked off and landed next to the miko. He sheathed his blade as the Hollow started to fade into oblivion.

"A weak Adjuchas," he concluded. "I didn't even need to perform my Shikai."

"THAT WAS SO COOL!" the miko shouted. "WHAT'S YOUR NAME? WHAT WAS THAT? HOW DID YOU DO THAT?" She was firing questions a mile a minute.

"Uh…" Leon hesitated. "I think you should forget what you saw." He began to walk away as he apologized, "Sorry about the mess." She grabbed his arm. "Hey!"

"No, you can't leave until you answer my questions. My name is Sora, by the way. Sora Matsuoka!"

"I'm…Leon," he responded. He then sensed another presence. It wasn't a Hollow, though.

"Well, well, well," said the new figure. It was a humanoid scorpion with metal claws and the tip of its tail sported what looked like a cannon. "Looks like it's my lucky day. Dr. Gebok was right to tell me to tail you and I see why. You've got some moves, kid."

"Who or what are you?" Leon asked.

"Friends call me Scorpio-Borg. Now come peacefully, OK?" Scorpio-Borg requested.

Leon put his sword away and answered, "I think not." He took out his cell phone again and flipped it open. He then produced what appeared to be a small figure of Necros in his other hand. He squeezed it and it folded into a key. "Rider Key, set!" he called, putting the key into the keyhole. He then called out, "Rider Change!" and twisted the key. He threw the arm holding the phone forward as it called out loudly, "**KAMEN RIDER NECROS!**" as the screen lit up with an ankh symbol.

The first thing to happen was dark energy enveloping his body, donning him in a black bodysuit. Then, gold armor pieces materialized around him and slammed upon his body. Finally, his helmet covered his head. His ankh-like sword was attached to his back and he drew it swiftly.

"Kamen Rider Necros is here!" declared Necros. Sora was gaping. Necros rushed at the Scorpion Cyborg Mutant and swung his blade. The Cyborg Mutant grabbed it in his claw, sparks flying as the metal connected.

"You're right where I want you!" shouted the Cyborg Mutant as he aimed his tail at Necros, the cannon glowing as it charged up. Necros' eyes widened and he released his sword to jump backwards, the cannon firing at the spot where he stood. The explosion sent him tumbling and he landed on his back.

Scorpion-Borg prepared to fire again and Necros was slowly getting to his feet. Another blast was fired but then Sora got in-between the blast and Necros. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!-?" he shouted. Was this girl nuts?

Suddenly, a hexagon-shaped shield of energy appeared in front of her and the energy blast crashed against it instead of them before dissipating harmlessly. Necros was stunned.

"So, we have a meta-human here too," Scorpio-Borg found. "Well, two for the price of one. That girl will definitely make a good addition to GIN-SHOCKER's ranks."

Necros didn't like the sound of that and so decided that this creature had to go. He pulled out his Mobirider and another Rider Key before calling out, "Rider Change!" and activating the items.

"**KAMEN RIDER ETERNAL!"**

Blue electricity sparked from Necros' body as white fragments bonded to his body, changing his armor. His suit was completely white with blue arms that sported blue flame designs that reached just under the shoulders. He also had a black belt strapped around his left thigh, another black belt strapped to his upper right arm and belts around his chest. These belts sported empty slots. He also had a black cloak hanging from his neck and shoulders. His belt had a red buckle with what appeared to be a USB flash drive plugged into it. His helmet sported yellow eyes and crowned by three horns that resembled a trident's head.

"Now, enjoy Hell," said Necros-Eternal coldly. He held a combat knife in his hand.

"Is that it? An itty, bitty knife?" mocked Scorpio-Borg. "DON'T UNDERESTIMATE ME!"

"I think you shouldn't underestimate me either," said Necros-Eternal as he blurred from sight.

"Huh-GWARGH!" Scorpio-Borg was slashed by Necros-Eternal as he reappeared and then the white Rider started to viciously land a series of kicks on his body. He also swiped his combat knife, the Eternal Edge, at the monster causing sparks to fly as the blade connected before stabbing it forward, knocking the Cyborg Mutant backwards.

"You…damn Rider!" growled Scorpio-Borg as he aimed his tail cannon at the Rider who just shrugged and pulled the USB Drive from his belt and plugged it into the slot equipped to his combat knife.

"**ETERNAL: MAXIMUM DRIVE!"**

Scorpio-Borg's body stiffened as if paralyzed while electricity sparked around his body. "What…what is this?" demanded the Cyborg Mutant.

"Rest in Peace," said Necros-Eternal coldly as he charged at the Cyborg Mutant. He leapt and landed a screw kick. His foot was ablaze with blue flames as he executed the attack which blasted Scorpio-Borg through the air before he exploded.

Necros-Eternal landed on one knee and tossed his cloak dramatically over his shoulder. His armor then reverted back to Necros and then vanished.

He heard applause and looked to see Sora clapping. Rolling his eyes, he began to walk away, leaving the girl where she was.

Of course whether she chose to stay put was highly debatable.

* * *

><p>"Do you think he'll be fine all by himself?" Moka asked after Shinichi left.<p>

"Honestly, no," Yuji denied, "Especially with GS after him. Fortunately, Laser Beak will be tracking him."

"What's a Laser Beak?" Kurumu cocked a brow.

"A surveillance robot I built for Yuki back home."

"So, we have an eye in the sky for him…" Yuki summarized as she returned.

"Ano...Yuji-san," Yukari called. "When we were on Witch's Knoll you transformed into...what was it called?"

"What, you mean Abyss?" Yuji blinked.

"What was that?" Mizore asked. "It was powerful."

"Well, with all Light, there exists Darkness," Yuji sighed as he sat at the table, the girls joining him while Gin leaned against a wall. "Abyss just happens to be _my_ Darkness."

"Like Shinichi's BLACK 13?" Kurumu inquired.

"Basically, except that Abyss is just as smart as me and he can be a real asshole when he wants to be," Yuji elaborated. "He can definitely back up his talk too, since he has control over hellfire. Not to mention, he has Red-Eyes on his side..." he frowned.

And then the door got kicked open.

"We're home!" Qiao cried with a smile.

"Doors aren't cheap, Qiao!" Yuji snapped.

"Dammit, put me down!" Shinichi demanded as he was still being carried by her.

"Airen said to carry you home!" Qiao persisted.

"I can walk just fine, now put me down!"

"OK!" she smiled.

THUD!

"Ow...not drop me," Shinichi groaned as he rubbed his rear. Netto arrived as well and walked in afterwards.

"What happened?" Yuji demanded.

"You want the long version or short version?" Netto asked.

"Short would be nice."

"A Cyborg Mutant attacked Shinichi but I destroyed it. Oh, and we have a guest," Netto added.

"Sorry for intruding," Shiori bowed as she came up the stairs. She blinked when she saw the broken door.

"OMIGOD, IT'S SHIORI BANABARA!" Yuji panicked before inspecting himself, "I'm underdressed! Excuse me!"And he runs to his room and shuts the door.

"He's a huge fan," Yuki told everyone who didn't know.

"We get that after he was squealing," Gin quipped.

"I DON'T SQUEAL, ASSHOLE!" Yuji roared from his room. "I'LL MELT YOUR FACE!"

"I'm a huge fan, Banabara-sensei!" Kurumu beamed as she and Shiori shook hands. "Oh, I'm Kurumu Kurono! It's an honor to meet you!"

"Likewise," Shiori smiled. "So...can anyone please explain what exactly is going on?"

"Basically, what you saw was a monster created by a top secret terrorist group who calls themselves GIN-SHOCKER," Shinichi summarized.

Shiori gasped. "Oh my, that sounds pretty serious. Like those spy movies?"

"You can say that, except this is real."

"Would you like anything to drink?" Yuki offered.

Shinichi and Shiori answer at the same time, "Milk with honey, please."

"Whoa, that was weird," Gin blinked.

"They were like in sync," Kurumu observed.

"Is it just me or do they resemble each other?" Mizore pointed out.

"No, you're right," Ruby answered, "Yuki-san and I noticed it earlier when we saw an article of Shiori-san."

Yuki nodded, "They are very similar..."

"Do you have family?" Shinichi asked, concerned. "We can call them to come pick you up once this all blows over."

Shiori spoke, "Oh, I'm a widow. My husband died five years ago. And my son...I lost him ten years ago."

"I'm sorry," Shinichi apologized.

"It's alright. I've actually moved on." She added as she studied Shinichi's face, "You know, if he was with me right now he would be your age."

"Do you know what happened to him?" Shinichi asked.

"No, I don't. I know he was kidnapped and we tried to find him but...the police concluded it as a cold case. I just couldn't accept that."

Yuki looked at Shinichi with a scrutinizing expression.

"What?" Shinichi frowned, "If you're staring at my scar again..."

"Scar?" Shiori asked. Shinichi sighed and brushed his bangs aside to expose the scar that had been branded on him. "Oh my! Who did this to you?"

"Someone with a sadistic streak," Shinichi answered. He asked Yuki, "So, why are you looking at me like that?"

"The similarities between you and Shiori-san are too acute to be coincidental," Yuki elaborated. "There's something that connects you both..."

"OK, I'm back. What did I miss?" Yuji asked as he returned in a black shirt, white jacket and matching jeans.

Yuki looked to her brother, "Onii-sama, I think Shiori-san and Shinichi are related."

"Huh?" Shiori blinked

"What?" Shinichi blinked too.

Yuji blinked, "Wow, that one came way out of left field, Yuki."

"I'm sure of it..." she insisted.

"Actually…earlier when I first saw Shinichi here at the park he was playing something on his harmonica," began Shiori.

"You have a harmonica?" Moka asked.

Shinichi showed it to her, "I just got it today."

"The song that he played was a lullaby I used to sing for my son," Shiori added. "It was an original. Shinichi, do you mind playing it?"

Shinichi blinked and nodded, "OK." He put the harmonica to his lips and blew as Shiori sang the lullaby's lyrics. Their audience watched and listened as Shiori sang lovely and beautifully, accompanied by the melody of the harmonica. After over a minute they stopped and tears were starting to fall from Shinichi's eyes.

"Shinichi-san, you're crying," Yukari pointed out.

"I can't explain it…" said Shinichi as he wiped the tears away with the back of his right hand. Shiori's eyes widened and she quickly grabbed Shinichi's right hand "Hey!" he sputtered

The woman looked down at his palm and her eyes widened in shock, "I…I don't...I don't believed it…" She started tearing up, alarming the others.

"What is it?" Shinichi asked worriedly.

Shiori hung her head low as she began to sob, "It's you...it's really you...you've come back to me." Shiori hugged him, "My son."

"EEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHH!" everyone but Yuki gaped dumbly.

Shinichi was frozen in her embrace and asked, "Your…son…?"

Shiori explained, with a smile and her eyes closed, "My son was born with five moles on his right hand. If you connect the dots, it's shaped like a star." She released him from the hug and drew the star on his palm. "See?"

Yuji looks at Shinichi's hand and saw the pattern, "Huh, imagine that."

Shinichi stared at the woman," You're my...mother...?" Shiori nodded enthusiastically.

"I've found you," she said. Shinichi started to become dizzy and his eyes rolled up inside his head before…

THUD!

He fainted and Shiori gasped.

"Dammit..." Yuji sighed. "Yuki, get him on the bed, please?"

"Hai..." she nodded as she effortlessly carried him back into the spare room.

"This is starting to become a running gag," Yuji groaned as he scratched his head. "By the way..." He knelt before Shiori and took her hand, "It is my greatest honor to finally meet you, Banabara-sensei: The Goddess of Modern/Adult Literature!"

Everyone face-faulted.

"What a fanboy…" Gin groaned.

* * *

><p>Later, Yuki and Shiori sit in the living room, discussing the authoress's previous books, since Yuki was also a fan, while Yuji and the others discuss something else in the kitchen.<p>

"It's God?" Kurumu gaped.

"Yes," Yuji nodded, "The Crimson Dragon is what we Manakytes believe to be God. The ancient Aztecs also believed this as they were the first human society that came into contact with the Crimson Dragon. They think the Crimson Dragon is Quetzalcoatl, but there's more to it than that." He laid a large sheet of paper as he took a red pen and drew out the complete mark of the Crimson Dragon. "This drawing is the complete mark of the Crimson Dragon and the Manakyte race. The Head, Wings, Claws, Egg, and Tail all represent the Signers, direct children of the Crimson Dragon. 6 Aztecs were chosen to bear these marks and became artificial Manakytes. These marks were passed down through the ages through reincarnation until they were inherited by parents and their friends."

"Sugoi, desu," Yukari could only say.

Mizore pointed to Yuji's forearm, "What about yours? It's a little different from the drawing,"

Yuji showed them all his own mark, which possessed the same pieces as the original Crimson Dragon mark, but extended along the forearm and was modeled into and S curve. "This mark signifies more natural-born Manakytes, like Yuki and I."

"Are there any more of your kind?" Kurumu asked.

"That's the problem," Yuji sighed. "Manakytes are so rare now that not even a handful live in at least one continent."

"Makes sense," Gin frowned. "Dragons have been hunted and killed since the Middle Ages, not to mention all the hatchlings that died on their own. You have religions like Christianity to thank for a lot of Youkai being hated, like Succubae, Werewolves, Vampires, and even Witches."

"Supremes are even rarer than regular Manakytes due to their sheer power and the ratio of transformations into that evolutionary state," Yuji added.

Shinichi finally came to from his faint and came out. He looked at Shiori. "Shin…" Shiori began, only for Shinichi to suddenly storm back out and slam the door behind him.

"Where's he going?" Gin blinked.

"I'll go talk to him," Moka volunteered as she followed him into one of the guest rooms. "Shinichi-kun, what's wrong?" she asked.

"She's my mother," he replied.

"I know, isn't it wonderful?" she beamed.

"No, it isn't!" he snapped.

"What do you mean?" Moka asked, bewildered.

"Moka-chan, what am I?" he asked.

"You're a cyborg."

"Exactly," he nodded, "She's been waiting for her son and what she has now isn't remotely human. I'm part machine; a freak of science."

"You're not a freak!" Moka denied.

"Then what am I? How can I tell her what has happened? How can I explain it to her? She shouldn't have to know!" He started to tear up, "She loves me...but if she were to find out what I am..."

"You're afraid she'll reject you," she realized.

"And I don't want to lie to her," he continued, "I can't. She deserves to know the truth but how am I supposed to tell her? How?"

"Just tell her," Yuji said as he came into the room

"It's not that fucking simple!" Shinichi snapped.

"I'm sure it isn't," the older boy acknowledged. "But like they say: "The truth will set you free." You could try showing her the truth by transforming."

"I could, but even if she does accept me she'll end up blaming herself for what happened," Shinichi frowned. "I can't put her through that pain. I won't."

"Also true, but you have to consider how she feels; how she's felt for the past ten years. She's dreamt of finding her son (you) and she hasn't given up on looking for you. Now she's found you and wants you back in her life. If that's not a devoted parent, then I don't know what is."

"It's just...it's just too much to handle, and then there's GIN-SHOCKER. They might use her to get to me."

"Again, that's true. But there's another factor you need to consider; you're not alone."

"Maybe it's better if I was," Shinichi argued.

"Shinichi-kun!" Moka gasped.

"GIN-SHOCKER has been coming after me and only me, but people I get close to end up on their radar. You, Kurumu-chan, Mizore-chan, Yukari-chan and even Gin; you're all caught in the crossfire because of me. Even you, Yuji, and now Netto too," Shinichi frowned sadly. "You didn't have to help me but because you did now GIN-SHOCKER is aware of you being a Rider.

Yuji shrugged, "Things have been getting boring around here anyway. Besides, GS has given me a reason to put the Liger System to good use." He laughed, "To be honest; I didn't even know what to do with it, once it was finished! And Netto, what a story he is!"

"This is no laughing matter, Yuji!" Shinichi snapped.

"What I'm saying is that Liger was a complete accident of my imagination! Once I did the research on the Legendary 13, so many ideas were coming into my head that I couldn't stand up straight. But once I finished it, it was still missing something," Yuji explained, "And it was a purpose."

"You were missing someone to fight," Shinichi summarized, "Yuji, if you knew about the Legendary Riders you should know that being a Rider is both a blessing and a burden."

"Yes, that is true. But if my parents were able to shoulder the burden of saving the world once, then so can I!"

Shinichi blinked, "Save the world?"

"Your parents did?" Moka asked.

Yuji nodded, "Years ago, back when they were young, my father and his friends (including my mother) had to save the world from the Earthbound Gods; enemies of the Crimson Dragon that were set on covering the world in complete Darkness."

Shinichi looked down, his fists trembling, "I never thought about doing something so big. All I cared about was protecting those I could see; those closest to me."

"A lot of things are unexpected, yeah," Yuji sighed. "But like my father once told me: 'We have to fight for our future or else it will never happen'."

"Can a person who's forgotten his past have a future?" he retorted.

Yuji pointed to the living room, "Your link to the past is sitting right out there. So get it back through Banabara-sensei. You need each other."

Kurumu barged in, "Guys, you better come out here! Something's on the news!"

On the living room TV, Cyborg Mutants that looked like locusts were grabbing people off the streets. People were running in a panic, trying to flee from the monsters.

"That's a lot of bugs," Yuji frowned.

Shinichi was on his way out the door, "We have to go!"

"Shinji?" Shiori called.

He froze when he called her that and he turned to face her, "Is that...is that my name?"

"Yes," she nodded, worry in her eyes.

"We'll talk, but I have to go out there."

"But it's dangerous!"

"I… I'm even more dangerous. Sorry if you have to see this. Let's Ride: Showa!" Shiori's eyes went wide when she witnessed his transformation. His body was covered in light as jigsaw puzzle pieces bonded to his body. "I'll explain later," Showa promised. "Right now we have people to save!" And he ran down the stairs to mount his bike.

Yuji grasped Shiori's hand, "Please excuse us, Banabara-sensei. We'll be back. Yuki, watch her."

"Hai..." she obeyed. He then ran after Shinichi.

"Hey, wait up!" Netto called as he followed after Yuji.

Downstairs, Showa mounted the Cyclone-X3 and sped off, followed by Yuji on the White Blaze. Netto was not far behind as he also tailed them on his blue Suzuki GS500F motorbike.

* * *

><p>"Would you please stop following me?" Leon demanded as he spun around. Sora was behind him. She'd been following since he'd left the shrine.<p>

"But I need to know more about what happened earlier. What was that thing? How did you transform?"

Leon growled. "Look, do yourself a favor and forget about it. Forget about what you saw, what you know, and especially forget about me."

"Why?" she asked, confused.

"Because…people tend to die when they get too close to me," he answered seriously as he looked down. "I don't want that to happen to anyone else..." He then heard screaming from the distance. Knowing what that meant, he turned to the noise and ran.

"Ma-Matte!" shouted Sora as she gave chase.

Leon came across the Locust-Borgs and scowled. "Dammit!" He produced his Mobirider and Rider Key before rushing in and calling out, "Rider Change!"

"**KAMEN RIDER NECROS!"**

He drew his Ankh Sword and slashed at the Locust-Borgs, sending them reeling. "Run," he ordered the people who'd run into the Locust-Borgs and they were only happy to oblige as they turned tail and ran. He then activated another Rider Key.

"Rider Change!"

"**KAMEN RIDER G4!"**

Black armor appeared out of the air and attached to Necros. First the legs, then the arms followed by the torso and chest, and finally the head. Completed, Necros was now in high-tech black armor. The only variations to that were the silver accents on the arms, hips, and legs along with yellow trim to the chest plates. On the heart of the chest plate was a badge built into the suit while on the left shoulder in large yellow writing was G4. He wore a silver belt which had a red power bar in the centre while the back was mostly silver with a large red batter inserted into it, no doubt keeping the entire suit active. The helmet was black save for the silver mouthpiece and the sharp, pointed silver horns and blue eyes. This was Kamen Rider G4.

"Gigant!" Necros-G4 shouted as he got down on one knee and held out his arms. In a flash of light, a missile launcher in the shape of large rectangular box with four missiles locked inside appeared in his hands. Necros-G4 retrieved a plug from the Gigant and attached it to a socket on the right side of his belt. Setting Gigant on his shoulder, he aimed his missile launcher at the Locust-Borgs and fired, sending the projectiles roaring at their targets. The missiles struck hard, causing an explosion, eliminating the Locust-Borgs instantly.

He reverted back to Necros and could see a swarm of those things in the sky. Scowling, he took off in a leap to engage the enemy.

* * *

><p>A couple cowered as several Locust-Borgs surrounded them. They were about to be taken. The two clung to each other and screwed their eyes shut as the creatures came close. However, these monsters wouldn't be adding these two to the list of their victims.<p>

Laser gunfire hit the Locust-Borgs in the back, causing them to screech and turn. They spun and saw Showa mounted on his bike with the smoking barrel of his Vulcan Shooter aimed at them. They rushed at him and the couple took the chance to flee.

"Weapon Ride: Laser Saber!" Showa called as he dismounted and he charged at the Locust Borgs. The first one in line got run through and then kicked off before another got blasted pointblank in the face.

Liger Zero roared as he leapt through the air, clawing at the hovering Locust-Borgs. He grabbed one caught in his claws and dragged it along the ground before tossing it into the air where it exploded. He spun around, growling and started swiping and slashing at the monsters.

"Hah!" Mega shouted as he summersaulted into the air and sent a heel kick on one of the airborne Locust-Borgs. He landed on the side of one of the tall buildings and saw more of the Locust-Borgs charging at him. "Photon Debugger!" Mega shouted as his belt, the Cyber Core, flashed wildly. Digital code appeared in front of him before forming into a silver katana with blue glowing circuitry patterns on the blade and a gold hilt. He took the hilt and slashed it at one of the incoming Locust-Borgs, a blue streak following the blade with a cybernetic hum as it went, cutting a deep gash that glowed in blue. It screeched as it shook wildly and fell to the bottom, exploding before it could hit the ground. Holding it in reverse, he started slashing at all the Locust-Borgs that came at him and rolled away from any attack that came at his way. He jumped of the building and started to slash at more Locust-Borgs in a single motion. He landed on the ground in a crouch. The Locust-Borgs landed all around him, only to explode in flashes of light.

Necros arrived to see the other Riders hard and work and decided to help make their workload lighter. Drawing his Ankh Sword, he joined the fray, slashing at the Cyborg Mutants. His wary gaze did fall upon Showa but since the Legacy Rider did not go berserk on the others he concluded that he was safe from BLACK 13.

* * *

><p>Gebok was watching the battle on a monitor and rubbed his chin, feeling troubled and curious, "Hm…how odd. BLACK 13's anti-Rider program should have activated, but it hasn't." He was watching Showa fighting alongside Necros, Mega and Liger without attacking them or going berserk. "What has happened? Did someone remove it? Impossible, and yet…maybe someone has blocked it. This requires investigation."<p>

* * *

><p>Shiori could only watch in amazement as her son fought the monsters. She couldn't believe that after over ten years her son had changed so dramatically.<p>

"That's strange," said Yukari as everyone was watching the battle on television.

"What?" Mizore asked.

"Shinichi-san isn't going berserk and attacking the other Riders," said Yukari.

"You're right, and on Witch's Knoll he even fought with Necros' help," observed Mizore.

"You think that my Charm worked on him?" Kurumu asked hopefully.

"Maybe, I just hope it isn't temporary," Moka said.

"At least for now we can relax," Mizore said, "But somehow I doubt this is the last we'll see of BLACK 13."

* * *

><p>Left swipe! Right swipe! Liger Zero tore through the Locust-Borgs like paper as his claws were always put to good use. One Locust-Borg got on his back and tried to take his head, only for the Rider to jump and land on his back, crushing the Cyborg Mutant as he rolled over and grabbed his leg as he swung the monster into others that tried to attack him. His fists tightened as they ignited with flames. <strong>"Karyuu no Tekken (Fist of the Fire Dragon)!"<strong> Liger Zero called as he slammed his fire-powered fists through the Locust-Borgs, putting holes in their chests as they were set ablaze. He was faced with another set and he slammed his fists, his mouth plate opening down the middle as he inhaled as he cupped his hands in front of his mouth. _**'Karyuu no Houkou (Roar of the Fire Dragon)!'**_ he shouted in his mind as he blew and spewed a blaze of flames that engulfed the Locust-Borgs, reducing them to ashes.

"Let's Ride: Skyrider!"

Showa-Skyrider shot into the air towards the Locust-Borgs that were flying with innocent people in their grasp. He couldn't risk injuring the hostages but he flew forth so fast that he created a sonic boom that shocked the Locust-Borgs into releasing their precious cargo who screamed as they started to fall.

"Let's Ride: J!" shouted Showa-Skyrider and his body glowed green and began to expand. The falling hostages were gently caught in Kamen Rider J's giant palm and he put them down. Seeing the giant Rider, they began to run away fast.

The Locust-Borgs spotted the huge target and began to swarm him. Showa-J swatted at the bugs, catching them in his large hands, and crushed them.

"Whoa!" Mega gasped as he blocked a swipe from an oncoming Locust-Borg and struck it down. Another got on to his back and wrestled him down. More Locust-Borgs appeared and soon began to dog pile him. No way was he letting that happen.

"Shishi Henshin!"

**"INFERNO LEO."**

A huge explosion of flames happened right inside the dog pile and blasted all of the Locust-Borgs into incineration. Now in his heaviest form, Inferno Leo Mega ran forward with his Photon Debugger being dragged along the ground, which was now glowing in red. The other remaining Locust-Borgs saw him coming and began their attack. Mega slashed at each of the Locust-Borgs, causing them to burn up and explode. He jumped into the air and landed on one of the hovering Locust-Borgs and grabbed the antennae. The Locust-Borg screeched as it flew around the air and tried to bump him off, but Mega held on with a tight grip. As he flew around, he slashed at any of the other Locust-Borgs that came his way, each one exploding in a bright flame. As the Locust-Borg was flying upside down, Mega gripped the Photon Debugger and stabbed it into the locust cyborgs head. It screeched violently as it glowed in flaming light. He released him and fell into the streets just as it exploded. He landed with a loud boom, a crater under his feet. As he stood up, he cracked his neck from side to side. However, some more Locust-Borgs knocked him to the side, most like looking to avenge their fallen brethren.

Necros, Showa, Mega and Liger were being forced back to back as the swarm surrounded them.

"There is no end to them!" complained Mega.

"Well, then we just have to finish this in one blow!" said Showa as he attached his Legacy Driver to his Spark Core.

"**ULTIMATE RIDE: LEGACY MODE!"**

Necros slotted his Rider Key into his Ankh Sword.

"**FINAL BREAK!"**

Showa twisted up his Legacy Driver, causing it to call out, **"LEGACY CHARGE!"** He performed a Rider Jump as his golden armor glowed. The Locust-Borgs looked up and pursued him.

"RIDER LEGACY KICK!"

Materializing between him and his targets were fourteen rings of golden light and in each ring was a symbol which represented each of the Riders Showa could become, including himself. He then performed a drop kick, falling through those rings, picking up speed and power. The Locust Borgs in his path were destroyed as his attack connected and they couldn't stop him. He wouldn't stop and finally he collided with the swarm on the ground, wiping them out completely.

Necros clutched his Ankh Sword and vanished in a blur, leaving a golden trail as he sliced through the monsters. He stopped with his back facing them and they suddenly exploded.

**"FULL CHARGE!"**

**"FINAL DOWNLOAD."**

Mega spread his legs out and held his sword up as it glowed dangerously. Next to him, Liger hissed as he arched himself while his claws unfolded and lit up in flames.

**"WRATH OF THE BEAST KING!"** they both bellowed as sword and claws scraped across the ground, causing a wave of fire to rush at the other monsters. The flames soon began to take shape of a flaming lion rushing at its prey. The lion roared and pounced on Locust-Borgs, causing an explosion that left nothing in its wake.

The area was empty as the Riders gathered, admiring their work.

"Looks like we're done," Liger sighed in relief, "Finally."

"I'll see you all later then," Necros nodded as he vanished as quickly as he had appeared.

"This is starting to feel like a running gag for him," Showa commented.

"Who cares?" Mega shrugged. "At least he ain't evil."

"Good point," Liger nodded. "Let's head back."

* * *

><p>Back at the Dragon's Den, Leon had arrived as the Newspaper Club was reunited and enjoyed some snacks as Shinichi was getting reacquainted with his long-lost mother.<p>

Suddenly, Yuki heard the bell ring downstairs and headed down to greet the customer. What she found was a young girl with long, deep blue hair and aqua blue eyes and fair skin, dressed in a blue Victorian dress with white trim and bows. She also had blue umbrella, despite it being sunny out. She also had an incredible bust, almost rivaling her mother's at such a young age. Around her neck was a necklace with a pendant shaped like a water droplet, and Yuki could see that there was actually water inside. The girl also wore a blue sun hat.

"Hello!" the girl greeted with a vibrant smile.

"Welcome," Yuki greeted. "Are you a customer?"

"Actually, I'm looking for a boy," she corrected. She fished a photo out of her pocket and handed it to Yuki. "His name is Leon Smith," she said, "Have you seen him?"

Yuki stared at the photo which was of definitely Leon. "I have..." she answered.

"YOU HAVE?-!" she gasped as her eyes sparkled with hope and joy.

Yuki then went to the phone and spoke, "Onii-sama, we have a visitor..."

Yuji came down the stairs and Leon followed, interested in what was going on. "What's up, Yuki?" Yuji asked.

The girl gasped as her gaze fell on Leon, "DARLING!"

Leon sidestepped her glomp attack. "Hello, Aphrodite."

"Don't act like such a stranger, Leon," she chided as she pulled him into a hug a forcefully kissed him, tongue included.

"Well, this is interesting," Yuji blinked.

Leon gasped for air as the girl released him, "I don't get why you still follow me around," Leon sighed. "I've told you I'm nothing but trouble."

"Oh, please, Leon, don't say that," she begged. "Ever since you saved from the Mafia back in Italy, I couldn't stop thinking of you! And I'm quite capable of fending for myself should a battle occur, despite my lack of superior fighting capabilities." She took his hand and gazed at him with her watering eyes. "Oh, how I've longed to see you again, my sweet Leon...!" she sobbed.

Leon let out a sigh. "C'mon, let's go get something to drink."

"Wait a second," Yuji halted. "I'm sorry miss, but have we met before?"

"Huh?" she turned to Yuji. She began to sniff his clothes and gasped, "It couldn't be..." She grabbed his arm and gasped when she saw his mark, "The mark of the Sacred One!"

"Wait, you know of the Crimson Dragon?-!" Yuji gawked. "Then that means you're a..."

"Manakyte..." Yuki finished as she revealed her own mark.

Aphrodite began to cry as she pulled the Fudos into a bone-crushing hug, as well as suffocating them in her chest, "I HAVE FOUND A BROTHER AND SISTER~!"

"Can't breathe...!" Yuji cried through Aphrodite's cleavage.

"She's as strong as Okaa-sama... Hyuu..." Yuki whimpered.

"Yeah, she might kill you with that hug of hers," Leon nodded.

Aphrodite released the siblings and bowed, "Please forgive my rudeness, for I haven't introduced myself. My name is Aphrodite, and it's a pleasure to meet other members of my race!"

"I can't believe we've found another Manakyte outside our family," Yuji said in amazement.

Yuki nodded, "She has the smell of water…"

"Yeah, I noticed it too," he nodded. "Come on, let's head upstairs." She nodded as the two retreated to their home where the others were waiting.

* * *

><p>Gebok was watching footage of the battle with the Riders and the Locust-Borg swarm, and his attention was on Kamen Rider Liger and how he fought in this battle, especially manipulation of fire. "So, he's a pyrokinetic, eh?" Gebok mused while biting his nail. "Whoever this boy is, he's no fool. In fact, he looks familiar..." he trailed off, watching a screen with Yuji's face. "Those eyes..."<p>

A GS-Soldier approaches and coughs for attention, "Dr. Gebok, I've compiled the file you requested."

"Ah, thank you," he accepted as he reads the file. "Let's see... Yuji Fudo, age 19, born in Neo Domino, gifted with genius-level intellect, graduated from Duel Academy as a Mechanics Major at the age of 16, son of..." His eyes narrow, "Yusei Fudo...! Of course, it all makes sense now. I remember; the upstart genius scientist who currently lives in Ne Domino and champion of that Fortune Cup tournament and the WRGP 20+ years ago. So, this boy is his son, eh?" he chuckles, "Well, then it looks like things will be getting interesting from now on, boy... Oh, ladies!"

Three figures in the shadow kneel, facing Gebok as he turned to face them.

"We're here, Doctor," one of the women replied in a calm yet sultry tone.

"I have a brand new target for you three," he smiled.

"A new target?" the second asked with hint of youthfulness in her voice.

He hands the third woman Yuji's file and she skims through it and her eyes narrow, "A Rider..."

Gebok nodded, "Yes, and I'm sure you all remember what you were originally created for, am I right?"

"Eliminate all who oppose GIN-SHOCKER," the first answered.

"Splendid!" he smiled. "Now, be on your way and I wish you three the best of luck!" They nod and disappear into the shadows again as Gebok leans back in his seat with hands behind his head, "Let's see you get around this plan, boy. HAHAHAHAHA!"

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER DATABASE<strong>

"Hello, I'm Sora Matsuoka and today I will be presenting the Rider Database." She bowed. "Please take good care of me!"

The screen behind her showed Leon transforming into Kamen Rider Necros, "Leon Smith-san, aka Kamen Rider Necros, is a mysterious young man with amazing sword-fighting skills. He was the one that saved my life from a monster. Then, when another monster appeared he transformed."

The screen showed the open Mobirider and the three Rider Keys used in this chapter: Necros, Eternal and G4. "Leon-san transforms using the Rider Keys which are mysterious special items. They are figures representing different Riders and they can fold into keys. These keys are used with the Mobirider to allow Leon-san to activate their power, transforming into the Riders the keys represent. His default key is the Necros Key which transforms him into Kamen Rider Necros and arms him with the Ankh Sword. In this form, by using the Necros Key with the Ankh Sword, he can execute a Final Break finisher. Oh, and the other two forms he's used. Let's not forget about them."

The screen showed Kamen Rider Eternal Blue Flare. "This is Kamen Rider Eternal Blue Flare. It is the Rider form of Katsumi Daido, an undead soldier known as a Necro-Over and the leader of NEVER who was once a freelance mercenary before a senseless tragedy caused him to go insane. He transforms using the Eternal Memory. As Eternal, Leon-san has access to the Eternal Edge and can execute Eternal's Maximum Drive attack which paralyses the target before he performs a flaming screw kick into the target."

The screen showed Necros becoming Kamen Rider G4 as Sora continued, "Kamen Rider G4 is a powered suit of armor made to replace the Kamen Rider G3-X suit. However, the suit's creator, Sumiko Ozawa, found it to be too unstable and discontinued with the production. Later, a woman named Risa Fukami stole all of the data pertaining to G3-X and G4 to create the perfect cybernetic warrior. But Ozawa-san was soon proven to be right about the G4 System as it soon fried the user's nervous system and killed him. G4 is armed with a missile launcher called the Gigant that has incredible destructive force. It also had a limited yet powerful clairvoyance ability that allowed the user to predict the enemy's next attack."

Sora finished up, "And so that is today's Rider Database and…Oh, there's more? I'm sorry!" The screen showed Showa performing his new Rider Kick in Legacy Mode. "This is Showa's Rider Kick in Legacy Mode and it is called the Rider Legacy Kick. He flies through those rings, charging up, and deals an explosive drop kick that destroys all enemies it hits. Its power is equivalent to 14 total Rider Kicks. So, are we finished now...? Okay."

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER BUSHIDO: What can I say? Quite a few things happened: An Adjuchas attack, locust cyborgs, some more female introductions, and another possible Manakyte. Wonder what her powers are. And yes, the Karyuu techniques Yuji was using in the Locust-Borg battle was from Fairy Tail; the Fire Dragon Slayer. And looks like we have hints of the NUMBERS coming soon! About time in my opinion, yeah!<strong>

**KAMEN RIDER CHROME: Let's not forget we have a tear-jerking family reunion here. Shinichi has found his mom but now she knows his secret. How does he tell her how it happens? Will she accept or reject him once she learns the truth? Well, check out next chapter to find out.**


	20. Family: Unwelcomed Guests

**Chapter 20: Unwelcomed Guests**

Leon was walking around town, feeling annoyed. It was not just from Aphrodite whose arm was linked around his, though. He spun around and ordered, "Stop following me." Sora was hiding unsuccessfully behind a lamppost.

"Sorry, but I just wanted you to show me your power again," said Sora apologetically.

Leon told her, "My powers aren't for parlor tricks. Besides, it's better if you just stayed away. People who get close to me have a habit of getting hurt."

Aphrodite blinked, "Leon, who is this girl?"

"A civilian," Leon replied before he suddenly tensed up.

Sora blinked, "Something wrong?"

"Yes," he answered, "Unwelcomed guests."

Suddenly, half a dozen Hollows made their presence known as they surrounded the couple. Their gazes were locked on the pair hungrily. They could sense the Reiatsu Leon possessed. They could almost taste it.

Leon held his arm out protectively in front of Sora and Aphrodite.

"Leon?" Sora blinked.

"Stay back," warned Leon as he summoned his sword. The Hollows glared at him, their bestial minds barely comprehending what was about to happen. "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, and the punishment of death for evil. Rise from the depths…Kage no Shi!" There was a flash of dark energy and when it died down; Leon was no longer holding a sword, but a large black scythe. Three of the Hollows leapt at Leon, Aphrodite and Sora. Sora was about to create a barrier, but Leon beat her to it with one word.

"Sha-ei," spoke Leon. A wall of black energy surrounded Leon and Sora. The Hollows tried to attack, only to be bounced back by the wall of shadows. "Sha-ei is my ultimate defense, a wall of absolute darkness that fends off all attacks. However, my power is not limited to only defense…" The three Hollows roared and attacked Leon. "Zan-ei." Leon then swung his scythe. However, the blade didn't seem to connect with any of the Hollows.

Sora gasped as she saw the shadows of the Hollows tear open. "Zan-ei is my unstoppable attack; the ultimate killing technique." Leon rested his scythe on his shoulder. The Hollows then burst open, exactly similar to their shadows. "Zan-ei doesn't cut the body, but the shadow." He then gave off a faint smile at the other three Hollows. "And while you three were in shock about the deaths of the other three, I sliced open your shadows as well." On cue, the last three Hollows exploded before disintegrating. "That…is the power of my Zanpakuto. That is the power of a Shinigami."

Aphrodite was clapping gleefully, "Marvelous, Leon! Even better than before!"

"Um, who are you?" Sora asked politely.

"Oh, I'm Aphrodite and Leon's girlfriend," the bluenette smiled.

"Eh…?" Sora sweat-dropped.

* * *

><p><strong>Music – "Life with Yusei and Friends" (Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Sound Duel 2)<strong>

Yuji was sitting at a terminal, running numbers on the status of the new engine as he wore a pair of safety goggles. Ruby was riding a bike that had no wheels as she was revving the engine.

"OK, everything looks good," he nodded. "You can stop accelerating, Ruby!"

She nodded and hit the ignition button, turning off the bike. "Ah, there's nothing like the roar of an engine between my legs," she sighed.

Yuji heard this and cocked an eyebrow, "Are you serious?"

"A girl wants what a girl wants."

Ruby and Yuji turned to the front and saw a tall man with borderline pale skin, short, purple, spiky hair, green eyes and dressed in a gray and blue haori-style coat with gold trim and gray pants, dark blue sleeves, brown fingerless gloves, gold cuffs, and dark blue shoes. He wore a checkered teal headband.

Yuji gasped, "Jack Cisco!"

"Jack Cisco?" Ruby blinked.

"He's a professional racer," Yuji clarified. He went over and shook hands, "What are you doing here? I thought you disappeared."

"Did some rehab for a few years after the accident," Jack nodded. "A special doctor paid me a visit and offered to fix me up. It's good to see you remember me, kid."

"How could I forget?" he frowned, "I was there when it happened."

"Water under the bridge," Jack dismissed. "Anyway, I heard you had a shop in town and wanted to check it out. I like what I see so far. Maybe I'll come in for a tune up on my own bike."

"Then the first one will be on the house," Yuji smiled.

"Thanks." A ringtone went off and Jack reached into his pocket and pulled out a cellphone, "Yeah? Found him? OK, I'll be right over." He hung up and smiled slightly, "Gotta run, kid. I'm going to meet someone special. Don't let me keep from your girlfriend there." He waved as he turned to leave.

"She's not my girlfriend, Jack," Yuji shouted, "And thanks for stopping by!"

"A friend of yours?" Ruby asked as she approached Yuji.

"Not exactly. Cisco was known for his high-speed racing," Yuji said. "But a few years ago, an accident occurred and he was rendered unable to walk, let alone race."

"Oh dear," she gasped. She then blinked, "Wait a minute, then how was he walking just now?"

"That's what puzzles me," he frowned. What Yuji failed to notice earlier was a stitching of a gold eagle with the initials GS in the center on the back of Jack's coat.

**End Music**

* * *

><p>"My mother and I are going to be spending the day together this weekend," Shinichi informed Moka.<p>

"Isn't that great?" Moka smiled.

"Actually…I don't know," he told her uncertainly.

"Huh?" Moka blinked. "What do you mean?"

"She's my mother. There's no denying it. However, because I don't have many memories of her she's just a stranger to me. How am I supposed to act? We've been separated for ten years and the only things I remember clearly are everything since we met." He was referring to when Moka and Shinichi had first met at Youkai Academy.

"Oh." Moka knew what Shinichi meant. This was something she'd kept a secret from him. "Shinichi-kun, I don't remember my mother either."

Shinichi looked up from his journal. "What?"

"I don't remember my mother. I don't remember her voice, what she looks like or what happened to her," said Moka.

"What happened?" asked Shinichi. Could Moka have had amnesia like him?

"I'm not sure but I think it was around the time I first got my seal that I forgot everything about her. I remember her name though."

"What's her name?" Shinichi asked.

"Akasha Bloodriver," she answered.

Shinichi had been wondering something, "Hey, Moka-chan, you never talk to me about your family. What are they like?"

"Oh, I have three sisters. A younger sister and two big sisters," said Moka.

"What are they like?" he asked. Moka shuddered.

"They're scary, really scary," Moka told him. "I hope you never have to meet them."

Shinichi might regret asking the next question, "And your dad?"

"My father is one of the most powerful vampires in the world," Moka answered. "And he hates humans with a passion. Pray you never meet him."

"What a warm bunch," stated Shinichi sarcastically. Moka peered at his journal.

"Shinichi-kun, your handwriting hasn't really improved," she commented.

Shinichi sighed, "I know. I just can't seem to remember the order of strokes. It looks close enough, right?" Shinichi asked. Moka didn't answer. "Right?"

* * *

><p>Shiori was waiting in front of her hotel. She stayed in a different building from the one that Shinichi and his friends were staying at. Today she was dressed her best and had styled her hair. She had a date with her son.<p>

Now, while it would sound odd it actually wasn't. This was their chance to be alone and just talk while reconnecting. There was a gap of ten years and Shiori really wanted to get to know her son who'd grown up without her. He'd yet to tell her much except that he didn't remember anything before he started going to school in Youkai Academy.

Shiori had never heard of such a school and when she tried looking it up she couldn't find any information about it. It was odd or maybe the school was brand new. That was a possibility.

She was surprised to see her son transforming too and had asked questions. He had told her that he would answer those questions at a later time. What she was surprised the most was to see him being very friendly with those girls. Was one of them his girlfriend?

Shiori checked her watch. They had a lunch date and were going to be late. She then heard the roar of a motorcycle engine and smiled. She looked and saw Shinichi speeding over before slowing down and pulling up next to her. He flipped up his visor and smiled, "Hello, Kaa-chan."

"Hello, Shinji," she smiled at her son. He was just so cool now as he was riding an amazing machine. He handed her a spare helmet and she put it on before straddling the seat behind him.

He asked, "So, where are we headed?"

"Oh, it's a little restaurant in town."

"What is it called?" Shinichi asked.

"Café La Salle," she answered.

Shinichi entered the name on the Cyclone-X3's onboard GPS and a map appeared on the screen. "OK, I got directions. Hold on tight!" He revved up his engine and shot down the street as Shiori cried out in excitement.

* * *

><p>Café La Salle was a restaurant run by a pair of twins, a brother and sister. The sister was called Kat Narukawa and her brother's name was Leo Narukawa. Kat handled the business side of the restaurant while greeting customers as the maitre'd while Leo was the head chef.<p>

"Welcome to Café La Salle," Kat Narukawa welcomed. She was a young woman in her mid-twenties who wore a black bow ribbon in her long black hair. She wore a white blouse with a black vest and short skirt. She also wore black boots that reached up to her knees. "Do you have a reservation?"

"Banabara, table for two," said Shiori.

"OK, let me show you to your table," said Kat as she led them to a table for two. A waitress came with their menus.

"So, why this place?" Shinichi asked as Kat went away to greet more customers.

"I heard this place is the best restaurant in town," said Shiori. "And I wanted to treat you, Shinji."

Shinji was his birth name. He was trying to get used to be called that but for some reason it didn't seem to fit him; the him now that is.

"Shinji, what happened to you? Where did you go?" Shiori asked. That was the reason she'd asked him out. She wanted to know what had happened.

"Kaa-chan, there's not much I can tell you, but I have a feeling that I was kidnapped that day," said Shinichi.

"Kidnapped?" Shiori gasped.

"Yes, and the kidnappers did this to my body. They made me into a cyborg." He added, sighing, "I'll understand if you don't want a freak for a son…"

"I'm…sorry…" she apologized suddenly.

"Kaa-chan?" he asked, looking up at her questionably.

"I shouldn't have been late! If I wasn't late then you wouldn't have been kidnapped!" She blamed herself for what had happened.

"It wasn't your fault," he tried to placate her.

She looked him in the eye and asked, "Then why do I still feel guilty? If only I had been there on time, this would have never happened."

Shinichi had to say something to make her feel better. He didn't know what else to say but he still attempted to think positively as he told her, "Well truthfully Kaa-chan, this could also be a blessing in disguise."

"What do you mean?" she questioned.

"If I hadn't been kidnapped that day, I probably would have never met my friends."

"Your friends? You mean the four girls who are always with you?"

Shinichi nodded, "Hai. Moka-chan had a… difficult time in middle school, Kurumu-chan isn't so used to making friends either, Mizore-chan was being harassed by one of the teachers, and Yukari-chan was shunned by most of the student body because of her high intelligence. All of them were very lonely until I showed up."

"Are they good friends?" Shiori asked.

"Yeah, they are," Shinichi smiled. "We're even part of a Newspaper Club."

"What's the club like? What do you do?" Shiori asked in interest.

"Oh, I just write articles and maybe have a column about what I think about the school," said Shinichi.

"And how's school?" Shiori asked.

"Well, I'm #2 in the entire freshman year," Shinichi answered. "Yukari-chan's #1, though."

"Still, that's something to be proud of. Didn't you say your teacher was in the city too? I'd like to speak with her," said Shiori.

Shinichi frowned a little. Nekonome-sensei was a great teacher but could be a little ditzy at times. Youkai Academy's secrets needed to be kept from humans and while he was a student his mother was a human. "Maybe, if you get the chance."

"So, what do you call your superhero form?" Shiori asked.

"Showa, Kamen Rider Showa."

Shiori then smiled, "So, any plans for getting a girlfriend?"

Shinichi blushed and stuttered, "Kaa…Kaa-chan."

"Well, you're at that age that you should be dating, Shinji," reasoned Shiori. "But first you're going to need sex education. I'll be happy to give you The Talk and I'll even bring visual aids," she offered. "Then I'll even give you a tutorial of positions for maximum pleasure."

Shinichi's face was as red as Kamen Rider Ichigo's scarf. The waitress returned. '_Thank God!_'

"Are you ready to order?" asked the waitress.

"Two House Specials, and could you also make cold milk with honey for the two of us?" Shiori ordered.

"Alright, two House Specials and two glasses of cold milk with honey. Oh, and would you like anything for desert?" asked the waitress.

"Devil's Food Cake," Shiori ordered, "And top that with vanilla ice cream."

"And fruit salad," Shinichi added. The waitress wrote down their orders and went away.

"Kaa-chan, when you mean visual aids…?" Shinichi asked carefully.

"Oh, my books. They come with illustrations," said Shiori. "We can even have a basic lesson now and-"

"After we eat," Shinichi interrupted. He didn't want to lose his appetite.

"OK, whatever you say. Oh, and let's catch a movie after this," said Shiori.

* * *

><p>Shinichi and Shiori went to a movie theater and with his mother they went to watch an R-Rated movie that was based on one of her books. Shinichi knew he was getting odd looks from people but he didn't care. As embarrassed as he was, he was glad to spend time with his mother.<p>

"So, anyway, me and scriptwriter argued over this scene," Shiori whispered as she pointed at the screen.

* * *

><p>Shinichi returned on the Cyclone-X3 and let out a tired sigh. He went up to the group's hotel room and was welcomed by Moka.<p>

"How was your date with your mother?" asked Moka.

"It was a little awkward but I think we made some progress," said Shinichi. "Hey, Moka-chan, do you want to go for a spin?"

Moka beamed, "You mean...are you asking me to go for a ride?"

"Yeah, I got a bike and I've been thinking of taking you girls out for a spin on Cyclone-X3. So, how about it?"

"I'd love to," she smiled. Shinichi and Moka exited the hotel together. Shinichi handed her a helmet. It was different. It covered only her head and had goggles. Shinichi's helmet had a visor that covered his entire face.

Shinichi put on his helmet and said, "Well then, as I always say..."

"Let's Ride," Moka cheered.

Shinichi smirked, "Hey, that's my line!"

"Sorry," she giggled.

He kissed her cheek, "Don't be. It sounds better coming from you."

* * *

><p>Moka had her arms wrapped tightly around Shinichi's waist as they sped along the road. It felt nice to be close to him like this. The background just seemed to fade away. As for Shinichi, he was happy to give Moka a ride on the Cyclone-X3. He'd actually dreamt about doing this since before they came to the human world.<p>

Of course their peaceful ride would soon be interrupted as something rammed them from the side. Shocked, Shinichi tried to maintain control and balance as his wheels screeched against the road. Another impact hit their vehicle, followed by another and another as sparks flew.

'_GIN-SHOCKER!'_ they both thought at the same time.

The tires were taken out as the rubber was torn to shreds by invisible claws. "Moka-chan, prepare to jump!" said Shinichi as he took her hand. Moka nodded and Shinichi launched himself off his damaged Cyclone-X3. "Let's Ride: Showa!" he called out as the Cyclone-X3 crashed onto its side and went several feet before stopping. Showa landed with Moka in his arms and grimaced as he saw what had happened, "Crap, Yuji's gonna kill me."

What stood before the two students was a moderately tall feline humanoid, covered in black armor from head to toe aside from the dark red chest plate and dark red shoulder pads. The armor was also sleek and stream-lined. His fingers were tipped with sharp claws and the sleek, cheetah-like helmet had a pair of narrow, glowing, green eyes.

"You...are you a member of GIN-SHOCKER?" Showa demanded

"Got that right, kid," the cheetah Cyborg Mutant replied, shouldering the rifle in his hand. "The name's Lightning Saix, and you could either come with me quietly, or you could come with me in bandages as I drag you back to the Doc. Those are the only two choices I can give you."

"I have another option. Weapon Ride: Vulcan Shooter!" he called as he pulled the trigger.

**Music – "Dark Battle" by Otani Kou**

Lightning Saix evaded the gunfire swiftly as he got behind Moka, aiming his weapon at Showa as he pulled the trigger, showering laser fire on the Rider.

"It wasn't smart to leave your girl out in the open like this," he reprimanded.

"Moka-chan!" he gasped.

Lightning Saix pushed her to the side and made a B-line straight for Showa as he double kicked him in the chest. "Better remember that next time!"

"Weapon Ride: Laser Saber!" Dual-wielding his blade and firearm, he slashed at Lightning Saix.

Slashed across the chest, Lightning Saix backed away and grinned, "Nice toy." He flashed his claws as they began to glow, "Lemme show you mine!"

Showa fired his Vulcan Shooter at Lightning Saix who ran around to avoid and got hit in the chest. Sparks exploded as he was flung backwards. Then Lightning Saix attacked while he was in mid-flight, causing more sparks to fly off. "Let's Ride: Biorider!"

Showa assumed a liquid-like state and avoided the assault before reforming into RX Biorider. "Let's Ride: Stronger! Electro Fire!" He slammed his palm to the ground and sent a bolt of lightning towards Lightning Saix.

Lightning Saix gritted his teeth as he was jolted with electricity. Chuckling, he looked to Showa, "Nice. As I was told, you've got multiple forms that help you adapt to any situation. Well...almost any." He jumped back and kicked off the wall as he flew at Showa, aiming his assault rifle as he pulled the trigger.

Showa-Stronger was pelted with bullets and called out, "Let's Ride: ZX! Activate Smokescreen!" His shoulders released the thick black smokescreen to cover him.

Lightning Saix landed in the middle of the smoke screen, holding his rifle at the ready. "Not very smart, kid," he called out. "Your girl is still here and one stray bullet could wind up right in her skull."

A cross shuriken flies out of and hits Lightning Saix in the chest and exploded.

"OK, that hurt a bit..." he grunted.

The explosion causes the smoke to clear and when Lightning Saix looked around he found Showa was missing. He then looked to the air and found Showa-ZX flying with Moka on his back.

Showa-ZX planted Moka on top of a building. "Stay here."

"I can help," said Moka. "Please."

"I'm not gonna give GIN-SHOCKER a reason to come after you." He then jumped off to engage Lightning Saix alone. He drew ZX's Electro-Knife and held it in a reverse grip. "I'm back and you're going down."

"Hm, we'll see about that," Lightning Saix chuckled as he stashed his rifle to his back and flexed his claws.

"Hyah!" Showa-ZX activated his hologram projector and several ZX's were seen running alongside him. He and the holograms jumped around to confuse Lightning Saix.

"Sorry, kid, but that trick's old school," Lightning Saix grinned.

He could lock onto Showa's unique energy signature through his HUD and he pulled out his assault rifle and fired at the ZX at the left corner. The spray of bullets hit and he cried out before he was forced to revert to default. Showa was panting in exhaustion. Too many quick changes were draining.

Lightning Saix dashed forward with remarkable speed as his claws pierced right through Showa's chest but the Rider gripped his arm tightly with one hand. "Gotcha..." Quickly, Showa summoned his Vulcan Shooter and fired point blank several times. This didn't seem to be working though.

"Not a bad tactic, kid," Lightning Saix smiled, "But I won't be falling for that trick again." Using his bounded paw, he lifted Showa up into the air before shaking him loose. Showa was sent up before gravity took hold of him, allowing Lightning Saix slash his claws at him, sending him flying backwards.

**End Music**

Lightning Saix grunted as he cracked his neck from side to side. "I guess this is all you've got. Too bad," he sighed disappointingly. "From what the Doc told me about you, I was expecting a little more of a challenge. Guess I was wrong."

"We'll see about that!" Showa shouted as he summoned his Legacy Diver and attached it to his Spark Core.

"**ULTIMATE RIDE: LEGACY MODE!"**

Lightning Saix grinned as he saw the gold light erupting from his opponent. "Now we're getting somewhere!"

Showa rushed at Lightning Saix with his Legacy Saber in Sword Mode and swung at the cheetah Cyborg Mutant. However, Lightning Saix blocked with his claws, pulled out a bowie knife and stabbed Showa in the shoulder, making him back up so Saix could get some distance to fire his rifle. Then he blurred out of sight, hitting him from all angles.

"Ahh!" Showa cried in pain as he felt the sparks ripping across his armor.

Lightning Saix instantly halted from some distance away. "Oh, man. Even with that power, you still can't keep up with me," he mocked, "I shouldn't be surprised though. Cheetahs are the fastest animals in the world after all." He slapped his shoulder before blurring out of sight again.

Showa figured that now would be a good time to initiate a power shift. The symbol for RX that was on his Driver glowed and the circle on his chest twists so it was on top. Summoning RX-Biorider's power he turned himself into water as Lightning Saix jetted through with a splash.

Lightning Saix skidded to a halt, looking surprised. "So, you can even use your other powers in that form, huh? I bet the Doc would be interested once I bring you back like he asked."

Showa turned around and glared. "That won't happen."

"Really now?" Lightning Saix smirked, "Care to try me?"

Showa didn't answer as he detached his Legacy Driver and attached it to the Legacy Saber. "It's Game Over for you!" he declared.

"**LEGACY CHARGE!"**

Showa called, **"RIDER...LEGACY SLASH!"** This version of the slash had 14 rings with the symbols of the Riders surround Showa and they were absorbed into his sword. The glowing blade was gripped tightly as he rushed at Lightning Saix and slashed. There was an explosion and Showa let out a groan as his Legacy Mode armor vanished. "Did I…did I win…?"

"Your aim was good! But you're still too slow!" Lightning Saix grinned as he blurred forward.

Showa was kicked from behind into garbage cans.

"Hah...ugh..."

"The Doc has been recording your fights, so I was well informed on all your moves until now." Lightning Saix said. "Sorry, but this was just a test run. You'll be seeing more of me, kid." And with that said he vanished out of sight.

Showa reverted back to human form as he shakily rose to his feet. "Dammit…" he cursed. He saw two motorcycles arrive at his location. He recognized them to be Netto and Yuji's. The two Riders stopped and went over to Shinichi. Netto helped him up.

"You OK?" Netto asked.

"I feel like crap," Shinichi grunted.

"Oh, god dammit," Yuji cried as he saw what had happened to the Cyclone-X3. "What happened to it!-?"

"I got ambushed by a GIN-SHOCKER Cyborg Mutant," said Shinichi. "Come on, let's get Moka-chan."

"Where is she?" Netto asked. Shinichi pointed at a nearby rooftop.

* * *

><p>"He calls himself Lightning Saix and true to his name he was as fast as lightning," Shinichi explained. After Moka was picked up, she went back to the hotel they were staying for safety. "I tried my best forms against him but he moves so fast I could barely hit him. He hit me pretty good too. His claws are sharp and did some major damage and his gun had armor piercing bullets. I even went Legacy Mode and he still beat me." They were all at the Dragon's Den and Shinichi had just finished explaining about the latest Cyborg Mutant.<p>

"Sounds like a fierce opponent..." Yuji grimaced before looking to the Cyclone-X3. "He roughed up the X3 too. It'll take some time to fix. Thankfully, there isn't any major damage."

"He's one of the more powerful Cyborg Mutants but next time I'll be ready for him," Shinichi assured.

"Anything else?" Yuji asked.

"Not really," Shinichi shrugged. "He was really fast, that's all."

"Hm, whatever then." He turned to Netto, "No doubt he's targeting us too. We'll have to be on guard."

"Right," the technopath nodded.

* * *

><p>Several hours later, Shinichi was taking another lone nightly ride on the newly repaired Cyclone-X3. Ever since he got his new bike he'd been taking it out for a spin at night as a way to clear his head. The adrenaline rush as the bike raced along the road was an amazing feeling.<p>

As he went under an overpass, he felt something ensnare his neck and forcefully haul of his bike as he was lifted up onto the overpass before he was sent tumbling along its surface. He removed his helmet and shouted, "Hey, who did that!-?"

**Music – "Time Shift Initiated" (Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time)**

He saw three dark figures in front of him. One of them must've pulled him off his bike. The one in the middle pointed at him and the other two flanking them charged at Shinichi. He brought his arm up to block a roundhouse kick but the other one kicked him in the chest sending him staggering. He was forced on the defensive, bringing his arms up to block their assault. Then he found an opening and grabbed a foot that had been raised as a kick and swung, using the owner as a club to knock the other one into a railing. Shinichi then got the wind knocked out of him as the one he was holding kick him hard in the chest and used him like a springboard as she did a backflip and landed before sending him reeling with another kick to the gut.

The one who'd been watching soon joined in the fray and lashed out with a whip. It wrapped around Shinichi's wrist. He tried to pull his arm free but then a weighted chain tied around his other arm. His arms were being pulled far apart and then the third attacked with a barrage of punches and kicks.

Shinichi, feeling fed up at being assaulted, called out loudly, "Let's Ride: Showa!" His Spark Core appeared and in a flash of blinding light he was transformed. His green eyes glowed brightly and he broke free from his restraints to counterattack against his assailant and knock them backwards. Suddenly, something sticky hit him in the face. "Dammit, not again!" he shouted as he was reminded of when Grease Monkey-Borg had done the same. He clawed at the sticky substance and once it was completely off he saw that he was alone.

**End Song**

He scratched his head in confusion as he reverted back to human form. "What the heck was that about?" He then realized, "Crap, my bike!" He went and jumped over the railing and dashed off to get his bike.

* * *

><p>"Do you think that was him?"<p>

"I don't know. I mean he wasn't acting the same as before."

"But it did look like him. Something's wrong. He never fought like that."

"Things have changed. For now let's go back to our mission. It's time we head on over to the Dragon's Den where our target is located."

* * *

><p>"First a Cyborg Mutant, now three others attack Shinichi," Mizore sighed.<p>

"It's like he's cursed," Kurumu frowned.

"Don't say that," Yukari and Moka admonished.

"This ramen's good, by the way, Netto," Shinichi changed the subject to the delicious chicken-flavored ramen he was eating.

He and the others were invited over to Netto's home. It was spacey, enough to house the number of people around the dinner table.

"This dish is just too much for me," Aphrodite squealed. "Squisito (Delicious)!"

"Thanks," Netto blushed, rubbing the back of his head, "The recipe isn't really mine though, it came from my mom."

"Your mother?" Shiori asked.

Netto dug through his pocket and handed the novelist his wallet. She looked inside and found a picture of a tough looking woman leaning on a brick wall, posing. She had chin-length lavender hair, red eyes like Netto's, and an easy-going smile on her full pink lips. Shiori could tell that the woman had some muscle on her, as well as a firm bust and hot curves. She was wearing a black leather jacket with a pink tank top, jeans and boots

"She looks beautiful," Shiori complemented, as she passed the picture along.

"Thank you, Shiori-san," Netto nodded. "Her name was Motoko and she worked at the National Public Safety Commission. She was in charge of keeping a look out for cyber terrorists. She also created something called NetCom, which is supposed to be a new generation internet."

"Wow, she sounds like an amazing woman," Mizore admired.

"Yeah, I'll say," Shinichi added. He then blinked as he remembered something, "Wait a minute, you said 'was'," Yuji and Yuki both frowned softly while Qiao bit her lip, "By saying that you mean she's-

"Yeah... She's dead," Netto answered slowly, earning gasps from his new friends. "It was an accident ten years ago. Something happened with the streetlights and the whole cross lane ended up in a deadly mess. We crashed into a cement truck and the wet cement got poured into our car. My father suffocated, and my mother and I suffered critical injuries. I was one of the few lucky ones."

"What happened?" Moka asked softly.

"We were both rushed to a Smart Brain hospital," Netto paused for a moment before continuing. "Around seven hours after we arrived, my mom died on the operating table. Qiao-chan and her mom were informed about what happened, and rushed to the hospital." He looked at his girlfriend as she stared back, "I heard that she was crying hysterically. She was afraid that she would lose me too. I'm glad that Smart Brain turned me into a cyborg to save my life."

"I wouldn't know what to do if Airen left me," Qiao said as she looped her arm around his, "As soon as he was back onto his feet, I tackled him to the ground and kissed him all over his face."

"Aw! That's so sweet!" Yukari giggled.

"Well, I'm happy for you both," Shiori smiled

"Heh," Netto smiled as his face turned red.

Yuji yawned, "Well, I gotta head back and file some paperwork. C'mon, Yuki."

"Hai, Onii-sama," she obeyed. The twins said their goodbyes and left the house.

* * *

><p>It was around 10:30 when everyone left for the night. Netto and Qiao had both finished clearing up the table and placed the dishes in the washer. Right now, the couple was resting on the couch together.<p>

"Hey, Netto-kun," Qiao began. Netto blinked as he realized that she used the name she gave him during their childhood instead of the one she normal uses since she claimed him.

"Yeah, Qiao-chan?" he answered.

"How much do you miss your mama and papa?" she asked, "I mean, I know how much you wanna forget what happened, but you still think about them, right?"

Netto sighed, "I miss them a lot. I know how young we were when it happened, so I don't remember much. The one thing I do remember most of all though was listening to my mom's silly whistling." He laughed at the memory, "And my dad, he always used to play sports with me. They were great people. I'll never forget them."

Qiao smiled brightly. She may not have known Netto's parents too well, but she knew that they were good people. Her smile then slowly turned wry and her eyelids lowered as she crawled closer to her boyfriend. "Hey, Airen," she whispered in a sultry voice, "It looks like we're alone again. So, do you know what I'm thinking right now?"

Netto didn't have the time to answer, not that he need to. He knew what she was asking anyway. Qiao pressed herself against him instantly and began to taste his lips. Netto responded by wrapping his arms around her waist as she looped her arms around his shoulders. They two held each other in a loving embrace as the tongues fought for dominance. Qiao broke the kiss and smiled lovingly at him as got up, took him by the hand and walked over to the middle of the floor. She pushed him down, letting him sit on his bottom. As she did, a sudden change over came the girl. A golden light appeared around her, nearly brightening the dim-lit room. As it died down, and new Qiao was sitting on Netto's legs with her own legs wrapped around his waist. Her hair was now pure gold and matched her shimmering eyes. A set of soft fox ears twitched cutely on her head. While most people would be freaked out by this, Netto felt that he was being held by the most beautiful girl on Earth.

The pair smiled at each other as they held each other closer, even with the five fox tails warping around them. Qiao breathed lightly as her face inched closer with her lips brushing against his gently and her gold eyes gazing into his red ones, "Wo ai ni, Airen."

"I love you too, Qiao-chan," Netto whispered back. And the two deepened their kiss.

* * *

><p>Two figures roamed through the shadows of night and picked the lock on the front door of the Dragon's Den before slipping inside. The intruders were both female, and a light that shone down on them revealed them to be Kamen Riders before they began searching the place. One of the girls' armor was mainly black with blood red shoulder pads, torso armor, gloves, and boots. Her helmet was silver and black with two large eyes and six smaller ones on the sides. The second girl's armor was light purple in color. Her boots had sharp high heels and the shoulders looked like flower petals. Her suit also came with a flexible chain-mail battle skirt. Her helmet was styled after a mantis.<p>

"These guys must really like bikes," the Mantis Rider spoke as she saw all the motorcycle parts organized.

"Focus, Carmen," the Spider Rider reminded. "We've got a job to do and I want to get this done quick."

"OK, Arachnea," Carmen nodded. "Do you think they're asleep?"

"If so, then it'll make our job easier," Arachnea stated.

"Sorry ladies, we're closed."

"Yipes!" Carmen jumped as she and Arachnea turned to see Yuji leaning against the doorframe to the back as he turned on the light. He was in his usual sleeveless shirt, jeans and sneakers.

"What can I do for you?" Yuji asked.

"I'm sorry but we are here to kill you," Arachnea declared. "Please, do not struggle. It will be quick and painless."

Yuji looked through the doorframe leading to the stairs and then back to them, "I'm gonna get some coffee, you want some coffee?"

"Didn't you hear what she said?" Carmen asked.

Yuji put his hands up in surrender, "Alright, settle down, settle down. If you wanted coffee so badly, all you had to do was ask." He grabbed them and led them upstairs to the kitchen.

"Wait!" Arachnea pleaded. "This isn't how things are done!"

"We're assassins!" Carmen exclaimed as she stumbled up the stairs. "You're our target! Doesn't that faze you?"

"You should try getting shot at by your own father, slashed at by one of your uncles, and being blown up by one of your other uncles' rocket launcher as training," Yuji grumbled. "That'll really make you piss your pants for a while."

They passed the living room and entered the kitchen and Arachnea took her hand out of his grip. "Enough playing," Arachnea demanded. "We're on a schedule."

"Yeah!" Carmen nodded.

Yuji grabbed the coffee pot and began pouring into two mugs. "You two are gonna love this," he smiled to himself. "Nothing beats my uncle's Black Feather Roast."

The two Riders drew their weapons. Arachnea's weapon was called the Spider Kama, which were four scythes connected to a single handle and she had two of them. Carmen's hands glowed with pink light and morphed into a pair of scythe blades.

Yuji only responded by holding the coffee mugs towards the girls. "Lose the helmets and have some. Don't knock it till you try it."

"Not interested," Arachnea denied.

"It does smell good," Carmen admitted as she could smell the brew through her helmet.

"Focus," her partner reprimanded. Arachnea's Spider Kama is swung at Yuji. The mugs were sliced and the coffee spilled onto the floor.

"Aw, what a waste," Yuji sighed as he cleaned up the mess. "So, where are you ladies from?"

Arachnea doesn't answer and continues her assault, swinging her two Spider Kama at him. Yuji rolled to the side and gets back on his feet. He sighed to himself. Sure, he had some bad luck with girls before, but this was getting ridiculous.

"Sorry, Spiky-kun," Carmen apologized, "but we need to kill you." She swung her scythe hands at Yuji.

"Low bridge," Yuji said as he ducked the blades. "Gotta make another batch so I can get back to work," he noted.

The nonsense continued as the two girls kept swinging at Yuji, trying to kill him, but all he did was dodge every single strike like they were nothing.

"Who...is this guy?" Carmen panted.

"A threat," Arachnea glared.

"Actually, my name's Yuji," he introduced, "Yuji Fudo." He kisses their hands, "What are your names?"

Arachnea shoved him back and tried to strike him again, but he bent backward to avoid the slash.

"Whoa, better be careful," he cautioned himself, "Almost threw my back out."

Tendrils suddenly shot out of the shadows and bound Yuji, turning him to the source of the tendrils as it emerged from the shadows. The assailant was also female, and wore black armor and worn over a purple bodysuit. The helmet pointed forward to resemble a mosquito's needle. Her helmet's eyes were also violet. Stamped on her chest plate was IV.

"You two are slow," the third female Rider sighed dejectedly. "Luckily, you have me to help finish the job."

Yuji blushed a bit but stayed clam, "So, what's your name, beautiful?"

"GIN-SHOCKER Rider #04: Seras," she introduced.

Yuji decided to put on his serious face and spoke again, "OK, and how about your real name this time, instead of your designation?"

"Survive, and you might get it," she challenged. She loosened her hold on him and smirked, "Let's make this interesting." The tips of the tendrils sharpened and shot forward at Yuji.

He sidestepped the tendrils and whistled, "Whoa, a game of darts huh? It's been a while since I played this game."

* * *

><p>And so, several hours later...<p>

The girls were panting on the ground, tired...despite their enhanced stamina even they had limits.

Yuji poured a cup of coffee as he sat at the table and looked down at the panting girls, "So, feel like talking now, ladies?"

* * *

><p>It was now 3:00 AM and Yuji is sitting at the table with the three female Riders.<p>

Seras, truly known as Misato Kurushina, was an alluring girl with fair skin, long purple hair in a ponytail, alluring green eyes and dressed in a red top, matching miniskirt, fishnet stockings, and shin-high boots.

Arachnea, also known as Hana Nekozawa, was a gothic-looking girl who had deathly-pale skin, black lipstick, short, chin-length black hair with red streaks like Yuji's, and had dark brown eyes. She was wearing a black turtle neck and matching jeans.

Carmen, publically known as Michiru Masami, was a cute girl with dark skin, long black hair done in twin-tails, and she had hazel eyes. She was dressed in a light green shirt, jeans, and red sneakers. She was happily chewing on a banana.

"We still have a mission," Misato huffed, "We have to kill all of #13's allies and bring him back."

"Those other girls don't stand a chance," Michiru giggled. "The others are brutal."

"And so is Shin when you get him mad," Yuji added. "And don't even get me started on my sister. She's unstoppable once she's pissed."

Hana blinked, "Shin? You mean #13. We know how brutal. He was the one who killed us."

"Killed you?" Yuji blinked. "What are you saying?"

"It's complicated," Misato said quickly.

"Oh really?" he said as he crossed his arms, "Well let me ask you this: did he act the way he is now like he did back then?"

They stare at him, not understanding his question

Yuji sweat-dropped, "You have no clue of what the fuck I'm talking about, do you?"

"What do you mean?" Michiru spoke up.

"If you're referring to how #13 was like when we worked with him," Hana began, "He was logical with cold rationale and only loyal to the organization and his handler."

Yuji leaned back in his seat, "Then think of it like this: What if he wasn't in his right mind when he killed you all?"

They stared at Yuji again, and then at eat each other before looking back to him.

Yuji sighed as he held his face in his palm, "You girls can't be that dense..." He took a breath and continued, "OK, then...here's another question. Did he ever have a lifeless look in his eyes, where if you stared into them, you saw nothing but an empty pit?"

"All the time," Michiru nodded.

"It was always like that," Hana added.

Yuji crossed his arms and nodded, "Yup, classic case of a broken soul, brainwashing, and torture."

"He's a weapon," Misato shrugged. "What does a weapon need emotions for anyway? That's what Gebok said."

"Gebok could go blow himself!" Yuji snapped, startling the girls. "What about you three? You still have your consciences and wits intact more or less, right?"

Misato steeled herself and shot back, "Sorry, but we can't just leave GIN-SHOCKER and survive, plus we have nowhere else to go!"

Michiru and Hana nodded.

Yuji stopped and looked around, "You girls could live here."

Michiru was taken aback as she argued, "But we tried to kill you."

"So?" he shrugged. "You can't exactly go back since you three clearly failed to kill me. And I don't think GS will have any qualms about killing you."

"Zero tolerance for failure," she slumped.

"See? So what's so bad about staying here?" He counted with his fingers, "Free food, a place to sleep, maybe even get a job... Need I say anymore?"

Misato looked at Yuji with her scrutinizing eyes, "Lemme ask; knowing what we've done, knowing what #13 has done, would that change anything?"

"Not really," he shrugged, "And besides, assassin chicks are hot and you three are no exception." He saw the clock, "Well, it's late and we all need our rest. There's one another room free, but I don't know if you'll all fit in it. You can try and sleep with Yuki but you might startle her and she'll end up flash-freezing you. The couch is seriously lumpy and I have to get it replaced too. Then there's Ruby, but you might scare the shit out of her accidentally."

"We're going to be targeted by assassins," Hana frowned.

"I have a guard," he dismissed, "Don't worry, nothing gets past White Blaze."

They blinked in confusion.

"Who's White Blaze?" Michiru asked.

Yuji went downstairs to the front of the shop and opened up the garage door and clapped, "White Blaze, here boy!"

The three Kaizo Ningen heard a growl and went down before gawking as a large mechanical white cat entered the garage. It jumped and glomped Yuji, dropping him on his back as the mechanical cat licks his face.

Misato stared with interest, "A robot tiger."

Yuji stood up and chuckled, "Yeah, I built him myself. Check this out. White Blaze, Transform!"

White Blaze growled and converts into Yuji's D-Wheel, the wheels holding its body up as the midsection extends to reveal the seat and the legs folded up.

"OK, now Beast Mode!"

White Blaze returned to its animal form and went into a sitting posture.

"Kawaii!" Michiru beamed as she scratches White Blaze behind his ears. White Blaze purred before it started licking her face.

"Then there's Laser Beak," Yuji added, "He can watch the skies for days without needing to recharge for days."

"And what is Laser Beak?" Misato inquired.

Yuji whistled and a blue mechanical bird flies in through the garage window and perches itself on White Blaze's head. "That's Yuki's D-Board: Laser Beak," Yuji gestured, "He told me you were coming from miles away, so I've known since 8:00 PM this evening."

Misato bit her nail with a frown, "Damn. GS would love to get their hands on this tech."

"Being a genius is a wonderful thing," Yuji chuckled. "You have so many ideas and so much free time that you can make anything." He closes the garage door and turns to the girls, "And if you'll excuse me, angels, I have an appointment with my bed." He bowed, "Pleasant dreams to you." He retreated to the stairs and White Blaze took up guard duty as Laser Beak cawed before flying out the window to keep watch once again.

* * *

><p>The door to Yuji's room cracked open and a figure slowly snuck in. It was Misato, and she was hunting. Her prey, Yuji, was asleep in his bed without a shirt and in sweatpants. She had to admit that the guy's physique was easy on the eyes but she was more interested in his blood. She hadn't had a drink in a while and she was thirsty. She licked her lips as she climbed onto the huge bed and crawled over to his sleeping body. She quietly hovered over Yuji and smiled sultrily as she saw how cute he looked while sleeping. But enough of that, for it was time to focus. She lowered herself and bore her fangs as she slowly inched closer to Yuji's neck. They looked shorter than Moka's, but still just as sharp.<p>

'_Just...one...little…taste...'_ she pleaded as she got closer.

She feels her hands tug and she sees Yuji's eyes glowing blue.

"Forgot to mention that I can see in the dark," he whispered.

Misato smirked, "Are you gonna manhandle me?"

"Only if you want me too," he retorted. "I'm not one to force myself on women." Since they were in close proximity he could see a shine in her eyes that was captivating. "You have nice eyes, beautiful even; like stars," he complimented. Misato blushed and sputtered. He noted the hungry look in her eyes, "You wanted some, right? My blood I mean."

Misato licked her lips. "Yes…I do. You smell delicious and I just want to suck you dry and I don't think I can stop until I _do_ suck you dry." Her veins were throbbing and she wanted to sink her fangs and needles into him to drain his blood. She just wanted to know how it tasted.

"If things go well between us then you just might someday," Yuji nodded. He tilted his head to allow easy access to his neck and closed his eyes, "Go ahead, Misato. Take as much as you need. I won't fight back."

That was music to her ears! Misato held his head and whispered, "Itadakimasu," as she bit down and began to suck Yuji's blood.

They boy froze as he felt the girl drinking from him, but it didn't hurt like he thought it would. In fact, it felt exhilarating. Misato widened at the taste of his blood. It was so delicious, so potent…she was beginning to lose control of herself.

'_Good god…he tastes so good…'_ she thought. _'The smell, the texture, the potency… it's making me go crazy…'_ She moaned on his neck as she continued to suck from him, she almost didn't notice her nether regions moistening and the fluids trickling down her legs and dripping onto Yuji. _'I don't believe it…just drinking his blood is getting me wet…how could his blood be so good…?-!'_ She then felt Yuji's left arm wrap around her waist and his right hand holding the back of her head, pulling her deeper onto him.

"Take as much as you need…" he sighed.

Now she knew that Yuji was crazy. Was he asking her to drain him dry? She felt the heat coming off of him and it felt comforting to her. She wanted to know what he really was, and she would find out. She could also read minds through the blood she drained. People's memories were imprinted into their blood and she was going to see Yuji's memories. Then it all hit her like a brick wall; all his memories, his experiences, his training, she saw it all. She then saw two particular memories. One was where she saw Yuji and Yuki as children, being picked on by a group of bullies. Yuji tried defending his sister and when he pushed one of the kids, he combusted and burst into flames. She saw the fear in little Yuji's eyes before he ran away. The next memory was of Yuji (probably a couple of years ago) sitting next to a hospital bed, crying as he held the hand of a cute brunette that was dying. The girl smiled before parting from this world, leaving Yuji alone to shed his tears.

Misato released Yuji as she gasped for air. She panted hard as she recovered from the shock of the memory feed. She looked down and Yuji could see her blush and sweat.

"You've been through some tough times…" she panted.

"I'm sure they're nothing compared to what you've been through," he retorted.

She sat up on his stomach and looked down at him, "So, you're not really human, huh?"

"That's right," he nodded, "But we can talk about it in the morning."

She blushed and looked away as she glanced at him shyly, "Is it alright if I… sleep with you then?"

He nodded, "No problem." She climbed off his chest and got in close to him, being pulled into his right side by his arm around her waist. "By the way," he whispered, "The smell of blood suits you."

"Thank you," she whispered back as she nuzzled into him. "You're really warm…" She then grinned, "So, did you really have sex with your sister?"

"It wasn't my choice," Yuji replied with a slight blush. "I was depressed at that time, so Yuki comforted me."

"In more ways than one, apparently," she giggled.

The two said nothing more as they drifted to sleep. The door to his room cracked open more as Michiru and Hana peeked in.

"Aw~, they look so cute," Michiru whispered, though she couldn't resist giggling.

"Maybe we should join," Hana whispered. "I'm a little wary of his sister after hearing that thing about her probably freezing us. I don't feel like getting flash-frozen. But I'm taking the edge of the bed. I still feel wary of this guy."

"Then I get to hug the both of you," Michiru grinned, "Yay~."

Hana sighed before they tiptoed into the room and climbed onto the bed. It was pretty spacious and was big enough for the four of them. Michiru giggled to herself as she hugged both Hana and Yuji and she felt a pleasant warmth coming off his body as she hugged his left side. Hana was still worried about this guy because he was able to tire the three girls out so easily just by dodging their attacks. She suspected something was off about him. But after he listened to their stories, he was calm about it and even offered them shelter. She had to admit that the spiky-haired boy was kind at least. She could only imagine how he would react if he saw what they were truly capable of… these thoughts soon faded as she let sleep overtake her.

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER DATABASE<strong>

"Hi, I'm Michiru," Michiru beamed.

"Hana," the goth nodded.

"And I'm Misato," the eldest girl smirked.

"AND IT'S TIME FOR THE KAMEN RIDER DATABASE!" they chorused.

"Our topic today are two support technologies that were invented by Yuji Fudo, aka Spiky-kun," Michiru informed.

Hana turned on the screen which showed White Blaze, "As you all are aware, White Blaze is the bike of Yuji Fudo aka Kamen Rider Liger, who was supposed to be our target. Anyway, this bike is capable of transforming into a "Beast Mode" where it behaves like an actual cat."

"And it's so cute," Michiru squealed.

Misato took the remote and the image shifted to Laser Beak, "And this one is Laser Beak, a skateboard built by Yuji Fudo and it's equipped with surveillance technology. It also has the ability to transform, just like White Blaze. That Yuji is pretty interesting," she smirked.

"Misato likes Spiky-kun," Michiru teased.

"Zip it, you little brat," she glared with a blush.

"Nothing wrong with telling the truth," she countered.

Misato sighed, "Well, he's a nice guy and he did take us in. I mean, we failed to kill him and his sister and we can't go back to GIN-SHOCKER. Then there's his blood…" she drooled.

"I don't wanna know," Hana sighed. "More importantly, that Lightning Saix is still active. Who do you think his next target will be?"

"It better not be Fudo," Misato scowled, "He's still _our_ target."

"Yeah, and the NUMBERS never fail!" Michiru cheered.

"SEE YOU NEXT TIME!"

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER BUSHIDO: OK, Jack Cisco is a character from ZOIDS: NEW CENTURY ZERO and the Lightning Saix was his Zoid unit. So I don't own them. Hope you enjoyed his cameo because you'll be seeing more of him in the next chapter.<strong>

**Tailsmo4ever: Netto's mother is the same Motoko Kusanagi from Ghost in the Shell. I'm planing making an arc that reveals a dangerous secret about Netto with her as one of the major characters.**

**KAMEN RIDER CHROME: Well, this chap has some parts where Shinichi starts bonding with his mother and he got beaten up by Lightning Saix. Even Legacy Mode wasn't strong enough against this new foe. So, we see that Jack Cisco is wearing GIN-SHOCKER's symbol. What is his connection to the evil group. Oh, and also Michiru, Hana and Misato make their first appearance in this fic. How do you like them? I know I liked the interaction the best.**


	21. Family: Grudges

**Chapter 21: Grudges**

It was the following day after the three now former GIN-SHOCKER agents had tried to assassinate Yuji. They had snuck in but he'd known they were coming a mile away. They had fought. Actually, they had attacked and he'd dodged without even fighting back. They finally gave up since nothing they did worked. They were surprised when he'd invited them to stay with him and to leave GIN-SHOCKER. The only reason they had stayed in the organization was because they had nowhere else to go. Now they had options and were happy enough to accept his generous offer.

"Really? Michiru's birthday is today?" Yuji blinked. He was washing dishes with Hana at his side. The group had finished breakfast and Michiru and Misato were getting acquainted with Ruby and Yuki.

"That's right," Hana nodded. "It's today and she's 16 now. I haven't been able to pick anything out for her yet."

Yuji rubbed his chin, getting soap on it as he began plotting. "That gives me an idea," he grinned.

* * *

><p>"Yuji, good morning," Shinichi spoke on the phone.<p>

"_Yo, Shin,"_ Yuji greeted on the other line. _"Hey, listen. How about we go to the amusement park today? You still need to reconnect with your mom, right? So how about?"_

"Sounds good," Shinichi answered. "So I'm assuming that you, Netto and the other girls are coming too?"

"_Yeah, there's that. Let's just say that there are some people I think you should meet."_

"Well, if you say so," Shinichi nodded. "See you there." He put the phone down.

"What was that about Shinichi-kun?" Moka asked. She'd overheard the conversation.

"That was Yuji," Shinichi answered. "He said that it would be a good idea for all of us to go to the amusement park today."

"That sounds like fun!" Moka beamed.

* * *

><p>Back at the Den, Yuji was treated to a small fashion show. The three former GIN-SHOCKER agents had changed their uniforms for something more casual. Hana's choice of dress was a Gothic Lolita dress with a spider-theme.<p>

"Very nice," Yuji applauded. "I love it!"

Michiru was wearing a pink tank top with blue short shorts, stripped thigh-high stockings and combat boots

"Awesome!" he clapped and whistled, "Cool and Spicy!"

Misato was wearing a Chinese-styled dress with a short skirt, fishnet stockings and black stiletto boots.

Yuji turned completely red as steam blew out of his ears. Yuki put a hand on his face to cool him down. She wore a blue halter top and jeans that showed off the curves of her ass.

Ruby giggled at Yuji's reaction, already noticing that he liked his new guests. She herself wore a red tank top, white jeans, and shoes.

Misato smirked at Yuji's reaction, running her hands up her sides before cupping the underside of her breasts. She asked sultrily, "So, do you like this?"

Yuji coughed to return to his calm posture, "Yes, you all look great. By the way, where did you get the extra clothes? I remember you three wearing other outfits last night."

"Trade Secret," the cyborg girls chorused.

"Right," he nodded in defeat as he handed Michiru a blindfold, "Put this on."

"What are we playing?" she asked cutely.

"Where we're going is a surprise, and I don't want you to see it yet," he smiled.

* * *

><p>"I don't like this place," said Yukari.<p>

"Why not?" Shinichi asked. He and the girls had arrived at the amusement park. Shiori was there as well.

Yukari pointed to the clown giving out balloons.

"Oh, I see your point," said Shinichi as he cringed while looking at the clown.

"Afraid of clowns?" Kurumu asked.

"They're creepy," insisted Shinichi and Yukari. Shiori giggled.

"Ah, reminds me of your fifth birthday. You were screaming and crying when the clown came," said Shiori.

"Who would think something like that is funny?" Mizore asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Guess humans have an odd sense of humor," shrugged Kurumu. "And that makeup is all wrong."

"Hey, guys!" a voice called over. Netto, Qiao, Leon and Aphrodite approached the group.

"Yo," Shinichi greeted. "So Yuji called you guys too?"

"Yeah," Leon nodded. "He said that he made some new friends last night after dinner."

"I wonder who they are, kana, kana?" Aphrodite pondered cutely. "I hope they're cute, cause then I can take them home with me!"

"Is she always like that?" Kurumu blinked.

"All the time," Leon sighed.

Yuji was driving his car, 'Lancelot', into the parking lot before finally stopping. Ruby was riding shotgun, the girls sat in the back, and Yuki followed on her D-Board, Laser Beak. As they all exited the Mustang. Hana was guiding Michiru as she was still blindfolded.

"OK, now remove the blindfold," Yuji nodded.

Hana helps remove the cloth and Michiru opens her eyes to the site of the huge amusement park before her.

"WOW! An amusement park!" she gasped as she hugged Yuji, "Thank you, Spiky-Kun!"

"Hey, I figured you deserve it," Yuji blushed. "Besides, it's your birthday so we'll be doing more stuff as the day goes on. Consider this an appetizer."

"Hey, Yuji!"

Yuji looked ahead and sees Shinichi's group, "Yo!"

"Wow, are you trying to start a harem?" Shinichi teased, "You player!"

"They're guests!" the Manakyte snapped.

Shinichi looked at the girls and his scar throbbed. "Have we met?" he groaned, "You seem...familiar."

"You..." Hana glared. Misato cracked her knuckles as Michiru hid behind Yuji.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Shinichi gulped.

Michiru peeked out from behind Yuji and squeaked, "You...you really don't remember us, do you?"

"Doesn't matter, because we remember you," Misato growled.

"#13..." Hana finished.

"What are you talking about?' Mizore glared before realizing, "Wait… you are from…!"

Before she could finish, Yuji got between the girls and Shinichi's group.

"Yuji, get out of our way," Misato demanded.

"Girls, remember what we discussed last night," Yuji reminded. "Besides, this is Michiru's special day. Let's not ruin it with a fight."

Shinichi soon got another flash of memories:

_"It's surprising that those two are still alive, ain't it? Still they're good at creating a distraction while we steal this engine thing for GIN-SHOCKER."_

_"OK, why don't we go and find other people? It's better than wading here."_

_"How long? What's long? I knew a giraffe once that was long! It was in a book! A giraffe book! The book wasn't long but the giraffe totally was because of its neck! You know what I mean? Do ya? Do ya?"_

"#04, #07 and #11..." he muttered slowly.

"Fuck me," Yuji sighed. He then spotted Yukari and noticed her expression, "Scared of clowns, huh?" She nodded shamefully.

"Yuji-san, who are these girls?" Moka asked.

"New friends I made last night," he responded, "Or maybe I should say around 3 this morning…"

"And how do they know Shinichi?" Kurumu asked suspiciously.

"Is that what he's calling himself now?" Hana countered, narrowing her eyes at Shinichi.

"Now, now, everyone," Ruby interjected, "Like Yuji-san said, let's not start a fight."

Yuki nodded, "Onii-sama wants us to have fun, so we will have fun..."Her eyes glowed menacingly, "Or else I'll freeze everyone..."

Aphrodite beamed, "Oh, are these the new friends?-!"She scooped Hana, Michiru, and Misato into a powerful hug, "THEY ARE ADORABLE~!-!"

"You're...crushing...me..." Misato gasped.

"Breathe...need to..." Hana rasped.

"Ow..." Michiru whined.

"Aphrodite, enough," Leon spoke.

She obeyed and released the girls before kissing them on the cheek. "Splendid to meet you, new friends! I'm Aphrodite and I'm sure we'll become _il nostro buon amico_ (good friends)!"

* * *

><p>Misato, Michiru and Hana kept their eyes on Shinichi. They were staring at him like a specimen under a microscope, watching his every move.<p>

"This…this can't be right," said Hana.

"Yeah, it's freaky," said Misato.

"And creepy," said Michiru.

"Hey, girls, I got snacks!" said Yuji. "Choco-bananas!"

"Bananas!" Michiru cheered as she took one and bit into it. "Um…yummy…"

Misato and Hana took the offered treats as Yuji asked, "So, see anything interesting?" He followed their line of sight and saw that they were watching Shinichi like hawks. "You really can't let it go, can you?"

"If you were killed by someone you trusted you'd feel the same," Misato retorted.

"But this isn't the #13 we know anymore," admitted Hana.

They watched as Shinichi conversed with his mother and they shared a joke before laughing. He was then wrapped in Kurumu's arms, his face pressed deeply into her breasts before being pulled away by a possessive Mizore. Moka tried to stop it and the girls argued with Shinichi trying to calm them down. He looked distressed when he saw the three teenage girls argue.

They also saw him buy cotton candy for Yukari and smiled at her. That was the weirdest part.

"He's smiling," said Michiru. "13-kun _never_ smiles."

"Well, that just proves he's not the same guy anymore," said Yuji.

"His amnesia must be the reason why he's like this," concluded Hana.

"And he wants to stay like that," Yuji said. "As much as he wants to regain his memories, he prefers to stay like this. Believe it or not, the girls that are always clinging on to him gave him a new purpose in life."

"And Shinichi-san is quite noble," Ruby smiled. "He and Yuji-san fought to protect the Witch's Knoll from destruction just recently."

The girls took what their new friends said into consideration, but were still wary of #13 (Shinichi). While they didn't show it, they feared his power and they suspected it'd be only a matter of time before he decided to kill them again.

"Hey, where's Yuki?" Yuji asked as he looked around.

"She must've wandered off somewhere," Hana shrugged.

"Afraid your little sister might get defiled in this amusement park?" Misato smirked.

"Not really," Yuji shrugged, "She can look after herself. Come on, fun time's wasting."

"Yay!" Michiru cheered as she pulled on Yuji's arm and dragged him ahead as Ruby and the others followed.

* * *

><p>"What kind of connection do those girls have with Shinichi?" Qiao muttered as she and her boyfriend watched Yuji and his girls walk from a far. "They don't seem to like him all too much."<p>

"Yeah, wonder what happened?" Netto added with his arms crossed. "Still they might be a part of GIN-SHOCKER, so we better be careful of those three."

"Zhīdào le," Qiao nodded. She then smiled as she took him by the arm, pressing it between her sizable assets, "Well, come on now. We came here to have fun. Let's go to a ride where we can… get comfortable." She emphasized her suggestion by rubbing her hand up and down his chest and leaning in and licking his earlobe, making him turn bright red. Qiao loved the fact that she had a talent for teasing and riling up her boyfriend. He would always get so easily nervous around the women he liked.

"S-s-sure," he agreed in a daze. Smiling victoriously, the fox girl dragged him away with her.

* * *

><p>Leon was walking through the grounds, with Aphrodite smiling as she was looped around his arm.<p>

"Those girls with Mr. Yuji were so cute," she giggled.

"So cute you were close to suffocating them and breaking their spines?" Leon retorted.

"It's an unfortunate habit," she sighed.

"Leon?"

Said boy turned and saw Sora in casual clothes approaching him and Aphrodite. "So you insist on following me," Leon sighed.

"What? No, I didn't even know you were here!" Sora defended. "My house is a few blocks away from here so it's an easy walk. I didn't even think you'd come to amusement parks."

"I was invited," he shrugged.

"So good to see you again, Ms. Sora," Aphrodite beamed as she hugged the girl.

"Mello, Aphromite-fan," Sora muffled into the girl's cleavage.

"Would you care to join us?" she asked.

"Well, if you're offering then I don't mind," the miko smiled.

That was when the sound of crashing rang through the air and Leon looked to one of the game stands. He saw Yuki at the Milk Bottle stand. She had a pitcher's stance as she eyed a second stack of milk bottles. She made the wind-up, the pitch…

CRASH!

"That's stack #2!" the game operator cried as some onlookers applauded. "One more stack and you win a prize, missy!"

"Good arm," Leon applauded as he approached Yuki. "You're Yuji's sister, right?"

She nodded, "Yuki…"

"It's so good to see you again, Ms. Yuki," Aphrodite hugged the white-haired girl before moving back to give her room.

Yuki then focused as she wound up and pitched, striking the bottles with a thunderous *CRASH!*

"And we have a winner!" the game operator cheered as the crowd applauded. "Now pick your prize, missy!"

Yuki nodded and scanned the selection before spotted her prize: a cartoonish grim reaper plushy. She pointed at it and was given her prize and she turned and handed it to Leon.

"For me?" he blinked.

"It's kind of cute," Sora giggled.

"I thought it'd suit you," Yuki explained.

"How adorable," Aphrodite beamed. "Would you like to join us, Ms. Yuki?"

"OK…" she nodded as she followed behind her new group.

* * *

><p>"Wow, that is a <em>big<em> rollercoaster," said Shinichi as he gazed up at the ride.

"Do you want to ride it?" Shiori asked. "Because I do."

"Isn't it a bit intense?" Yukari gulped.

"Life's too short to be scared of a rollercoaster," Shiori and Shinichi said in unison before they shared a laugh.

"That is gonna take some getting used to," stated Kurumu. Despite being separated for over 10 years, Shiori and Shinichi were getting along fine and were so in sync that it was scary. They even finished each other's sentences.

"I think it's cute," said Moka. "They are on the same wavelength."

"It explains some of Shinichi's unique traits," said Mizore. She gazed at Shinichi and Shiori whose ahoge bobbed up and down as they laughed. "They do seem really close."

"I'm glad he's found his mom," said Yukari.

"Yeah, me too, but you girls do know this means he might not come back with us to the academy," said Gin. They turned to look at him.

"What!-?" they exclaimed.

"Think about it. He's just found his mom. It just makes sense that he might…wanna…stay here. Oh crap." He had just made the girls sad. If Shinichi saw them like that he would automatically assume Gin was the cause.

"Hey, guys, let's go on the rollercoaster," said Shinichi. He noticed the girls looked sad. "Girls, what's wrong?" He glared at Gin, "What did you do?"

"Why do you automatically assume it's my fault?" Gin asked innocently.

Shinichi still didn't let go of his glare that was targeted at Gin but then his expression softened as he tried to find out what was wrong with the girls. "Girls, what's wrong?"

"Shinichi-kun, do you like the human world?" Moka asked.

"Well, I don't dislike it," Shinichi answered.

"But do you like it enough that you might want to stay?"

"Moka-chan, are you worried I might not go back to Youkai Academy with all of you?"

"A little," admitted Moka. She didn't want to lose her best friend.

"Well, you just found your mom," reasoned Kurumu. "It just makes sense that you'd want to stay with her."

"She did wait 10 years just to find you again," said Mizore sadly.

The girls made good point. His mom had been waiting to find him again for over ten years and if he just left her alone again then what? That would be too cruel. It was also cruel to just leave Moka and all the friends he had made.

Damn it, now he had a dilemma. What was he supposed to do?

* * *

><p>Yuji and Michiru were sitting in a swan boat as they floated through the Tunnel of Love. Yuji was as stiff as a board and red in the face as Michiru hung on his arm and was stuck to him like glue with a dreamy smile on her face as her eyes were closed. The girls were outside, waiting for the couple to come out. Since it was her birthday, Michiru wanted to go with Yuji only so he had to oblige the girl.<p>

"Today just gets better and better," Michiru sighed.

"Well, I'm glad you're having fun," Yuji smiled.

"You know, not many people are nice to me, like you are, Spiky-kun. The only one like that is Hana-chan," Michiru said.

"What about Misato?"

"Well, we've gone on missions before, but she can be mean a lot," she elaborated. "And she's scary."

"Well, you don't have to worry about that or GS for that matter," Yuji assured. "You'll be living with me, my sister, and Ruby from now on."

"Thank you," she smiled.

"So...um, Michiru, you like bananas?"

"Love 'em!" she beamed. "They're like my favorite food in the whole world."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I used to live on a tropical island and there was this banana plantation I always visited with my mom..." she trailed off before frowning deeply with sadness.

"Michiru, what's wrong?" he panicked.

"The day GIN-SHOCKER took me was the day I saw my mom get murdered."

"Michiru, I'm so sorry," he apologized before hugging her close.

"I've gotten over it," she muttered into his shoulder. "I just wished it never happened, but we can't have all have our wishes granted, can we?"

"No, we can't," he agreed.

"Can I ask you something, Spiky-kun?" Michiru requested.

"Anything," Yuji complied.

"Why did you decide to let us live with you? I mean, you could've easily kicked us out, or even kill us. But you let us; complete strangers that were trying to kill you, live with you. Why?"

"I've been asking that myself," he admitted with a blush. "While it's true that you did try to kill me, something in me told me to let you in. It's…hard to explain coherently." His eyes were wandering scanning the tunnel as they glowed in the dark.

"Well, thanks for being so nice to us," she smiled before kissing him on the cheek.

* * *

><p>Moka, Mizore and Yukari were resting on a bench after a ride on the rollercoaster. It had been extremely intense for them. Only the rest of their little group hadn't been affected by it. Moka actually threw up after the ride and looked really pale. Yukari was just pale and Mizore…well…she wanted a snow cone to comfort her nerves.<p>

Shiori, on the other hand, had found the whole ride exhilarating. She had sat next to her son in the same car and had thrown their arms in the air, screaming in elation.

Shinichi and Kurumu had gone to get their friends some drinks and on their way back to the others the succubus started up conversation, "Shinichi, I noticed how you were looking at those girls earlier. Do you know them from somewhere?"

"They seem…familiar," said Shinichi, a bit unsure of himself. He could've sworn he recognized them from somewhere. He did get flashes of IV, XI and VII in his head, along with images of a mosquito, praying mantis and tarantula.

"They were also glaring at you and I noticed they've been watching you," said Kurumu. "Where did Fudo meet them anyway?"

"He didn't say," Shinichi responded.

"Shinichi, we think they might be from GIN-SHOCKER," Kurumu stated.

"If that's true then why is Yuji with them?" Shinichi questioned.

"I don't know, but I'll find out. I won't let some evil organization take away my Destined One!" Kurumu said firmly. Shinichi pecked her gently on the cheek which made her blush. "Wha-wha-what was that for?"

"For caring, and I appreciate it," said Shinichi, smiling in a way that made Kurumu's heart melt.

"Next time, aim for my lips, OK?" Kurumu requested.

"I'll be sure to remember that."

* * *

><p>"What the hell?-! Now he's flirting!-?" Misato cried as she pulled at her hair. "How the fuck did he become a fucking Casanova overnight?-!" She had reason to be confused and angry. Many times before she had attempted to seduce him, but she could never get past that cold shell.<p>

"I am now unsure if this is the same #13 we grew up with," said Hana.

"What was he like back then?" Ruby asked.

"A coldhearted and badass machine," the two cyborg girls answered.

The "couple" exited the swan boat, with Michiru smiling dreamily as she still hung onto Yuji and with him still blushing.

"OK, so what's next?" he asked.

That was when Shinichi stood before them, hands in his pockets.

"What's up?" Yuji asked.

"Are you a member of GIN-SHOCKER?" Shinichi questioned Michiru bluntly. Michiru gasped in response.

"I knew he was gonna ask eventually..." Yuji sighed.

"So, are you?" Shinichi pressed on. Michiru nodded. Shinichi took his hands out of his pockets and clenched his fists.

"Easy, man. It's her birthday," Yuji said.

Shinichi glared at him now. "Yuji, you knew, didn't you?"

"I was gonna tell you."

"Then tell me why GIN-SHOCKER wants me so badly?-!" Shinichi demanded.

"Hell, I don't fucking know! We just met last night!" Yuji snapped.

"It's because you're GIN-SHOCKER's ultimate weapon!" Michiru blurted out before covering her mouth fearfully.

Shinichi's eyes widened, "What...?"

"Seriously?" Yuji blinked.

She trembled as she began explaining, "You're a cyborg weapon created by GIN-SHOCKER and one of the most powerful that was developed by their technology."

Shinichi began to chuckle and laugh like a lunatic. "I should've known...it makes sense...haha! So, how do we know each other?"

"We're the NUMBERS," she answered as she hid behind Yuji.

"Neo-Underworld Multi-Bionically Enhanced Revenge Squad," Misato spelled out as she, Hana, and Ruby approached.

"Whoa..." Yuji breathed.

Shinichi glared at the purple-haired girl, "You..."

Misato introduced herself, "I'm #04."

Hana introduced herself as well, "#07."

Michiru sighed, "#11."

Misato pointed to Shinichi, "And you are #13, aka BLACK 13 which stands for 'Black Legion Assault Chaos Killer 13'."

"Oh my..." Ruby gasped.

"I knew it had to be some acronym," Yuji murmured.

"I knew there was something odd about me," Shinichi frowned.

"Trouble in paradise?"

They all turned to see Jack Cisco approaching.

"Jack!" Yuji smiled as he walked over to him. "Hey man, what are you doing here?"

"Just here on a little "business", kid."

He blinked, "You work here?"

"Not exactly," Jack grinned.

Shinichi's danger senses were acting up. Looking at Jack's eyes, he remembers Lightning Saix's eyes. "Hey!"

Jack then kicked Yuji in the gut, launching him into garbage cans.

"YUJI!" the girls gasped.

"Jack..." he growled as he tried to rise after getting the wind kicked out of him. "What the hell...?-!"

"Time to get to work," Jack grinned. He snapped his fingers and is covered in light as he transformed into Lightning Saix. He aimed his rifle to the sky and starts firing, causing a panic as civilians frantically leave. "There, now we can have fun without distractions, Liger."

"Let's Ride: Showa!" Shinichi cried.

Lightning Saix got in his face and slaps a pair of hand cuffs on his wrists which send EMPs though his body.

"ARGH!" he roared. He went stiff and collapsed as his transformation was forcefully deactivated.

"Those Stasis Cuffs should keep you still for a while," Lightning Saix said, "I already had my fun with you, so just sit here and relax."

"Jack! What the hell is going on?-!" Yuji demanded. "What happened to you?-!"

A weighted chain wrap around his neck and thick strands of webbing restrain him as well as red tendrils. Lightning Saix is being held by the NUMBERS girls.

"So, I see you girls were enjoying a good time," he snickered, "Sorry for disturbing your fun, but this is business." He turned to Yuji, "I see you've been rather busy, kid. Bagged yourself quite the females." He shredded though the bindings with his claws and dashes toward them, slapping more Stasis Cuffs onto them.

They fall, paralyzed by the EMP the cuffs emitted.

Yuji's eyes narrowed, "It can't be... You're working for GIN-SHOCKER!"

Lightning Saix nodded, "That's right, in return for the good doctor fixing me and getting me back on my feet. It cost me my humanity, but it's a small price to pay so I can walk again. Even got myself a few upgrades." He flexed his claws for emphasis.

"The rehab... This is what you were talking about!-? You've become nothing but an abomination!" Yuji snapped.

"Like I said; a small price to pay. And the good doctor promised me more power if I brought back his special project." He pointed to Yuji, "But first, he wanted me to have some fun with you as well."

"Fine then!" Yuji growled as he slung the belt on and slotted the Z-CAS card. "Henshin!"

"**ZERO FORM!"**

Yuji roared as he was donned in his default Zero armor.

"Shinichi-kun!" Moka called as she and the other girls came running.

"Dammit, what are these things?" Kurumu growled as she tried to pull off the cuffs

"Stasis...Cuffs..." Shinichi struggled. "They emit an EMP that paralyses cyborgs…"

Yukari saw Ruby trying to help Michiru and the others out of the same cuffs, "Those girls have them too. Are they...?"

"Yeah, they're cyborgs too…"

Kurumu gritted her teeth angrily, "I knew it."

"We need to get these cuffs off you!" Moka exclaimed.

Shiori tries to help her son and remove the cuffs.

"Kaa-chan... You have to...have to run!" Shinichi said.

"I'm not leaving you!" she denied.

Lightning Saix smirked, "Looks like we have an audience. Ready to do this?"

* * *

><p>Gebok was sitting in a Ferris wheel car and watching the whole 'show' via a pair of binoculars. He frowned as he saw Michiru, Misato and Hana bound by Stasis Cuffs. He should've known something was up when they didn't report back. He didn't expect them to defect but he should've known that was inevitable.<p>

His eyes wandered over to Shinichi who was paralyzed by the Stasis Cuffs. Now would be a good time to snatch him up but Dr. Gebok wanted to enjoy the show. He already had a bowl of popcorn in his lap and cup of soda in hand. He sipped on the straw and continued watching.

"Hey, boys, who do you have your bets on?" Gebok asked as several GS-Shoulders were revealed sitting in the other Ferris wheel cars.

* * *

><p>Shiori tried to break the chain linking the cuffs but they were too strong. "Break, damn you!"<p>

"Kaa-chan, it's dangerous!" Shinichi shouted. "Girls, get her out of here!"

"Not without you!" shouted Moka as she lifted up Shinichi and hefted him over her shoulder like a sack.

Ruby begged, "Please, help me with the others."

"Why?" Kurumu asked. If those cyborg girls were members of GIN-SHOCKER then why should she risk her life for them?

"For Yuji-san, please," insisted Ruby as she went to help Hana up. Kurumu sighed and went to carry Michiru as Mizore lifted up Misato.

"Let's go!" said Yukari.

As Ruby made her escape with them, she looked over her shoulder, "Be careful, Yuji-san."

**Music – "Dark Battle" by Otani Kou**

Lightning Saix attacked first, dashing at Liger and slashing with his claws from all angles. Throwing Liger Zero for a loop as sparks erupted everywhere. Liger was falling and he spotted Lightning Saix dashing at him, and he stuck his foot out at the last second, tripping the Cyborg Mutant as he was sent crashing into a game stand. Liger jumped into the stand and pinned him down, slamming his fists together as they ignited.

"**Karyuu no Tekken (Iron Fist of the Fire Dragon)!"** Liger shouted as he started pounding his flam-powered fists into Lightning Saix repeatedly.

While taking the beating, Lightning Saix reached for his rifle and shot Liger in the chest and kicked out into the open again as he leapt over the table. Lightning Saix drew two bowie knives and was ready to gut Liger like a fish.

Yuji drew his S-CAS card and slotted it in.

"**SCHNEIDER FORM!"**

The Zero armor shattered as it was replaced by the orange Schneider armor. Liger growled as the Vi-Blades on his arms extended in response. Lightning Saix dashed to Liger Schneider but the blades were sliced clean by the Vi-Blades. Liger swung down and Lightning Saix sidestepped the attack, going for a speedy roundhouse kick that launched Liger Schneider into a pole as it bent in from the impact.

"Jack…" Liger Schneider grunted as he rose up.

"You're too slow, kid," Lightning Saix said. "And for the record, I gave up that name a long time ago."

* * *

><p>The fleeing group were far away from the battle but not far away enough as GS-Soldiers suddenly leapt out of nowhere, blocking their escape route.<p>

"What?" Shiori gasped.

"Damn it, GIN-SHOCKER mooks!" Kurumu cursed. Now they had no choice but to fight.

The GS-Soldiers then charged at them but all of a sudden they were flash frozen by a burst of ice energy that encased them in blocks of ice.

"Mizore-chan?" Moka whispered.

"Wasn't me," Mizore answered.

Yuki approached the group as she was followed by Leon, Aphrodite and Sora.

"Where is Onii-sama?" she asked coldly. She was clearly in no mood for games.

"Yuji-san is fighting one of those Cyborg Mutants," Ruby replied.

* * *

><p>"Yeah, you're right," Liger Schneider agreed as his clenched fists trembled. "You're not Jack Cisco, not anymore!" Flames engulfed his body as he shouted, "You're just another GIN-SHOCKER lackey who's gonna die!"<p>

"Then try and catch me," he challenged as he sped off.

"I will," Liger said as he reached for the card case and pulled out a blue CAS card with neon blue circuit lines and a matching "J". He ejected the orange card and slotted in the blue card.

"**JAGER FORM!"**

**Music – "Strike Laser Claw" by Otani Kou**

The orange Schneider armor shattered into shards of energy as blue shards gathered onto Liger. The shoulder armor covered from the shoulders to the elbows. A part of both pieces stuck up behind Liger like shark fins. Another white blade was positioned about mid-bicep on each arm. Liger had similar armor on his hips. The forearms' armor were a narrow oval shape, like two thin shields on each arm. Again, he had similar armor on his legs, this time on the shins. The armor around all four limbs covered his arms and legs completely in black metal. His torso was covered in a large, black, box-like chest piece. On his back, the armor was also black and box-like except for two large, blue, vent-like structures. The open parts of the vents showed the black insides of the structures. The helmet was now was now covered with blue armor on the sides of the white lion-themed face plate along with long, blue, ear-like extensions. The padding on his arms and legs were blue as well.

"Oh my," Gebok grinned from his position as he watched through the binoculars. "A new mode?"

"Don't blink," Liger Jäger warned, "or else you'll miss the show!" And he took off after Lightning Saix.

"Nobody can keep up with me," the Cyborg Mutant boasted to himself as he raced through the now-empty park. "This wasn't even a challenge." An alert went off in his helmet and he watched his HUD. "Huh? Object approaching from the rear…?" a monitor opened and displayed the Liger in a new armor. "Liger…!-? How can that kid keep up with me?"

"Raaagh!" Liger Jäger shouted as he knocked into Lightning Saix's side.

"Looks like I got myself a serious contender," Lightning Saix grinned as he sped up and left Jäger behind.

"Activating Jäger Ion Booster!" Yuji called. The back thrusters opened and ignited, launching Yuji forward as he quickly caught up with Lightning Saix.

They zoomed past the group as they turned the next corner.

"Was that Fudo?" Kurumu asked.

"And a new armor!" Yukari beamed.

Yuki nodded, "Kamen Rider Liger…Jäger…"

"Not bad," Leon nodded.

"Whoa!" Sora gaped.

"Bellissimo!" Aphrodite beamed.

"Yuji-san," Ruby smiled.

"Hey!" Netto called as he and Qiao approached them. "What's going on? One minute we hear gunfire and the next minute I saw Yuji racing with some black cheetah guy. Everyone else bolted too!"

"Can you do something?" Moka requested. "Shinichi-kun and the others have been paralyzed by these cuffs."

Netto kneeled down and his eyes glowed in techno blue as he touched the Stasis Cuffs on Shinichi's wrists. Blue wireframes started to spread across the cuffs before unlocking and opening as the cyborg was freed. "There we go," Netto sighed as he went to work on the girls' cuffs.

"Thanks," Shinichi nodded as he massaged his wrists. The girls were free and he turned to them, "Look, I get you three hate my guts and I'm sure you got every reason to. But right now my friend needs help and since you're his friends too then that makes you my friends, for now anyway. Let's Ride: Showa!" He transformed into Showa. After that he called, "Let's Ride: Skyrider!" His armor changed to mimic Skyrider's and he took off into the sky soon after.

"Be right back," Netto added. "Henshin!"

"**DIGITIZING."**

He transformed into his cybernetic armor and started jumping after Showa-Skyrider.

Misato looked to Michiru and Hana, "I don't know about you two, but I'm not gonna sit here and let that jerk kill my new meal…err…friend."

"Yeah, and it's still my birthday!" Michiru exclaimed.

"I promised myself I wouldn't let Yuji out of my sight," Hana added, "I don't plan on breaking that promise."

"Then let's go!"

* * *

><p>Back with Liger Jäger and Lightning Saix, their race continued and they were both neck and neck all the way as they turned another corner.<p>

"I can't shake 'em," Lightning Saix began to grin, "I…don't understand what's goin' on here…!"

"_Come in, Jack,"_ Gebok called though Lightning Saix's helmet com-link. _"What's the matter?"_

Lightning Saix grinned manically, "It's been a long time since I had a rush like this!"

"_Jack, are you hit?-! Should I…"_

He cut off the link, "Stand back and watch the pro!"

The race was kicked into second gear as Jäger and Lightning Saix continued ramming into each other with neither fighter letting up.

"Dammit…" Liger Jäger grunted as he struggled against the increasing pressure of the G-Forces, "I dunno how much more my body can take this…!"

"Oh, yeah!" Lightning Saix exclaimed. "This is what I've been waitin' for!"

The two made it to the center of the park where there veered off in separate directions to make distance between them before they started charging at each other.

"Time for the final strike," Liger Jäger muttered as he hit the magic button.

"**FULL CHARGE!"** the belt called as energy began to collect in Jäger's claws before glowing with golden light.

"Let's go!" Lightning Saix challenged.

They got closer and closer before jumping to meet each other in midair.

"**STRIKE…LASER…CLAW!-!-!"** Liger Jäger roared as he swung his claw forward at Lightning Saix.

They flew past each other and collapsed on opposite sides on the ground as they struggled to get up.

"Dammit…" Liger Jäger grunted, "That one hurt…"

"Come on, Lightning Saix! Get on your feet…!" Lightning Saix ordered himself as he stood proudly…before his right arm fell off from the shoulder. "My arm!"

That was when he saw Showa-Skyrider touching down to stand at Liger Jäger's side to help him up, with his armor shattering away. Seras, Arachnea, and Carmen were right behind as Seras supported Yuji's other side. Mega was also present as he jumped into view. It was now 5 Riders against 1 injured Cyborg Mutant and the odds were clearly not in Lightning Saix's favor.

"That was pretty slick of you, Lightning Saix," Seras glared.

"Time we returned the favor," Arachnea added.

Lightning Saix growled before he received an incoming call. "What? Fine…" He looked to Yuji, "Looks like you won this battle, kid. But a fair warning for you and your friends; the war hasn't even started yet." And he retreated from the group in a flash.

**End Music**

"He's getting away!" Carmen alerted.

"Leave him," Yuji winced. "He'll think twice about coming back to mess with us…"

"Are you OK?" Seras asked.

"I'll be fine," he smiled.

Carmen picked up the arm and asked, "What do we do with this thing?"

Showa-Skyrider heard beeping coming from the arm and shouted, "GET DOWN!" as he dashed forward and kicked the severed arm in the air, and pulling Carmen down to cover her with his body before the arm exploded. Mega was also on the ground and Yuji shielded Arachnea and Seras as well.

"What the heck was that?-!" Mega demanded.

"Erasing evidence," Yuji winced as the girls helped him back up.

"The arm was destroyed by a remote detonator," Arachnea said.

"So that no one would learn any secrets from it," Seras finished.

Showa-Skyrider looked down at Carmen, "You OK?"

"Yeah," she nodded as he helped her up. "Um…thanks for saving me," she nodded.

"I know this doesn't make up for what I did, whatever I did," he admitted. "But if that's the case, then I'll do my best to make sure it doesn't happen again."

Carmen's armor vanished in the form of flower petals that flakes off her body and Michiru smiled, "OK!"

Seras' armor seemed to melt off her body while Arachnea's armor fell off like loose cobwebs as they shook their heads in disbelief at how Michiru forgave him so easily. But she was the youngest of them, so maybe that had something to do with it.

* * *

><p>After almost two hours of explaining the situation, Yuji had finally debriefed Shinichi and the others about his "relationship" with the three former GS assassins. They had apologized for the trouble they caused and said they wouldn't go after Shinichi, since he wasn't their target to begin with; though that could've happened later down the road. Moka, Qiao and Yukari were basically the only people that were polite to the girls, while Kurumu and Mizore were still glaring daggers at them. Mizore even threatened she'd freeze them solid if they tried anything against Shinichi. Hana and Misato weren't afraid of the Yuki-Onna and succubus, but noted to be wary of them. Michiru, however, was pretty scared.<p>

Since the night was still young, Yuji treated his group to a birthday dinner at Café La Salle. While there, Michiru received several gifts: a teddy bear from Hana (earning the Goth a kiss), a novel by Shiori from Misato (also a fan), a mantis ice sculpture from Yuki, and a dream catcher from Ruby. There was also cake for the birthday girl, of course.

"And here's one cake for the birthday girl and company," Kat called as she carried the cake to Yuji's table. Of course, it had sixteen candles.

"Go ahead and make a wish, Michiru-chan," Ruby urged.

Michiru nodded enthusiastically and took a deep breath before blowing out the candles, earning claps from the girls and Yuji.

"So, what'd you wish for?" Misato asked.

"I can't tell silly," Michiru frowned, "That's bad luck!" She then thought, '_My wish is to have peaceful days like this from now on, especially with Yuji-kun…_'

"Oh, and Yuji," Kat spoke.

He looked to her, "Sup?"

"I'll be bringing my bike down to the Den this week for her maintenance. You know how I don't trust anyone with my baby but you."

"Gotcha," he nodded.

"By the way, you didn't give Michiru her present yet, Yuji," Hana pointed.

Michiru stared at Yuji with puppy-like eyes, even with a quivering lip and Yuji laughed, "Take it easy! In fact…" He looked to where there was a set of instruments: a bass, drum set, electric guitar, and keyboard, "I've got something special in mind. Come on Yuki."

"I like how you think," Kat grinned before skating to the kitchen. "Leo, get out here," she called, "Time for a gig!"

"Hai, Onee-chan," Leo beamed as he removed his hat and apron before following her to the stage as he took a seat at the drums and she grabbed the bass.

Yuki sat at the keyboard and Yuji took hold of the guitar. He adjusted the microphone and spoke into it, "OK, if I could your attention, please?" All eyes were on him now. "Thanks. We're gonna play a quick song for you all while some let their meals settle. And this song is for four very new friends I made recently, especially for a bright star who turned 16 today: Michiru Masami!" Applauds rang across the room and Michiru blushed. Yuji then calmed down and spoke almost cool, "And without further ado, this "You say ~Ashita e~". Happy birthday, Michiru," he looked to her before he and Kat started strumming and Yuki hitting the keys as they began playing. Leo kicked it into second gear as he and Kat began playing as well, with applauses already happening as the crowd got fired up.

And that's when Yuji began:

_Oh nogarerarenu unmei dato shita nara_  
>Oh, if fate were to be inescapable,<p>

_genjitsu ni me wo soresazu ashita e to mukau yo_  
>I'll head towards tomorrow, never turning a blind eye to reality.<p>

_shinjita omoi ga senaka oshitekureru_  
>My beliefs are giving me a push on the back.<p>

_tomo ga ite kizuna wo shiru ashita mata tsuyokunareru_  
>When I have friends, I learn about bonds, and tomorrow, I can get even stronger.<p>

_mirai nara sugu soko ni mieteru yo_  
>One can see the future right there.<p>

_itsudatte hora sono ipposaki de_  
>One can see the future right there.<p>

_nando mo hohoenderu kimi mo mieru hazu sa_  
>And always, you know, one step ahead, I bet one could see you, smiling time and time again.<p>

_You say, always, you never give up. I believe!_

That's when Yuji rocked out with a solo that had the customers cheering and raving. Even Michiru was applauding and whistling her heart out at Yuji's performance before he continued:

_sou kizutsu ite mo nigiri shimeta omoi_  
>Even if we get hurt, the wishes we keep grasped<p>

_butsukeai tagai wo shitte tsunagatte yuku no sa_  
>will clash together, learn about each other, and link together.<p>

_tomo ni miageta yozora ni hoshi ga hashiru_  
>Stars race across the night sky as we both admire.<p>

_tachi tomari mayou toki wa ano hoshi wo omoidasu yo_  
>Whenever I'm stuck and lose my way, I'll remember those stars.<p>

_massugu na nete miru kono sekai wa_  
>I understand, this world that I look at with eyes on straight<p>

_omou hodo warui mono janain da to  
><em>isn't as bad as it may seem.

_tooku wo mitsume nagara yoake wo matteiru_  
>While I look off afar, I wait for that first dawn.<p>

_kokoro kara ima shinjirareru kara_  
>Since, right now, I can wholeheartedly believe,<p>

_taisetsu na mono mamori tsuzukeru yo_  
>I'll continue to protect what I hold dear.<p>

_kotoba wa nakutemo sou katari aueru hazu sa_  
>Even without words, yes, we can talk to each other, I bet.<p>

_You say, always…_

The music continued until Yuji made a last quick solo.

Hana couldn't help but consider the words in the lyrics and the power of bonds. Yuji wasn't just singing the words. He actually meant them and that he would protect them. They were all traitors to GIN-SHOCKER and would be hunted down for betraying the organization they had served up until they were sent to kill Yuji.

Misato was touched by the conviction in Yuji's voice. At first she had looked forward to draining him of his blood while she killed him but he was the first to ever willingly let her feed off him. He was also kind to them despite the fact they had tried to kill him and gave them a new home and purpose. She had only stayed with GIN-SHOCKER out of respect for her former handler but now her life was here with Yuji.

Michiru enjoyed the performance. Yuji was just so wonderful. He gave them a choice besides GIN-SHOCKER and she was happy enough to leave that organization. There were too many bad memories and she hated doing what she was ordered to. She hated killing but what else could she do? She was a killer cyborg. Yuji didn't see that and took them in with the kindness of his heart. Not many had been kind to her and those who had were her dearest friends.

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER DATABASE<strong>

"Alright, in today's chapter we witnessed another variant of Liger Zero known as Liger Jäger," began Shinichi as he pointed to the screen which showed Liger Schneider in action. He explained, "This form is generally meant for speed and recon." He pointed to Liger Jäger's back, "This blue variation armor of the Liger System is sleek and possesses two thrusters that enable Yuji to achieve speeds of up to Mach 2 when maxed out. While this form is the fastest of Liger's forms, it lacks defensive power and cannot last in a prolonged battle. Its strongest attack is the same as Zero Form and its manageable maximum speed is Mach 1." He then saw that there wasn't much else to add so he finished up, "Well, it seems that there's not much I can say so…"

"Wait, wait, wait," said Yuji as he walked up the stage.

"Yuji, today's not your turn to take the segment," said Shinichi.

"I know, but I think you're forgetting something." He pushed a button on the remote to show the NUMBERS girls in their armored forms, "These three."

"Yuji, this is the 'Kamen Rider Database' and they don't officially count as Riders," Shinichi argued.

"Neither was Denpa Ningen Tackle and a segment was done for her anyway," Yuji rebutted.

"In association to Stronger!" Shinichi shot back.

Yuji ignored Shinichi and spoke, "Anyway, what you see behind me are the armored forms of Misato, Hana and Michiru; known as Seras, Arachnea and Carmen, respectively. Seras is capable of manipulating special blood vessels that are tipped with syringes and can drain blood from her target, use them as whips, or even tendrils. Quite the fierce combatant," he mused.

"How come she never tried any of that on you?" Shinichi asked.

Yuji shrugged, "She never caught me in them. Next is Arachnea, who excels in stealth and melee combat, as well as creating webs to provide field advantage for her attacks. Then there's Carmen, and she can transmute her hands into scythes and possesses a flexible and acrobatic body, as well as casting illusions on her target."

"Interesting," Shinichi acknowledged. "So, what is your relationship with them anyway?"

"We're friends," he dismissed. He then faced the camera, "So, expect more epic battles and dramatic drama, next time on "Showa & Vampire"!"

Shinichi looked at him, "Dramatic drama…? Seriously? Isn't that redundant?"

"Shut up."

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER BUSHIDO: Lightning Saix has retreated, but he will return and he has his sights on Yuji. Also, the girls have been officially accepted (by some) so we'll wait and see what's in store for them. Wonder what other surprises GIN-SHOCKER has for our group.<strong>

**KAMEN RIDER CHROME: Well, the three NUMBERS girls have fully been introduced to the Youkai Academy group. What does this mean in the future? Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter as much as we did writing it.**


	22. Family: An Explosive Evening

**Chapter 22: An Explosive Evening**

Shinichi had to be dreaming. There was no other place where he could see himself wearing the armor. Well, he certainly always had strange dreams. Or maybe it was like his inner consciousness or something crazy like that. Something was telling him that he wasn't going to enjoy this.

#13 managed to sneak into the base. His darkly colored armor allowed him to blend in with the darkness of night as he went unnoticed. This time #13 was prepared as he'd gathered all the right equipment he needed to destroy this base and the secret Super Solder Project. There were loud explosions around the hidden base, due to the plastic explosive he'd set earlier.

"This is Camp Cobra, we require assistance urgently!" a man shouted on the radio before he screamed as #13 warped behind him and slit his throat.

When the soldiers ran for their vehicles, most of them died as a black blur attacked, sending their limp bodies flying in all directions, covered in blood from fatal injuries. The few that managed to reach their vehicles found they were blown up wrecks, covered in flames. #13 then tossed a grenade at them and watched as the bodies were swallowed up by the explosion. He then went inside the building.

He was down the first corridor before the door slid open, granting him access. He turned towards the corridor on the right, barely looking to his left before he fluidly spun back, shooting the soldier in the eye and backed into an alcove. He didn't stop though as he hit the alcove wall. Two soldiers were at either side of the alcove but they were two slow as he plunged his hands into their chests and tore their hearts out before letting his victims fall to the floor, lying in their own pooling blood. When he reached the lab he easily took care of both the scientists and equipment, destroying any chance of anyone finding a way to save the program.

"RAAUGGHH!" someone screamed. #13 spun around to see this figure throwing a punch at him. It connected painfully, and caused him to slam his head against the wall. He recovered quickly though and parried the next blow before he tackled the guy. He and this mysterious man began trading blows. At first they were on equal terms but #13 kicked him away as he grabbed a safety rail and ripped it off.

#13 threw it like a javelin that hit the man, piercing him through the shoulder and sending him flying back before hitting a piece of machinery. As the man screamed while struggling to free himself, electricity coursed through the rail-javelin and into him, causing the man to cry out as he was being electrocuted and finally he just fell onto the floor, his body sparking with electricity as it twitched, before it just stopped.

Detecting no life in his recent kill, #13 warped out of the place. Once outside, he activated the final set of explosives which destroyed the base in a series of explosions. Shinichi witnessed all this, completely horrified at this sight. He was further shocked to see the figure turn to him with a dark glare on its face.

"You can't run away forever, this is your destiny," #13 stated coldly.

* * *

><p>"GAAH!" Shinichi yelped as he shot up from his pillow, he was breathing heavily and was covered in sweat from thrashing around in his sleep. "Dammit, another one," he mumbled as he held his head in his hands. "Camp Cobra…"<p>

The boys were in their own room as the girls slept in a separate room. Leon was awake, facing away from Shinichi and he knew that the cyborg was having nightmares. What the nightmares were about was a different mystery.

"Camp Cobra…?" he murmured to himself.

* * *

><p>A lot had happened since the beginning of summer break and because of that the group from Youkai Academy was sitting in their hotel room working on the homework they had neglected to do. Sure, they had to battle against an evil megalomaniacal organization bent on world domination, but that was no excuse for them to not do their homework.<p>

"I almost forgot how much homework we were given," commented Shinichi as he looked over his list of assignments. They had homework for almost all of their subjects.

"Mou, I can't do this…" groaned Kurumu as she slumped forward. "Can't we get an excuse not to do homework?"

"Now, kids. It's important for you focus on your schoolwork too," Nekonome-sensei advised.

"That's right," agreed Yukari. "And it's not so hard to do."

"Speak for yourself, runt!" grumbled Kurumu. She leaned over to Shinichi's side, "Ne, Shinichi, can you tell me how to do this?"

Shinichi leaned over and looked over the page in Kurumu's book. Moka, Mizore and Yukari stared in envy as Kurumu grinned. Kurumu considered this a win for her as Shinichi would pay attention to her during study sessions since she was weak in almost all subjects.

Shinichi didn't think the homework was bad. In fact doing homework felt normal and he hadn't felt normal in a while now. He had much better things to do than fight. Unfortunately, GIN-SHOCKER had a habit of coming after him. Oddly enough, they had not attacked the hotel.

But Shinichi wasn't about to tempt fate.

This summer had brought on plenty of surprises. First they had discovered Shinichi's connection to GIN-SHOCKER, then Shinichi reunited with his mother, and finally they had met new Riders who were helping them against GIN-SHOCKER.

Meeting Yuji had been a blessing in disguise as Shinichi gained two allies: Yuji Fudo/Kamen Rider Liger and Netto Kusanagi/Kamen Rider Mega, and a mysterious one named Kamen Rider Necros whose identity he still had yet to learn. Shinichi also finally gained a motorcycle and became a proper Kamen Rider.

Of course, then he met three former teammates of his, three girls who came from the NUMBERS. They were Misato Kurushina/Kamen Rider Seras, Michiru Masami/Kamen Rider Carmen and Hana Nekozawa/Kamen Rider Arachnea. They claimed that Shinichi had killed them but then realized that Shinichi was not the same as before. He had changed dramatically and was so unlike the way he had been back in GIN-SHOCKER.

Of course, not all reunions were good ones. Shinichi had the unfortunate opportunity of meeting Dr. Gebok, his former handler, and the one responsible for turning him into a cyborg. However, Shinichi did not remember meeting him again since the mad scientist had used an EMP device to try and stun him. Fortunately, he had his friends with him and they protected him while he had been incapacitated.

After explaining to Kurumu, the succubus beamed and kissed his cheek. The other girls glowered as they saw the act of affection which made the cyborg blush.

Shinichi checked his watch and gasped, "Oh, I'm gonna be late."

"Having dinner with your mom again?" Moka asked.

"Yeah, and I have to go. See you girls later," said Shinichi as he went to clean up and leave to meet his mother.

"You know, I haven't seen him this happy before," commented Moka.

"It makes sense since he's been reunited with his mother," replied Yukari.

"His link to a past he's forgotten," added Mizore.

* * *

><p>Shinichi and his mother met up at Café La Salle which had become their favorite hangout for dinner. It had a nice and cozy atmosphere, and the food was nothing to scoff at either.<p>

"So, Shinji, do you have a girlfriend?" his mother asked.

"Well, no, not really," he answered. "I got friends who are girls."

"Friends with Benefits?" she teased.

"Kaa-chan!" Shinichi blushed.

Shiori laughed, "Sorry, sorry! But still you should have at least one girlfriend by now. What about those girls you're with?" She mock-gasped, "It's not the little girl is it? You haven't turned into a lolicon, have you?"

"No, I'm not a lolicon," he sighed.

"Aw~, and I was going to write about it too," she whined.

"Kaa-chan!" His mother really did enjoy teasing him about his love-life and/or sex-life.

Shiori giggled. "So, which one do you like best? Is it the one with big boobs Kurumu-chan or cute Moka-chan? Or maybe it's the quiet one who likes lollipops. You know what they say about the quiet ones, right? In private and with their lover they can really scream."

Shinichi groaned, "Kaa-chan, please, that is so inappropriate. You shouldn't talk about my friends like that."

"If I cared about such things I wouldn't be in my line of work. So, which is the girl you like? Or have you become a player that wants a harem?"

Shinichi admitted, "Actually, I care about all of them. I knew Moka-chan the longest and we have kissed…"

"Kissed? So she's the one?"

"Yes, I mean no, I'm not sure…" Shinichi stammered.

"I see, but she is your first kiss?" Shiori asked. Shinichi nodded. "Have you kissed the other girls?" He shook his head. She frowned. "Shinji, you're young and while I know you should be faithful to one girl I see those girls all care about you and you need to share your affection with all of them. I see you have a really big heart, that you're willing to do anything to make them happy."

"So, what do you suggest?" Shinichi asked.

"Dates. You're a teenager and it's summer break so take them on dates," Shiori answered.

"That's…not a bad idea," Shinichi realized. Why hadn't he thought of it before? Oh, because he had been so busy. "I'll ask the girls on dates."

"You should ask Kurumu-chan out first," Shiori suggested.

"Why?"

"Because she's eager, and you know when a girl gets eager…"

"I'm going to have to stop you right there. Kaa-chan, is this an attempt of using me as a source for inspiration for new material?"

Shiori mock-gasped, "Shinji, I'm shocked you would think that way."

"You are, aren't you?" he dead-panned.

"Can't fool you, can I?" Shiori giggled. Shinichi rolled his eyes. "But, seriously, she likes you a lot and I bet she'd be happy to go out with you. Just show her a good time. It doesn't have to be fancy. All you gotta do is impress her, which you have already done, so the rest should be smooth sailings."

"Got any tips?" asked Shinichi. He didn't have experience.

"Well, just be yourself and be nice," said Shiori. "And be sure give her a _ride_ she can never forget." She winked, "If you know what I mean."

* * *

><p><strong>DRAGON'S DEN<strong>

"I'm kind of bored," Michiru sighed.

"Same here," Hana agreed, "Not to be ungrateful or anything, Yuji, but there's not much to do here."

Misato was in the living room, playing Street Fighter 4 on the X-Box 360 with Yuji. "I'm fine with a little down time," she said.

"Hey, you girls should use this chance to talk to those other girls that hang out with Shin," Yuji suggested.

"You mean #13's harem?" Misato blinked.

"We never had the chance to talk to them," Michiru pointed out.

Hana nodded, "Might be educational."

Michiru saw an article in the newspaper and beamed, "Hey, there's a summer festival soon! We need to get yukatas!"

"That's right!" Misato smiled, "We can shop for yukatas with them."

Yuji paused the game as he began his musing, "Hm, this could be a good excuse to do some food shopping too."

"The cupboards are getting empty..." Yuki added.

"What do you expect with more mouths to feed?" he chuckled.

"It can't be helped," Hana shrugged. "We consume energy so we need a lot of fuel."

"Hey, come on, I didn't mean it like it's a bad thing."

"Hey, besides shopping for yukatas, how about Yuji comes with us to shop for...swim suits?" Misato grinned.

Yuji froze, "S-swim suits...?"

"Yeah, bikinis!" Michiru cheered.

"That would be delightful," Ruby smiled.

"Bi...bikinis...?" he gulped as steam bellows out of his ears.

"There's a sale at the mall tomorrow…" Yuki informed.

Yuji nodded, with his blush still present, "Alright then, we'll go as soon as we can..."

* * *

><p>"Really?" Kurumu squealed, "You're gonna take us on dates?"<p>

Shinichi nodded. "Since it's still summer break and all, I figured it might be a good time to spend some time with you girls individually. How we're going to do this is with straws." He held out four different straws. "Whoever gets the longest gets to go out with me first. So who goes first?"

"Me, me, me, me!" Yukari cheered as she jumped forward. Reaching out she took the first straw from Shinichi's fist. Looking at it, she found it to be pretty short, much to her disappointment. "Aww…"

"Maybe next time, Yukari-chan," Shinichi chuckled. "Next?"

Moka reached out and took the next straw. Looking at it, she found it to be just as short as Yukari's straw. She sighed.

"Sorry Moka-chan," Shinichi said. "Kurumu-chan? Mizore-chan?"

Both remaining girls reached out and took the remaining straws. Mizore's straws turned out to also be short. Kurumu's, however, was longer than the rest. The Yuki Onna groaned while the succubus let out a cry of, "YAHOO~!" and glomped him.

Moka sobbed subtly, "Shinichi-kun..."

"Nothing personal, Moka-chan," he apologized. He really didn't want to see her cry, but fair was fair.

"It's alright, Shinichi. Since you said you'll spend time with each of us, we'll be patient," Mizore acknowledged. "I'm sure you have no intention to run away with Kurumu and leave us to loneliness and despair, right?"

"Of course not!" he cried.

"That was a joke...teehee," she smiled sheepishly.

Shinichi sweat-dropped, "Mizore-chan... You have an odd sense of humor."

"It's because of the boobs, isn't it?" Yukari frowned.

"No, of course not! I'm not that shallow!"

Kurumu posed, "He just has good taste, that's all. "So, tomorrow, right my darling?" she asked.

"Yeah," he nodded.

Kurumu smiled and kissed his lips. Moka gasped, Mizore frowned and Yukari scowled. It was just a gentle peck, but to them it was a declaration of war.

Kurumu released him and winked, "A taste of what's to come."

* * *

><p>It was the next day and Shinichi and Kurumu were down at the mall. He was in his casuals as Kurumu wore some tight jeans, sandals, and a blue tank top with a big star on the front. She was practically glued to his arm as they checked out the store windows. At the same time, guys were checking her out, even guys who had a girl with them.<p>

"You're already drawing a crowd," Shinichi observed.

"You should see the crowd my mom draws," she giggled.

He blinked, "Your mom?"

"Yeah, she's got a body that puts super models to shame!"

Shinichi imagined Kurumu's mom. If Kurumu took after her... "So, you got your looks from her then," he reasoned.

Kurumu posed for him, "Of course~! Hey, let's check out the clothes over here!" And she drags him in.

It was here he spotted Yuji and the others in the store.

"OK, we'll take care of the clothes shopping first," Yuji noted, "and then we'll move on to the food."

Shinichi blinked, "Yuji?"

He turned and waved, "Oh, he you two. What're you doing here?"

Kurumu hugged his arm and smiled, "Shinichi and I are on a date!"

"Oh, well ain't that nice?"

"And you?" Shinichi inquired.

"Shopping, what does it look like?"

"Shopping? Oh, hey girls."

"Hi, 13-kun!" Michiru greeted.

"Solo-time, huh?" Hana observed.

"Yeah," Shinichi answered.

"That sounds nice," Misato acknowledged. She smirked as she started stroking Yuji's chest from behind, "Maybe we should do that with you, Yuji~."

Yuji blushed but trying to keep his composure, "Yuki, take the girls and start browsing. I'll wait here until you're all done... Maybe you can take Kurono with you."

Yuki nodded and took Kurumu's hand as she led the girls through the department store.

Yuji took a seat on a bench and sighed, "Damn, almost lost my cool…"

Shinichi took a seat next to him and shook his head, "How are you shy around women? You read my mother's books."

"I'm not exactly shy. And reading stories and real-life experience are two different things, especially when conversing with four women at once. When we have regular conversations, I'm fit as a fiddle but when Michiru or Misato start flirting... I dunno."

"You undress them with your eyes, don't you?" Shinichi dead-panned.

"NO!" Yuji snapped. "It's just, I freeze up and I don't know how to respond. I've been in a relationship once, but that's it."

"So it's been awhile and you're a little rusty," Shinichi realized.

Yuji frowns as he looks down, "Yeah..."

"And you never had this many girls interested in you at the same time."

"Well, that part has happened," Yuji corrected. "But they were situations that were out of my control. I don't wanna talk about those times. They were weird, for lack of a better word."

"I see," Shinichi nodded. He then got an idea, "You know, Kaa-chan would be a good person to go to for advice."

Yuji jumped in his face, startling Shinichi, "Really!-?" He then slapped his forehead in realization, "Duh, who am I kidding? She's the Goddess of Adult Literature! Of course she could help me! Thanks for the heads up."

"No problem," Shinichi smiled. "Riders need to look out for each other, after all."

"Got that right," Yuji nodded.

That was when Michiru came up to him...holding two sets of lingerie.

"Can't decide?" Yuji guessed.

"No, can you decide for me?" she cutely asked as she held up a set of pink and yellow lingerie.

Yuji did his best to maintain his cool as he analyzed the sets of lingerie, "Hmm, they both give off the air of maturity... The pink set gives off the calm girly vibe, while this yellow set is more vibrant and it does remind me of the bananas you always eat. To be honest, I think you would look good in either of them."

"Thanks," she smiled.

"Don't mention it," he blushed, "and money's not really an issue for me. So pick them both if you want."

Michiru kissed him on the cheek before running off to return to the group, leaving a blushing Yuji and grinning Shinichi.

"You have become a player," Shinichi declared.

"Shut up!" the Manakyte demanded.

* * *

><p>It was an odd sight as toy soldiers, toy monkeys and toy rabbits were marching into the mall. The toy soldiers were leading the parade with the monkeys and rabbits playing cymbals and drums respectively. The people watched the toy parade with curious interest. Was this some kind of publicity stunt or a show the mall was putting on for their customers? It seemed like fun. As the entire parade entered further, it broke off into smaller groups and then those groups broke up as individual members of the parade went their separate ways.<p>

Then all hell broke loose as a series of explosions erupted from each of those toys.

"OK, what the hell was that?" Yuji asked. "Cuz I know I didn't eat any beans recently." A toy rabbit marched up to Yuji and he looked down, "A bunny?"

Michiru suddenly kicked the rabbit away and it exploded.

"OK, not a bunny..." Yuji blinked.

"A bomb," Michiru frowned. "So he was sent."

His expression became one of seriousness, "Another one of the NUMBERS?"

"Yeah, it's #03," Misato identified as she came to the front with the girls.

"Looks like we've got a fight on our hands, guys. So much for my shopping time," Yuji sighed before taking a fighting stance.

The smoke cleared and a young man stood before the group. He had curly, reddish hair, brown eyes, and wore cargo pants with a jacket and a red ascot. On his left cheek was the Roman numeral "III".

"I see you survived my bomb, #04, #11 and #07," #03 smiled condescendingly.

"No thanks to you," Hana frowned.

"Yeah, I kicked your crappy bomb out of the park!" Michiru boasted.

Misato cracked her knuckles, "Which is what I'm gonna do to you if you don't beat it."

"Lemme guess, GS sent you," Yuji assumed.

"When those three didn't report back, we knew something was up." #03 smirked, "Then we learnt they became traitors so they sent me." He whistled and several more toys marched into the store. "I love toys, you see. Not because they're fun, but because they look so harmless that nobody would suspect anything sinister about them."

Yuki drew her pistols and open fired on the explosive toys, the bullets encasing them in ice quickly.

"Hmm? You ruined my fun," #03 pouted. "Oh well."

"Be careful, toys aren't his only weapons," Misato cautioned.

Yuji turns to Shinichi, "Hey, wanna see who takes him with Rock, Paper, Scissors?"

"I suggest you think it over," #03 smirked. He snapped his fingers and the rest of the customers collapse in pain.

Shinichi looked back to the people, "What happened?"

Yuji gritted his teeth, "He knocked them unconscious? But he didn't even move!"

"#03 has a special ability," Hana informed. "His body is a nest for tick-like nanobots."

"I ordered my darling little nano-ticks to knock these people out, but I can also command them to explode," he grinned. "It'll be really bloody and gory, right?"

"Hmm, new plan... I think I'll take him," Yuji decided. "You still need to work on those time powers of yours Shin."

"Then be my guest," he smiled sinisterly. "Henshin." A belt with an "III" in the core gave off a light as he was decked in armor, similar to that of a Kamen Rider. The Rider wore blue armor over a black bodysuit. Only the chest plate was red. He wore a Viking helmet that covered his entire head and face with black eyes. His armor had light shoulder braces with straps that crisscrossed over his chest and armguards. His signature weapons, a pair of daggers, were strapped to his belt.

"Now, let's get down to business!" Parasyte beckoned.

"We'll move to the center of the mall," Yuji said, "I need room to breathe." He turned to the girls, "Can you three take out the security cameras in the meantime? I don't wanna make a scene."

"It'll be easy," Misato grinned. "Come on, girls." Michiru and Hana nodded as they all head to the security station.

* * *

><p>In the center of the mall, the two stand across from each other. Shinichi, Kurumu, Yuki and Ruby stood on the sidelines to watch this battle.<p>

"Will he be OK?" Kurumu asked.

"Onii-sama won't lose," Yuki stated. "This one is weak…"

"He'll be fine," Shinichi agreed.

"Do your best, Yuji-san!" Ruby cheered.

"I don't think I'll need Liger for this," Yuji stated.

**Music – "Dance" by Rungran**

Parasyte drew his daggers, "Don't get cocky!"

Yuji pounded his fists as they blazed with swirling flames, "Then I'll get fired up instead!" He jumps at him and rears his fist back, **"Karyuu no...Tekken!"** He swung at Parasyte for an epic punch, but he dodged as Yuji left a hole in the floor.

"Dammit! Soldiers!" Parasyte bellowed.

GS-Soldiers appear and swarmed Yuji's line of sight. He frowned in disappointment, "Seriously? But we just started!" He inhales, puffs his cheeks and grips his hands in front of his mouth like a blower as he spews a blast of fire as he incinerates the soldiers.

Parasyte lunged at Yuji and slashed with his daggers held in a reverse grip. Yuji backed away as he dodged the slashes. "Now we're talking," he grinned as he dodged a horizontal swipe and did a handstand and started kicking forward at Parasyte.

"Dammit," Parasyte grunted as he blocked the kicks with his arms.

"Yahoo~! Kick his ass!" Kurumu cheered.

"He's not doing bad at all," Shinichi smiled.

"Onii-sama is the better fighter out of us," Yuki nodded.

A cloud of nano-ticks come out of his body and fly towards Yuji He pushes off with his hands, launching himself into the air as he spews more fire from his mouth at the cloud of nano-machines.

'_If those things get in me, I'm in trouble...'_ Yuji thought. _'Better try some long-distance tactics.'_

Toy monkeys suddenly latch onto Yuji from behind.

Parasyte grinned, "Boom."

"Damn...!" Yuji panicked.

KA-BOOM!

"Gah...!" Yuji grunted as explosions racked his body. His jacket was ruined and holes riddled his clothes.

"YUJI!" Shinichi and the girls cried.

Misato and the girls had knocked out the security staff and disabled the video feed as they watched the fight from one monitor.

"Spiky-kun's in trouble," Michiru gasped.

"Should we help?" Hana asked.

Misato watched as Yuji rose slowly. "No, he can handle it."

"Hey, if you wanna know, those people I infected will blow up if you don't defeat me in time," Parasyte informed. "And it looks like…"

**STAB!**

"ARGH!" Parasyte craned his head around to see Necros who withdrew his blade from out of his back. The nano-ticks he'd infected the people with began to return to him to heal his wound.

"Liger, get up," Necros said.

Yuji dusted himself off and tossed his ruined jacket away, "I know. I was trying to have fun, thank you very much. Then those monkeys caught me."

Necros shouldered his blade and shrugged before he turned and vanished.

"Dammit..." Parasyte growled.

Yuji called from a distance, "Sorry about that! He comes and goes! Let's get back to the fight, OK?"

**Music Change – "Salamander" by Yasuharu Takanashi**

Parasyte charges at Yuji, a cloud of nano-ticks hovering over him as he slashes at Yuji with his daggers.

Yuji panicked and started throwing chairs at Parasyte. The Rider sliced a chair in half but was hit by another as Yuji started running around as he continued throwing chairs at the cyborg.

"Dammit, fight me for real!" Parasyte demanded.

"You asked for it!" Yuji shouted as he jumped high and put himself in a kicking position, with his foot igniting. **"Karyuu no... Kagitsume (Claw of the Fire Dragon)!"**

Parasyte was hit with explosive force that by the kick sent him flying before falling to the floor.

"Hey, you're not dead yet, are you?" Yuji asked as he loomed over him.

Parasyte struggled to rise as he glared at the Manakyte, "I'm not so easily beaten…"

Yuji smiles, "Good, so I can start using my more fun attacks, right?" He looks and sees the mall skylight and nods, "OK!" He grabbed Parasyte's arm and dragged him to the center.

"Let me go!" the NUMBER demanded.

"First we're gonna go for a ride!" Yuji declared. He punches Parasyte in the face to disorient him and he starts spinning as he and Yuji become engulfed in flames. They spin faster and faster, with Yuji in the epicenter as he created a tornado of flames that shoot through the skylight as it continued to swirl.

"**KARYUU NO...TATSUMAKI (Tornado of the Fire Dragon)!"** he roared as he tosses Parasyte up. The cyborg went up, up, and away into the sky as he flew through the flaming tornado, receiving a ton of damage from the constant burning.

Shinichi could only gawk in shock, _'This is how much power he's packing? Even without his armor?'_ He thought he had an inkling of Yuji's power, but he was wrong.

Kurumu was also stunned by the display of power. She had felt the heat coming from the attack and her bangs got matted to her forehead. She wiped the sweat off. "Damn…"

Ruby couldn't make a single sound. '_So much __power…'_

"Sugoi…" Michiru uttered in awe as they watched from the security room.

Misato licked her lips. Yuji was definitely something else. Seeing him fight like that was definitely stimulating for the senses. As for Hana, she gaped in awe.

**End Music**

Parasyte landed on the roof painfully in human form. Agonizingly rising to his feet, he glared at Yuji.

Yuji looked up and spotted his silhouette, "Ah, sweet! He's still alive! And here I thought I threw him up to high!"

A shape swooped down and grabbed #03 by the arm, lifting him up. "#12!" he gasped.

"It's time for you to retreat," the shadow known as #12 said.

Yuji squinted and spotted a second silhouette, "Someone's up there too..."

The two took to the sky and were gone.

"Aw, it's over?" Yuji whined. "And it was getting good!"

* * *

><p>A lot of people did get hurt by Parasyte's bombs. The assumption was that it was a terrorist bombing. There were casualties, unfortunately.<p>

Yuji pouted, "Shit, that was unfulfilling. And people got hurt because of that guy. Damn, how unsatisfying..."

"Well, no need to worry about that," Ruby said, "With #03 gone, the ticks might die off without any commands being issued. The people here should wake up soon."

"That's good to hear," Shinichi nodded. "Come on. It's not safe here anymore."

* * *

><p>A few days after the incident at the mall, we find our group taking it easy by the pool. Aphrodite was sitting under an umbrella as she tended to Leon as he rested at her side, Gin was taking pictures of the scantily-clad women, and Mizore was playing with Yukari as they tossed a beach ball between each other. Netto and Qiao were also present as they lay under the sun together on towels.<p>

Yuji had changed into his white and black swimming trunks and was waiting for the girls. "Where are they?" he asked himself as he checked his watch. He should've learned by now that girls took forever to get changed.

"OK, we're here!" called Misato.

"Well, it's about-" began Yuji but his voice got caught in his throat as he saw the girls in their bathing suits.

Hana wore a black bikini with silver spider web designs. Seeing as how this was the first time Yuji had seen her like this. She was quite curvier than he first suspected, her hips were fairly wide, and her bust wasn't bad either.

Michiru was clad in a pink one-piece with a small skirt and red shoulder straps. It complimented her girly nature but it hugged her body nicely to show off her feminine curves.

Ruby was also in a black bikini that was more basic and had two straps that wrapped her sides to the back. Her hair was up in a ponytail and the bangs the framed her face were also loose, her creamy skin shining in the sunlight as Yuji could do nothing but stare.

Misato, however, was anything but decent by Yuji's standards now. As she was clad in a red bikini that barely covered her obviously-prominent bust and strings wrapped around her sides like an X. the top strings were tied behind her neck as her back was freely exposed. Her hair was in a ponytail like Ruby and she was getting tons of perverse looks from other men, but she didn't mind them at all.

"HOW DO WE LOOK?" they asked in unison as they posed, with Ruby and Misato back to back and Hana and Michiru on either side.

Yuji had steam blowing out of his ears and blood trailing out of his nose as his face became as red as a tomato before he collapsed and fainted.

* * *

><p>"Looks like he couldn't handle it," said Shinichi as he saw Yuji pass out. He was at the pool too and when he spotted Kurumu, he smiled. He saw the guys looking at her as she walked past. She'd gotten a new blue bikini which really showed off her body and brought out her natural beauty.<p>

"Hiya, darling," she purred as she latched onto his arm. Several hearts broke when they saw Kurumu with Shinichi.

"You look great, Kurumu-chan," smiled Shinichi. He was looking down her cleavage but then he looked up at her eyes. "You look absolutely stunning."

"Thank you," she smiled. That was a sincere compliment and most guys didn't look her in the eye and when they said it. Shinichi could admire her body but she meant more to him than just sex on legs. She was his friend and she hoped she could become more. "Now, let's get on the water slide!" She pulled him along. Her breasts bounced as she ran and a guy tripped over himself because he was too busy paying attention.

* * *

><p>Misato gathered the girls in a huddle and started giggling, except for Hana.<p>

"Are you serious?-!" Hana demanded of the Mosquito Rider.

"Come on, it'll be fun," Misato grinned.

"Yeah," Michiru giggled. "Like CPR!"

"I would like to see the expression on Yuji-san's face," Ruby smiled.

Hana was a little apprehensive about this, but she was outvoted. They broke the huddle and circled Yuji's faint body. Michiru was first as she went down and kissed Yuji on the lips. Ruby was next as she planted a kiss on the unconscious Manakyte's lips. Hana was still hesitant, but after getting a look from Misato she shut her eyes and gave Yuji a quick kiss before turning away and blushing.

Misato was finally up to bat as she lowered herself down to his face and smiled sultrily. She planted her lips against his before snaking her tongue into his mouth, tasting him while he was still unconscious. She had thought about doing this, but she needed an excuse first. CPR turned out to be a good excuse. She released him and licked her lips before walking away with the girls to have some fun in the pool.

"GAAAAH!" Yuji gasped as he came back to life, looking around and seeing Qiao staring at him. She was leaning down at him with a foxy grin, showing a bit of her cleavage. "What the hell happened?"

"You saw the girls, and passed out from hormone overload," Qiao informed.

"I see..." he sighed. "Dammit, I have to learn to get my emotions under control..."

"You need to take care of that tent in your shorts too," the Huli Jing pointed.

"Crap."

* * *

><p>"Hey, can't swim?" Moka looked behind her to see Hana walking up and sitting down next to her.<p>

"Oh, it's not that," Moka answered. "I... just have very sensitive skin, that's all."

"Oh, I see," Hana blinked. Though she accepted the answer, she felt that something was off.

"Ne, Hana-chan?" Moka asked. "What was it like working in GIN-SHOCKER?"

Hana looked at her with wide eyes and frowned before turning her head away. "Why do you ask?"

Moka should've realized that it was a sensitive question and apologized, "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking."

Hana knew that Moka didn't mean anything bad by it. The girl was just curious. How many had the chance to talk with an ex-agent of an evil organization anyway? "Are you asking because you want to know more about #13?" #13 was Shinichi's former designation. Hana knew Moka was a friend of his and since he had amnesia he couldn't really provide any information of his time in that organization. Only Hana, Michiru and Misato knew what he was like back then.

"I just want to know what it was like for you all. I want to understand," answered Moka.

"Well, understand this; GIN-SHOCKER was like hell to us. They took us from our families and made us into cyborg soldiers," answered Hana coldly. "#13 was made into a weapon instead." He looked Moka in the eye. "Do you know what the glaring difference is between a soldier and a weapon? A weapon doesn't have emotions or free will and #13 was all that." Her tone was cold due to the memories she had of her time in GIN-SHOCKER, of the things done to her body that made her what she was today. Her hand clung to her shoulder tightly as she was reminded of the horrors and she trembled. She then calmed down and continued, "But there were some good times as well. #13 may not have had emotions but up until the day he took our lives he looked out for us because we were on the same side. We were comrades."

Moka smiled, "Even though he wasn't aware of it, Shinichi-kun was still able to care. Just like how he cares about us now."

"I guess you could say that," Hana semi-agreed. "Now, may I ask you something? What exactly is #13 to you?"

"Shinichi-kun was the very first friend I ever made. He's kind and thoughtful, and really nice," Moka blushed at the memory, "I had a very difficult time at my old school, so I had trouble opening up to people. Thanks to Shinichi-kun, I made new friends like Kurumu-chan, Yukari-chan, Mizore-chan, and Gin-sempai." She blushed even harder, "He's also... my first kiss."

Now Hana was surprised, "You kissed him?" Moka nodded timidly. "I guess #13's done a lot for you," the Tarantula Cyborg mused.

"He has," the vampire nodded, "Can I ask you something else?"

"You may," acknowledged.

"What exactly is your relationship with Yuji-san?"

"We're his housemates," Hana quickly answered with a slight blush.

Moka sweat-dropped, "I see... What's it like?"

"He's one of the few people who have shown us real kindness," she spoke softly. "In GIN-SHOCKER only Dr. Magi and Dr. Washam ever showed us that kindness."

She nodded, "Yuji-san is pretty nice. He even built a motorcycle for Shinichi-kun practically for free."

"He said he's planning to do the same for us," Hana recalled with disbelief. "I couldn't believe Yuji would go so far to help us. He doesn't even care that GIN-SHOCKER is coming after him."

"Onii-sama isn't one to pry in people's pasts," Yuki spoke as she was sitting next to Hana as if she was there the whole time.

"No, he isn't, is he?" Hana inquired.

"Unless he sees that something is wrong." The white-haired girl added. "Then he'll want to talk about any problems he/she may have. Like you do right now, Hana-san."

Hana hesitated for a moment, "Did something bad happen to him before?"

"To put it simply," Yuki began, "Cancer can be a bitch..."

Hana cocked an eyebrow at that. Cancer? It couldn't be Yuji. That could only mean that he knew someone who had cancer before and that Yuji had cared for them.

"Please elaborate," said Hana.

"Yuji loved someone very much but their life was taken by cancer," Yuki answered. She didn't go into very deep specifics on the person but from her tone Hana knew it was someone precious to Yuji. That was probably the reason why Yuji was so kind to them.

* * *

><p>"God dammit..." Yuji growled as he got up and sat by the poolside, staring into the water as he processed the battle with Lightning Saix a while back and what he had told him. Jack Cisco gave up his humanity just to walk again. Did Jack care about racing again that much to make him sell his body to GIN-SHOCKER?<p>

"GS will use anything to get their hands on top specimens," Misato said as she was sitting next to Yuji, as if she was there the whole time.

Yuji turns to see her and jumps, "Misato...! Were you reading my mind just now?"

"No, I just learned how to read people," she boasted. "My dad taught me how." She scooted closer to his side, "Thinking about Lightning Saix?"

Yuji frowned, "Back when he was known as Jack Cisco, he was known as one of the best in the racing world. Rumors were that he was ex-military, specializing in high-speed combat before he resigned and took up racing. One of my dreams was to race against him one I was old enough."

"But now he's a monster."

Yuji's fist tightened, "He's no longer one of the people I looked up to..."

"GIN-SHOCKER doesn't just alter your body, they warp your mind too," she clarified

"Bastards..."

Misato decided to change the subject and smiled, "Why don't you join us for a swim? It'll cool you off."

"I don't know..." Yuji hesitated.

"It'll be fun," she continued.

Michiru went down the slide screaming "WOO-HOO" as she was launched into the pool at the bottom.

"She's got the right idea," Misato giggled.

"I have...a problem..." the Manakyte confessed.

"Can't swim?" she asked softly.

"Not only that, I'm terrified of being in large bodies of water..." he added.

"Childhood trauma?"

Yuji told his tale to her, "Fell off a boat when I was 10 and I almost drowned. I was sinking like a stone and my powers were of no obvious help." He visibly shook with terror, "I thought I was gonna die..." he then felt a hand grasp his and looked at Misato who was staring intently at him.

"I won't let anything happen to you," she swore.

Still trembling, Yuji asked, "Really...?"

"Of course," she nodded. He hugs her quickly, catching her off guard as she was shocked by the sudden action. "Yuji…"

"Sorry..." he apologized.

Misato smiled softly as she hugged him back, "It's OK."

"Let's go then... I don't wanna make Michiru sad or anything."

"Yeah, that would be awful," she agreed.

She guides him into the pool, holding his hand, and he's shaking like a leaf.

"Relax. The water's fine," she insisted.

However, the Manakyte was still trembling and found it difficult to focus, "Shit...shit...shit...shit...! Dammit, this is so embarrassing...!"

"I have your hand," she assured.

"I know..." he blushed. "Dammit, I knew those therapy sessions were bullshit...!"

"Maybe you just need to relax more," Misato suggested.

"Yeah, and how?" he snapped.

He got his answer when Misato kissed him deeply, with tongue. Yuji froze, remaining still with Misato as his body started to lose tension.

They break and he's panting as he stares at her with flushed cheeks, "Misa...to..."

"Better than therapy?" she smiled.

Yuji lowers his head, his hair shielding his eyes as he nods, but his blush still present and brighter.

"Now, let's have some wet fun," she insisted.

He snaps to attention and blushed fiercely, "Wait, what?"

Misato gave a playful grin as she pulled his cheek, "Get your mind outta the gutter."

Yuji sighed and grumbled, "Gotta cut down on the novels..."

* * *

><p>"Hey, mind if I play?" Michiru asked sweetly as she approached the young Witch and Yuki-Onna.<p>

Yukari and Mizore exchanges looks of surprise before looking back at Michiru, nodding. "Sure," Mizore welcomed.

"I guess it will be alright," Yukari agreed.

"Awesome!" the Mantis Cyborg beamed.

The three tossed the volleyball around and Mizore began, "So, you're a member of GIN-SHOCKER?"

"Former member, an ex-agent," she clarified. "You could say I quit and went rogue. Got a far better offer."

"With Yuji," Mizore concluded.

"Yeah...plus he lets me eat all the bananas I want," Michiru smiled.

Yukari, knowing how blunt Mizore could be, chose her question carefully and asked, "So, what was Shinichi-san like?"

Michiru blinked, "#13-kun? Well, he was just like us. We were all taken by GIN-SHOCKER as kids and we grew up together. We were like family, a dysfunctional family, but still family."

"Family?"

"We looked out for each other," Michiru explained. "In that place we had to, but even though we were a team we were a competitive bunch, and #13-kun was the best of the best. Not many people were happy about it."

"Like who?" Mizore asked curiously.

"Oh, #10. He was a sore loser who couldn't handle #13-kun being the best. He even bragged that he went to GIN-SHOCKER willingly."

"Why would he do that?" Yukari gasped.

"He was an arrogant blowhard, and wanted to make us think he was better than all of us," Michiru huffed.

"Did Shinichi have any friends?" Mizore asked.

"He had a best friend, #08."

"Really? Were they close?" Yukari hopefully asked.

"#08 seemed to think so until #13-kun killed all of us," Michiru sighed.

Mizore decided to change the subject, "So, what exactly did you do while you were part of GIN-SHOCKER?"

"Oh, I was designed to be an assassin-type cyborg and armed with scythes," she said. "I can also cast illusions. That really helps on missions."

"I'm sure," she nodded.

"Speaking of missions, there was this one I went on with #13-kun."

"What happened?"

"It happened so fast but I'll tell you the important stuff. #13-kun and I were supposed to kill a bunch of soldiers that were snooping around one of GIN-SHOCKER's facilities. It was in Alaska. I cast an illusion that created a thick mist around them and then he struck. I can still remember when the first soldier he attacked started to literally scream bloody murder," she recalled.

* * *

><p><em>"BLOODY MURDER! BLOODY MURDER!" the soldier screamed as he fired all over the place to try and hit the intruders. He then died as his spine was ripped out, with the skull still attached.<em>

"_**SUB-ZERO WINS! FLAWLESS VICTORY! FATALITY!"**_

"_Did you hear something?" #11 asked. "Sounded like a really loud ghost."_

"_Irrelevant," #13 dismissed. "Let's proceed with the mission."_

* * *

><p>Yukari was green-faced and gulped, "He ripped out the soldier's spine?"<p>

"He did, and it was brutal. He did it again to the rest but when he came across the last guy he ripped out his skull and beat him to death with it," she recalled again.

Mizore blinked, "Wait, beating him to death with his own skull? That doesn't seem physically possible."

"That's exactly what the soldier kept screaming," Michiru nodded.

* * *

><p><em>"THIS DOESN'T SEEM PHYSICALLY POSSIBLE!" the guy screamed as #13 beat his face in with his own skull until he collapsed and died, "Herk, ble-ag!"<em>

* * *

><p>"He was the best and most brutal among us," Michiru finished. "I'm just surprised he's not the same now as he was then."<p>

"A lot has happened. Amnesia can do that," said Yukari.

Michiru saw Misato off the corner of her eye and looked to see her helping Yuji float on the water's surface. She was holding him and he was still shaking like a leaf. "Aw, look at that," she giggled.

Yukari saw as well and blinked, "He's hydrophobic?"

"I guess so. But he's probably fine with just showers and baths."

"You seem to care about Yuji," Mizore noted.

"He gave us a home," Michiru defended. "Plus he's so cute sometimes, especially when he's embarrassed or asleep."

"Shinichi-san's cute too," Yukari added. "Sometimes when he concentrates he sticks his tongue out."

"That's...not 13-kun. He never does that," Michiru hesitated.

"It just proves he's not the same person," Mizore argued. "Maybe you should stop calling him by a number and use his name."

"Hmm, maybe you're right..." Michiru mused thoughtfully.

* * *

><p>Kurumu was on the high board and waved at Shinichi and waved back. She bounced on the edge, catching the attention of several guys, before she dove right in. As she splashed into the water, her right leg suddenly cramped. <em>'OH NO!'<em> She began to panic in the water as she tried to swim to the surface. Water was entering her lungs. _'HELP ME!'_

She blacked out.

When Kurumu had not surfaced after her dive, Shinichi became worried. Immediately, he dove into the water and swam to find her. He found her and she was blacked out in the water. Quickly, he swam towards her and pulled her out. Why hadn't the lifeguards noticed this? Damn them! He was going to complain!

Shinichi brought Kurumu up and pulled her onto the floor. "Kurumu-chan…" he murmured as he gently laid her down. "Kurumu-chan, wake up," he called softly. Had she drowned? She wasn't breathing. An image of another girl dying in his arms appeared in his mind and he remembered immense pain in his heart from that.

"No," he denied and began to perform CPR on her. A crowd formed with Moka, Mizore and Yukari watching with worry. Misato, Michiru and Hana were also watching. He pressed on Kurumu's chest and gave her mouth-to-mouth. He repeated the process until Kurumu began coughing and threw up the water in her lungs.

"Ugh…" she groaned as she sat up before being enveloped in Shinichi's arms. "Shinichi?"

"Thank goodness…" he whispered, relieved.

The NUMBERS girls looked between themselves. This was definitely not the same #13.

* * *

><p>"HE KISSED ME AND I MISSED IT!-?" Kurumu shrieked.<p>

"He was trying to save your life," said Moka.

"Jiiiiiiii…" Mizore stared.

"It's so unfair!" Yukari fumed.

* * *

><p>After a wet day at after the pool, the group retreated to a nearby restaurant for dinner. Everyone was feeling hungry, so a large dinner was in order.<p>

"Man I'm beat," Gin sighed as he leaned on his chair. "That was one hell of a swim."

"Sure it was Sempai," Shinichi snickered. "Most of the time you've been taking pics of more cute girls. Does that count as exercise too?" Gin grumbled to himself as Leon sat and read a book.

* * *

><p>On the way back, Yuji was looking through the rearview mirror and noticed that the girls were awfully quiet as he drove back home. Yuki was beside the car as she rode her D-Wheel and of course, Ruby was riding shotgun.<p>

"Something wrong?" he called back to them.

"#13 saved that girl's life," Misato answered.

"Well, they're friends now, Misato-san," Ruby smiled.

"He was crying too. I've never seen him cry before."

"Not to rub it in, but Shinichi's a different guy from when you knew him. Maybe this is how he was before you met him," Yuji reminded.

"Misato-chan, maybe deep down he was like that too. Don't you remember when he used to protect us on missions?" Michiru chided.

"He is by nature a kind person who cares for others," Hana nodded.

"He still killed us, but then again he was under Gebok's control," Misato frowned.

"And that's what we have to remember," Yuji said. "He's not some puppet anymore."

"No, he isn't. #13 is dead," she acknowledged.

'_Actually... I'm not too sure about that part,'_ Yuji thought as he recalled his fight with BLACK 13.

"He's no longer the guy who rips out people's spines and beat them to death with their own skulls," Michiru sighed.

Ruby commented, "I still can't see how that's physically possible."

"I can," Yuji added. "I've done it a few times actually."

"If you're talking about video games, they don't count," Misato dismissed.

"Oh, come on! Sub-Zero's Fatality is a classic finisher! It always gets people laughing!" Yuji argued.

Ruby and Michiru laughed as they drove off, with Yuki alongside the Lancelot.

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER BUSHIDO: Another NUMBERS has arrived, we see more inklings of Yuji's past and who doesn't love bikinis! Misato and the girls now accept that Shinichi is no longer #13, but that isn't to say they exactly accept who he is now.<strong>

**KAMEN RIDER CHROME: Some insight on Shinichi's character as #13 and some flashbacks. We also see the groups interacting and Shinichi trying to be romantic as well starting with Kurumu but considering that GIN-SHOCKER is after that his next few dates are destined to be violently interrupted. Sorry, Shinichi, but that's the occupational hazard of a hero.**


	23. Family: A Fearsome Festival Night

**Chapter 23: A Fearsome Festival Night**

One night, loud hip hop music played from a boom box as a figure was seen dancing on top of a building. He was break-dancing like there was no tomorrow and finished up his routine with a flourish. He had a muscular build, wearing a red sleeveless shirt with a skull pendant, blue jeans and boots. He also had a green Mohawk.

"Watch out world, Goemon Jaga is in the house," he grinned.

* * *

><p>The following day, Yuki was alone as she walked along the path of the open market, gathering products that couldn't be found in supermarkets. She was on her way home, carrying a bag of groceries.<p>

"Hey there, Yuki-chan!" the fruit vendor greeted.

"Hello," she replied.

"Nice to see you, Yuki-chan," the fish clerk smiled.

"You too," she replied in return as she continued walking.

"How's that sweet brother of yours, Yuki-chan?" an old lady asked.

"Onii-sama is well," she nodded. She then spotted a familiar face. "Oh, Leon."

"Hm?" Leon looked up. He was alone right now. "Oh, hey, Yuki."

"Where's Aphrodite?" Yuki asked. The female Manakyte normally seemed glued to Leon's hip and reluctant to leave his side.

"I told her I needed some alone time," he said to her.

"So, why do I see Sora there?" Yuki asked, looking over Leon's shoulder, spotting Leon's 'stalker'.

"She's still nagging at me to show her what else I can do," Leon sighed. "She's a bit obsessed."

"You're pretty popular, like Shinichi."

"I wish I didn't have this kind of attention, though," Leon remarked. "So, grocery shopping?"

"We need to stock up. With so many people to feed, our food budget has pretty much increased," said Yuki.

"I see," Leon nodded. "That looks heavy. You mind if I help you out?"

"Sure, and thank you," Yuki nodded. "Oh, and there's the summer festival tonight in town. Will you be going?"

"I don't have anything better to do," shrugged Leon. "I should ask Aphrodite if she'd like to join."

"It goes without saying that she'd agree," said Yuki.

"That's true," Leon acknowledged as he helped Yuki carry the groceries back to the Dragon's Den.

* * *

><p>Back at the Dragon's Den, the girls were trying out their new yukatas. They were posing in front of Yuji, wanting to know what he thought. The summer festival was tonight and they each wanted to look their best.<p>

"Ne, Spiky-kun, how does this look?" Michiru asked. She was dressed in a pink yukata with red lotus flowers and a red obi sash as she did a little twirl. Her hair was in a bun and held up by a pin.

"It looks great on you, Michiru," said Yuji, smiling.

"You know, traditionally, underwear isn't worn under the yukata," stated Hana. Her yukata was black, decorated with silver spider webs and a silver obi sash.

"Wait...what...?" Yuji froze.

Misato's yukata was blood red with purple crescent moons and a matching obi. "Do you want to see?" she grinned. Misato began to hike up her yukata...

"STOP!" he demanded as her turned away, "Dammit... It's not funny!"

Misato laughed, "You're so fun to tease!"

"I'm glad I amuse you," he pouted.

Yuki entered with Leon. She called, "Tadaima."

"Hey Yuki," her brother greeted before he spotted Leon. "Oh, wassup?"

"Just helping her carry groceries, that's all," Leon answered

"Oh, well that's nice," Ruby smiled. Her yukata was purple with black feathers and a matching obi as her hair was done up as well.

"I should go. Aphrodite expects me back."

"Hey, you going to the summer festival tonight?" Yuji asked.

"Maybe, we'll see," he replied as he made his way out.

"Kay then. Ciaossu!"

* * *

><p>The girls drew straws again and this time Mizore drew the longest. Smiling, she took the lollipop out from her mouth and kissed Shinichi gently on the cheek. They were going to have a date at the ice rink and while Shinichi had never actually gone skating before, it wouldn't be a problem for him. He was a fast learner.<p>

Leaving the hotel together on the Cyclone-X3 with the others seeing them off, the Yuki-Onna wrapped her arms around Shinichi and smiled as she felt his warm body. It was odd. She first took a liking to him because he seemed like her, someone who knew loneliness, but then she fell in love with him because he had reached out to her when nobody else did. The warmth of his hand had reached her heart and it was something she would not relinquish, no matter what.

When Mizore learnt about Shinichi's past and suffering, it really broke her heart to learn that the boy who could smile after all that had suffered so much. Maybe his amnesia was a good thing if he could only forget those terrible years he spent as GIN-SHOCKER's weapon.

"We're here," he said, breaking her out of her thoughts. They entered the building and Shinichi put on a winter jacket to keep warm. Mizore, however, wore her usual white and dark-sleeved sweater. They paid for their skates and put them on before stepping onto the ice. Mizore, being a Yuki-Onna, was a natural as she glided along the slippery surface. Shinichi, however, on the other hand took at least five minutes to get balanced on the surface with the skates but he was soon joining Mizore on the ice. Shinichi suddenly slipped but Mizore caught him before he did an embarrassing face plant on the ice.

"Thank you, Mizore-chan," he said smiling. Mizore had learnt from Michiru that Shinichi had killed people by ripping out their spines and beating them to death with their own skulls, but she couldn't believe it by seeing Shinichi now. He didn't seem capable of such brutality.

Then again, she knew he was a skilled fighter. She had witnessed it herself and he could also be brutal when the situation warranted it.

The pair took a break and sat down at a snack bar in the building. Mizore was having a strawberry sundae with hot fudge while Shinichi had several club sandwiches.

"Mizore-chan, you really do like ice cream," he observed. Mizore looked to him and smiled.

"Yes, I guess I do," she replied.

"So, Mizore-chan, can you tell me what your home is like?" he asked. He had never asked her before and he wondered why he hadn't before, but this was a chance to really get to know the girl who had stalked him constantly and tried to freeze him.

"We live in a valley and everything is made of ice," said Mizore.

"It must be lovely seeing as ice looks like diamonds," he responded.

"I never really thought of it that way," said Mizore. "It was home."

"Yes...home..." Shinichi said wistfully. He barely remembered his life with his birth mother before GIN-SHOCKER took him and the only home he ever known was Youkai Academy.

"Shinichi, I have to confess something," she spoke up. "You're not my first love."

"Huh?" he blinked.

"When I was a child, a boy wandered into our village and I helped him out. Later, I gave him a flower and told him what I was." Tears threatened to come out of her eyes. "He called me a monster and he threw the flower away before running. I never saw him again."

"What an idiot," frowned the Cicada Cyborg. If he ever met this guy he would make him pay for hurting Mizore like that. "Then again, humans are generally stupid. He was too blind to see your kind heart."

"But you saw it, despite how I tried to freeze you," she said.

"The eyes are the windows to the soul, plus I always stop to ask why people act the way they do," Shinichi replied. "And you're way kinder than I am."

"But that's not true!"

"Mizore-chan, let's be honest. I...I'm not all that innocent. You know it and I know it."

"Shinichi..." uttered Mizore softly as she put her hand on his. "That wasn't you."

"Wasn't it?" he retorted. "Then why do I see them in my nightmares?"

Mizore moved her seat closer to Shinichi and leaned in against him, resting her cheek against his shoulder as she took his hand in hers. "These hands reached out to me. They aren't bathed in blood. You cannot blame yourself for what GIN-SHOCKER made you do. They are the evil ones, not you."

"Mizore-chan..." he whispered, gazing at her beautiful face, her lovely lilac hair, those shining sapphire eyes, and those cherry pink lips. "I..." He licked his lips and leaned in to claim a kiss when all of a sudden the two jumped apart when they heard a scream.

On the ice was a figure in black armor with a metallic hood covering his head. He had his hands gripping a female skater. The female skater began to feel weak and she passed out on the ice. She was alive, but pale and weakened. The black-armored being had drained her of energy. Moving on to the next closest target, he repeated the process. By the time Shinichi and Mizore arrived, they saw several people unconscious on the ice due to extreme exhaustion. Mizore gasped, horrified, but Shinichi's eyes narrowed as he glared at the figure.

"HEY! STOP THAT!" Shinichi shouted and the black-armored figure turned to reveal that his faceplate had a circular mouth filled with sharp teeth and his palms had pads that looked like suction cups. The figure trembled as he saw Shinichi and Mizore staring back at the belt the figure wore which resembled his, complete with a Spark Core in the middle.

"You're one of the NUMBERS," Shinichi identified.

Regaining his confidence, the black-armored NUMBER responded with a mild stutter, "T-t-that's right, #13! I am #01! You can call me Scanner!" He had drained enough energy from these people so he felt that he was ready to take down Shinichi.

Shinichi frowned as images of fighting alongside someone wearing such armor appeared in his mind, allowing him to identify this figure:

* * *

><p><em>"Now Number 00, leaving aside the incident in question, would you think of #06 as the sort of man that would usually ignore orders?"<em>

_"Yes, yes I would."_

_"Ah, um, are you sure? I was rather banking on you saying no."_

_"I'm sure. In fact, I have a list of other orders he's disobeyed, if it would be useful? November 16th, 9:15am, 10:23am, 10:24am, 11:17am..."_

_"You missed one out, there."_

_" ...10:30am, 11:46am..."_

_"#01!"_

_"What? Oh, oh ye-ye-right, yes. Thank you. No further questions."_

* * *

><p>"Scanner... you're nothing more than a talentless, energy sucking, power stealing leech," Shinichi frowned.<p>

"Y-yes, while I am the weakest of the NUMBERS, my abilities allow me to far surpass you #13!" As if to prove a point Scanner rushed forward and delivered powerful punch aimed at them. Both Mizore and Shinichi dodged as Scanner hit the ice they were standing on, forming a small crater.

Not wasting any time, Shinichi quickly transformed, "Let's Ride: Showa!" Afterwards he began to unleash a rapid barrage of punches on Scanner who dodged his attacks.

Mizore helped by unleashing a hailstorm of ice kunai that hit the Leech Rider causing him screech before Showa kicked him backwards to the ground.

Scanner quickly scrambled backwards as he glared at the Yuki-Onna. Showa charged forward but was stopped by a flash grenade that Scanner threw at the ground, temporarily blinding him. Mizore couldn't see either and gasped as Scanner's hand suddenly grabbed her around the throat. "Yes, you'll do."

Mizore screamed as she felt herself being drained by Scanner. Her body flashed as her Youki left her and rushed along Scanner's arm.

"MIZORE! NO!" Showa watched helplessly as Mizore's energy was being absorbed before Scanner released her and she collapsed.

Scanner hissed, "Yes...what power..." He threw a blast of ice energy at Showa, encasing him. He laughed, "HAHAHAHA! Yes, this is power! I love it!" He looked down at Mizore, "And I want more..." He was going to drain her until nothing was left.

Scanner was going to continue his drain until he heard a cracking noise. Inside the ice block, Showa's green eyes turned red and then just as Scanner's hands were closing in on Mizore he heard something nearby. "Huh?" Scanner turned his head back to see the block of ice that had encased Showa. There appeared to be cracks appearing on the ice and he grew more and more shocked as the cracks rapidly spread across the surface of the ice.

"W-what's happening?" Scanner questioned when all of a sudden the ice exploded and Scanner was knocked off his feet from the blast. He looked up at the cold mist and then his eyes widened as he saw a figure in black armor walking out and towards him. "No...No, not you! It can't be you!"

BLACK 13 was back.

"FUCK, I'M GETTING OUT OF HERE!" Scanner screamed as he tried to flee, the memory of his death still fresh in his mind. BLACK 13, however, was faster as he quickly rushed forward and grabbed Scanner by the back of the head and smashed his face into the ice, causing a spider-web crack pattern to appear on the surface. BLACK 13 then grabbed Scanner by the legs and then lifted him up to slam him repeatedly on the ice, ignoring the Leech Cyborg's cries of mercy and pain.

"ARGH! NO NO NO NO!" Scanner screamed as he was slammed into the ice repeatedly. "I'M SORRY! PLEASE! I WON'T DO IT AGAIN!" BLACK 13 simply kicked him into the air and shot at him with his gun, causing more pain for the cowardly Rider. He then punched him into the wall, creating a spider web of cracks.

Scanner slid back onto the floor and quivered in fear as BLACK 13 slowly approached. "P-p-please… mercy…"

"Mercy?" BLACK 13 repeated in a dark and cold voice. "I have already lost someone that was dear to me, and you were about to take the life of someone else that is precious to me away. No, you don't deserve mercy. You deserve death." He grabbed Scanner by the back of his neck and propelled him up. A red blade then appeared on each of BLACK 13's forearms. "Farewell, #01…"

Scanner dropped down and came in range of BLACK 13's attack as he struck forward, slashing him twice. There was an explosion and Scanner was propelled forwards, his armor vanishing, revealing him to be a bald and skinny teenager in a black sleeveless shirt, matching baggy pants and wearing Chinese shoes. He slowly got back up to his feet, trembling and scowling at BLACK 13.

"Still alive?" asked BLACK 13. "I can fix that." He stepped towards #01 only for the ice to suddenly burst in front of him. BLACK 13 was shoved backwards by the sudden burst. There was a curtain of ice crystal covering his sight as pieces of ice landed on top of him. Looking back, he saw that #01 had escaped and there was a large hole in the floor. "He escaped…"

Suddenly, he fell to his knees as his armor flickered back to its normal black and white appearance before vanishing completely. "Huh?" He looked around in confusion. "Where did he go?" He then looked to see Mizore and gasped, "Mizore-chan!" He went over to Mizore, nearly slipping on the ice to get to her.

* * *

><p>"Are you alright, Mizore-chan?" Shinichi asked. After leaving the ice rink, the two sat down on a nearby bench. Shinichi was worried about the Yuki-Onna who'd suffered from Scanner's earlier energy drain.<p>

"Just tired," she said.

Shinichi frowned at this. He felt responsible since Scanner was gunning after him. "Just rest a bit; the Dragon's Den isn't too far from here." Mizore nodded as she laid her head on Shinichi's shoulder. While she was annoyed at Scanner for interference their date, she wasn't complaining about the extra attention Shinichi was showering her with.

_'Next time, I'm getting that kiss,'_ Mizore mentally declared. They waited for a moment before slowly getting up and heading to the Dragon's Den, with Shinichi helping Mizore to get there.

* * *

><p>"I'm saved," gasped #01 as he looked up at his savior. "You really saved my butt, #05."<p>

#05, also known as Goemon Jaga, smirked, "Well, next time save your own hide, Todoriko. What the hell happened?"

"#13 wailed on me," #01, also known as Todoriko, answered.

"You should've finished him off when you had the chance," Goemon remarked.

"I know, I know," Todoriko agreed. "Next time I'm draining him dry," he swore.

* * *

><p>Arriving at their destination, Shinichi gently helped her into the Dragon's Den. They were always welcomed to Yuji and Yuki's home and place of business.<p>

"Easy now, Mizore-chan," Shinichi said gently as Yuki saw them enter.

"What happened?" Yuki asked with a frown.

"Just another piece of my past paying me a visit," he sighed.

"Yuki, you take care of her," Yuji requested.

"OK," she nodded as she helped the Yuki-Onna up the stairs.

Shinichi leaned against the wall, and then slammed his fist against it. "He got away," he growled.

"I'm guessing whoever got away was the one who did whatever happened to Shirayuki, am I right?" Yuji frowned.

"It was #01. The leech drained her and copied her powers."

"That...sounds bad," Yuji blinked.

Shinichi nodded, "Yeah, and I blacked out again."

"Well, then we'll need to be ready for next time. This guy may be able to copy powers, but I doubt he has any control over them."

"Of course, I'll remember that," Shinichi nodded.

"Want somethin'ta eat?" Yuji offered.

Food sounded good right now. "Sure, why not?"

They were up the stairs but the girls were still trying on yukatas, with the fabrics beginning to fall.

"Oh, come on!" Yuji blushed fiercely.

Shinichi chuckled but then remembered the summer festival. "You all seem ready."

"Yes, it'll be my first summer festival!" Ruby smiled.

"I better call the girls back at the hotel."

He activated his com-link watch and called Moka's com-link. "Moka-chan, are you there?"

"_Oh, Shinichi-kun! How was your date?_" Moka asked.

"Well…we decided to take a bit of a walk," Shinichi answered. He didn't want to worry Moka about what had happened at the ice rink. She always seemed worried about him the most. "We're at the Dragon's Den right now."

"_Oh, did you have fun at least?_" Moka asked.

"Yes, we did," he answered. '_Until Scanner showed up_.' He added, "So, tonight there's a summer festival in town. How about we all go and hang out there?"

"_I'd love to!_"

"_Me too!_" Kurumu's voice was heard.

"_Me three!_" Yukari cheered.

Shinichi couldn't help but smile affectionately. These were the girls who he'd befriended and he wanted to protect them all from threats in the past, present and future, including his own past.

* * *

><p>Later that night, Shinichi went to the summer festival with his friends. The booths selling food, souvenirs and even offering games all lined up the festival grounds. This would be their first ever summer festival in the human world and just for this occasion the Youkai girls were wearing yukatas.<p>

He had called his mother to join them but she, unfortunately, had to decline. She was busy with her new book and couldn't join them. She did promise she would try to come as soon as she could. She really did enjoy summer festivals.

Leon was there as well, with Aphrodite clinging to his arm and beaming. He, however, didn't look all that enthusiastic.

Looking around, seeing the lights and the people, as well as hearing all the sounds caused Shinichi to have another memory flash.

* * *

><p><em>He was walking between his parents, his left hand in his father's grasp and his right hand in his mother's grasp. He was wearing a boy's yukata and his mother was wearing one too. Stopping at a booth, they bought takoyaki to share, and then they had cotton candy for a treat.<em>

"_Kaa-chan! Kaa-chan! Look! Look!" he called out as he let go of his mother's hand to point ahead. He saw the shooting gallery with the stuffed toys all lined up. _

"_You want one, Shinji?" his mother asked. His father rolled up his sleeves._

"_Let me try," said Shinji's father._

"_Gambarre, Tou-chan!" Shinji encouraged._

* * *

><p>"So, what do you girls wanna try first?" Shinichi asked.<p>

"Kakigori," Mizore pointed.

"Takoyaki!" Kurumu pointed.

"Yakisoba!" Yukari pointed.

They were pointing in different directions.

Shinichi sweat-dropped, even here the girls have different opinion on what they should do.

The three girls were about to argue when Moka saved the day. "Now-now, let's not fight. Now then, why don't we try out Yukari-chan's suggestion?" Moka said as she pushed both the Yuki-Onna and succubus to the Yakisoba stand, the two muttered angrily but did as they complied as Yukari and Shinichi follow behind them.

After eating the food, Shinichi and the girls began to explore around the festival grounds. They then found one of those shooting gallery games which he and Kurumu decided to play. After paying, they were given rifles. While Shinichi was doing well, Kurumu could barely hit any of the targets. Shinichi, however, managed to get a bull's-eye with each shot he took.

"No fair," Kurumu pouted. Shinichi shrugged. It was pretty simple for him since he had been trained for this, unwillingly of course. The targets back then had been live as were the rounds used.

The person running the booth gave Shinichi a large stuffed blue elephant with Moka, Mizore and Yukari cheered for his win. Kurumu sighed a bit, but blinked as Shinichi gave her the prize. "Consider it a consolation prize." Shinichi said calmly with Kurumu smiling a bit as they walked out of the booth.

There next stopped was a mask seller stand. Moka smiled a bit as she bought everyone a mask. She just finished handing everyone one just as this happen.

**BOOM!**

There was a flash of red light, and the loud sound made Moka flinch at the sudden noise as she grabbed Shinichi's arm. This made him smile.

"Relax Moka, it's just fireworks," Shinichi whispered with a smile

"I know, I was just startled is all!" Moka said feeling embarrassed. That quickly faded however as she watch the fireworks display. "So beautiful," she breathed as Shinichi smiled. Yukari grinned at the sight while Mizore and Kurumu huffed in annoyance.

* * *

><p>Hana flashed some darts between her fingers and chucked them at the balloons as they simultaneously popped, earning her a prize. She picked a red tengu mask and put it on Michiru.<p>

"The nose is a nice fit," Hana mused.

"I'm so glad you're amused, Hana-chan," Michiru remarked as she hugged the Tarantula Cyborg.

"All thanks to you," she giggled.

Ruby glowered as she stared at her tenth scoop that sported a hole in it. "These gold fish think they're so smart," she pouted.

"I always have a hard time with this game too," Yuji agreed.

"Hey, Yuji," Misato called.

"Huh?"

He turned to her and saw a choco-banana in her hand as she grinned from ear to ear as she fixed her hair and engulfed the banana into her mouth, sucking and slurping on it suggestively with her eyes closed. Ruby saw this too and was blushing fiercely.

"You just love tormenting me, don't you?" he glared, but the blush was there.

Misato let go of the choco-banana and whispered in his ear, "Don't worry, you'll get your turn eventually~…"

* * *

><p>Gin was enjoying himself greatly, taking pictures of girls in yukatas with his camera. That was when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He spun around and saw Shiori Banabara with Shizuka Nekonome. "Ah, Banabara-sensei, Nekonome-sensei."<p>

"Oh, Gin-kun," smiled Shiori, "Just call me 'Shiori'."

"Hai, Shiori-sensei," nodded Gin.

"Have you seen the others?" asked Nekonome-sensei.

"We've been looking for them," said Shiori. She had promised she would come if she was finished with her work for the day.

"They kinda ditched me," scowled Gin. Those girls liked Shinichi more than him. Sure, he may have tried to frame Shinichi but that was no reason to dislike him, right?

"Oh, that's too bad," frowned Shiori sadly. She then smiled, "Well, have fun then!" The two women walked away from the werewolf and began chatting animatedly like old friends. Something Shiori said made Nekonome-sensei blush and giggle.

* * *

><p>"Here," Leon said as he handed Aphrodite a barbequed sausage on a stick which she took eagerly. She then began to eat it in a suggestive manner which Leon tried to ignore. He then spotted someone ducking behind a booth and sighed. "Sora, get out here."<p>

Sora came out of hiding, blushing. She was wearing her miko garbs.

"You don't have to keep following me like that, you know," Leon scolded.

"Sorry, sorry," she apologized.

"Look, I can't promise that I will show you more of what I can do, but…" He let out a sigh, "But how about you spend the festival with me and Aphrodite."

The female Manakyte pulled Sora into a hug, "Yes, please! Do enjoy the festival with us!"

Sora blushed but nodded in agreement. She checked the time, "Ah, the Bon Odori dance is starting!"

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Aphrodite said as she grabbed Leon's hand. "Let's go!" She ran with him and Sora cried as she chased after them.

"Matte!"

* * *

><p>When it came to the Bon Odori dance everyone circled the Yagura as they began to dance. This was a first for the girls in Shinichi and Yuji's company, and for different reasons. The Youkai girls, with the exception of Moka, had never really spent time in the human world before. As for Michiru, Hana and Misato, they had spent most of their childhood in GIN-SHOCKER. It was the same for Shinichi.<p>

"Shinji!" Shiori called as she caught up with her son.

"Kaa-chan!" Shinichi responded happily as he and his mother hugged. He wasn't like most boys his age who were embarrassed to be seen with their mothers. He had spent a decade without her and vice-versa. He wanted to feel her affection.

"_Did you have fun?_" she asked.

"Yes, I did," he smiled.

"I see the girls look cute," she complimented. She gave them a thumbs-up gesture. "Good luck!" she winked. The girls had her approval and Shinichi could guess why. She was probably using this situation as inspiration for a new book she was planning to write. It might involve a male protagonist with a harem of lovers set in high school. "Don't let me keep you. Let's dance!"

"Hai," Shinichi nodded.

Suddenly, the Bon Odori dance was interrupted when loud hip-hop music shocked everyone, causing them to stop to look. Goemon danced over, smirking as he carried his boom box.

"Hey, what's the big idea!-?" Kurumu demanded.

Michiru, Misato and Hana, however, recognized him instantly, "#05!"

"Another one of the NUMBERS?" Yuji asked.

Shinichi glared at #05 as he recalled a past event:

* * *

><p><em>#05 and #13 both stood at the beginning of the obstacle course. When the whistle was blown, both GIN-SHOCKER cyborgs ran forward. The first obstacle was the mud pit. They grabbed the ropes and swung over it before landing on the other side. Following that they had to dodge arrows being shot at them. #05 proved agile as he dodged the arrows using the dance moves he'd been practicing. He didn't lose focus. As for #13, he was practically untouchable as he dodged the arrows, even catching a few before reaching the end of the obstacle. Next was a pit with platforms lines up that rose and sunk quickly. #05 was the first to jump before jumping from platform to platform, feeling their rhythm and #13 was now behind him. Now #05 was in the lead.<em>

_The end of the obstacle course was a rock wall and seeing as #05 was in the lead he climbed on with #13 close behind. They were neck and neck when all of a sudden #05 lost his footing and fell. However, he didn't land roughly as #13 grasped his wrist and pulled him back up for him to grab the onto the hand holds on the wall._

"_We finish together," said #13._

* * *

><p>"You people call this crap music and dancing!-?" Goemon mocked. "Let me show you what real dancing is all about!" He then added, "But first…HENSHIN!" Goemon transformed and was instantly donned in his armor. The armor was modeled after a centipede and had a rusty silver color. The helmet sported metallic feelers that reached all the way down his back, with grayish gauntlets and boots. The chest armor seemed bolted on. In this form he was known as Kamen Rider Breaker. Blades slid out of his gauntlets and he used them to cut the Yagura down. People on the scaffold panicked as it began to collapse but fortunately for them Leon and Yuji were quick and managed to save them from being injured.<p>

Breaker's sudden transformation and attack caused the civilians to scream and flee in terror, especially when blades slid out of his gauntlets. He looked to see Shinichi and grinned. Shinichi scowled right back and was about to transform when Leon held his arm out in front of him.

"Leon?" he asked.

"No, let me handle this," said Leon as he stepped forward. He faced Kamen Rider Breaker and said, "You don't deserve to use the name Kamen Rider."

"And how do you figure that, dude?" retorted Breaker.

Leon took out his Mobirider and flipped it open as he answered, "Because I'm a Rider myself." He produced his Necros Rider Key and changed it from its miniature figure form to key form. "Rider Change!" he called as he put the Necros Key into the Mobirider's keyhole.

**"KAMEN RIDER NECROS!"**

His armor formed in a flash and everyone gawked at him. Leon was Kamen Rider Necros!

"You mean, all this time…" Kurumu began in disbelief.

Shocked, Mizore added, "He's been a…"

"Kamen Rider," Moka finished.

"Alright, I'll play with you!" Breaker lunged at Necros who drew his Ankh Sword and the two clashed as sparks rained down at their feet once Breaker's twin Pata and Necros' sword made contact. "I've heard about you. I thought you might be nearby when I kill #13."

"Well, you got your wish," replied Necros as he shoved Breaker backwards and swung his sword down to slice him in half only for Breaker to dodge out of the way.

Breaker turned on his boom box and declared, "Now, for some funky tunes!" as he went to attack again. He danced around Necros' strikes and struck the Anubis-themed Rider in the chest, knocking him backwards, "Oh yeah!"

"Is that it?" Necros asked as he dusted himself off, without as much as a scratch on him.

"I'm not done yet!" Breaker stood on his hands and began to kick rapidly as Necros, forcing him backwards with each strike, "Take that, and that, and that!" Breaker then performed a head spin, hitting Necros in the face and knocking him to the ground before flipping to his feet. "Wow, you suck!"

Necros got back to his feet and put his Ankh Sword back on his back. "You should know better than to underestimate your opponents." He took out his Mobirider and another Rider Key, calling out, "Rider Change!"

**"KAMEN RIDER CHALICE!"**

Necros' body was soon engulfed in a black static-like energy which hid every detail. As he was completely engulfed, his body began to shift and change. His shoulders took the appearance of pads and what looked like torso armor seemed to materialize on his chest. His head became angular with two horns coming out of the top. The energy finally faded as Necros' new form was revealed. The armor was mainly black with gold designs on the sleeves and legs. His arm guards and boots were made of gray metal that had a crisscross design on it. The heart-shaped chest plate had red and silver markings on it while the helmet had a red heart-shaped visor. His mouth was covered by a silver mouth-guard. Necros had just changed into the Mantis Undead, Chalice the Legendary Undead, also known as Kamen Rider Chalice.

Armed with the Chalice Arrow, Necros-Chalice charged at Breaker who dodged his next slash but Necros-Chalice spun and hit Breaker in the side with the Chalice Arrow's blade, causing sparks to fly. He then fired energy arrows from the Chalice Arrow, sending Breaker Staggering with each shot. Growling, Breaker rushed and danced towards Chalice, slashing at him with his Patas before performing a drop kick that disarmed Necros-Chalice. The evil NUMBER spun like a tornado, striking at Chalice rapidly as sparks flew from the impacts.

Shinichi couldn't bear to watch and stepped forward to intervene, only for Necros-Chalice to raise his hand to him. "No, he's mine," said Necros Chalice. He rolled out of Breaker's next attack and grabbed the Chalice Arrow before attaching the Chalice Rouzer, his belt buckle, to the weapon. He then drew three cards from his belt and swiped them across the slot in the Chalice Rouzer.

**"FLOAT! DRILL! TORNADO!"** the Chalice Rouzer called before announcing, **"SPINNING DANCE!"**

A tornado spun around Necros-Chalice as Breaker lunged for him, only to miss as Necros-Chalice went airborne. Necros-Chalice then came down with both legs stretched out and spinning like a drill before hitting Breaker violently in the chest. The impact was so powerful that Breaker was sent flying several feet before he tumbled along the ground and stopped, lying face-up. Necros-Chalice reverted back to Necros and strode towards Breaker who struggled back to his feet.

"Dammit…" Breaker cursed and then he gulped as the tip of Necros' Ankh Sword rested against his throat.

"Yield," demanded Necros.

"I DON'T THINK SO!" Breaker roared back as the ground suddenly exploded as something burst out. Necros was knocked backwards and once the curtain dust and dirt cleared he saw a giant, mechanical centipede next to Breaker, poised to attack. Breaker then leapt up and straightened his legs as the centipede's jaws opened with and the NUMBER's legs slid into the gap before the mandibles locked him in. Now combined with his Centipedroid unit, Breaker was much more powerful and dangerous. The tips of the Centipedroid unit's legs began firing rapid shots of energy at Necros and he deflected them with his Ankh Sword. Breaker then rushed forward, slashing Necros across the chest, knocking him on his back. The Centipedroid's legs then grabbed hold of Necros and dragged him along the ground as Breaker howled with laughter.

"HAH! LIKE EVERY OTHER HERO, YOU'RE JUST A WEAK IDIOT!" called out Breaker as he sent electricity coursing through the Centipedroid legs holding Necros, causing him to cry out. He then released the injured Rider and let him fall. "OWARI DA!" shouted Breaker as he went for the kill only for a sudden blizzard to hit him with immense force. He was instantly frozen solid.

"Huh?" Necros said confuse as his armor turned transparent and faded nothingness, returning him to Leon once more. He turned his head to see Yuki walking towards them.

"Wow, instant freeze," Shinichi commented.

"Why did you save me?" Leon asked Yuki.

Yuki glared before slapping him hard across the face, her eyes glowing with a bright blue light before the weather grew cold and winds began blowing.

"What kind of friend would I be if I let you die?" she growled. "And what kind of man are you for abandoning Aphrodite again. She's searched for you because she loves you, yet you would throw your life away without a care in the world!" A blizzard kicked in response to Yuki's increasing anger, parts of the area freezing over completely. "Do her feelings mean nothing to you?-! Does life mean nothing to you?" Tears began to roll down her face and froze on her cheeks.

"Life doesn't mean anything to me!" he snapped. "I left Aphrodite to keep her safe! I'm a monster! The only purpose to my life is to kill other monsters! And if that kills me, then fine! Just means one less monster in the world."

"If that's true then we're ALL monsters!" she concluded. "Me, Onii-sama, Aphrodite, and the others! Why don't you just try and kill all of us until your satisfied!-?" She grabbed him and locked him in a hug as ice began to creep onto his body. "I call this 'Never Melt Ice'," she said. "It cannot be broken or melted, by anything except Onii-sama or Okaa-sama's flames. If I have to freeze you solid to keep you safe, then so be it."

"You're not monsters…" he struggled to say as the cold built up on him. "Your powers may be cold, but your soul is warm. I'm a monster."

She began to cry, "I just...don't want my friends to die... Onii-sama and I lost another friend once...! We don't want it to happen again...! Never again! So please...PLEASE LIVE!"

The ice recedes off of Leon's body as he and Yuki collapse onto the ground white the white-haired girl crying into Leon's shoulder.

"I'm sorry Yuki. Please don't cry," he soothed as Leon held her.

Aphrodite joined the two as she rubbed Yuki's back as she sobbed.

"There, there, Ms. Yuki," she cooed. "Everything's alright now."

"Phew," Yuji sighed heavily. "I thought we were gonna have another Neo Domino Blizzard..." He watched as Leon and Aphrodite helped his sister calm down. He smiled to himself, satisfied that she had some more friends. Maybe she can open up a little more afterwards. That would be good.

Sora was completely baffled as she gazed at Leon before turning to each of the people who Leon knew. Were they all like him? Were they all like that Yuki girl who was about to bring about winter? The fear began to sink in as she turned tail and ran as fast as she could.

"Hey, where's she going?" Shinichi asked as she ran.

"I think #05's appearance tonight opened a kind of Pandora's Box in Sora's mind," Hana sighed.

"That and the fact that Yuki almost brought about an apocalyptic winter," Yuji frowned. "I know the look in that girl's eyes. That was the look of fear..." He then called over to his sister, "Yuki, break the ice."

"Hai, Onii-sama," she nodded as she got herself back together and approached the trapped Breaker. She put her hand on the ice and it began to crack along the surface before shattering.

Breaker was freed from the ice and he shivered. He then glared at his enemies and prepared to attack them. However, his movements were sluggish. Shinichi, immediately transformed into his armor, drew out his Vulcan Shooter and opened fire on Breaker, hitting him with rapid-fire laser shots which caused him to cry out. He then summoned his Gravity Hammer and jumped up before slamming it down on Breaker's head, knocking him down to the ground. He prepared to finish it off only for Yuji to hold his arm back.

"Let the girls finish him," Yuji suggested, gesturing to Misato, Michiru, and Hana who had already transformed.

"Now, how do we deal with this?" Seras asked as she rubbed her chin before snapping her fingers. "I got it! Hey, let's do _that_," Seras suggested.

"Oh, it's been a long time since we did _that_," Arachnea nodded.

Carmen understood what her friends were suggesting and was jumping for joy. "Let's try _that_!"

"COMBO HISSATSU!" they chorused.

Arachnea used her spider webbing to create a trampoline before she and the other two jumped on it and were propelled upwards. Everyone looked up as the three female Riders reached the apex of their jump before they came down, posed for flying kicks. Then, their Spark Cores burst with light as energy swirled around all three of them, taking the form of a drill.

**"TRIPLE...RIDER...OTOME...ATTACK!"**

Breaker saw the attack coming and tried to flee. However, it was already too late as the rotating energy drill struck with his Centipedroid taking the full brunt of the attack. The explosion seemed to swallow him up before spitting him out and sending him crashing violently with black soot all over his armor.

The three female NUMBERS then stood and did a victory pose.

"Kuso..." Breaker cursed as his armor shattered. He tried to limp away only to he grabbed by the back of his shirt by Yuji.

"Where do you think you're going, buddy?" Yuji dead-panned. He twisted him around and delivered a crushing headbutt that knocked Goemon out cold.

"Wow, one hit," Ruby blinked in amazement.

"Yeah, I've got a pretty hard head," Yuji nodded.

"I can't wait to find out~," Seras purred as her armor melted and was already hugging Yuji from behind, smashing her boobs against his back.

"Can I interrogate him?" Kurumu asked excitedly.

"NO!" everyone chorused.

* * *

><p>"So, the dancing fool got himself caught," a young man spoke as he watched from a distance. He had neatly combed blonde hair and wore a white buttoned down shirt with short sleeves with a black tie. He also wore grey slacks and loafers. His hands were in his pockets as his eyes narrowed and focused upon Misato, Michiru, and Hana. "Hmph, I knew those bitches would defect one day," he sneered. Then he viewed Shinichi with upmost hatred, "#13…how dare you look happy?" His eyes then focused on the girls that were with Shinichi and he smirked. "Well then, you've surrounded yourself with quite the beauties…they should be mine!" He licked his lips and as his tongue hung out, a Roman numeral tattoo could be seen on it. It looked like an 'X'. He then stepped back into the darkness to plan.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER DATABASE<strong>

"Ciao, mi amici (Hello, my friends)!" Aphrodite greeted with a bow. "It is so nice to be here hosting the newest entry for the Kamen Rider Database, so I will do my best!" she moved to the side as the screen displayed Chalice. "This is Kamen Rider Chalice, the legendary Mantis Undead. While he wasn't evil per say, he was one of the most feared out of all the Undead. Like the Riders of the Board of Archaeological Research Department, or BOARD for short, Chailice uses the power of the Rouze Cards to fight. His weapon is called the Chailice Arrow, and it can shoot lasers and even functions as a sword. He also has an Ultimate Form called Wild Chalice. Outside of its combat practicality, Wild Chalice serves an even more vital purpose to Chalice. Thanks to the additional power of Wild Chalice, he can suppress the power of the Joker and effectively subdue its influence. To that effect, Wild Chalice becomes an extension of the Joker's 'Trump' effect and can harness the powers of all Rouze Cards in the form of the Wild Card."

"Next we have Scanner," Aphrodite continued as the Leech Rider appeared. "He is the weakest of the NUMBERS and he has no weapons to call his own, but he does have the power to copy the unique abilities of other people and use them as if they were his own." The screen showed Scanner copying Mizore's Youki and then using her ice generation to freeze Showa. "Of course, he does not make well use of the powers which he copies."

The screen switched to another Rider appearing, "This is Kamen Rider Breaker, otherwise known as #05 or Centipede. He's a violent fighter who uses dance skills to fight and is armed with a sword on his gauntlets. He also has the ability to transform into a centipede-like-tank that is nigh unstoppable, and has cannons on both his shoulders. Pah! But my darling Leon would have defeated him easily. He just got of lucky. Well, that is all the Riders we have for today. See you-"

"Hold on, you forgot someone!" Michru said as she ran up from the left side of the room.

"I am?" Aphrodite blinked as Parasyte appeared on the screen. She frowned, "Oh, him."

"#03, also known as Parasyte," began Hana as she walked in from the right, "He's one of the NUMBERS' demolition experts."

"One of them?" Aphrodite inquired.

"#12, but we'll get to him later," Hana replied. "#03 enjoys explosives and toys so he decides to combine them, resulting in these." The screen showed toy soldiers, toy monkeys and toy rabbits marching into the mall before exploding. "Dangerous explosives disguised as harmless toys, and nobody will see them coming."

"How awful," stated Aphrodite.

"Indeed, and that's just his explosives. Parasyte body is also a hive for a swarm of tick-like nanobots which he can control at will. He normally use them as miniature explosives by ordering them to enter the bodies of his victims. He can also use those nanobots to repair himself."

"Pretty useful," stated Aphrodite.

"And deadly too!" added Michiru. "He's also got these daggers he can use to fight up close and personal."

"Well, more NUMBERS are on the way," Aphrodite informed, "so don't miss a beat!"

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: Now the gang has one of the NUMBERS captured. Wonder what they'll do now? Will they be getting any information out of Goemon? Also, what about Sora? Why did she freak out? Stay tune for more Showa and Vampire next time!<strong>


	24. Family: Double Date Disaster

**Chapter 24: Double Date Disaster**

"_Hey, #00! Wait up!" called #09 as he caught up to his fellow NUMBERS member._

"_Oh, hey, #09," said #00._

"_Heard you had a meeting with the superiors. What was that about?" #09 asked curiously._

"_Oh, nothing much. I can't really talk about it really," replied#00. "Top secret stuff."_

"_A lot of the stuff here is top secret. I mean I can't even look into the girls' locker room," stated #09._

_#00 gave #09 a leveled stare, "You tried to peep on the girls?"_

"_Well, I thought we had maybe some X-Ray vision upgrades, but it turns out the walls are lined with lead," #09 remarked._

_Meanwhile, several GS-Soldiers were running by. "I guess they figured some of the agents will-" #00 was cut off when one of the GS-Soldiers accidentally bumped into him. "Hey, soldier!"_

"_Oh, sorry, sir," the GS-Soldier apologized._

"_What's going on? Where is everyone going?" asked #00._

"_#13 is going up against #10, #06 and #12 on the training room floor. We're going to watch!" The GS-Soldier called to his friends, "Hey guys, wait up!" He then ran after them._

"_Three on one?" #00 questioned._

"_I got to see this," said #09 eagerly._

* * *

><p><em>#13, in his black armor stood with a Gravity Hammer as #10, #06 and #12 charged at him carrying the same weapon. Once they were in range, he pushed them all down with a swing of his hammer, knocking them onto their backs.<em>

_#00 and #09 entered the observation deck and #00 said, "There wasn't a training session scheduled for today." The rest of the NUMBERS were watching as well._

"_It's impromptu," answered #04, "Gebok had it arranged for #13."_

_Back on the training room floor, #13 had the shaft of his hammer pulled back against #10's throat before drawing his weapon back and hitting him like a golfer would a golf club and sent him crashing into #12 and #06. They went down like bowling pins._

_A computerized voice spoke, "Ending Round 1. Point to #13."_

_The scoreboard showed Team 1: 0 and #13: 1._

"_Next round: hand to hand combat."_

_#13 flexed his fingers as he stood in place, facing #12, #10 and #06._

"_OK, guys. This should be easy," spoke #12. "#06, why don't you flank him from the left and-" He was unable to finish as #06 charged forward and was then sent flying by a blow. "Or you can get him mobilized first. #10, I'll back you up and then we can-" #10 also charged in and was sent flying like #06 earlier. "Or you could do that." He shook his head and looked up to see #13 staring him down. "Oh, crap-OOF!" He was knocked face-first into the floor._

_The three got back up and started attacking together. Despite having #13 outnumbered he obviously had them outmatched in terms of skill. He beat them back with a combination of punches and kicks. He hit #10 in the chest, causing him to double over before rolling off his back to hit #06 in the face with a kick. He then spun around and backhanded #12. #10 and #06 charged at him from both sides but he executed a perfect split kick that sent them flying backwards. It wasn't that he had them outmatched. They were just uncoordinated._

"_Wow!" #11 was astounded. "Did you see that?"_

"_I call it luck," #04 dismissed._

"_Somebody sounds jealous," #09 remarked._

"_Ending Round 2. Point to #13."_

_Team 1: 0_

_#13: 2_

"_Reconfiguring training room floor for 'Stun Gun' Scenario."_

"_Damn, stun guns. I hate those things," #09 grimaced._

"_Stings like a bitch," remarked #04._

"_And it makes your armor hard like a rock," said #08._

"_The only chance to win something like this is to not let those blasts hit," stated #01. He snorted, "Good luck with that."_

_Several 6 foot tall pillars rose up from the floor to provide cover. On one end stood #13 and on the other end stood #10, #12 and #06. They pressed themselves up against their own pillars as #12 tried to make up a plan for them, "OK, #06, you go and-" He paused as #06 went charging to attack only to be sent flying with a stun blast and paralyzed, "Rush in unprepared and get killed. Ready? Break. Good job everyone." He witnessed #10 charge right in as well and get stunned. Groaning, he muttered, "This is going to be a long day. I can't believe I volunteered for this crap." He went ahead, looking around carefully for any signs of #13. He thought he heard movement behind him and spun around, taking aim. "Where are you?" He asked and then he turned and saw a gun barrel staring him right in the face. "Oh, sonova-"_

_**BANG!**_

_It went without saying that the next few rounds weren't going in the trio's favor. With #12 desperately trying to get them to work together and #10 and #06's insistence of doing things their own way, they all went down quite easily. #13 didn't even have to exert any effort as he stunned them each and every time._

"_Hey, #10. Do you see him?" #12 whispered to a stunned #10 and then he felt a gun pressed against the back of his skull. "Never mind, I think I know where he is."_

_**BANG!**_

_Team 1: 0_

_#13: 8_

_#10 and #06 went to reload their weapons as #12 spoke, "Looks like #13 is really kicking our butts out there, huh?" #06 and#10 put down the clips containing the stun rounds and instead loaded their guns with different clips. "Huh, guys? Hey, what are you doing?"_

_The training session restarted and #10 and #06 opened fire on #13, this time with live rounds that chipped off bits of the pillars._

"_Are they using live rounds?" questioned #00 in shock._

"_Looks like it," remarked #04._

"_But that's against protocol! #13 will get killed out there!" shouted #00._

"_Probably," remarked #04, uncaringly._

"_Someone has to stop it!" insisted #00._

"_Relax," said #08. "#13 can handle it."_

_#13 took cover as the bullets zipped past him. He frowned and then looked over his shoulder to return fire, dodging and rolling to the next pillar for cover. He then felt a hand on his shoulder and spun around to glare at #12. "Hey, easy! I'm just trying to help!" said #12._

"_I don't require assistance," said #13 as he went to engage the two NUMBERS firing at him. He leapt from pillar to pillar, drawing their fire as they tried to follow._

_#12 could only watch and when he tried to intervene he got shot in the foot for his troubles by #10 and then pistol whipped. Seeing an opening, #13 fired stun rounds at #10, completely immobilizing him but then #06 came out of nowhere and shot at his hand, disarming him painfully. #13 rolled away and picked up his gun before firing at #06's gun-holding arm. He (#06) then punched at him (#13) only to be hit with several more stun rounds but before he was paralyzed he tossed a grenade which then exploded. #12 was blasted backwards by the explosion._

"_DAMMIT, THOSE MANIACS!" shouted #08._

"_We need a medical team down here in the training room, stat!" #00 spoke into an intercom._

* * *

><p>It flew over the city, looking for its master. The poor creature was exhausted but it wouldn't give up. Its master was in this city. It just had to find him or all would be for nothing. It perched itself atop the rood of a house, its eyes scanning as its short antennae switched about. It then took to the air again, its green wings buzzing as it soared through the night's sky.<p>

It spoke in beeps as it continued its search. Its master was here, it could sense him. It just knew it would find him soon. Soon, it would be reunited with its beloved master and they would be together as they should be.

* * *

><p>Leon searched through the streets for Sora, searching through the night before he found her at the shrine, dressed in her hakama and sweeping the cobblestone floors.<p>

"Hello, Sora," he waved to get her attention.

The miko "eeped" and made a run for it that failed due to Leon blurring in front of her. It turned into a goose chase as he chased the frightened girl around the shrine.

"Sora, please stop running and listen to what I have to say," he pleaded.

"No, I won't!" she refused as she continued running from him. She failed to notice her tripping over the top step and she screamed as she was about to fall if Leon hadn't caught her by the wrist. He pulled her into an embrace as she was panting from the exhaustion of running.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"What…what's going on…?" she asked, "What are you people?"

"They are 'heroes'," Leon answered.

"And what does that make you?" she asked.

"A monster," he answered simply.

"A monster?" Sora stared at him in confusion. "What makes you say that?"

Leon released her and said, "Unlike them I've done horrible things. That's all you need to know. From now on you shouldn't follow me around. It's better this way." With that said he turned on his heels and walked away from the stunned miko.

"A monster…you're wrong," she whispered. Still what could he have done that would make him think that way?

* * *

><p>Leon was walking back when he heard the small patter of paws next to him. He looked and saw an Egyptian jackal walking alongside him. It had fur that was as black as night, and its eyes had a golden glow with black narrowed pupils. "Hello Anubis," said Leon with a sigh.<p>

"_Greetings Scion. It took some time to find you_," replied the jackal in a growling voice.

"Perhaps I didn't want to be found," Leon retorted.

"_You still have a job to do_," Anubis reminded him, "_The forces of the Red One gather and prepare for war. Darkness and Chaos await on the horizon_."

"I know. You're the ones that pulled me into this war. I'll fight when the time comes. But until then, I have my own demons to slay."

Anubis was silent for a moment. "_You know, that Sora-human was rather attractive. Her hips are very suitable for childbirth_."

Leon grumbled, "Shut up you dirty old jackal."

"_You could produce many children with her. Same with the Aphrodite-dragon._" And with a wisp of smoke, the Lord of the Dead was gone.

Leon let out another sigh. "Such an obnoxious old god."

* * *

><p>The group returned to the Dragon's Den with their prisoner, Goemon Jaga. Netto and Qiao were also present, having been called over by Yuji. At the suggestion of Misato, a pair of Stasis Cuffs was put on his wrists and he put in a chair. They couldn't risk the guy going berserk. Shinichi didn't really recognize Goemon but there was a sense of familiarity. The female cyborgs knew him well though.<p>

"So, what can you girls tell me about him?" Yuji asked.

"His name Goemon Jaga, aka #05, aka Breaker," answered Misato.

"And his specialty?" Yuji asked.

"Close Quarters Combat," Hana answered this time. "He was among the fastest of us. He moves like lightning with kicks and punches."

"And the dancing?" Yuji prompted.

"Something he picked up on the streets. He saw it, liked it, and decided to incorporate it into his fighting style. You can see how effective it is in battle," Michiru replied.

"And he hates me," Shinichi concluded. "Can't say I blame him. I did kill him."

"But Shinichi-kun…" Moka said trying to soothe him.

"But what, Moka-chan? Tell him that Gebok made me do it? I doubt that would change a thing," Shinichi said.

"How can you be sure?" she asked.

"Because humans are stubborn and can hold a grudge," he told her.

"Well, we're going to have to wake him up," said Yuji. "He knows things, things we can use to fight GIN-SHOCKER."

"I doubt he'll be generous with that info," said Qiao, folding her arms behind her back.

"We'll have to interrogate him then," decided Yuji and then he glared at Kurumu, "And not _your_ way."

Kurumu pouted but then she felt Shinichi put a comforting hand on her shoulder. She smiled.

"What about Leon?" Mizore asked.

"What about me?" Leon responded as he suddenly appeared behind the group.

"AHHHHH!" Everyone screamed as the swiftly turned to face him.

"Jesus! You scared the crap out of me!" Gin exclaimed. He didn't even sense his aura.

"How the hell did you come in here without us noticing?-!" Michiru demanded as her heart rate decreased. She was very good at knowing when people were approaching, so this was something new for her, and she didn't like it.

"Most would say I scare the life out of them," Leon remarked, a rare smile of amusement on his face. His expression returned to its stoic state as he then asked, "Well, does anyone want to ask me something?"

"Why didn't you tell us you were a Rider?" Mizore asked.

"Because I never wanted anyone to know," he answered, "Until tonight that is. Until tonight I wasn't sure who I could trust."

"I understand," said Shinichi. "We're called Kamen Riders for a reason. We wear masks to protect our identities."

"We Kamen Riders are tormented heroes who fight for justice and hide in the shadows," Netto continued. "Although there are some other Kamen Riders out there who aren't so tormented and fight for others just because they want to, not to mention other Kamen Riders who abuse their powers for selfish reasons."

"What these two guys are saying that you're still Kamen Rider just like the six of us," Yuji added, referring to himself, Shinichi, Netto, Hana, Michiru and Misato. "You can trust us indefinitely. You can even trust the girls too!"

Leon glanced at the unconscious Goemon and asked, "So, what do you all plan to do with him?"

"Make him tell us things about GIN-SHOCKER," answered Mizore.

"We've already encountered #05 and #03, so only Numbers 00, 02, 04, 06, 08, 09, 10, and 12 remain," Hana said as she counted with her fingers, "We need to know what they're up to."

"Cheh, you're wasting your time," sneered Goemon as he opened his eyes.

"How long were you awake?" Shinichi asked.

"Your screaming woke me up," Goemon answered, a sharp death glare aimed at the Cicada Cyborg. "For crying out loud, even when I'm bound to arms I still can't get a decent rest around here."

"Always the wise guy, huh Goemon?" Misato quipped as she crossed her arms. "Alright, let's cut to chase. We need to know what the others are up to. Now spill."

"Why the hell should I tell you?" the Centipede Cyborg spat. "More importantly, why are you with HIM?" he continued, referring to Shinichi, "Did you already forget what he did to us?"

"A lot of things happened," Michiru shrugged, "We couldn't report back after we failed to assassinate Spiky-kun and we had no other place to go. You know the rules. Besides, Shinichi-kun isn't the same as he was back in GIN-SHOCKER. He isn't really the one to blame either." She decided to take up on Mizore's request and call Shinichi by his name instead of his designation. Still felt odd to her, but they were no longer agents of GIN-SHOCKER, so there was no reason to exclude him.

"And in case you didn't notice, we paralyzed you with the Stasis Cuffs," Hana added. "You are in no position to make demands."

"I could always just keep my mouth shut," scoffed Goemon. "I still can't believe you would team up with the same guy who killed us."

"Like Michiru said a lot has happened," stated Hana, "Situations change. GIN-SHOCKER's the real enemy."

"How can you say that when they've given us so much power?" Goemon asked.

"Did we even have a choice?" Michiru asked. She paused before adding, "OK, maybe some of us did but not all of us."

"We were forced into Project NUMBERS," Hana added and she was unhappy about it. "They did horrible things to us."

"They made us kill many people, both innocent and guilty," Shinichi continued.

"And we were treated as objects nowhere near as humans," Misato finished. "Basically, the girls and I never liked GIN-SHOCKER in the first place, so when the opportunity to defect came, we went for it."

"And you can do the same," Shinichi nodded. "You have a will. You don't have to listen to some voice in the shadows."

Goemon glared at Shinichi and said, "Do you know what my life was like before GIN-SHOCKER? My father was a drunk who would beat me. One day I decided I couldn't take it anymore. So, one night, as he slept I slit his throat."

He could hear gasps of shock.

"Oh, don't be so surprised!" he sneered, "He would cut me with his broken beer bottles whenever he was in the mood. I just gave him what he deserved."

"But what happened afterwards?" Yukari asked.

"I survived. I did what I had to do. I picked pockets but then I picked the wrong pocket and ended up being taken to GIN-SHOCKER by Dr. Mashai."

"His handler," Misato clarified.

"Yes, he made me into a cyborg but at least I got what I always wanted," said Goemon. "He gave me power, power so that I wouldn't become a victim anymore!"

"But what about all the other people you hurt?" Ruby demanded. "The people you killed?"

"Like I said, I did what I had to do to get by," Goemon answered. He then scoffed at Ruby's statement, "And aren't you one of those witches who tried to wipe out an entire city of humans? What gives you the right to judge me?"

"One of the witches?" Hana muttered as she looked at the elder witch. "So Ruby is a witch?" She always thought that Ruby was a Goth like her.

"I was one of the witches. I won't deny it," Ruby nodded. "But then I was shown how foolish it was to attack other humans simply because of what happened to my parents. I've change for the better. Even Hana-chan, Michiru-chan, and Misato-chan have changed. You can too."

"Sorry, but it ain't that easy," grimaced Goemon.

"What do you mean?" Shinichi asked.

"Do you really think I'm as stupid as you, to go against GIN-SHOCKER? They've got branches all over the world and an army you can't scoff at. I'd be a dead man if I went against them. I don't know about you all, but I prefer to live. You all can go against GIN-SHOCKER and get killed if you want but I'd rather stick to the winning side," Goemon retorted.

"You're not exactly in a winning position either," Misato pointed out.

"I'm just a soldier, a small piece of the whole," Goemon retorted. "You should know how powerful the executive members are. We're nothing compared to them. Then there's the Great Leader. You wanna go against GIN-SHOCKER? Be my guest. It's your funeral."

"At least we're brave enough to want freedom," said Michiru.

"Freedom? You're being hunted down by GIN-SHOCKER," Goemon argued. "That's not freedom. You're just fugitives on the run and I want no part of that."

"But you can't go back to GIN-SHOCKER either," Hana pointed out. "They have zero tolerance for failure. What do you think they'll do to you when you return without accomplishing your mission?"

Goemon's teeth gritted, "Damn it… since you put it that way… looks like I have no other choice, do I?"

"I don't think we should force him," said Shinichi and everyone look to him in surprise. "Well, we're just forcing him to decide. That's not really fair, is it?"

"What do you suggest then?" questioned Misato.

"We release him," said Shinichi, deciding finally.

"And what if he comes after you again?" Moka asked.

"Let him," Shinichi resolved. "I don't care if he comes after me. If he wants to keep on trying to kill me that's his business. But…" He eyed Goemon with the fiercest, coldest glare he could muster, "If he goes after any innocents, especially those I care about, I will kill him."

"Still coldhearted as ever, #13," Goemon scoffed, not at all surprised.

"If I was coldhearted I would just kill you now and save myself the trouble," Shinichi retorted, "I'm giving you a chance to live, don't waste it." He corrected, "Oh, and the name's Shinichi now. Shinichi Banabara."

"Shinichi, huh?" Goemon repeated. "Well since we're now in first name bases, the name's Goemon Jaga."

"I know that already," said Shinichi. "Get the cuffs off him. It's not right to keep him like that."

"Are you sure?" Misato asked.

"He's outnumbered and outmatched right now," Shinichi said logically, "Fighting us now would just be suicide. Unlock the cuffs."

Misato sighed, "You really have changed, Shinichi. Though if it's for the better or worse, I really don't know." She went behind the chair that was keeping Goemon bound and undid the lock. Finally freed, Goemon rubbed his wrists and glared at Shinichi. Shinichi stared back as a tense moment of silence passed between them. Finally, Goemon sighed.

All of a sudden he lunged forward. He grabbed Shinichi and wrapped an arm around his neck before activating the armor on his right arm. A blade slid out, pointing at Shinichi's face. Everyone was stunned by this latest development. Well, almost everyone.

"Goemon!" shouted Michiru, "What are you doing!-?"

"I failed GIN-SHOCKER so even if I choose to abandon the organization or go back I'm dead either way," said Goemon, "But if I deliver #13 to them then maybe I'll have a chance."

"Goemon, don't be stupid," said Misato.

"Shut up!" Goemon snapped. "I don't know how you were convinced to leave GIN-SHOCKER but I don't want any part of it! Once I deliver #13 to them I will be rewarded!"

"Is that what you really think?" Yuji questioned as he stepped forward.

"Stay back!" Goemon warned, "Stay back or I slit his throat."

"You do that and you're not leaving here alive," threatened Yuji.

"Goemon…" began Shinichi.

"Shut up, you!" Goemon yelled.

"Goemon, I want you to listen to me. Why do you think GIN-SHOCKER has a zero tolerance for failure?" Shinichi questioned.

"It's so they can keep us in line," Goemon stated, "It's been like that since day one. We've been drilled about it."

"And have you ever failed a mission before?" Shinichi asked.

"Not until today," murmured Goemon. "What's your damn point?"

"Goemon, you all are just expendable to GIN-SHOCKER," said Shinichi.

"No…we're elite…"

"Then why was I ordered to kill all of you?" Shinichi asked. "Yes, I remember, but vaguely. The reason why I killed you all was because GIN-SHOCKER didn't need you all anymore."

"No…you killed us because…!" Goemon paused suddenly, stumped.

"It seems I'm not the only one with a faulty memory," Shinichi observed. "Goemon, the reason you all were revived is to capture me, that's it. Of course, from experience, that would almost be an impossible task. Believe it or not, they were practically sending you all to your deaths. If I was able to kill all of you while I was outnumbered, what chance did any of you have individually? You're all just expendable pieces that can be discarded and replaced. It was a suicide mission from the start."

Goemon trembled with each word spoken by Shinichi, "But…my reward…"

"Once you deliver me to GIN-SHOCKER, they'll reprogram me and have you killed once your usefulness has ended," Shinichi continued. "Like I said, we're all expendable and I'm just a weapon in the end. At the end of the day we're all just tools."

Goemon loosened his grip on Shinichi and stepped back before dropping to his knees. Shinichi stepped around his old comrade as the girls were immediately at his side.

"Shinichi-kun, are you okay?" Moka asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I'm fine," said Shinichi. "Now, Goemon, have you decided on what you want to do? You can either go back or die, or at least fight for this new life. What's your decision?"

"I die either way," scoffed Goemon.

"At least you'll go down fighting for the right reasons," Shinichi argued.

"Ugh…" Goemon groaned as he rose to his feet. "I guess I'll give you the information you want. For starters, I don't know where 00, 02, 08, and 09 are. They went missing along with Dr. Magi."

"Dr. Magi?" Shinichi questioned.

"One of Project NUMBERS' scientists," Michiru explained, "He was also #09's handler. He's a really nice guy."

"Not as nice as Dr. Washam," added Misato, some haughtiness in her voice.

"A matter of opinion, Misato," Michiru replied.

"Yeah, and I suggest you watch out for them, especially #08. He's got a grudge against you," Goemon told Shinichi. "They could show up at anytime."

"Noted," Shinichi nodded.

"There's also #10 and #12 you need to look out for," Goemon continued, "They were dispatched alongside with me. They'll most like try to pick up my slack and come after you. Watch out for #12 though, he's more pissed at you than #08 is. Everyone else is on standby."

"Oh joy," Kurumu spoke with deep sarcasm, rolling her eyes.

"Alright, thanks for the heads up," Shinichi said. "So what will you do now?"

"Honestly…" Goemon sighed as he put his hands in his pockets, "I don't know."

* * *

><p>Shinichi was heading back to the hotel with his friends as Mizore asked, "Shinichi, was it a good idea to just let him go?"<p>

Shinichi replied, "Who? Goemon? Yeah, I think so."

"But he threatened you," added Mizore.

"Mizore-chan, the NUMBERS…we're all the same," said Shinichi. "GIN-SHOCKER took us when we were children and turned us into cyborgs to be used as tools. They're in the same boat as me. I have to help them."

"Help them?" Kurumu asked. "Why? They seem more interested in capturing you, killing you, or both."

"Well, the girls were convinced otherwise. Maybe if I just reach out to them they'll change," said Shinichi.

"Shinichi-kun, you're very kind, but not everyone will react kindly to you," stated Moka.

"Doesn't hurt to try," said Shinichi. "I sure hope Goemon will be safe now."

"Maybe…" Kurumu nodded.

"Now that's over and done with," Yukari said as she latched on to Shinichi, "You still have to take me and Moka-san on dates, remember?"

"Yeah, that's right," Shinichi agreed, remembering that he had to take Moka and Yukari on their respective dates.

* * *

><p>It was the next day, and there was a line forming in front of a bookstore. Shiori Banabara was due to show up soon for another book signing. In the line, comprised of her fans, was a teenage boy with spiky brown hair, wearing a green t-shirt, grey cargo pants and sneakers. He carried a backpack filled with Shiori's works and was shaking in anticipations.<p>

"Oh, I can't wait to shake her hand!" he said, grinning from ear to ear. It was obvious that he was a diehard fan.

"_Yokoshima, do you really think it's a good idea?_" a voice from his pocket asked. He pulled out his cell phone and staring back at him was an image of a woman. She was very pretty and had short purple hair. What made her very distinctive was that she was rendered in 3D CGI and had pink skin with purple tribal lines running over her body.

"Oh, don't worry, Sheila," Yokoshima said, "I won't be out long."

"_Still, I worry. What if they find you?_" Sheila asked.

"Then I'll do what I always do!"

The doors began to open and Yokoshima, along with the rest of the fans, entered to meet with their idol.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Shinichi was getting ready for his next date. Last night's straw drawing had yielded another winner.<p>

"You lucky bastard," commented Gin, "You're going out with Moka-chan."

"Yeah, I am lucky," smiled Shinichi. "Not sure if I deserve it though."

"I don't think you do," stated Gin, mostly out of envy rather than spite.

"My last two dates have been ruined," Shinichi sighed. "I just pray this doesn't get interrupted by a psycho like before. Third time's the charm."

"With all these psycho cyborgs gunning for you, that might not even be a possibility," Gin said. "Still, let's hope for the best."

Shinichi was in blue jeans and wearing a half black and half white buttoned up shirt. He also wore his trademark scarf to finish off the look. "Oh, Gin, did you get the strangest feeling you were being watched last night?"

"No," Gin replied. "Why?"

Shinichi shook his head, "Never mind."

* * *

><p>Moka's choice of dress for her date with Shinichi was a simple red sundress with pink sandals. Shinichi thought it looked nice on her, just like everything else she wore. Hell it might even be impossible for Moka to look bad in anything. They way that the guys who were passing by looked at her was evident enough.<p>

"So, Moka-chan," Shinichi began with that smile that made her blush, "Maybe we can catch a movie or something?"

"That sounds nice," Moka nodded shyly.

"Cool," Shinichi nodded as he pointed forward, "We're already here."

Moka blinked as he looked forward. "Isn't that Netto and Qiao?"

"Huh?" Shinchi blinked as he looked forward. "Hey, you're right! Hey you two!"

At the back of the line in front of them, Netto and Qiao were waiting to get their tickets. Netto was dressed in a black shirt with three green dots running along it, black jeans and grey sneakers. Qiao was in a blue figure hugging blouse with a black mini skirt, blue leggings and blue heeled sneakers. Her hair was also done in a cute braid and went over her shoulder. The couple turned around and waved back.

"Hey, Shinichi, Moka-chan," Netto waved. "So still on that dating system, huh?"

"Yeah," said Shinichi, rubbing the back of his head with one hand, his other hand in Moka's. The vampire girl had a pink blush on her cheek.

"Hehe, good for you," Qiao smiled, "It must be really nice to have so many girls who adore you."

"You've got no idea," Shinichi chuckled.

'_I'm on a real date with Shinichi-kun_,' thought Moka happily as she looked at Shinichi's smiling face. He looked so happy right now, just talking to Netto. It was hard to believe he was a super cyborg from appearance alone and the thought of what he might've endured broke Moka's heart. How could someone so kind go through so much suffering? It was true that Shinichi may have perhaps blood on his hands but that was in the past. Was his amnesia a blessing in disguise? Was he meant to forget those horrible things? It didn't seem to matter now. His past was catching up to him and that was what worried Moka. With each memory, a forbidden door was being opened. Would Shinichi be able to face his past?

He seemed to be handling it well but that was on the surface. Last night he had spoken about the NUMBERS, how they were his comrades even if he didn't remember them much and even if they hated him. He wanted to save them from GIN-SHOCKER. She thought it was noble but her inner self thought it was just naïve idealism.

"Hey, Moka?" the pinkette blinked out of her thoughts at Qiao's voice, "Something wrong? You were spacing out."

"Oh, it's nothing," Moka blushed again.

The line moved and Moka and Shinichi bought their tickets. Coincidentally, it was the same movie Qiao and Netto were watching. They were also seated in the same row.

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry you couldn't go out on a date with Shinichi, Yukari-chan," Ruby said to the younger witch as they went to Witch's Knoll.<p>

"Oh, it's alright. As long as it's Moka-san I don't have any complaints," said Yukari with a cheerful smile. "Me, Shinichi-san and Moka-san are all going to be lovers after all."

"If you say so…" Ruby sweetdropped nervously.

"The sunflowers still look so beautiful," Yukari admired as she looked around. "Thank you for bringing me up here."

"It was my pleasure, and Master would've wanted me to care for her beloved sunflowers when she was gone," said Ruby.

As they went in further, they found someone sleeping in the middle of the path. He was large and muscular, wearing a flannel shirt, blue jeans and hiking boots. His face was hidden by a scarf and he wore a snowcap so the only thing visible would be the area around his, currently, closed eyes.

"A man?" Ruby asked, "What is he doing sleeping here?" Yukari went to check. "Yukari-chan?"

"I don't think he's asleep, Ruby-san," said Yukari. "I think he's in a coma."

She then heard his stomach growl.

"He's starving!" Yukari observed. The man's eyes slowly opened. "Oh, you're awake…?" The man didn't speak but instead pulled out a wooden sign out of nowhere and held it up for both witches to see. "Food," Yukari read. "You need food?" The strange man nodded. "Ruby-san, do we have any food?"

Ruby had a picnic basket packed for her and Yukari to share. Nothing special, just some sandwiches and drinks. "Yes, I do," said Ruby. This man really did need their help and he was starving.

* * *

><p>"Leave #13 to me. You can have a go at that friend of his."<p>

"Who put you in charge?"

"God did!"

"Che, whatever."

* * *

><p>Somehow, it had turned into a double date as both couples went to the same restaurant together. They had picked Café La Salle for their afternoon meal.<p>

"So, how come we didn't see you at the Summer Festival?" Shinichi asked.

"Oh, we had to meet with Batou and Togusa for another training run," Qiao answered.

"Batou and Togusa?" Moka asked.

"Friends of my mom," Netto said, picking at his stack. "They worked in her unit too. They taught us everything we know about hand to hand combat."

"And it's a big help, too!" Qiao added.

"You two seem to know each other really well," Shinichi noted as he sipped at his drink.

"Well that's childhood romance for you," Qiao said as she rested her head on Netto's shoulder fondly, "We've known each other since we we're four after all."

"Wow, so you've know each other for that long?" Shinichi blinked. "When did you first meet?"

"I had gotten lost in the woods at one point and I was pretty scared," Netto began, taking a bite out of his meal, "Then I ran into this fox cub with golden fur and bright blue eyes. It was the oddest thing to see a fox walking around like that, until she spoke and asked me why I was crying."

"The fox spoke?" Shinichi blinked.

"Turned out that she was a fox demon, but I thought she was really cute, which I said outright," Netto replied.

Qiao giggled as her cheeks slowly turned red.

"Wait," Moka began, noticing the Chinese girl's reaction, "Does that mean you are…?"

"Yeah, I'm that very fox demon that he thought was cute," Qiao replied with a coy smile. "When he said that my demon form looked cute, I started having a crush on him. I asked if he wanted to play with me and he said yes. Since that day, we came to the same place in the woods to play together. Our parents later found out and gave the approval. My mama and Motoko-san became good friends too."

"She must have been a good person," Shinichi said sympathetically.

"She definitely was," Netto sighed as Qiao wrapped her arm around him.

"Mama was really sad on the day Motoko-san died," Qiao said. "She hates it when people close to her die. But she was glad that I still got my Airen."

"She even went as far as saying that I could call her 'Okaa-san'," Netto continued. "It seemed like a fine offer."

"She must be a nice lady," Moka guessed.

"She sure is," Netto nodded.

Suddenly, on the TV in the restaurant, there was a special newsflash. Apparently, a monster had appeared in the shopping district and was killing people indiscriminately. Police were on the scene but even they weren't enough to handle the situation as the monster in question brutally cut them down.

"I have to go!" said Shinichi suddenly as he shot up. "Netto, no matter what, protect the girls!" He didn't say another word as he suddenly darted away.

"Wh-what?" Netto stammered.

"Shinichi-kun?" Moka blinked. She looked at the TV and frowned as she saw the monster, "Oh no…"

It was another one of the NUMBERS.

* * *

><p>"<strong>I got lost<strong>," the man answered again using a wooden sign.

"I see," Yukari nodded. While eating, they had to admit that it was strange as he didn't take off his scarf. Was he embarrassed or something? He would always hold the food under his scarf and take large bites. They also realized that he was mute, which was why he was using wooden signs to communicate. What they still couldn't find an explanation for was how he could respond so quickly and where he could hide so many signs on him and how he could pull them out of nowhere.

"What's your name?" asked Ruby.

"**It's Chiaki. Chiaki Yukinojou**_._" He added by spinning his sign around to show what was written on the other side, "**These are very lovely sunflowers**."

"Why did you come up here?" asked Ruby. Chiaki pulled out something from his backpack. It was a sketchbook. He flipped a page and showed the witches what he'd drawn. "You came to draw the sunflowers?" Chiaki nodded.

* * *

><p>The Cyclone-X3 rolled onto the scene and Shinichi grimaced as he saw all the bodies lying on the ground. Police cars laid in pieces along with the police officers who'd responded to the disturbance. His eyes hardened and were focused on the one who'd obviously committed the massacre. He stood a distance away with a pair of pincer-like swords in each hand, dripping with blood.<p>

His brown armor, which was worn over a black bodysuit, was based on a dobsonfly. He had circular spaulders and his torso was styled after a dobsonfly's abdomen. His helmet was styled after a barbute with insectoid eyes and a mouthplate with dobsonfly pincers for horns. Hanging from his back were insect-like wings that hung like cape. An 'X' was on his right shoulder, representing his number. He was # 10 of the NUMBERS, Kamen Rider King.

King spoke, "I knew this would get your attention. When I heard you've acquired a soft spot for these humans I almost didn't believe but here you are."

"You mean to tell me you killed all these people just to call me out?" Shinichi questioned evenly as he tossed his helmet aside.

"Of course," King replied, "Now, #13, it's time we settled this!"

"My name is Shinichi Banabara and I am also known as..." Shinichi summoned his Spark Core, "Let's Ride: Showa!"

King watched as Shinichi transformed and assumed a fighting stance as Showa gripped his Laser Saber. They stared each other down and then with a non verbal signal they charged at each other. Their weapons clashed, resulting in a shower of sparks to erupt as #10 and #13 did battle like they had many times before.

King brandished his blades, an aura of arrogance around him as Showa held his Laser Saber in a reverse grip. He had to keep his emotions in check. While regretful that he couldn't save the people King had slaughtered, he could at least avenge their deaths by sending this bastard to hell.

* * *

><p>"I hope Shinichi-kun will be alright," Moka whispered as the group remained at the restaurant.<p>

"I wouldn't worry so much about it," Netto said to her. "He seems like the kind of guy who can get out of just about any kind of trouble."

"You sound confidant," Qiao commented.

"Of course I do," Netto responded, "I just hope we don't run into some trouble ourselves." As he turned around, his eyes widened as he saw something appear, "Watch out!"

**Ratatatatatatatatatatata!**

Glass shattered as Netto pushed the girls to the ground as they both screamed at the sudden sound of gunfire. The bullets sprayed the people in front of them and a mist of blood seeped out of their wounds as they fell down into lifeless husks.

"Oh... My...!" Moka choked, as she looked at all the bodies.

Netto ran out with Moka and Qiao. He glared as he looked up and pointed, "Up there."

Floating several feet above them was another Rider. He wore a jetpack that had dragonfly wings flanking it, gold armor worn over a black bodysuit, and his legs were joined together to resemble a dragonfly's tail since the toes had sharp tips with a laser gun mounted on his right ankle. His helmet resembled a dragonfly's head with large bulbous eyes. On his helmet was 'XII' and was also on the gold crystal on his belt buckle.

"Time to die, losers!" the Dragonfly Rider sneered as he started to aim his arm mounted machine guns at them.

"Move it!" Netto shouted before the evil Rider had a clear shot at them.

**Ratatatatatatatatatatata!**

"Hey! Hold still!" the Rider snarled as he aimed again.

**Ratatatatatatatatatatata!**

**Ratatatatatatatatatatata!**

With every shot fired, Netto and the two girls swerved around every corner, irritating the trigger happy Rider to no end, not to mention causing chaos and panic around the streets. It was all thanks to Netto's Accelerated Vision. With it, he could see an attack coming faster than anyone else. He can also clearly see fast moving objects that would otherwise be a mere blur to the naked eye. Had he been present during the encounters with Lightning Saix, he would have had a big advantage over the cheetah Cyborg Mutant.

Coming around an alley, Netto reached a door and kicked it down, knocking it off the hinges. "This way! I have an idea, hurry up!" Netto shouted as both girls ran up the steps. Seeing the Dragonfly Rider still flying after them, he went up the stairs.

"I see you!" the Dragonfly Rider grinned. The wings of his jetpack flared brighter as he flew into the door and up the stairs. "Hehehehehe! That's a theatrical projection room, dumbasses! There's nowhere to run from Bomber now!" he cackled. As soon as he reached the room, he trained his guns, only to suddenly gap in shock.

"Yes, I know! That's why we're here!" Netto taunted as he aimed the projector at him. Strangely enough, it was glowing in an ominous light. "Goodbye!"

"ARGH!" Bomber screamed as the projector fired a huge laser blast at him. The laser was strong enough to blast right through the wall and out of the theater.

The laser subsided and Netto sighed as he pushed the projector laser out of the way. "You two alright?" he asked the girls.

"Totally," Qiao answered.

"How did you do that?" Moka asked him, referring to the projector.

"I'm a technopath, remember?" he reminded her, "That means I can even make a non-lethal machine into a deadly weapon."

"You don't say," Moka gulped as she noted the big hole in the wall. It was still seeping smoke.

"Alright. Now let's see if we can find our dragonfly friend," Netto said as his eyes glowed in a brighter shade of blue. Using his X-Ray Vision, he looked through the walls to locate Bomber. Peering below, he saw Bomber picking himself up from beneath the rubble. "There you are," Netto nodded. His Accelerated Vision then picked up something else from up above, "GS Troopers, approaching from the roof! And they're armed."

"Airen, go kick that guys ass! We can handle it from here!" Qiao said as her fist glowed.

"Alright then, good luck," he smiled as gave a thumbs-up. Netto turned to the hole and race towards it. "Henshin!"

"**DIGITIZING,"** the Cyber Core called as Netto jumped down. There was a bright flash of light, signaling his transformation.

Qiao gripped a steal bar and tore it off before tossing it to Moka, "Here. With your full power sealed up the way it is, you'll need a weapon." Moka blinked in shock. "Don't be so surprised. You probably already knew that I was a fox sprit from the get go. Us S-Class Youkai can sense the Youki of other monsters anyway."

"Oh… right," Moka nodded. She actually couldn't sense Qiao's youki with her full power sealed up. That was the reason why she couldn't tell that Inui was lying, while her other self could. Still, she went with it.

The roof above them suddenly gave way and the GS-Soldiers dropped down as the shrieked with the clubs unsheathed. They thought they had the advantage of surprise, but they were very wrong.

"Kiss this, freakshows!" Qiao shouted as she began to throw a barrage of solar energy balls at the GS-Soldiers. The mooks all shouted as the intense shower of light hit them. The light blasted all the GS-Soldiers through the wall, ironically right next to the big hole Netto had made.

"Let's go!" Qiao laughed as she levitated off the ground and went after them.

"Hai!" Moka nodded as she followed.

* * *

><p>Just as Bomber managed to pick himself out of the heap, Mega landed before him as the dust kicked up from the ground. "You must be that Rider who teamed up with #13," Bomber growled.<p>

"You got it. The name's Mega," the Firefly Rider frowned. "Can't you people think straight? Already you wrecked two dates Shinichi had with his girls, and now here you are messing up the third one," the eyes behind his helmet narrowed, "Even worse, you messed up my own date with my girlfriend! What's your damage?"

"My damage?" Bomber snarled as he hovered above the ground. "Me and 13 go way back see. He may have not talked all that much but I always respected him. I looked up to the guy. Then one day, he wiped us all out! He slaughtered us like little lambs in a slaughter house!"

"What happened wasn't his fault! That bastard Gebok manipulated him!" While he, like everyone else that was not in on Shinichi's past didn't have the full details, he knew that all the crimes Shinichi committed was all because of Gebok.

"Doesn't matter. Our blood was all over his hands. And now… now, I'm gonna making him pay." The guns on his arms started to spin. "First I'm gonna kill you… then I'm gonna kill 13's little harem."

"Not while I have something to say I about it!" Mega shouted as he rushed at Bomber as the latter opened fire. The former dropped to his back and sledded underneath Bomber before jumping onto his back and locking his arms under his.

"What the hell?" he snarled as he began to twist about. "Let me go!"

"I'd like to see you make me!" Mega challenged.

"You asked for it pal!" Bomber retorted as he smashed his way back into the building.

* * *

><p>Showa and King continued to go at it while sparks flew as their weapons connected. King was dual-wielding his swords so Showa had to improvise and summoned the Vulcan Shooter which he aimed at King only for him to duck and then stab at Showa, knocking him back as sparks flew. He staggered and then stabilized his footing. Looking up at King he aimed and fired but King proved to be more formidable as he deflected the laser shots with his swords as he came closer. Once in range he swung his swords at Showa and he blocked with his Laser Saber only to be sent stumbling again.<p>

"You've grown weak," sneered King, "Being with those girls has made you a weakling."

"Those girls make me happy," argued Showa, "I'm strong because of them."

"Strong? Look around you. Your 'strength' couldn't save them and it won't save you," retorted King. He then began to attack Showa with a flurry of brutal slashes. King wanted to overpower and humiliate Showa. He thrust both blades and they hit Showa in the helmet, breaking off a part of it as he was sent flying backwards. He went tumbling and King just scoffed. "Like I said; weak."

Showa had a part of his helmet broken off, revealing the top quarter of his face and eye. He then heard a buzzing noise as King charged at her only for him to be knocked aside by what looked like a robotic cicada. The Cicadroid hovered in front of Showa and beeped. Showa heard the beeps. It was Morse Code and he could understand it.

"You're...my partner?" Showa asked and the Cicadroid bobbed up and down as if nodding. It then flew over to Showa's back and latched on, its middle and hind legs hugging him from behind as the forelegs draped over his shoulders. Instantly, there was a connection as Showa's helmet began to repair itself.

King shouted and charged at Showa before swinging from both sides. However, his swords were blocked by a pair of green crescent energy blades attached to Showa's forearms.

"My turn," Showa responded and then he swung his forearm blades at King, knocking him back. King stumbled and then watched as a pair of insect-like wings made of energy projected from behind Showa.

"You honestly believe that a lightshow will save you?" King snorted.

"Actually, that's exactly what I'm thinking!" Showa shouted as he released his wrist blades which changed into whips and ensnared King. "Let's go for a ride!" he shouted as he flew up into the air and dragged the arrogant Rider along with him and across the walls. King grimaced as sparks flew off from his suit as he tried to struggle. Damn that #13. He was making him into a fool again! Not again! Not ever!

"Let... GO!" King roared as he grabbed the whip that was bounded to him and managed to use his momentum to throw Showa into the wall. With a savage yell, he dove down with an overhead slash.

"Not today!" Showa shouted as he snapped his fingers. Instantly, orbs of green light appeared around King. The evil Rider was to slow to react as the orbs instantly began to bombard on him and a series of explosions erupted.

King fell to the ground in a smoking heap. He slowly arched his head up as Showa approached, "Damn you... bastard..."

**"ULTIMATE RIDE: LEGACY MODE!"**

King heard and looked up to see Showa gain gold armor and a new weapon. With the Legacy Saber in Gun Mode, Showa was prepared to finish the arrogant NUMBER for good. He removed the Legacy Driver from his Spark Core and attached it to his weapon.

**"LEGACY CHARGE!"**

Taking aim, he leveled the Legacy Saber Gun Mode at King and prepared to finish him off as symbols of the Showa Era Riders appeared around him and they were absorbed into the barrel as the shotgun began to charge up.

"Game Over," Showa concluded.

"I think not!" King shouted as he threw a smoke grenade at Showa. The grenade hit and covered Showa in smoke, disrupting the Legacy Charge. When it cleared, Showa looked around frantically, only to find King gone.

"This day goes to you, #13," King's voice snarled, "But the next time we fight, you. Are. Mine."

"Damn," Showa cursed as his armor vanished and then he saw the Cidadroid hovering next to him. He frowned as he looked at all the dead bodies and clenched his fists while gritting his teeth. He needed to go before the police arrived or he would be in trouble. Getting on his Cyclone-X3 with the Cicadroid flying alongside him, he rode away back to the two girls, praying that they were safe.

* * *

><p>Like a scene from a rodeo, Bomber continued to try and bump Mega off his back by smashing into whatever was handy. He crashed through the garbage bins, smashed through the streetlights, and broke through the arcade machines. Still, Mega was not willing to slip off anytime soon and his hold tightened.<p>

"Listen to me!" Mega shouted over the smashes. "You can't be blaming Shinichi for what happen! This isn't the way! Don't be stupid!"

"Yes it is!" Bomber yelled. "It is, it is, it is! Whatever happens here is #13's fault! If he hadn't killed me then none of this would be happening! Everyone's deaths will be on him!"

**CRASH!**

"Gah!" Mega shouted out as the pair smashed through several bricks. Still, he wouldn't let loose. Bomber growled as the blue errant still wouldn't let up, but soon grinned as he got an idea.

"So you still wanna ride? Then how about I take you for the ultimate SPIN!" Bomber cackled as he started to twist and turn as he ascended into the air. Mega grimaced as he felt himself growing sick from all the twisting and turning. He then couldn't hold on any longer and his arms slipped from Bomber, causing him to fall down into the streets with a loud bang.

"Ugh… that really… hurt…" Mega coughed as he slowly stood up. Dusting himself, he looked around and kept his eyes trained at the environment. His senses suddenly tingled and he turned to his left, only to get tackled into a wall by Bomber.

"Got you," the Dragonfly Cyborg grinned.

"I don't think so," the technopathic cyborg frowned as he tapped his belt. With his arms bounded the way they were, he could reach it easily.

"**FINAL DOWNLOAD." **

Mega kicked Bomber off of him and clenched his fist as binary codes encircled it. He slammed it directly into Bomber's chest, sending the evil Rider crashing right into the hood of a car.

"I've been going about this all wrong. It's time we take this fight to the skies," Mega said as he placed his hands on both sides of his belt. "Tenma Henshin!"

"**DIAMOND PEGASUS."**

Cyan light poured out of his belt and all around Mega. As it cleared, he had once again changed shape. His bodysuit turned gray, his armor became cyan and Crystal Transmitters on his arms and legs became blue. The Sensor Visors also turned blue, and the helmet took shape of a horse's head. Finally, his shoulder pads took the shape of horseshoes and a feathered cape appeared behind his back.

Bomber restarted his jets and glared at Mega, "So you want an old fashioned dogfight huh? Alright, let's do this!" he laughed as he shot into the sky. Mega's cape expanded into bird-like wings and jetted after him with a trail of ice dust behind him. Mega knew that with someone as trigger happy as Bomber, he needed to get him out of the city and quick. However, he just wasn't quick enough.

"LET'S HAVE A BLAST!" Bomber taunted as he turned to face Mega with his chestplate opening up. To his horror, bombs began to drop out and right for him. Mega knew that even if he avoided them, there would only be more damage to worry about later. Luckily, he could do something about that.

"Pegasus Magnum!" he yelled. Instantly in digital codes, a new weapon appeared in his hand. It was a blue gun with wings folded on either side of it. He looked up and quickly locked on to the falling bombs. Taking aim, he fired several rounds of bullets. His aim was tried and true as the bullets encased the bombs in ice as soon as they hit. Mega let them fall to the streets, knowing that they won't be able to harm anyone.

"Not bad," Bomber said. "Let's take this to overtime!" He looped before diving directly at Mega. Mega began to retreat as he fired more rounds from his Pegasus Magnum while Bomber fired more shots from him machineguns.

**Ratatatatatatatatatatata!**

**PU!**

**PU!**

**PU!**

**Ratatatatatatatatatatata!**

"This guy is insane," Mega frowned, "That's the only explanation for this."

He decided to go for another tactic. He swerved left and right to avoid the bullets, trying to get in close. Bomber smirked as he saw him come. "Oh no you don't!" Bomber declared as he spun his legs in a wide arc. The laser mounted on his ankle activated and shot a devastating red beam that cut everything in its path in half. Mega managed to duck from the beam, but he gulped as he witnessed the buildings being sliced in half.

"So much for keeping the damage at a minimum," he commented as the buildings fell.

"Made ya look!" a voice cackled from close behind him. Mega turned around only to see the insectiod eyes of Bomber staring right back at him. With another insane laughter, his cheastplate opened up and started spit out bombs again. Thinking quickly, Mega produced an ice barrier to cover his body. The bombs made quick impact and broke the shield, but Mega was unharmed.

"That was close," he panted, "I'm not sure if my body could take it."

"So you're still alive?" Bomber sneered as he chest opened for the third time, "We'll have to fix that, won't we?"

"Guess again, nutcase!" Mega retorted as he quickly fly in his face and reached into his chestplate. Bomber began to shudder as he felt his whole body going numb.

"Wh…what are… you doing…?-!" he demanded as his teeth began to chatter. To his shock and horror, ice began to creep out from his chest.

"Can't use your bombs if they're all frozen up, can you?" Mega smirked. He then rose up both his arms and slammed then down on to Bomber. With the ice already messing up his systems, the Dragonfly Rider was sent screaming as he crashed on to the streets. Not willing to keep this battle going any longer, Mega tapped the core on his belt.

"**FINAL DOWNLOAD." **

Pointing the Pegasus Magnum down at his target as the wings on both its sides opened up, he squeezed the trigger and it started to pull in arctic energy with a cyan ball forming in front. The whole area around Mega started to get cold with thin sheets of ice forming along what was left of the streets. As soon as his visors locked on to Bomber, he released the trigger. The cyan ball of energy rushed downward on to the target at fast speeds.

"OH SHIT!" Bomber cursed. He managed to get his jets running again. Mega's Frozen Circuit hit the ground and began to cover the streets in ice as Bomber made a mad dash for escape. Even with his systems freezing up, he still made impressive evasive maneuvers to avoid getting caught in the blizzard. As everything halted and cleared up, everything was shown to be covered in ice.

Bomber skidded along the ground as Mega landed on the frozen road lightly. Bomber could feel the glare coming from the insect-like visors of the cybernetic Rider. As Bomber glared back, his helmet crackled to life.

"_#12, return to base,"_ Gebok's voice commanded.

"Eh?" Bomber blinked. "But what about-?"

_"I changed the mission statement to see how powerful the enemy combatants are, and after that display through the cameras it is safe to guess their strength,"_ Gebok explained. _"Return to base now… unless you want to be flash frozen before you die this time."_

That made Bomber change his tune as he quickly started to fly away. Mega let him go, too exhausted both physically and mentally to follow. Bomber wouldn't be able to cause anymore destruction for awhile either. Instead, he flew up and to find the girls, hoping they were alright.

* * *

><p>Moka and Qiao had been able to deal with the GIN-SHOCKER Troopers. They may have received modifications which made them stronger than average humans, but in comparison to the two Youkai girls they were still weak. Moka dropped the steel bar and collapsed onto her knees.<p>

"Man, we sure worked up a sweat," quipped Qiao as she rested her hands on her knees.

"Yes…" Moka panted. She had hoped for a decent date with Shinichi, but his plans had once again been ruined by GIN-SHOCKER's interference. She green eyes began to water before started to sob.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Qiao asked.

"It's so unfair!" Moka cried. "Shinichi-kun's just trying to enjoy a normal life but these people won't let him!"

"They're evil, and obsessed, so of course they'll try to ruin his day," said Qiao as she placed down a hand of comfort, "But I don't think Shinichi cares what he does with you girls, as long as he does it with you."

"You sure?" Moka asked, looking at Qiao.

"Yes, positive," nodded Qiao. Her ears then picked up an odd beeping noise. "Wait here," she instructed. She stepped over and spotted what had been making the sound. It was a giant, mechanical cicada and it was on the wall. "Damn, another one of GIN-SHOCKER's toys," she concluded as her hands glowed in golden energy.

"Qiao, wait!" Shinichi shouted as he arrived.

"Huh!-?"

"Shinichi-kun!" Moka cried as she ran over and hugged him. The Cicadroid removed itself from the wall and hovered next to Shinichi. "Watch out!" she cried out.

"Oh, relax," Shinichi said as he patted Cicadroid on the head, earning him beeping sounds of happiness, "He's with me."

"I think explanations are in order," said Qiao, blinking twice.

"I agree," nodded Shinichi. "What are you girls doing here, and why are there a pile of GS Soldiers lying all over the place?"

"Let's get out of here and wait for Airen first," suggested Qiao. "Seems like we have a lot to talk about."

As if on que, Mega flew down from the sky and landed in front of trio. Looking around and surveying the damage, he asked, "So what'd I miss?"

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER DATABASE<strong>

"Hello, I'm Moka Akashiya!"

"And I'm Qiao Xang!"

"WELCOME TO THE KAMEN RIDER DATABASE!" both girls called together.

"In today's chapter we are introduced to two new characters and they are members of the infamous NUMBERS," began Moka.

"#12: Bomber and #10: King!" Qiao added as she gestured to the screen behind them which showed both GIN-SHOCKER Riders in action.

"First, let us review Kamen Rider King," said Moka as the focus was on #10. "Judging from his name he must think quite highly of himself."

"Yeah, he does," Qiao agreed, "And he seems to really hate Shinichi."

"All the NUMBERS do since they claim he killed them once before, but King seems to have more hatred than normal, even killing innocent people just to draw Shinichi-kun out into a fight."

"King here fights using a pair of swords modeled after the mandibles of a dobsonfly, which is what his armor is based on," Qiao pointed out. "As far as we can tell the swords aren't just for show and he is quite good at using them."

"Not as good as Shinichi-kun, though," said Moka, "And speaking of Shinichi-kun, he just gained a new ally. Like Breaker and Liger Zero he also possesses a support droid. The Cicadroid."

"It's a robot modeled after a cicada beetle and when it combines with Shinichi he can access all the abilities he has as BLACK 13. The only difference is that the energy is green instead of red, just like the color of his visors," added Qiao.

"And next we have Bomber, who was also appropriately named due to what he does best," Moka continued. "His armor is based on the dragonfly."

"Kamen Rider Bomber uses a pair of machineguns mounted on his arms to fight. Also, he can release bombs from his chestplate and can use a powerful laser that's attached to his right leg, both with devastating results. Like King he also killed several people and ended up fighting with Airen," said Qiao.

"And speaking of Netto-kun, he's showed us a new power called Diamond Pegasus," Moka added, as the screen showed Diamond Pegasus Mega flying after Bomber. "This form give's Mega-kun flying capabilities and also allows him to use cryokinesis like Mizore-chan and Yuki-chan can."

"It also multiplies his accuracy by 20 and lets him use the Pegasus Magnum, which almost never misses a shot," Qiao nodded, "But, the defense of this form isn't very strong, and isn't really recommended for close range fights."

"Diamond Pegasus has a Hissatsu Waza called Frozen Circuit," Moka said as screen showed him executing his attack. "Mega-kun charges up his Pegasus Magnum with powerful arctic energy as he locks on to the target. Then he releases the trigger and the blast homes on to the target of choosing, freezing it completely before it shatters. Even though Bomber managed to escape, you can tell how powerful it is by looking at the result of the blast."

"Well, that's all we have for today's entry to the Kamen Rider Database!" said Qiao. "Be seeing you next time! Zài jiàn!"

"Capu Chu!" Moka waved.

* * *

><p><strong>Tailsmo4ever: Looks like two more of the NUMBERS have made their mark. And it seems that Goeman has given up on trying to capture Shinichi, although begrudgingly. What this means for the future, only time will tell. <strong>

**KAMEN RIDER CHROME: This is war and in war there are always casualties, even innocent ones. How will Shinichi deal with the guilt after this? Also, what of #00, #02, #08 and #09 who are still out there? Will they be appearing soon? Check for more updates of this story as the adventures of Kamen Rider Showa continue.**


	25. Family: Wrath & Scorn

**Chapter 25: Wrath & Scorn**

_#12 could only watch and when he tried to intervene he got shot in the foot for his troubles by #10 and then pistol whipped. Seeing an opening, #13 fired stun rounds at #10, completely immobilizing him but then #06 came out of nowhere and shot at his hand, disarming him painfully. #13 rolled away and picked up his gun before firing at #06's gun-holding arm. He (#06) then punched him (#13) only to be hit with several more stun rounds but before he was paralyzed he tossed a grenade which then exploded. #12 was blasted backwards by the explosion._

_"DAMMIT, THOSE MANIACS!" shouted #08._

_"We need a medical team down here in the training room, stat!" #00 spoke into an intercom._

_Because of #06 and #10's recklessness and anger at #13 for one-siding them, #12 wound up getting injured by a grenade thrown by #06. He was blasted backwards into the wall, where he made an imprint shaped like his armor. He slowly fell of the floor and tried to get to his feet. _

"_Medical team en route," the computerized voice spoke as sirens filled the training room and the pillars sank to the ground. The steel doors of on the side of the training room opened up as GIN-SHOCKER's medical team came onto the scene. Followed by them were the NUMBERS who had been overseeing the event when the incident happened._

"_#12? #12!" #00 shouted as he ran to his side. Slowly, he turned over the Dragonfly Cyborg to see the visor of his helmet cracked. "Get over here quickly!" #00 shouted over to one of the medics. He turned back to #12, "Hang on, you're going to be fine."_

"_Hey!" #08 shouted, stomping over to where #10 was being help be another one of the meds. He roughly pushed him on the chest. "What the fuck did you do that for?-! You could have killed him!"_

"_I was aiming at 13, not 12," #10 stated harshly. "It wasn't my fault he got caught in the blast." _

"_Yeah, well what was the deal with using live ammunition in the training room?" #00 demanded, looking up from the injured, "I want an explanation. Now." _

"_I have no need to answer to you, #00," #10 dismissed. _

_Angered, #08 grabbed #10 by the shoulders and looked him in the visor. "He asked you a question, you damned-" _

"_#08! At ease," a deep voice said._

_#08 gulped as he dropped #10. He turned around and stood up straight with his hands behind his back. "Sir! General Nagazawa, sir!"_

_The General himself walked into the training floor with his hands behind his back and a stern expression on his face. The remaining NUMBERS all stood in a single file next to #08 as he approached. "You should all be ashamed of yourselves," he frowned as he eyed each of the NUMBERS. "I expect you to act as a team."_

"_With all due to respect, sir, they used live ammunition during the training session," #00 explained. "It's against regula-"_

"_Do you think our enemies will care about regulations on the battlefield, #00?" Nagazawa demanded as he got up close to his helmet. _

"_Sir, no, sir!" #00 said. "But… you aren't punishing them?"_

"_Ingenuity and adaptability are admirably traits," Nagazawa spoke as he turned his back and walked towards the exit. "You should all learn something from this. Dismissed."_

_#07 scoffed, "Oh yeah. We learned something alright."_

"_I can't believe this," #08 said in disbelief, shaking his head. "That was supposed to be ingenuity? The only thing the General did was push more ideas into #10's skull to make him believe that he was better than us. He nearly killed #12!" _

"_Well, there isn't anything we can do about it now," #07 shrugged as she went on her way. "Just deal with it."_

_#08 sighed as he followed her and #11 out of the training room. #04 watched them go, and then turned her attention to #13, who was being helped up by the medics. His arm seemed to spark uncontrollably, meaning that the bullet most likely hit a vital spot. He didn't show it though, as usual. _

"_Tough guy," she admired, licking her lips. _

* * *

><p>"Hey, Shogo!" a teen with black hair and grayish eyes asked his roommate who was sitting on an armchair and playing Call of Duty on the X-Box. The teen was carrying a guitar on his back and was dressed in a blue-white striped t-shirt and blue jeans. "Have you seen Yokoshima and Chiaki?"<p>

Shogo, who wore military fatigues and had his hair in a buzz cut hairdo, looked up from his game and answered, "Oh, Yokoshima's at that book signing."

"He's still there!-?" Daichi gawked. "But it's just some smut-novelist!"

"You underestimate how famous this writer is," Shogo retorted, "Have you read her books?"

"I've got better things to do than read smut," Daichi shot back. "And what about Chiaki? I haven't seen him in 3 days."

"He couldn't stand being cooped up in here any longer so he took a walk to find some inspiration for his art," said Shogo. "I think he got lost."

"Typical," grumbled Daichi as he turned on the spare TV. The news was on and he watched with interest. "So, it looks like they've already started their hunt for #13 and innocent people are already getting involved."

"Yes, looks like it," responded Shogo.

"Shogo, call Yokoshima and Chiaki, then prep up the jeep and tank. We're going hunting tomorrow!"

* * *

><p><em>"Watching #13 training again?" asked #07.<em>

"I thought I should keep an eye on him so he doesn't get himself hurt," stated #08 as he watched the training room floor. #13 was in the obstacle course which had been set to nearly lethal levels.

"Yeah, he really took that blast for you, didn't he?"

"He did, and he could've died."

"Like Dr. Gebok would let his favorite get killed like that," scoffed #07. "If you haven't noticed #13's his favorite."

#08 didn't reply as he watched #13 dodge the rockets and then used his Gravity Hammer repel them as they exploded. He then drew his Vulcan Shooter and took down the stun rifles mounted along the training room.

#13 was his best friend and #08 owed him his life.

* * *

><p>Shinichi, Netto, Qiao and Moka stood in the crowd behind the police tape that was stretched out in front of Café La Salle. Several body bags were being carried out, containing victims of Bomber's earlier assault.<p>

"What happened here?" Shinichi questioned.

"An old friend of yours happened," said Netto, glancing at Shinichi.

"One of the NUMBERS?" Shinichi frowned.

"He came out of nowhere and started gunning people down," nodded Netto, "But his target wasn't you. He was after me."

"Kuso…" Shinichi cursed as his eyebrows furrowed. People were dying left and right because of him.

"Shinichi-kun…" began Moka.

"We should head back to the Dragon's Den," said Shinichi in a hoarse voice.

This had to stop.

* * *

><p>Yukari and Ruby had brought their new friend to the Dragon's Den. It was odd that he only spoke using signs (making it literally sign language) but he didn't seem like a bad person. He hid his face from them but only because he had scars he didn't want them to see. Walking into the garage, they found Yuji working on another engine. With him was Misato, who was testing it out on a wheel-less bike.<p>

"Hey, Ruby, Yukari, who's your new friend?" Yuji asked, looking up from the engine.

"Oh, this is…" began Ruby.

"#02?" Misato uttered in shock as he saw the guy with the witches.

"**Hello, #04,"** Chiaki signed.

Yuji shot up right, showing that he was a head shorter than Chiaki, and pounded his fists as they ignited with flames. "Back away from him, you two," he ordered the witches.

"Relax, Yuji," Misato said soothingly as she came up behind him and rubbed his shoulders, "#02 isn't dangerous, at least not to us."

Yuji seemed to calm down as the flames on his hands became dimmer, "Right, a big dude like him and part of the same group as you were isn't dangerous," he said sarcastically, "That makes perfect sense. "

"I would know him better than you do," Misato retorted as she released him, "Besides, remember what Goemon said?"

Yuji sweat-dropped, "Not really... I was getting bored from hearing him talk so I went to make coffee. "

"He and several others went missing so we can assume they aren't with GIN-SHOCKER," she recalled. "Are you, big guy?"

Chiaki signed, **"No, not anymore. Not since Dr. Magi broke us out."**

The flames receded into Yuji's skin as the shop owner calmed down. "Alright, so now what?" he asked. "And what's with the signs? Some kind of gimmick?"

"#02...I mean Chiaki can't talk," Misato explained, "His handler had surgically removed his voice box. Since then he's had to communicate with signs. "

Yuji grimaced at the answer. "Where does he get them?" Yuji asked dubiously.

"We've stopped trying to figure that out a long time ago," the Mosquito Cyborg shrugged. "It's easier that way. "

Chiaki nodded.

"You're one of the NUMBERS?" Yukari asked him.

"Relax, Chiaki's more of an artist than a fighter," Misato said, "Of course you shouldn't scoff at his strength either. Physically, he's one of the strongest."

The sounds of motorbikes roared as two bikes, one silver and another blue, rolled into the garage. As the bikes came to a halt, Shinichi removed his helmet and sighed as he brushed his bangs.

"Yo, guys," Yuji greeted. "You don't look to good. Something happened?"

"Another date ruined," Shinichi sighed as he, Moka, Netto and Qiao got off the bikes. "And there were casualties this time."

"No way!" Yukari gasped. Ruby wasn't far behind with the same reaction while Misato simply frowned.

"Yeah, I don't what's with these guys. Just because they hate me it doesn't give them the right to- AH!"

**Music – A Girl Named Tex by Jeff Williams**

It happened so quickly that no one was able to react in time. Netto wasn't even paying attention. Chiaki had suddenly charged toward Shinichi and pinned him to the ground with his forearm to his throat. His visible eyes made a deadly glare as his free hand glowed and morphed into a vicious chainsaw.

"Shinichi-kun!" Moka gasped.

"I think I should've seen this coming," Misato grimaced.

"Damn it!" Yuji growled.

Shinichi, however, was just pissed. First he had to deal with a murderous nut with a huge ego and now this giant wanted to grind his bones too. "You know, I'm getting sick and tired of you guys coming after me, blaming me for what happened," Shinichi said in a growl as he glared back at Chiaki. His irises turned completely black. That was when his Spark Core activated and his armor formed. The energy threw Chiaki backwards and he landed on the floor. Chiaki picked himself up on his feet, only to have his eyes bulge out at what he was seeing. Everyone turned to where he was staring and gaped.

"Oh shit," Misato cursed.

"You can say that again," Yuji scowled.

"What the hell?" Netto gaped.

"Was he always wearing black?" Qiao asked no one in particular.

"Shinichi-san!" Ruby cried.

"Oh no!" Moka and Yukari shouted.

BLACK 13, now standing in Shinichi's place, cracked his knuckles as he cracked his neck from side to side."So you are upset at me too, #02?" he asked. "Understandable. Want to do something about it?"

"He talks now?-!" Yuji gawked.

Chiaki's only response to this was to activate his own armor in a flash of light and having what appeared to be blocks of wood attaching to his body before forming a suit of armor. Over a black bodysuit, Chiaki was donned in a blue suit of armor with spikes on the shoulders that emulated the mandibles of a termite. He wore metal armguards and his chest plate was modeled after a well-defined muscled chest complete with a six-pack on his stomach area. His helmet had red eyes and the faceplate had mandibles shaped like a termite's, and in the middle of the faceplate was a nozzle. His Spark Core was blue, and had the mark "II" in the middle, as well as on his helmet.

In this form, he was called Slasher.

BLACK 13 and Slasher circled each other, daring the other to attack. It was BLACK 13 who made the first move as he lunged forward. Slasher swung his chainsaw at BLACK 13 only for him to duck to the side and leap up to land a powerful kick into Slasher's chest, sending him flying into the wall. BLACK 13 then cracked his whips and lashed one out at Slasher. It wrapped around his chainsaw and he was tugged forward towards BLACK 13 who then punched him straight in the face and sent him flying into the streets. He slowly strode over towards Slasher who began to get back to his feet. Slasher rushed and swung with his chainsaw but it was caught in BLACK 13's hand. The blade was then snapped in half and then BLACK 13 used an uppercut that lifted Slasher off the ground before executing a roundhouse that sent him spinning.

"This is bad," murmured Misato.

"I thought Kurumu-chan's Charm worked on him!" said Moka.

"His anger's the trigger," Yuji stated. "Looks like BLACK 13 activates every time Shinichi is under some kind of extreme stress."

Moka had to stop this. She had to. She didn't want Shinichi to have any more blood on his hands. Without warning she ran towards him.

"What are you doing?-!" Ruby shouted.

"Shinichi-kun!" Moka shouted, causing BLACK 13 to look at her, "Please! Stop!"

Hearing something move, BLACK 13 looked back at Slasher, only to see the tall Rider lunge with another chainsaw. It seemed he was trying to catch him off guard. "Move!" he grabbed Moka and pushed her away from the danger. At the same time, his kick connected with Slasher's chest, stunning him, kneed him in the gut so hard he was thrown backwards, and grabbed his leg and threw him to the ground before raising his foot up and slamming it down on the chest, causing the ground to crack. "Fatal mistake," BLACK 13 growled. That was when he noticed that something had gotten caught between his fingers. He stared and found it to be a cross.

"What the…?" Netto blinked as he noticed a dark and chilling aura seeping off of Moka as she stood up. "What's wrong with her?" He also noticed that she began to mature in all the right places, making her sundress fuller. He instantly blushed hard and turned away.

"Aw, fuckberriers," Yuji muttered. "This day just keeps getting better and better."

"Hmm," Moka-sama smirked as BLACK 13 stared back at her. "I was hoping to have a go at you."

"I have no quarrel with you, Moka Akashiya," BLACK 13 spoke, "Stand down."

"And if I say no?" the deadly, sensual girl asked as she gave the "bring it" taunt.

BLACK 13 frowned and turned back to Slasher, who was still stuck under his foot, "Consider yourself lucky." He took his foot off him and stood before Moka-sama while getting into a boxing stance.

The wind blew around the streets as the spectators watched the fighters eyeing each other. A leaf drifted down from one of the nearby trees and seemed to be headed for the ground between the two fighters. The leaf drifted down so closely it could have touched the ground if positioned correctly, but in a flash, it was suddenly shredded as both fighters charged at each other. Both Moka-sama and BLACK 13 raised up their legs for devastating kicks, only to have them connect with a resulting thunderous clash, sending dust in all directions and forcing the audience to shield their eyes. Neither stood still as they started sending flurries of kicks and punches at one another. It looked as though they were attacking invisible walls. With BLACK 13's otherworldly technology going up against Moka-sama's sinister demonic aura, the sounds of thrashes and crashes could be heard throughout the street. The road underneath them started crack and almost shattered. Slasher, who was now kneeling, got back to his senses he as scrambled to his feet and jumped to join the others before the cracks could reach him.

The combatants' fists and feet collided and caused them both to skid away from each other. Moka-sama panted hard with wide grin on her face. BLACK 13 stood up from his crouch and spun his shoulders to get the stiffness out.

"Yes… this power… this feeling…." Moka-sama grinned, almost savagely, "This is what I've been waiting for!"

"You're enjoying this," BLACK 13 commented as he observed her behavior.

"The last time I fought like this was with my father and older sisters," Moka-sama grinned. "Come on, show me more!"

"If you insist." Like his other self, he hated to disappoint a lady.

"Just what happened to Moka?" Misato gawked as she watched them continue their fight. "She's like a completely different person now! More importantly, how can she keep up with BLACK 13?"

"Well, that's because Moka-san's a vampire," said Yukari.

"A vampire? A _real_ vampire?" Misato blinked. "You're kidding, right?"

"I'm not," Yukari replied. "Moka-san's really a vampire. One of the legendary S-Class monsters."

Misato looked to Yuji with an accusing glare, "Did you know about this?"

"You never asked," Yuji shrugged.

Moka and BLACK 13 swung their legs in roundhouse kicks, causing their shins to connect. Moka-sama grinned as BLACK 13 gave her a cold look under his helmet. They withdrew their legs and threw punches but Moka's caught his fist as he caught hers. They grappled with each other.

"Is that all you can do?" Moka-sama challenged. She then felt heat nearby and looked up to see red spheres of light hanging above her head. "Ah, I see."

BLACK 13 glared at her but then felt a pain in his head and a voice, '_NO!_'

**End Music**

BLACK 13 collapsed to his knees as the energy orbs all faded. Moka-sama watched as his eyes turned green before his armor shattered and Shinichi collapsed to unconsciousness.

"Ah, Shinichi-san!" Yukari cried out but Moka-sama caught him before he hit the ground and lifted him up bridal style.

She looked at his sleeping face. Here in her arms was a former human, a cyborg, who possessed combat prowess comparable to hers. He was an interesting individual ever since she witnessed his first transformation. While it had taken her awhile to grasp the idea that he had been human once before the process which had partially mechanized his body, she couldn't help but feel something for him. Maybe her more sentimental side's personality was slipping into her own but she was feeling concerned for the boy.

She turned her eyes to the garage and said, "Fudo, I believe we would need some rest before we depart for today."

Yuji blinked before moving aside, "Sure, go ahead."

Moka-sama nodded and walked back inside, everyone moving aside as she did so. Passing by Slasher, she aimed a death glare at him, serving as her only warning. It worked as Slasher felt himself getting cold. As soon as Moka-sama went inside with her cargo, Slasher sighed inwardly as his armor fell off like sawdust.

"I don't believe it," Netto stuttered, like Qiao, he had also always known that Moka was a vampire. He just didn't know how strong she was. "She was that powerful all along?"

"It's like… she was another BLACK 13,"Misato nodded.

"Yeah, Moka-san's true self is scary," Yukari nodded.

"I guess we'll be heading back now," Netto said as Qiao nodded.

"Alright, you two have a safe trip," Yuji said, looking at the damage of the road with a cringe. "And as for you," he said as he turned to Chiaki, his blue scales forming over his right fist. "If you pull shit like that again, I will shove my personal crow bar up your ass and melt it so it won't come out! And fair warning: I don't remember the last time I cleaned it!"

Chiaki nodded quickly.

* * *

><p>Netto and Qiao returned to his house after the eventful day. He went inside after Qiao and looked the door behind him. "Man, today was one hell of flop," Netto sighed as he stretched his arms up.<p>

"Yeah, I can't believe these NUMBER guys are willing to kill other people just to get what they want," Qiao answered.

"And they want Shinichi dead," Netto frowned as he leaned on the wall, arms crossed. "It pisses me off. The dragonfly that I fought was willing to do anything to make Shinichi suffer. He even said that he would come after his girls."

"What?" Qiao gasped.

"Yeah, I know," Netto nodded. "Sounds stupid doesn't it?

"Well, those girls aren't pushovers themselves," Qiao told him. "They really love Shinichi, and I'll bet they'll make anyone who messes with him see the Nine Circles of Hell after they're finished with him."

"That's something you would do," Netto told her.

Qiao giggled as she walked toward him, "You're right. I would do that." Netto blushed as Qiao wrapped her arms around his ribs and pulled herself closer, "But they love Shinichi just as much as I love you," Qiao whispered huskily.

"Qiao…chan…" Netto stammered. She smiled at his timidly red face. After all the time they've been together, she still managed to get this reaction from him whenever she was frisky. And she was glad for it.

"Airen," she whispered to him seductively. "You want a harem too?"

"A what?" Netto as he gulped.

"Well, he does seem to enjoy their company," she pointed out as she leaned in close enough to feel his breath. "As long as they are willing to share you, I really don't mind. Ya know…"

"And just why do you want to be in a harem?" Netto asked as he inhaled her sent. She smelled so nice.

Qiao simply giggled, "More playmates of course. It'd be nice kinda nice, right?"

"Jezz you're a pervert," Netto muttered as he rolled his eyes. Qiao grinned as she suddenly picked him up bridal style.

"And proud of it too!" she smiled as she ran upstairs to his bedroom. It was simple since the door was already opened. She laid him down on the bed as she switched to her hybrid form and crawled on to the bed sexily. Her arms wrapped around him and they shared a deep kiss. Qiao made an arousing purr as she kissed and sucked his cheek, ear and neck. His first arm moved up to one of her tails gently took hold of it, moving his hand up and down. His other hand moved up to the back of her neck and massage slowly. "Mmmm..." Qiao purred as the warmth ran through her body. She broke from his neck looked below him with a seductive smile. "Airen, do you want me?"

"You wanna go all the way to C this time?" Netto blinked.

"I wanted to do this for a while now," Qiao said as she pushed him down and mounted his waist with his hands pined against hers. "I want you, Airen. I want to make love to you."

He just couldn't deny her. He just couldn't. Not when she was like this.

* * *

><p>Shinichi and Moka both stopped in front of their hotel. Moka dismounted but Shinichi remained where he was. "Shinichi-kun, don't you want to come up?"<p>

"I need to stay with Kaa-chan tonight," he said.

"Oh," Moka responded. She realized that Shinichi was troubled over what happened earlier. Maybe he was starting to remember the things he did as BLACK 13, or maybe he just needed to be with family right now.

Shinichi dismounted from the Cyclone-X3 and removed his helmet to pull Moka into a hug. He apologized, "I'm sorry our date was ruined."

"It's alright," she said, "It wasn't your fault." She slowly returned the hug, burying her face into his chest.

Shinichi pulled away and smiled at her softly. "Moka-chan, have you…?" He reached up and removed his scarf. Moka's eyes brightened and he smiled in amusement. "Ah, alright then. Take a bite."

"Itadakimasu~" Moka got on the tips of her toes and leaned in to sink her fangs into his neck. Shinichi shivered pleasantly at the sensation. It felt really good. After she had enough she pulled away but her hands were still on his shoulders. "That was delicious."

"I'm glad," he answered. "Oh, and I owe you this." He leaned in and pressed his lips against hers. Moka let out a gasp as her eyes went wide before slowly closing as she relaxed. His hands were around her hips as she wrapped her arms around him.

Shinichi broke the kiss and gazed into Moka's eyes. "Goodnight, Moka-chan." He then got on his bike and drove away with Moka watching, waving at him in a daze with a blush on her cheeks.

* * *

><p>Shinichi had gone to the hotel his mother was staying at. He needed to keep an eye on her but that was just an excuse so he could spend the night. He needed to think and at least someone to talk too. He needed his mother.<p>

Shiori had ordered room service and as they sat at the table enjoying their dinner, he spoke to her, "My life sucks."

"I don't think it can be that bad," she said, trying to comfort him.

"My dates keep getting ruined and a lot of people died because of me, and that was only today," he told her as he summarized the events of the day.

"Then again, I could be wrong," she corrected. She had to remember that her son had grown up without her. He had lost his childhood because of those horrible GIN-SHOCKER people. That was her biggest regret.

"The NUMBERS hate me too," he added. "They got good reason too. I killed them."

"But you weren't yourself. You were being controlled," she argued.

"It doesn't make much of a difference to them. I may have been a weapon but it was my hands that took their lives. These hands that are stained with blood…" He let out a sigh.

"Oh, Shinji…" Shiori reached over and rubbed his head.

"The NUMBERS go after innocent people to draw me out," he murmured, "Maybe it's better if I just die…"

"NO!" she shouted. "Don't talk like that!"

"It'll make a lot of people happy if I died…"

"But a lot of people would be sad too! Like me, and those girls, your friends!" Shiori shouted. "Life is a precious thing."

"I don't think you can call the last ten years of my life 'living'," he said to Shiori.

"I guess not," Shiori admitted, "But still, for everyone person who wants you dead, there are also people who wish for you to keep living." She grasped Shinichi's hand, "Promise me, Shinji. Promise me that you'll live."

Shinichi just couldn't say no. "I promise, Kaa-chan."

* * *

><p>The Youkai Academy girls sighed at the dinner table with only Nekoneme-sensei and Gin as company. Normally, he would be happy that Shinichi wasn't around but the atmosphere wasn't very cheerful. Not after Moka told them that BLACK 13 returned.<p>

"Looks like we'll only be here for a few more days," said Nekonome-sensei as she checked their schedule.

The girls sighed sadly. This summer break hadn't been much of a break at all. Shinichi did end up finding his birth mother but his past ended up catching up with him, and not exactly in a good way. Also, going on dates with him didn't go as planned as they would get attacked by members of his former crew.

"This isn't fair," muttered Kurumu.

* * *

><p><strong>The next day…<strong>

Shinichi exited the hotel his mother was staying at and mounted the Cyclone-X3. "Maybe a spin around town, just to clear my head," he said to himself before gunning the engine. Of course if he had been paying attention, he should know that he was being watched.

"Is that him, #00?" asked the driver.

"Yeah, it's him alright," replied #00 who sat shotgun. He was holding some pictures. "That's him and his bike alright."

"Good," the driver grinned. "Time for some payback. #00, get in the back and handle the turret."

"OK, #08."

"Is #09 standing by?"

"Yes, he is. He's locked and loaded too."

"Good. Once we herded #13 into position #09 can start blasting."

* * *

><p>Moka sighed sadly as she sat on the couch, reading a magazine. Shinichi hadn't returned back yet and she was getting very worried.<p>

"Don't worry about Shinichi," Mizore said as she was sitting next to her, unwrapping a fresh lollipop. "I'm sure he will be fine."

"But there are other cyborgs out there who are after him," Moka sighed. "Worse, they all claimed that he killed them at one point, so I can't help but worry."

"It's because they are stubborn fools," Mizore told her. "Personally, I think it was all made up just to make an excuse to go after him. Still, even if there are cyborgs that could be following him, Shinichi will handle it like he always does."

* * *

><p>"GOD DAMMIT!" Shinichi shouted as he swerved around, dodging bullets. "WHAT DO YOU ASSHOLES WANT!-?"<p>

Shinichi was not having a good day. He'd just planned to go out for a spin around town to clear his head when a couple of psychos in a jeep came chasing after him. They had been following him and all of a sudden started shooting at him.

Now, normally he wouldn't worry about such a thing. Of course, jeeps normally didn't come equipped with a Gatling gun turret spraying bullets at him. He swerved around, dodging the bullets that came flying at him but a few grazed his Cyclone-X3 and he shouted in his mind, '_Yuji is so gonna make me pay for a new paintjob!_'

**BOOM!**

Suddenly, an explosion threw him into the air. Something had hit him, and hit him hard. His bike went spinning on its side as he slammed against the ground. "Ugh…" he groaned and then he saw what had hit him. "A tank!-?"

A hi-tech tank, with its cannon barrel staring back at him, stood before him.

"Not good," Shinichi gulped as he got up to his feet. The cannon fired and Shinichi was sent screaming into the air and crashing before he lost consciousness.

* * *

><p>Yukari was telling fortunes with her tarot card when Kurumu suddenly jumped to her feet. She could sense something was wrong. Not to quote a popular movie on purpose, but she had sensed a disturbance.<p>

"Shinichi's in trouble!" Kurumu shouted.

* * *

><p>Yokoshima, Shogo and Daichi all exited their vehicles and surrounded the unconscious Shinichi.<p>

"Alright, time for revenge," said Daichi as he cracked his knuckles. However, he didn't get far as Shinichi, with sudden lightning speed, got up and punched him straight into the jeep.

"Shit!" Yokoshima cursed but was grabbed and tossed up before being kicked into the tank. Shogo gawked and received a punch in the stomach, causing him to double over before Shinichi slammed his other fist down his back, knocking him to the ground.

Daichi managed to get to his feet and glare at Shinichi. "OK, come here!" He went and started throwing a barrage of punches which Shinichi caught with ease. He grabbed the last one and spun around before tossing Daichi into Yokoshima, knocking them both down. Shogo grabbed a shotgun from the jeep and was about to use it when Shinichi ended up in front of him. The shotgun was knocked out of his hands and then Shinichi used an uppercut that lifted Shogo off the ground and then he used a back kick to send him flying.

Yokoshima and Daichi tried to attack with a pincer maneuver but Shinichi leapt up and then flipped backwards. He landed on the top of the tank and then jumped off to land a scissor kick into their heads, knocking them to the ground again.

Shogo groaned as he got back to his feet. "Guys, we have to transform!"

"Right, good idea," agreed Yokoshima.

Shinichi watched with darkened eyes as the three of them transformed as their respective suits of armor formed.

Shogo's armor was styled after a wasp. The bodysuit was black with yellow stripes. He wore black and yellow striped gauntlets and boots. His yellow chest plate also sported black stripes, like a tiger. Extending from his gauntlets was a pair of long and sharp stingers. His helmet was insect-like in appearance, sporting empty black eyes and antennae. His Spark Core was yellow and had the number 0 in the center.

His codename was Zero.

Yokoshima's armor was based on a pill bug. He had large shoulders and plates running down his arms and legs with large spiked boots, thick chest armor and a large segmented backplate. His helmet had small antennae and his visor was in the shape of a pair of small black eyes. His entire armor was metallic silver with black highlights. His belt was silver with his IX symbol in the crystal buckle.

His designation was Armadillo.

Daichi's armor was silver with grey highlights. His gauntlets were plated and he had three spikes attached to each heel of his boots. Spikes extended from his shoulders and his fingertips were sharp. Extending from his elbows were spikes as well. His helmet was based on a cricket with red insect eyes, long antennae and a mouth plate resembling a pair of insect mandibles. He also sported a black and tattered scarf. On his gray Spark Core was the VIII mark on the center.

His alias was Sonix.

"Alright!" Sonix said as he drew his military fork and gripped it tight. "Now, let's get him!"

The three armored NUMBERS rushed to attack Shinichi. Armadillo rolled into a ball and charged but Shinichi jumped up, landed on top of the sphere, and sprung upwards to kick Zero out of the air. Sonix fired a sonic burst at him only to miss as Shinichi somersaulted away. The windshield of the jeep shattered because of the sonic burst. Zero got back to his feet and aimed his gauntlets at Shinichi to fire a flurry of needles but Shinichi suddenly blurred out of sight.

"Where is he!-?" Zero shouted only to be shot in the back. "ARGH!"

Shinichi had just grabbed the shotgun from the ground and used it. He then cocked it and fired again, causing sparks to fly.

"Damn it!" Zero fired needles and Shinichi did a split to duck and the needles hit Armadillo instead.

"Yokoshima!" shouted Zero.

"I'm fine," said Armadillo.

Sonix swung at Shinichi who kept dodging his blows. The unarmored cyborg then caught the shaft of the military fork and tore it out of Sonix's hands after kicking him away. He then slammed the military fork down, causing a Sonix pulse to vibrate from it. Zero and Armadillo covered their ears from the sound, but Sonix who was immune to his own attacks was unaffected. Of course Shinichi knew this and threw the military fork at Sonix like a javelin. The weapon flew past as Sonix dodged to the side but he then received a face full from the shotgun as Shinichi shot at him.

"OK, we're getting our butts kicked," groaned Armadillo.

"I know," said Zero.

"And he hasn't even transformed."

"_I know!_"

"Did we even plan this out?" Armadillo asked.

"Just shut up and fight!" Sonix yelled.

Shinichi pulled the trigger and realized his weapon was empty. He saw Armadillo charging at him but before he could roll into a ball Shinichi ran at him and used the shotgun like a club and slammed the thing into his chin. He then tossed it at Zero and it hit him in the head. As he grunted from the hit, Shinichi jumped up, grabbed his shoulders, and pulled him down so his faceplate painfully met his knee. He tossed Zero aside and approached Sonix when all of a sudden he held his head in pain. He collapsed to his knees.

"Hey, I think something's wrong with him," Armadillo said.

"What was your first clue?" quipped Zero.

"Come on, let's get him," said Sonix. However, the three were suddenly blown off their feet as Shinichi transformed and became BLACK 13, his crimson eyes flashing to signal the completed transformation.

"Oh…fuck," Armadillo said.

"Surround him!" Sonix ordered and they did but BLACK 13 summoned his Gravity Hammer and slammed it down to the ground, repelling them. He then swung, hammering Armadillo in the side and sent him flying through the air. He summoned his Vulcan Shooter and shot at Zero, forcing him to bring his arms up defensively. He then blocked Sonix's attack with the Gravity Hammer's shaft which came from behind. He spun around and shot Sonix point blank several times before slashing him across the body as a crescent energy blade came out of his forearm.

Armadillo jumped and rolled into a ball. He was going to flatten BLACK 13 but then cried out as he was smashed by the Gravity Hammer this time and went sailing like a baseball. Zero attacked with his stingers, firing another furious flurry of needles at BLACK 13 but the assault was repelled when the Gravity Hammer was slammed down again and the needles fell harmlessly at his feet. However, the needles suddenly flashed and exploded and sent BLACK 13 flying into the air. He landed safely on his feet with some smoke coming from his body due to the explosion but otherwise he was fine.

Sonix got up and struck at BLACK 13 from behind but he ducked to the side, spun around, drove his hammer into Sonix's chest and then tossed him up before sending him flying with his Gravity Hammer again, this time causing him to hit the side of the tank.

Armadillo came charging again, rolling towards BLACK 13 but the black-clad Rider just sidestepped the attack, causing Armadillo to roll over Zero instead.

"Hey! Smartass!" BLACK 13 heard, he turned around only to have the Stasis Cuffs slapped on his wrists. He was unable to move. Seeing his change, Sonix laid a power kick that sent him flying. As soon as he hit the ground, his armor deactivated. Sonix smirked victoriously, "Gotcha, you bastard." He turned to both Armadillo and Zero, "And thanks for distracting him, guys."

"OK, we got him," Armadillo panted, "I thought we weren't gonna make it."

"Great, now let's take him to Dr. Magi," said Zero.

"Why bother?" asked Sonix. "Let's kill him right here, right now." He held his military fork in a threatening manner and advanced on the paralyzed Shinichi.

"Hold on!" Armadillo pleaded. "Doc said to bring him in! He's no good to us if he's dead!"

"Like I give a damn. This traitor's got this coming to him," Sonix raised his military fork. "If it'll make you feel any better, I'll soften him up a little more. I won't guarantee his survival though."

However, he was stopped in his attack when something flew by and slashed him across the chest, knocking him down. "Ow!"

"Daichi!" Armadillo shouted but then sharp spikes of ice came raining down on them. "Ow! What the hell!"

"We're under attack!" Zero shouted.

"Thanks for stating the obvious!" snapped Sonix but then he spotted someone kneeling next to Shinichi. "Hey, get away from him!"

Moka was trying to help Shinichi remove his Stasis Cuffs. "I'm not strong enough!" Shinichi raised his arms and his hands clenched around her Rosario. "Shinichi-kun?" He then tugged off the Rosario which allowed her inner self to come out.

Armadillo began to shiver as a cold feeling came over him. "Guys…what's going on?" he asked.

"Arg!" Zero screamed as a wave of intense power suddenly washed over them. The trio struggled to keep their footing as the intense power discharge surged around them. As the wave subsided, he looked to the source and pointed, "Over there!"

Moka-sama stood in all her red-eyed, silver-haired glory and she grasped the Stasis Cuffs which shattered in her grip. Mizore and Kurumu helped him up.

"Thanks, girls," said Shinichi.

"What would you do without us?" Moka-sama smiled.

"We'll take it from here, darling," said Kurumu.

"They'll be punished," added Mizore.

"Yes, but first," began Shinichi as he put his hands on their backs, "Let's Form Ride: BLACK! Skyrider!"

The King Stone of Kamen Rider BLACK and the Tornado of Skyrider appeared on the waists of Kurumu and Mizore, respectively. The King Stone started to flash as it absorbed the sunlight while the Tornado absorbed air pressure. In flashes of light, Kurumu and Mizore became bustier and curvier versions of BLACK and Skyrider. Their visors flashed as the empowered monster girls got into fighting stances.

"Just what the fuck is going on here?-!" Sonix demined. "You! With the silver hair! How did you break the cuffs?-!"

Moka-sama pointed to the three NUMBERS and declared, "To attack what is mine… is asking for death. I shall show you your place!"

* * *

><p>Meanwhile…<p>

A shadowed figure was standing on the branch of a tree which stood on a hill that lied before the town.

"I can hear it," he said.

The light that shone through the trees shed some light on him, revealing him to be a man with tanned skin, charcoal-black eyes, black hair that was wavy and combed to the right side of his head. He wore a white jacket over a black T-shirt with red pants with black belts wrapped around the legs. Coiled around his body was a giant male, winged snake that has black scales, an egg shell-colored belly, and green eyes with red pupils. The snake hissed subtly into the man's ear.

"Yeah, I feel it too," he soothed as he rubbed the scales on the snake's head. His right arm glowed with the crimson light of a familiar mark that showed through his sleeve. "I believe mating season has begun," he grinned.

* * *

><p>Aphrodite was happily licking ice cream from her cone as she walked with Leon. She made sure their arms were linked as they walked along the sidewalk. For their date, she decided to wear a blue shirt with a pink heart on the center, a white skirt that reached her knees, white bunched up socks and blue shoes. Leon wore a white shirt with a black leather jacket over it, jeans with chains hanging around his belt, and white sneakers.<p>

"You know, I would enjoy this snack more if you would smile a little more," she admitted. "That stoic expression you wear makes me think you are not enjoying this period of relaxation. So please, do relax and enjoy yourself, Leon. You are still young and healthy."

Leon didn't know how to answer.

"I can hear it."

Leon and Aphrodite looked up to see a man, standing on a black, winged snake and grinning sinisterly like one.

He pointed to Aphrodite, "I can hear your mark, calling out to me."

She looked down, noticing that her Manakyte was indeed glowing. "Then you are..."

"You can call me Mephisto, my dear," the man bowed graciously before hopping off his snake, with the serpent coiling around him. "And like you, I am indeed a Manakyte; a Manakyte of Darkness."

Leon's sword was instantly at the Manakyte's throat. "Leave. Now."

"Hmm?" Mephisto glared as he began sniffing Leon's clothing. His eyes widened as he backed away with an accusing finger at Leon, "You two have already mated!"

"Doesn't matter. You reek of death and blood. Leave now or I take your head," Leon warned.

Mephisto wasn't listening as he held his head in frustration and growling, "This can't be... How can a gorgeous Manakyte fall for some trash like this brat...?" He began to reveal scales on his face and arms, mixing colors of purple and charcoal black in intricate patterns. "As a Manakyte of the Warrior class... I WILL HAVE YOUR HEAD!"

Leon growled as his eyes turned gold. "Not if I take yours first."

**KAMEN RIDER DATABASE**

"Welcome back to another entry of the Kamen Rider Database," Moka-sama greeted as the screen next to her showed the images of Zero, Armadillo, Slasher and Sonix. "Today, we will be reviewing four more ex-agents of GIN-SHOCKER. First we will review #00: Zero, whose armor is based on the wasp. He is the fastest out of all the NUMBERS, able to move at bullet speeds. His gauntlets he can fire missile stingers that explode on contact. He also the only Rider aside from Bomber with the ability to fly."

She pressed the button on her remote to switch the screen to Armadillo. "This is #09: Kamen Rider Armadillo, one of the strongest of the NUMBERS. True to his name, he can roll into a metal ball to rush at his enemy with destructive force. He is also the second NUMBER, the first being Scanner, to lack weapons of his own. The only difference is that he isn't as weak."

"Now we have #02: Slasher, who is based on the soldier termite," Moka-sama continued as the screen changed to the largest Rider. "He is the largest of the NUMBERS, and one of the fiercest as well. He has the ability to transform his hands into chainsaws that can cut through nearly anything. He also has a second ability which I will leave alone at the moment."

The screen changed to Sonix. "And lastly, we have #08: Sonix, who is based on the cricket. He can manipulate sound waves and vibration. This allows him to conjure sound blast, manipulate the human body through his melody, and create a sound barrier. He is armed with a military fork that he can use as a tuning fork to amplify his powers."

"Sonix, Armadillo and Zero have done something unforgivable. They have gone after what's mine and so they must pay. What will happen to them? Stay tune for the next chapter to find out."

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: Looks like we've introduced 1314 of the NUMBERS already. Go back and count them. You'll know I'm right. Also, it seems that Leon's about to fight a tough opponent too, a guy claiming to be a Manakyte of Darkness. It would sure be action-packed. Oh, and don't worry about Shinichi and the girls. They'll be able to handle it. I hope you enjoyed the butt-kicking that occurred this chapter. And, I would like to thank Tailsmo, Kamen Rider Bushido and Shadow Element 13 on their contributions. I would also like to thank the other guys who contribute on the forum like Snake Screamer, Iron-Mantis and Warlord Xana.**


	26. Family: Act as a Team

**Chapter 26: Act As a Team**

Two forces of nature crashed against each other in the sky as two individuals filled with incredible power clashed violently. They blurred across the sky, the sound of thunder ringing in the air due to their ferocious battle. Leon Smith was armed with his Zanpakuto while Mephisto fought barehanded with only his claws.

The winged snake coiled around Mephisto wasn't for show. In fact the creature was carrying its master with its wings, allowing Mephisto to fly. While Ouroboros would be the one flying, their telepathic link allowed Mephisto to guide his pet and navigate their flight path.

Sparks flew as Leon defended himself with his sword. He could see black fluid dripping from the tips of Mephisto's claws. '_Venom_,' he concluded mentally. He was pretty sure that he could handle poisons if they entered his system but Leon didn't want to take a foolish risk. He slammed his foot into Mephisto's stomach, sending him flying backwards. Mephisto flipped through the air and stopped as Ouroboros spread its wings widely to use air resistance to stop them from crashing.

"Well, it looks like this one has some fight in him," said Mephisto, grinning insanely. Leon's expression was stoic, eyes narrowed in concentration. The young Shinigami dealt with each fight like it was life or death.

Meanwhile, back on the ground, Aphrodite was cheering loudly. "Darling Leon, beat him to a bloody pulp!" she cheered, fists pumping. She always loved to see her beloved show off what he could do.

Mephisto growled as he saw Aphrodite cheering for the rat. How could she even like him?-!

"Let the big boys handle this!" he snarled as he took a deep breath and exhaled a stream of green smoke down at Aphrodite.

She coughed as the smoke hit her, trying to breathe, but that was a mistake. Her vision began to blur and her legs began to wobble. She fell to her knees and collapsed as she lost consciousness.

"Hehe, she'll be out for a while, Ouroboros," Mephisto grinned while his serpent hissed approvingly. "And once we devour the rat, I'll claim my prize!"

Using Shunpo, Leon caught Aphrodite as she began to fall. He examined her, "Good, she's just unconscious." His eyes went up to glare at Mephisto, "Too bad for you, though."

"Eh?" blinked Mephisto.

Leon stood up and stared up at the Manakyte. "Aphrodite was one of the few people that truly believed I wasn't a monster. That's why I never wanted her to see this…" White particles began to form over Leon's face.

Mephisto backed away in fear as Leon's power began to increase. "What the hell is that…?"

"My _'__true __face__'_. The face of a monster…" Leon placed his hand on his face and in a ripping motion summoned a mask over his face. It could only be described as a menacing skull with a crown of horns around the skull right above the eyes and a cross in the forehead. "The face of the Vizard."

Mephisto chuckled, unimpressed. "Che, Vizard, huh? Well, nothing compares to the power I wield!"

"You're right. My power doesn't compare to yours…it exceeds it."

Suddenly, he blurred from Mephisto's sight.

"Huh?" Mephisto looked around in bewilderment before letting out shouts of pain from several blows impacting his body at once. It was like being stoned by a hundred rocks at once and the Manakyte was being tossed around like a rag doll.

Leon then appeared in front of Mephisto and lifted up the Manakyte by the neck. "What…what the fuck are you?" gasped Mephisto.

"I'm just a monster," answered Leon. He then slammed Mephisto's face against the street and began running, scrapping Mephisto's face against the wall before throwing him.

Mephisto bellowed as he charged at Leon. He then let out a roar, "DIE!" His eyes glowed as he prepared to launch an attack at Leon. However, Leon's hand grasped onto Mephisto's face.

"You first…" responded Leon as white energy began to gather in his hand. He was charging up his Reiatsu and focusing it into the palm of his hand. "Cero," he said simply and the light within his hand erupted explosively. At this range, no man would survive.

However, Mephisto was no mere man and despite receiving a face full of white Reiatsu at point blank range, his Manakyte body could take plenty of punishment. Leon floated backwards, staring at Mephisto. His clothes were damaged but the Manakyte and his pet serpent were still alive. Leon scowled. He had hoped that the Cero would've defeated his foe.

"I see…" Mephisto said as he opened his charcoal black eyes. "So, this is what a real monster is like." He laughed, "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! NOW THIS WILL BE FUN!" He dashed towards Leon who gripped his sword tightly. There was a clanging sound as Mephisto's claws scraped across the length of Leon's blade. "Too slow!" He struck again and the claws of his other hand slashed across Leon's chest. Blood burst out from Leon's chest from the blow. Then a fist bashed against Leon's masked face, blasting him across the street.

Mephisto grinned and knelt down to pick Aphrodite up only to receive a brutal kick in the face that sent him flying. He took a tumble along the ground, cursing and hissing. Slowly getting back to his feet, he spat out some blood from his mouth and looked to see Leon standing protectively over Aphrodite.

"Don't you dare touch her," Leon growled. Cracks were forming on his mask.

"You should just let me take her," Mephisto retorted. "The poison I infected her with will spread and I doubt you have any idea how to remove it."

"You have no idea what I'm capable of," Leon said. Holding his Zanpakuto with both hands, one gripping the hilt while the other gripped the blade, he chanted, "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth...and Punishment of Death for Evil. Now rise from the depths..." He called out loudly, KAGE NO SHI!"

* * *

><p><em>"General?"<em>

_"Yes, #13?"_

_"The team is ready, sir." _

_"Excellent, let us begin."_

_The NUMBERS all stood around a table with a holographic screen on it as General Nagazawa spoke to them, "NUMBERS, your mission today is by far the most important you have undertaken to date. As team leader, #13, you will be leading from the field. #13, please proceed."_

_#13 took his position at the front of the screen. He tapped a few buttons that moved a holographic sphere onto the centre of the screen. He informed the team, "Here is the information we have so far. Our intelligence reports that the American military have acquired a high-level asset and are holding it in this secure location."_

_A hologram of buildings formed, which was the tallest one in the centre._

_#13 continued, "It's a one hundred and ten-story building in the middle of an urban environment."_

_"What does security look like?" #10 inquired._

_"They have enough guards to fill a hundred and ten story building."_

_#10 whistled, "That is a lot of security."_

_"We can deal with it," replied #13. "Our mission is to infiltrate the building, go up to the floor where the Sarcophagus is being held, and secure it."_

_"The Sarcophagus?" questioned #09 in confusion._

_"That is what we are calling the primary objective," answered General Nagazawa._

_"Since this is a high-level asset, we need to access a key code to open the Sarcophagus," said #13._

_"I'm guessing they don't keep it taped to the side," commented #08._

_"If it was, it makes this mission easier," said #13. "It's held by an official of the program who will be moving in a vehicle along the freeway between inspections. That is when we'll infiltrate the facility." The holograms displayed a freeway and several moving vehicles. One of them flashed red and stopped in the middle, indicating it as the vehicle the official would be in. "We need to acquire both targets within minutes of each other. If we fail that, the remaining target will enter into lockdown and we miss our window."_

_"We will not have another chance at this," General Nagazawa added._

_"So, that means two teams," concluded #08._

_"Two teams," confirmed #13. He elaborated, "Team A will consist of me, #10, #11, #08, #06, #04, #02 and #01. We will infiltrate the package's storage facility. #06, you will have lock-picking duty."_

_"Nice!" grinned #06. "Finally, a mission where my unique talents can be put to good use!"_

_"#00 will have to provide aerial recon, solo, since #12 is still in the infirmary," added #13._

_The door slid open and #12 entered as he spoke, "Hey, don't be so quick to leave me out of the job."_

_"#12?" questioned #08._

_"Aren't you supposed to be in the infirmary?" asked #13._

_"According to records, I am."_

_"How is your eye?"_

_"It's OK. Docs will let me out tomorrow."_

_"Tomorrow, huh?" said #08._

_"Look, I couldn't let you guys have all the fun without me. Besides, you're going to need me."_

_#08 whispered to #13, "Listen, I'm happy he's here, but the mission…I don't know…"_

_"If #12 says he's functional then he's functional," replied #13. He questioned #12, "#12, you are functional, are you not?"_

_"Yeah, I am. I'm OK. Don't need to worry about little old me," replied #12._

_"It's settled then. #12 will join #00 and in aerial reconnaissance," said General Nagazawa._

_"Thank you, sir."_

_"Our transport will be two lightly-equipped dropships."_

_"We're rigged for fast running only, people. No heavy armaments," said a pilot._

_"Team B will consist of #07, #09, #03 and #05. Along with #12 and #00 they will provide reconnaissance for Team A. #00 will lead Team B," #13 continued to explain. "Team B will also have the simple job of stopping the vehicle and grabbing the case. Team A will have more of a challenge as the Sarcophagus is an unknown."_

_"How unknown?" #08 asked._

_"Unknown as in that we don't know its size, or its weight, or its dimension. What we do know is that it will have these markings on the exterior," answered #13._

_"Do we at least know what's inside?" #08 asked._

_"Yes, we know," answered General Nagazawa._

_"How do we know what's in it, but not how big it is?" #11 asked. _

"_That is not something you should be concerned about, #11," General Nagazawa said._

"_Sorry, sir."_

_"Everyone, we have a mission to do. Let us just do this right and return safely," finished #13._

_"That is all," concluded General Nagazawa. "You are dismissed."_

_"Yes, sir!" the NUMBERS responded._

* * *

><p>Mizore-Skyrider was in the air, battling against Zero. <em>'What<em>_a__rush!'_ she thought. She had never flown before and the instant she was donned in the armor she had perfect knowledge of flight in this form. She could also use her own powers in it. Zero dashed at her with his large gossamer wings beating rapidly on his back and fired at her with needles, forcing her to dodge by doing a barrel roll. The wall behind her ended up with needles embedded in it but then Zero snapped his fingers, causing the needles to glow and explode, sending rubble flying outwards. Mizore-Skyrider shouted out in shock as she was hit by the rubble and almost knocked out of the sky. She spotted Zero coming at her and she flipped in the air before firing a blast of frost at him. Zero, knowing instinctively it would be bad to be hit, flew out of the way and then attacked with his needles again. Mizore-Skyrider countered with ice needles and the two sets of needles met.

Meanwhile, Kurumu-BLACK was dealing with Armadillo. She kept dodging whenever he rolled towards her, trying to flatten her. He then unrolled himself and asked, "Why the hell are you girls getting in our way?"

"You hurt my Destined One," she told him.

"Destined One?" Armadillo repeated. "You mean #13!"

"Don't call him that!" Kurumu-BLACK snapped.

"Hey, that asshole killed us! I can call him whatever I want!" Armadillo shot back. "I really don't wanna hurt you but you're leaving me no choice!" He called, "Hey, Sheila! Fire!"

"Sheila? Who's-?"

"_Firing__Main__Cannon."_ Kurumu-BLACK spun around when she heard the voice and was staring straight at the tank's cannon. As it was about to fire, Kurumu-BLACK was pushed out of the way and Armadillo ended up blasted instead as he was in the tank's path. He was sent flying by the explosive force of the tank shell.

"Shinichi?" Kurumu-BLACK asked as she saw that it was Shinichi who'd saved her.

"Don't get hit," he cautioned, almost painfully, "That tank packs a punch."

At the same time, Moka-sama was dealing with Sonix. He thrust and jabbed his military fork at her but she dodged his strikes. "Who the hell are you!-?" he shouted. "What are you!-?"

"You should really do your homework," said Moka-sama as she hopped to the side and then she swung her leg into Sonix's chest, sending him sliding backwards on his feet. He grunted as he touched his chest plate where the kick had connected.

"You're not normal. Are you a Mutant?" he questioned. She was powerful looking, but she would be feeling that kick for days.

"Mutant? You're suggesting I'm human," she shot back.

"Well, it doesn't matter," said Sonix as he twirled his military fork around. "You shouldn't have gotten involved, but now that you have you're going to suffer the consequences." He sent a blast of sound at her but she dodged out of the way before dashing towards him. She hit him again with a kick to the stomach, sending him flying, painfully. He dug his fork to the ground and had it slow down his flight, "Is that the best you've got?" Sonix challenged as he landed.

"Not even close," Moka-sama answered as she cracked her knuckles.

* * *

><p>"Hey, what's up?" Netto greeted almost joyfully as he entered the Dragon's Den. Yuki looked up from her book, almost confused to see him in that kind of mood.<p>

"You look happy," the ice Manakyte commented.

"What's not to be happy about, Yuki-chan?" Netto smiled. "I'm just in a good mood today, that's all."

Yuki continued to stare at Netto with an odd glance. Suddenly, a smirk curled on her face, knowingly, "Ah, I see…. good job."

"Huh?" Netto blinked. "Good job for what?"

"For finally becoming a man," Yuki clarified.

"Come again?"

"For letting go of your sexual innocence."

"WHAT!-?" Netto blushed as he turned bright red.

"What? You lost your virginity?" Yuji said as ran from the stairs. "So you and Qiao finally did it after the double date huh?"

"So how was the fox? Was she really good in bed?" Yuki asked as she leaned in and licked her lips.

"I don't know why I should tell you about that!" Netto frowned, placing his hands on his hips."It's not like you should know everything I do with Qiao."

"Sure, like we don't know that you too like to massage each other half-dressed," Yuji grinned.

"Stuff it!" Netto snapped as his face became redder. "Like you have anything to boast about Yuji! I know how Michiru-chan, Hana-chan, Misato-chan, and Ruby-chan like to tease you! And I heard from Misato-chan about how she riled you up with one of her bananas at the summer festival!"

"She told you THAT?" Yuji gaped, his face red hot.

"There's an advantage, as well as a disadvantage to having multiple girls who like you," Netto smiled triumphantly.

Yuji regained his posture. "Yeah, well so what if I got four hot girls who like me? Shin's got a Vampire, a Succubus, a Yuki-Onna and even a kid witch. Hell, Leon's got a Manakyte and even that priestess girl if he managed to patch things up. For all we know, you could be next."

"I wouldn't know about that, to be honest," Netto shrugged. "Other girls hardly show romantic interest in me."

"I beg to differ," Qiao said as she appeared behind Netto and wrapped her arms around him. Netto almost went stiff at her appearance.

"Qiao!" Yuji exclaimed. "How much did you hear?"

"I heard enough," Qiao grinned teasingly. Her smile grew wider as she got closer to Netto's face and stroked his cheek with the tips of her fingernails. "Oh I heard enough. Airen, of course there were girls interested in you. Remember Eva-chan?"

"Yeah, that was a long time ago," Netto nodded.

Yuji and Yuki both remembered Eva as well. She was a shy British girl who was being made fun of because of how pointed her teeth looked. While the time with her was short, she was still happy to be with people who liked her for who she was.

Her face became seductive as she leaned into his ear. "And remember what I said before we did that? I wanna have some other girls to play with us too~."

"R-right," Netto stuttered, "How could I forget?"

"Good boy," Qiao smiled. "Now come with me, I'm feeling the need to play with you again."

"Excuse me?" a man said as he entered the room. He was old, about 4 feet in height, chubby, with a big nose and tufts of hairs on the sides of his bald head. He wore a pink shirt with a red tie, black pants, shoes, and over this he wore a white lab coat.

"Yeah, can I help you with something?" Yuji asked. Yuki, Netto and Qiao all turned to the man.

"I'm looking for this boy," the man said as he showed them a picture. Yuji blinked as he looked at it.

"Chiaki?" he asked.

'"You know him?" the man blinked.

Yuji turned to the stairs and shouted, "Hey, Chiaki, get your big butt down here! Someone's here to see you!"

The Termite Cyborg descended down the staircase and ducked under the door frame as he saw the old man.

**"Hello, ****Doctor,"** the giant signed.

"Good to see you, my boy," the man smiled. "Where on Earth have you been? I've been looking all over for you and Yokoshima was getting worried."

**"I ****was ****sketching ****the ****sunflowers ****up ****on ****that ****hill,"** Chiaki signed. **"But ****I ****fell ****asleep ****and ****got ****hungry."**

"I see. Have you found #13?"

"His name is Shinichi," Yuki glared.

"Forgive me, but it's imperative that we find him before GIN-SHOCKER does," the man stated.

"Wait..." Yuji stopped. "You're Doctor Magi, right?"

"I am," he nodded. "But how on Earth did you know that?"

"Oh, ladies!" Yuji called, turning back to the stairs.

The girls all came down and gasped as they saw Magi.

"Good to see you, Dr. Magi," Hana greeted happily.

"Yay, Dr. Magi's here!" Michiru cheered.

"My word," Magi gaped. "This is where you three have been?"

"Yeah, we decided to leave GIN-SHOCKER," Misato nodded.

"And Spiky-kun let us stay here," Michiru chirped.

"Are you looking for Shinichi?" Hana asked.

**"I ****haven't ****seen ****him ****yet,"** Chiaki signed.

Magi then heard something and reached into his pocket, reaching in and pulling out a radio. "This is Magi, over," Magi spoke.

_"Doctor, __we __have __found #13,__but __we __are __under __attack __by __some __strange __women!"_ Zero reported over the sounds of shots being fired. _"They __are __keeping __us __from __re-__ARH!"_

"Oh dear..." Magi paled.

"Strange women?" Misato realized. She grimaced as she remembered Moka's intimidating true self. "Uh oh."

"We'd better get going before those idiots get killed," Yuji commanded. "As the old proverb goes, 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned'."

* * *

><p>Zero skidded along the grass just after the ice impacted his chest. He only came to a halt when he felt his back hit against a tree. He brushed of the sheet of ice from his chest, only to see Mizore-Skyrider coming at him from above with a chop aimed directly at him. With the speed that she was going at, she was at least going to cause mortal damage. Zero quickly rolled out of the way, just as the transformed Yuki-Onna's forearm ripped through the tree, cutting it in two. Skyrider's Sky Chop caused the poor plant life to fall down in pieces. Mizore-Skyrider quickly turned to face Zero as she placed her hands on the Tornado.<p>

**"Super ****Lightwave!"** she shouted as the Tornado emitted a bright flash of light. Zero was forced to shield his eyes from the bright flash from her belt. As he struggled to get his eyes cleared again, Mizore-Skyrider dashed forward, making the dust kick up behind her, and held his wrists in a powerful grip.

"Why are you attacking Shinichi?" she demanded.

"We have our orders!" said Zero as he kicked her hard in the chest, knocking her backwards.

Meanwhile, Moka-sama was still jumping around as Sonix still tried to get a hit at her. It irritated the Cricket Rider to no end as the vampire was seemingly taunting him to keep up.

"Damn it! Hold still!" Sonix snapped. Moka-sama leapt over another swing, and then landed on his shoulders as she hugged her thighs around his neck and threw him up in the air with a backflip swing. As she stood upright, she stretched out her hand and caught his falling military fork. She broke it over her knee and tossing the two pieces away like garbage.

"Now you're unarmed," she said as Sonix landed face first to the ground. This would be easy. It seemed that Sonix relied on his weapon to manifest his powers.

Sonix grinned in response as he got up, "Unarmed? Guess again, bitch."

His chest plate splits open, the two panels then folded up to his shoulders to reveal two amplifier speakers on his chest. Moka-sama's eyes widened as she was blasted by sound waves, painful sound waves that caused her to fall to her knees. Vampires were also known to have sharp hearing, meaning that their ears were super sensitive. Thus, the intense sound waves were a strain on her.

Shinichi, seeing this, decided to get on the back of the jeep and man the turret. He took aim and fired at Sonix with the turret.

"Arg!" Sonix shouted as the turrets sprayed bullets on him, halting the amplifiers. Shinichi then got into the driver's seat, where he pushed it into gear and drove straight into Sonix. The Rider saw him coming too late and ended up getting rammed into a wall. Shinichi jumped out of the jeep and ran over to check on Moka-sama.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"I'm fine," the she nodded as she stood back up."But what about you?"

"Is that concern I hear, Moka-chan?" he said, grinning at her, only to pale as she glared at him, "I mean Moka-**sama**!" he corrected himself quickly. He loved this woman but she could be _really_ scary.

Moka-sama huffed, "If you can still crack jokes, then you're obviously fine."

Shinichi smirked and then looked towards Sonix, who was pushing the jeep away from himself, and frowned deeply. "Let's not kill them."

"They tried to kill you," she argued, cocking an eyebrow.

"Yeah, but they're like me, and I want to give them a chance," he told her. "But of course I know they won't listen, so…" His Spark Core formed. "Let's Ride: Showa!"

After transforming, he attached the Legacy Driver to his Spark Core.

"**ULTIMATE RIDE: LEGACY MODE!"**

He didn't want to be a sitting duck. Shouldering his Legacy Saber, he strode towards Sonix.

Sonix managed to stand back up as he saw Showa approach. "Nice suit," he scoffed. "I suppose you're going to kill me again."

"Kill you?" Showa echoed, "As if. But right now, I'm really pissed off at you. So now, some restitution is in order." Without another word, he twisted his Legacy Driver.

"**LEGACY CHARGE!"**

"Moka-sama! Ikuze!" Showa said as fourteen rings appeared between him and Sonix, who gapped in shock. Both Showa and Moka-sama jumped into the air as the rings made their path. Gravity took back its grip as the Rider and vampire phase through the rings, granting them power. Moka-sama's own aura spiraled around them as they continued to descend to their target.

"**DOUBLE ****LEGACY ****CYCLONE!****" **they both shouted just before they collided with Sonix. The twin kick with the combination of vampire energy and Legacy Power spun off his chest and sent him skidding backwards, the dust kicking up as he did. Just before he fell on his back, his transformation was undone in ripples of sound waves.

Daichi coughed as he slowly sat up. "D-damn…" he swore as he held his chest.

"Daichi!" Armadillo gasped as he turned his attention from Kurumu-BLACK. She didn't put this opportunity to waste as she placed her hands on her belt to absorb sunlight to execute her final attack. Once she gained enough power, she jumped into the air and came down on the Pill Bug Rider.

"Wha-? Aw crap," he whined.

"Rider Punch!" Kurumu-BLACK shouted as she slammed her solar powered fist into Armadillo's face, sending him flying backwards. She jumped again, this time with her foot stuck out as it flared brightly. "Rider Kick!" The kick connected as Armadillo was sent flying once more, next to Daichi as his transformation also failed.

Zero, meanwhile, was being blasted by a blizzard which froze him in a block of ice, turning him into a sitting duck for what came next. "Sky Kick!" Mizore-Skyrider called as her attack struck, shattering the ice along with Zero's armor as he smashed into the ground with a loud thud.

"Aw fuck me..." Daichi muttered, realizing that he and the others have reverted to normal. Showa and the girls quickly surrounded them.

"Now, it's time to talk," Mizore-Skyrider said, cracking her knuckles. Before anything could be done however...

**ZAP! ZAP! ZAP! ZAP!**

"OW!" Showa grunted as he plucked what looked like a pink dart. "What the- who hit me with... this..." Suddenly, Showa's armor, as well as the armor of the two girls, fell to pieces as all four of them passed out in an instant.

"Huh?" Daichi, Shogo and Yokoshima blinked in confusion before looking to see Dr. Magi walking up to them with a small dart shooter in hand. He wasn't looking happy.

"I thought I told you boys to absolutely not attack #13! That was the only reason why Gebok brought you all back in the first place!" Dr. Magi scolded as he eyed the three boys. They all cringed, having not seen him so upset before. "To combat GIN-SHOCKER, we need all the help we can find, and this is not how we search!"

"Not... to nitpick, Doctor, but aren't you one to talk with those darts hitting #13 and those girls?" Shogo stated.

"Hmm? Oh no, these are just tranquilizers that I made for emergencies. The chemical is a special paralyzing agent design specifically to safely neutralize any living organism," Magi explained.

"Ah, then could you explain about the entourage?" Shogo asked as he noticed Yuji and his party approaching them.

"And why do they look like they want to hurt us?" Yokoshima said concernedly.

"What the..." Daichi blinked as he noticed three other girls and one large boy in the group. "02? 04? 07? 11? Where have you guys been?"

"Hey," Hana merely waved.

"Oh, that is a long story. Mr. Fudo, could you help me take your friends to the Dragon's Den so we can explain all this in a calm peaceful matter?" Dr. Magi asked.

"Right, I got you," Yuji nodded. "Yuki, Netto, grab the girls. I'll get Shinichi."

"Hai!" they both nodded.

While the technopath and Manakytes got their cargo and went on their way, no one realized that they were being watched. Looking over from atop a nearby building with a pair of binoculars was a teenaged male. He had short whitish hair and was wearing a red jacket over a blue shirt. He was also wearing grey pants and white sneakers. Removing his binoculars, showing his grayish eyes, he took out a radio and placed it next to his face. "#10?"

_"What is it, #06?"_

"I've found them," #06 grinned.

* * *

><p>Back with Leon and Mephisto, the two fighters continued to clash. Leon was wielding his Kage no Shi in the initial released state of his Zanpakuto. This weapon allowed Leon to use shadows as a weapon. As for Mephisto, he too was about to reveal his weapon.<p>

Now, a Vizard's Hollow mask could only be maintained for a short period of time. Leon's maximum limit was seven minutes and several minutes had already past and it was showing. Cracks were spreading all over the bone white mask. Still, his Shikai's power would make up for the lost of his augmented abilities. Mephisto, however, was not about to let his 'rival' win.

"Ouroboros!" Mephisto shouted, dodging a slash that would've cleaved him in two. The winged serpent hissed, understanding his master's command, and unhinged its jaw, opening it wide. It started to regurgitate something. It looked like the hilt of a sword. Grinning maliciously, Mephisto took hold of the hilt and drew, miraculously undamaging his pet snake's insides. The blade withdrawn, Leon could now see what his opponent had in his hand. It resembled a nodachi, but without a tsuba (guard). The hilt looked like it had scales and the blade was purple and dripping with a violet fluid.

Rushing forward, Mephisto swung his nodachi at Leon who parried with his Kage no Shi. The weapons clashed but the liquid dripping from the nodachi's blade spilt onto Leon's masked face. The mask was started to sizzle with smoke rising of it. The fluid was corrosive and eating through his mask! Mephisto took in a deep breath of air, his cheeks puffing up, and then exhaled. Leon coughed as the toxic fumes started to invade his lungs. Seeing as his opponent was distracted, he thrust his sword forward, hitting only air as Leon dodged.

Leon reappeared yards away from Mephisto, atop a building. He coughed from the poison. He'd already been exposed to Mephisto's poison and not only that his Hollow mask had just shattered after reaching its limits.

"Is this all you can do?" Mephisto taunted loudly.

"No…THIS IS!" Leon drew his arm back, his hand clenched tightly around the Kage no Shi's shaft. His shadow expanded into a full circle, spreading out. With a shout he swung his scythe forward and beams of shadow matter streaked through the air towards Mephisto. Mephisto was fast, but not fast enough, as he tried to dodge the barrage but he was hit several times, nearly being knocked out of the air. He hissed in outrage and flew towards Leon who slammed the blade-less end of his weapon to his feet. Mephisto swung his venomous nodachi at Leon but hit a dome of shadow mattered which caused him to bounce off. The dome quickly vanished and Leon struck, slashing open Mephisto's chest. Well, the blade would've cut through if it weren't for Mephisto's protective scales. Leon scowled. He should've finished off his opponent by now.

He hit Mephisto across the face with his scythe's shaft, knocking him aside. Ouroboros also attacked, lunging at Leon with fangs bare. He ducked to the side but received a punch from Mephisto which sent him skidding backwards. Mephsito cracked his head from side to side, petting Ouroboros, as he spoke, "You're powerful, I'll give you that." He added arrogantly, "But not powerful enough." Sickly purple energy surrounded his hands, also surrounding the blade of his nodachi.

"You're casting a shadow," Leon pointed, causing Mephisto to stare down at his feet.

"Yes, yes I am," Mephisto confirmed.

"Good," said Leon and he slashed at the shadow with his Kage no Shi, the blade scraping along the rooftop's floor. Mephisto cocked his eyebrow. Had his opponent gone mad and-Mephisto suddenly screamed as blood burst out from his chest. He stared down at the blood dripping down his chest, staining his clothes.

"Wha-what is this?" Mephisto demanded, stunned.

"I don't only manipulate shadows, I can also cut them," Leon informed Mephisto. "Oh, and here's another one."

Mephisto cried out again as more blood splattered the floor, courtesy of another diagonal cut across his chest. Leon was angry, very angry, and it was showing in his eyes. Despite being without his Hollow mask, he still had the eyes of one. The black sclera and the golden irises in his eyes were terrifying, showing that Leon was feeling anything but merciful. A ball of shadow matter formed in his left hand but electricity arched all over the orb. He then used his Shunpo, appearing right in Mephisto's face, as he called, _**"**__**Kage **__**no **__**Chidori.**__**"**_

He pushed the electrified ball of shadow into Mephisto's wounded chest and listened as the venomous Manakyte screamed.

* * *

><p>"And this goes here," said Misato as she put Moka's Rosario back on the chain and watched as she changed back to her sealed state. She, along with Shinichi, Mizore and Kurumu had been put on the sofa and were still knocked out.<p>

"Wow, how did you do that?" Yokoshima asked, referring to the sudden change in Moka's hair color.

"All I did was put back her seal," Misato answeredas if she were talking about the weather. "She's a vampire."

Yokoshima paled and stuttered, "V-v-v-vampire? Like bats? Like vampire bats that want to suck on my blood." Evidently, he was freaking out.

"Give me a break!" Daichi scoffed. "You expect us to believe that she's a vampire?"

"What's not to believe? I'm a vampire," Misato retorted.

"A _cyborg_ vampire," he corrected, "That doesn't count."

"You saw her change and she kicked your butt, didn't she?" Misato reminded.

He snapped, "That doesn't prove a damn thing!"

"Daichi, Shogo told me you were in charge," Dr. Magi addressed Daichi. "Why did you ignore my orders?"

"Why?" Daichi retorted. "#13 is dangerous, that's why!" Yukari went over and stomped on his foot. "Yow!"

"He's not #13 anymore," Yukari denied, "His name is Shinichi. .Chi."

"Tomato, to-mah-to," Daichi said while rolling his eyes. "Just because he decides to change his name doesn't change what he did in the past."

"How does that make you any different?" Netto asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Daichi sneered.

Misato knew all too well about why Daichi was angry. He'd experienced betrayal by those who he trusted. First his sister, who'd sold him to GIN-SHOCKER, and then by #13, who he considered to be his best friend, but then killed him along with the rest of them. With everything that happened to him since he was six, Daichi found it difficult to trust anyone without fear of betrayal.

"But was it really necessary to knock them out?" asked Qiao. "They were defending Shinichi."

"It was necessary at the time," said Dr. Magi, "It was because they were defending him that I doubt they would listen to reason at the time."

"Hey, I got a question," said Yokoshima and he pointed at Kurumu's chest, "Are those _real_?"

"Are you seriously asking that question right now?" Hana retorted, raising an eyebrow.

"Hey, I was just asking what everyone was thinking," Yokoshima justified.

"How did he get on the NUMBERS?" Ruby said to Yuki.

"Obviously not for his brainpower," Yuki replied.

"Yeah, tell me about it," added Misato as she caught on to their conversation. "And believe it or not they gave him command of a tank."

"That tank belongs to him?" Ruby gaped.

"It's not really his fault," said Michiru, "Well, actually it is. The tank kind of got attached to him." Ruby and Yuki gave her odd looks.

"Michiru, it wasn't the tank that got attached to him, it was the tank's AI," Hana clarified.

"Isn't that the same thing? The AI's part of the tank, isn't it?"

"An AI?" Ruby blinked, unfamiliar with the term.

"An artificial intelligence program," Hana explained, "GIN-SHOCKER had installed a few into some of their tanks to see how efficient they were but the AI went rampant, as in they went crazy, and well they had to be scrapped. The tanks, not the AI. The AI were all deleted or something, except for the one in Yokoshima's tank."

"You all sure had a lot going on back in GIN-SHOCKER," Yuki observed.

"Remind me to tell you about the time I installed new equipment in Michiru," Hana said.

"Duly noted," Yuki nodded. She then addressed the new boys, "What are you names?"

"R-right," Yokoshima gulped slightly. He raised the right sleeve of his pants to show the mark on his knee, "I'm Yokoshima Ryuunosuke, #09. Nice to meet you guys."

Daichi snorted as he stretched his shirt sleeve to show the mark on his left arm, "Daichi Takashima. #08."

Shogo bowed and pointed to the mark above his right eyebrow. "And I am #00. Shogo Kuso."

Yuji snickered. "You mean 'One's Ministry's Damned'?"

"Hey, those nuns just picked my name out from a hat!" Shogo snapped.

"Must've been cheap," Netto uttered.

"Tell me about it," Shogo grumbled as he crossed his arms. "I never had a birth certificate so following an old tradition they placed some names into a hat to pick out for abandoned babies. And I ended up with 'Kuso'."

"Moving... on..." Dr. Magi spoke up. Shogo's surname was a very sour subject for the Wasp Cyborg, and in more ways than one. "Might I ask who the young ladies that are attached to #13- I mean Shinichi are?"

"Oh!" Michiru blinked and began pointing. "The girl whose hair changed from silver to pink just now is Moka Akashiya. And what Misato said was true, she is a vampire. But don't worry though, she only drinks from Shinichi-kun." Yesterday after she and Hana arrived back and Shinichi and Moka departed, Misato made Yuji tell the Mantis and Tarantula Cyborgs about Shinichi's harem. They were we both rather surprised about the revelations, but now understood why they were getting such odd feelings from the other girls. They had never even seen Moka's true self until today, who was a complete invert of the Moka they had come to know. She was more like BLACK 13 in terms of brutally and skill. The only thing that settled them apart was that the Inner Moka at least had a personality. "The girl with blue hair is Kurumu Kurono, a succubus, and the one with purple hair is Mizore Shirayuki, a Yuki-Onna."

"A succubus and a Yuki-Onna?" Yokoshima gawked. "For real?"

"Yeah!" Yukari nodded. "And Ruby-san and I are Witches! Qiao-san is a Huli Jing and Yuji-san and Yuki-san are dragons!"

"Remarkable..." Dr. Magi muttered.

"That explains everything now," Shogo nodded.

Shinichi began to groan from where he sat. "Ugh…what happened?" If you know what a hangover feels like, Shinichi was experiencing one right now. His vision was all blurry. "Where am I…?"

"Oh hey, you're awake now," Netto said as he noticed, "We're back at the Dragon Den. We managed to get you back here after Dr. Magi knocked you out."

"Dr. Magi…?" Shinichi questioned, looking up at the doctor.

"It's nice to see you again, #13," greeted Dr. Magi, "I'm sorry, I should call you 'Shinichi-kun' now."

Shinichi slowly stood up, his eyes on Daichi, Yokoshima and Shogo, but this time they were filled with recognition, "I remember you guys now."

"You do?" Netto asked.

"Every time I black out, I get random memory flashes. At first I didn't understand them…until now." He then got down on his knees and bowed down, "Forgive me! I'm so sorry for what I did!"

Yokoshima and Shogo were taken aback while Daichi's eyes widened in surprise.

"Did…he…just apologize?" Yokoshima asked, surprised. Shogo nodded dumbly. "So, I'm not hallucinating."

"He's not the same guy," Misato insisted.

"I know you all must still hate me for what happened, but let me explain," Shinichi continued, "I don't know how... but I was being controlled by Gebok. It's the only explanation that I can come up with. Otherwise I wouldn't have-"

"There's no reason to go any further," Yokoshima interrupted. "If what everyone else said is true, then I'm cool with that. And sorry for ambushing you back there."

"I too except your apology and apologize for what happened early," Shogo nodded.

Shinichi stood up, looking surprised. "Really? Just like that?"

"We're all in this together, right?" Yokoshima said, putting his hands in his pockets, "GIN-SHOCKER's after all of us now. So we should focus on them, not past grudges."

"I can't believe you two," said Daichi, appalled. "Whatever, I'm out of here." He pocketed his hands and walked out of the Dragon's Den, grumbling curses under his breath. Shinichi watched him go, feeling slightly saddened by Daichi's departure.

"What's his problem?" Yuji frowned.

"Shinichi just apologized and he walks out on it?" Netto added, angered.

"Let him be you two," Michiru said sadly, "You wouldn't understand."

"I understand more than you think," Netto returned.

"Let me try and talk to him," Shinichi said, "He's obviously still upset."

"Careful, Shinichi," Hana warned. "He's a stubborn asshole. The fact that you killed us isn't the only reason he's upset."

"I'll still make the best of it," with a wave, Shinichi left the Dragon's Den after Daichi.

Moka, Kurumu, Mizore were slowly coming to as well. They had headaches from being hit by the tranquilizers and they were probably feeling a little nauseous as well.

"Ow…what happened…?" Kurumu groaned.

"I feel like I have brain freeze, and not in a good way…" moaned Mizore.

"Are you girls OK?" Yuji asked.

"Yuji-san, what happened? And where's Shinichi-kun?" Moka asked.

"It's a very long story," said Yuji. Where was he to begin?

* * *

><p>Leon was carrying Aphrodite on his back, a frown on his back. The girl was still unconscious from the poison she had inhaled. Fortunately, Leon knew some healing techniques. As a warrior who always fought in like or death situations, knowing advanced first aid techniques was crucial. Fortunately, Aphrodite had not taken a lethal done. Mephisto had wanted her alive.<p>

Speaking of which, Mephisto had fled, turning his body into a cloud of poisonous gas after taking a direct hit from Leon's Kage no Chidori. He had arrogantly proclaimed that he would return one day to settle the score. Leon would wait for his return. Next time, Leon would just cut him down instead of wasting time. Leon himself had taken doses of Mephisto's lethal poison. However, he managed to purge his body of the venomous substance. He had used his Reiatsu to force it all out, bleeding the substance out so that it would no longer trouble him.

Now he was running low on energy. He could barely stand, much less walk, but he needed to get Aphrodite back to the hotel, or at least back at the Dragon's Den.

"Leon-san?"

Leon heard his name and looked to see Sora.

"Sora?" he asked.

While she was still intimidated by him, she could see that he needed help. "You look like you need rest. Follow me. My family's shrine is nearby."

"Thank you," he said.

* * *

><p>At an empty lot, Daichi sat on the cement cylinders with his face in his hands. When he was revived the first thought that occurred in his mind was to track down #13 and make him pay for his betrayal. It had been his motivation. He couldn't trust GIN-SHOCKER since they had allowed it to happen so he went along with Dr. Magi and the others to find a purpose. They were going to destroy GIN-SHOCKER. However, they were going to need help. Dr. Magi had informed them that #13 had vanished after defecting from GIN-SHOCKER. The only bit of information that mattered to the Cricket Cyborg was that #13 was still alive and yet to pay for his sins.<p>

Shinichi spotted Daichi at the empty lot. He'd been looking for him, wanting to talk. After learning about their relationship back in GIN-SHOCKER, he wanted to confront Daichi about it and maybe start anew. Daichi couldn't forgive #13 but Shinichi was not that guy anymore. He was different. Why did Shinichi care though? Maybe because this guy had been his friend and he didn't want to lose any, new or old.

"Daichi?" Shinichi blinked, "So this is where you've been."

"Yeah, I just wanted to get away from you," Daichi retorted.

"Look, whatever happened in the past isn't important-"

"The past is always important!" Daichi snapped, taking Shinichi by surprise. "Do you know what it's like to be betrayed by someone you trusted!-? My sister sold me to GIN-SHOCKER! Back then I trusted her but then she just sold me! It's worse than being tossed like garbage! She just treated me like a thing to be sold!" He clenched his fists. "Then…then I met _you_. We became comrades, partners and even friends. You were always there to watch my back but then suddenly you stabbed me in the back!" The fact that Gebok might've been behind that didn't matter to Daichi. The last thing he saw when his life ended before was #13 as he killed him. That image would forever be burnt into his mind.

Shinichi couldn't blame him, really. If things were in reverse then Shinichi might hate Daichi for the same betrayal. Probably. "I see... so, there's no talking about this then."

"No, and words aren't enough," Daichi said as he stood up and summoned his Spark Core. "Let's settle this."

Shinichi sighed as he summoned his own Spark Core, "Whatever, dude."

"Henshin!"

"Let's Ride: Showa!"

They charged at each other as their respective suits form on their bodies before throwing the first punch. Their fists collided, throwing them backwards. However, they recovered quickly to exchange blows again.

As they grappled, Sonix questioned, "Why…? After all you've done how can you enjoy such a life now?"

"Don't ask me that," Showa replied as he stared Sonix in the eye, "That's just the fate life dealt me."

"So? Are you saying it was our fate to die at your hands!-?" Sonix shouted. He pushed Showa away and drew his Cricket Fork. He slashed at Showa, causing sparks to fly when his strike connected. "How is that supposed to be fair!-?" Another strike crashed against Showa's armor. "Tell me!" He sent Showa tumbling with a forward thrust.

Showa slowly rose up on one knee, head hung down, "I…remember. We were friends, weren't we?"

"Yeah, and it was a mistake on my part. I should've never trusted you," scowled Sonix as he strode towards Showa.

"I know, and there's no way you can forgive me for that, but I'm sick and tired of taking the blame for that," Showa retorted as he caught the Cricket Fork before it hit. He tore it from Sonix's hand as he slammed his palm into the Cricket Rider's stomach, throwing him backwards. "The blame doesn't lie solely on me. I got blood on my hands, and I'm sorry for what happened to you, but I'm not your enemy. GIN-SHOCKER is the enemy! Our enemy!"

"And why should I trust you? How do we know they don't still control you?" Sonix questioned accusingly.

Before Showa could answer, dagger-shaped crystals suddenly flew out of nowhere and struck the both of them, tossing them off their feet.

"The hell are you doing, #08, #13?" a new cyborg arrived. "You should always be alert and pay attention to your surroundings. You don't know who will suddenly attack."

"#06!" Sonix shouted. The new arrival was clad in green armor that was modeled after a jewel beetle, with a chest-plate resembling the creature's abdomen. His helmet sported three slits on the visor.

"Live and in person! But you can call me Petrifier now," he said. He got down on one knee. "And now to secure my bonus!" He slammed his palms down on the ground, covering it with a layer of solid crystal which quickly crept up Showa and Sonix's legs, trapping them.

"I can't move!" Showa shouted.

"Kuso!" Sonix saw that his Cricket Fork was also out of reach.

"Looks like I get #13 and a traitor," said Petrifier in a sing-song voice. "I'll get a bonus from the both of you." He was suddenly pelted with rapid fire shots from the Vulcan Shooter. "Urgh! Sonovabitch!"

Showa then summoned the Gravity Hammer and slammed it down on the crystal floor, shattering it with tremendous, earth-shaking, force. He walked over and picked up the Cricket Fork before tossing it over to Sonix who caught it.

"Heh, you think that'll help you!" Petrifier taunted as he covered his arms in crystal which turned into sharp blades. Throwing his arms forward, he fired a multitude of crystal arrows at the two.

"Not this time!" Sonix slammed his Cricket Fork to the ground and then jabbed it forward, forming a barrier of sound which repelled the crystal projectiles. Showa ran forward, summoning his Laser Saber along the way. He swung, his first strike blocked by Petrifier's crystal blades but the impact still pushed him backwards.

"Once MORE!" Showa swung again, chipping the crystal blades this time but they still didn't get broken. The Jewel Beetle Rider did feel the hit as his arms vibrated from being struck. "And again!" Showa slashed again and the blades connected. Sparks flew from the contact and Petrifier grunted as he tried to push back.

Sonix watched as Petrifier and Showa fought. Petrifier was obviously still with GIN-SHOCKER. He clenched his fists as he watched, just watched, until he saw his chance to do something.

"Let's Ride: Super-1!" Showa called as his armor changed. He shoved Petrifier backwards and assumed the form of Kamen Rider Super-1. "Electric Hands!" His gloves changed and sparked with electricity. "Kurae!" He slammed his palm forward, hitting Petrifier with electricity, causing him to cry out. He then followed up with a kick that hit him in the midsection. "And take this!" An electrified uppercut slammed into his jaw, pushing him upwards. A blast of sound from Sonix sent him flying.

"Nice timing," said Showa-Super-1. Sonix didn't give a response.

"Dammit…" Petrifier growled. "Spark Burst!" His Spark Core glowed and his body began to shine as well. He could feel his energy rising to incredible levels as he rose to his feet. "#13…damn you…" He formed several crystal spikes which hovered over him and threw them at Showa-Super-1's back.

"Watch out!" Sonix shouted as he pushed Showa-Super-1 out of the way and ended up getting hit by Petrifier's explosive crystal spikes. He screamed from the explosion that tossed him through the air as Showa shouted out, "Daichi!"

Daichi lay on the ground, injured. "Kuso…"

Petrifier laughed, "One down." Showa-Super-1 trembled as he clenched his fists. Petrifer, however, was worried. He was running out of time before Spark Burst drained him. Right now Showa was distracted. First he trapped Showa with crystal that crept up to his neck, pinning his arms to his sides. "Time to finish this!" Petrifier jumped and formed crystal blades on his arms and swung forward. However, he didn't hit Showa as the blades were caught. "Nani!-?"

Showa's right arm had broken out of the crystal and his eyes were glowing with fury. The crystal shattered as his Spark Core glowed before he tossed Petrifier to the ground. At the same time, his armor shattered off him like crystal fragments.

'_Fuck, __my __minute__'__s __up!_' #06 thought as Showa slowly strode towards him. "Hey, wait! Wait a moment!"

Showa was suddenly slammed into the concrete cylinders by what appeared to be a Rhino-like Cyborg Mutant. Climbing to his feet, #06 said to it, "I'll leave the rest to you!" before fleeing the scene.

The Rhino-Borg roared as he rushed forward directly at Showa. Showa jumped out of the way just as it rammed its head, causing the concrete cylinders to be launched into the air.

"Oh, damn," Showa gulped. This new Cyborg Mutant was obviously very strong.

Rhino-Borg turned around and rushed forward again. Only now Showa was ready. "Let's Ride: Biorider!" Showa-Biorider quickly turned into liquid energy and avoided the Rhino-Borg's charge. He tried to attack with his shapeless form, but found that Rhino-Borg's hide was too thick. Rhino-Borg was no doubt annoyed by the water splashing around him, and slapped it away. It reformed back into Showa-Biorider before sliding off the wall.

"Shoot," he panted, "That armor's thick. In that case, Let's Ride: Ichigo!" Once he switched to the form of the first Kamen Rider, he got to his feet and charged. He sent a punch and a kick to the face of Rhino-Borg to send it staggering back. Then he jumped into the air, did a double summersault, and stuck out his leg. "Rider Lighting Kick!" The kick connected and sent Rhino-Borg flying through the air and crashing onto the hood of a car. The Rider Lighting Kick was a stronger version of the Rider Kick that Ichigo developed to fight tougher opponents. So Showa-Ichigo was understandably perplexed when Rhino-Borg got up like nothing happened.

"Damn, nothing works," Showa growled as he reverted back to his default form. He looked at the Legacy Driver and frowned. "I can't rely on the Legacy Driver all the time." Then his visor flashed green as he shouted out, "Cicadroid!"

Beeping noises were heard as the Cicadroid appeared out of the air and smashed into the Rhino-Borg's face. It went behind Showa and attached itself to his back.

"Higurashi Mode, activate!" Showa yelled as his eyes glowed and the wings appeared behind his back. An energy discharge ejected from his body and he struck a pose, "Sanjou!"

Rhino-Borg snarled and slammed its fists on the ground, sending dust flying as a seismic wave nearly knocked Showa off his feet. Showa himself spread his legs before darting through the dust in blinding speeds. He then appeared out of the dust and in the air before sending a heel kick right into Rhino-Borg's noise. The Cyborg Mutant was sent spin through the air before crashing with a heavy thud. Showa sent out his energy whips to ensnare Rhino-Borg and send him spinning up in the air to receive a huge dose of a bombardment from Showa's mini-suns.

"Time to finish this," Showa declared as Rhino-Borg rolled on the ground. The Cicadroid wings spread out as Showa was sent flying into the air before it propelled him downward, the wings bursting with power to accelerate the speed of his descent as he executed a drop kick, "**RIDER ****BURST ****KICK!** "

His feet connected with the Rhino-Borg, causing it to explode as he burst right through. He landed on one knee and retracted his energy whips before the Cicadroid detached from his body. "Daichi!" Showa undid his armor and rushed towards Daichi.

* * *

><p>After using his time reversal powers to heal Daichi, the two started to walk back towards the Dragon's Den. Daichi continued to keep his distance, staring warily at his former best friend.<p>

Shinichi stated, "You know, I'm surprised you saved my butt back there. If you really did hate me you would have just let me take the brunt of the blow."

Daichi retorted, "Don't get smart. Only I get to kill you. I'm not gonna let that thief steal that from me."

Shinichi snapped angrily fed up with Daichi's anger, "Damn it, Daichi! I already see your point! I get that you went through a lot! And I already said sorry! You think I don't feel guilty for all the innocent people that got caught in the crossfire? You're dead wrong! If you think killing me is going to set things right, then you must be a complete retard!"

Daichi glared back, demanding, "WHAT_?_"

Shinichi continued, "I'm telling you this again: GIN-SHOCKER is after all of us. I'm not just talking about you, me, and the rest of the deflected NUMBERS, but also all of our other friends and allies. We need to do whatever it takes to stop GIN-SHOCKER from hurting more people, but if we keep reawakening past grudges, then we are all as good as dead! I'm already atoning for my crimes the best way I know how, by being a Kamen Rider. You should the same."

"Don't you dare say I'm the same as you!"

Shinichi snorted, "Oh sure, so I guess that means you have never killed people before. I doubt that much!" He leveled a calm look at Daichi, which was very familiar, "Look, I guess I can't talk it out of you. If you want to hate my guts for the rest of your life, then fine. I can live with that. But like it or not, you and I are comrades once again." He started walking away, "If you're lucky, you can even get a harem of hot monster girls of your own like I did." It was a bit chauvinistic of him to think of his friends as his harem, but he did have feelings for them.

Daichi stood in the middle of the sidewalk, watching Shinichi go, with a lot to think about.

* * *

><p>Shinichi was disappointed. And upset. While he had vivid memories of it, he knew that Daichi was still a good person. He never thought he would be that angry and resentful. After meeting Misato, Michiru and Hana, Shinichi swore to save the rest of the NUMBERS from GIN-SHOCKER. They were like him; kidnapped at a young age and turned into killing machines. Sure, the real reason why they defected was because they failed to kill Yuji, but they were only doing it because they had no choice. He had managed to convince Goemon, but he had gone into hiding soon after letting him go and they hadnot heard from him since. Yokoshima and Shogo were alright, but he wasn't sure about Chiaki. At least he wasn't attacking him anymore. Daichi, however, seemed to ignore all of his redeeming qualities in favor of whatever happened back then. Not that he could blame him. If what he said about his sister was true, then maybe he had every right to let out his rage.<p>

Finally reaching the Dragon's Den, he found Netto setting on the curb of the sidewalk. "Netto?" he asked. "What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you," Netto replied, standing up. "So how'd it go?"

"He's still pissed at me," Shinichi said, "But I gave him a lot to think about."

Netto frowned. "What a douche. You apologized for whatever you did and he still gives you the middle finger?"

"Daichi..." Shinichi began, "He said that he and I were best friends before it happened. I can't imagine what that feels like, to be stabbed in the back by your friend."

"But you weren't in your right mind, were you?" Netto argued. "You were being controlled like a puppet. Otherwise you wouldn't have done what you did."

"He doesn't even acknowledge it," Shinichi sighed.

"I can't believe it," Netto's fist clinched, "He blames you for the actions of someone else. You might consider the NUMBERS to be the same as you, but he sees you as the lowest scum on Earth!" Netto's eyes narrowed. He was unfortunate enough of meeting people who though the same way Daichi did, and were not shy about showing how they felt about his 'kind'. He hated close-mind people who thought like that. His mother always told him that they were nothing more than petty bigots.

And it was because of those close-mind bigots that a traumatic moment was forever burned into his mind. He was just a child then, but they didn't care.

"Well it doesn't really matter now," Shinichi shrugged. "Anyway, let's just hope what I said to him makes him think."

"Yeah, whatever," Netto answered, though not fully satisfied.

"So, how is everyone else?" Shinichi asked.

"Yuji was explaining about what happened after your fight with those three," Netto told him, gaining a smile. "Kurumu-chan and Mizore-chan still seem a bit wary with them, but accepted their apologies. Yokoshima though is still freaked out by Moka-chan, considering that she's part of a species that's related to bats, which he kept babbling about."

"Oh yeah, I remember now," Shinichi blinked. "Yokoshima hates bats. It all started back in a mission to an Aztec temple when we were hunting for treasure. His fear actually tore down the whole pyramid."

Netto chuckled, "Wow, wish I could've seen that."

"Well, Moka-chan doesn't like being treated differently just because she's a vampire," Shinichi continued, "I'll have to let him know that."

"Yeah, you do that," Netto said. "Still hard to believe that a cute girl like her can turn into a brutal bloodsucker in a nanosecond."

"Yeah, surprised me too when it first happened. I wonder why she keeps her power sealed up the way it is," Shinichi thought out loud.

The door to the Dragon's Den opened up and Shinichi's four female friends peaked outside, "Netto-kun, is Shin..." they all gasped as they saw Shinichi looking back, "Shinichi!" they all squealed as they ran and glomped him. He managed to keep his footing this time around as he happily excepted them into his arms, but they all soon began to barrage him with questions.

"Are you alright?"

"Did that jerk do anything to you?"

"Why didn't you come back last night?"

"Do you want me to freeze him?"

"This is becoming some kind of running gag," Netto said, scratching the back of his head. Qiao came behind him and wrapped her arms underneath his.

"It's cute," Qiao smiled.

"Of course it is," Netto replied.

"Aw man! So he's some kind of ladies man now?" Yokoshima gawked as he, Shogo, Chiaki, Misato, Michiru and Hana watched from the doorframe.

"He's a fucking Casanova is more like it," Misato huffed, crossing her arms.

"What's wrong, Misato?" Michiru quipped. "Jealous?"

"Maybe," Misato shrugged. "But now that I think about, the feelings I had for Shinichi were lust, not love."

"How did this happen?" Shogo questioned as he watched the exchange.

"Who knows?" Hana answered. "My guess is right place, right time."

**"Still,****it's****sorta****creepy,"** Chiaki signed. That was something all of them could agree with.

"Ah, welcome back Shinichi-kun," Dr. Magi said as he walked past the door frame. "I trust things with Daichi went well?"

"Not sure," Shinichi sighed while the girls released him. "He still hates me."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Dr. Magi frowned softly. "Daichi has been through a lot throughout his young life and finds it difficult to trust anyone."

"Too bad he's such an asshole," Kurumu growled.

"So I heard that you were looking for me," Shinichi said. "Is there any reason why?"

"Yes, we have much to discuss," Dr. Magi nodded. "However, this isn't the suitable place for it."

"Where to then?" Mizore asked.

"Our base," Dr. Magi answered.

* * *

><p># 10 was looking over the files that had the recordings of Shinichi on them. After the failed retrieval mission of Spider-Borg and Bat-Borg, one of the surveillance satellites was keeping an eye on him and the school he was going to. What was strange was that the people who were in that building didn't seemed to be human at all. The executives had some ideas, but they didn't want to make assumptions yet.<p>

He scowled as he saw the cheerful look on Shinichi's face in each picture. What reason did he have to be so happy for? Once, he was cold and rational and able to think of plans on his feet. Also, he never showed emotion and was always in Business Mode 24/7. Then there was the way he spoke and acted, like a robot. He'd always been jealous of that calm under pressure attitude that #13 had. That was why he was chosen to be the leader of their group. To see him in the way he was now pissed him off.

"Damn you, #13," #10 growled, "Why is that the girls make you so happy? Why are they even with you?" He was about to switch to another picture, but then he saw HER.

She had a beauty that seemed to rival that of a goddess. If there was ever a god, then she would be the proof. Truly, this woman would make the strongest man turn to jelly, and mortal women green with envy. What made him reignite his angry was that she was one of the girls cling on to Shinichi. His anger only increased as he saw the pink-haired beauty seemingly necking Shinichi, which the latter seemed to enjoy.

Why was this girl so attached to him? She deserved a powerful lord by her side, and he was such a lord. She was the Queen to his King, and he would soon make sure of that.

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER DATABASE<strong>

"Are we recording? Oh, alright," said Leon as he stood on the stage. "Hello, and welcome to today's installment of the Kamen Rider Database. I'm Leon Smith, also known as Kamen Rider Necros. In today's chapter, the last of the NUMBERS, #06: Kamen Rider Petrifier appeared. Let's take a look at him, shall we?"

An image of Petrifier appeared on the screen behind Leon, "As you can see, Petrifier is based on a jewel beetle, and he got his name from his ability to conjure crystals, which he can use to trap his targets, hence petrifying them in crystal. The crystal he conjured is often sharp and dangerous, which he can control to a high degree. He can fashion weapons out of crystal like swords, daggers, arrows and even axes. To be precise, if it's sharp and dangerous he can make it. The crystal can also be used defensively, forming shields for him to defend himself. As for Petrifier himself, he is considered a greedy thief among the NUMBERS, often looking out for the rewards he stands to gain. It is this behavior which does not make him well-liked or trusted. Given the chance, he'd sell his own mother."

"He also has an extra ability called Spark Burst," Leon continued as he switched to a footage which showed Petrifier using said ability. "It is actually an ability that all the NUMBERS carry, including Showa. It allows them to supercharge their physical attributes and unique abilities ten-fold. However, it quickly drains the power of their Spark Cores, and can only last for a minute. After that limit is up, their armor will forcibly deactivate and the NUMBERS won't be able to transform for about another hour. Thus, the Spark Burst must be used as a last resort."

Leon concluded, "Now, all fourteen of the NUMBERS have been reviewed. But that doesn't mean more Riders won't appear. Tune in next time to another episode of the Kamen Rider Database."

Aphrodite marched up to Leon and wagged her finger, "No, no, no, Leon! Not like that! Like this, with more enthusiasm!" Aphrodite demonstrated.

"There's not much of a point, Aphrodite," Leon shrugged, "The segment is already over."

"Huh?" Aphrodite blinked before turning to the camera, "Hey, don't leave ye-!"

* * *

><p><strong>TAILSMO4EVER:<strong>Like Leon said, all of the NUMBERS have been introduced. And while Shogo and Yokoshima seemed to have accepted Shinichi's apology, Daichi hasn't, which upsets some people, Yuji and Netto especially. Where will this lead us now? What's Goemon been up to? Who are THEY? And who is HER? Stay tune for the answer to these questions.

**KAMEN ****RIDER ****CHROME**: #00 all the way to #13 have been introduced. Looks like things are finally heading for the climax. I hope you guys are ready so just sit back, relax, and enjoy the upcoming ride. Oh, and sorry this chapter took so long. You know how it gets sometimes. Inspiration isn't exactly something we writers can conjure out of thin air. Still, we managed to get together and bring this to you. Hope this satisfies your craving for S+V!


	27. Family: The Hive Queen

**Chapter 27: The Hive Queen**

_Team A entered the building, killing any of the guards that got in their way and before they could sound the alarm. Following #13's instruction, they got up to the door where their main objective was hidden behind._

"_#06, open the door," #13 ordered._

"_Now to finally to do what I do best," said #06 as he approached the lock. "Whoa, is that holographic?"_

"_Can you get it open or not?" questioned #04._

"_Yeah, but this is high end stuff. Whoever designed this is a genius. It should take 60 seconds for me to get it open. Gimme 15," said #06. "And done."_

_The alarm sounded._

"_OK,__I__ take __back __what __I __just __said_. _Whoever__ designed __this__ is __a__ jackass,__" __said__#06, __frowning._

"_#06, disable the alarm. #02, #08, #11," come with me," ordered #13. "The rest of you, stay out here and keep watch. Plant motion trackers too." _

_They entered the room, which had tables that had weapons lying on it. Large model airplanes were hanging from the ceiling._

"_New toys!" giggled #11 as she picked up what looked like a bazooka with an axe blade attached to it._

"_That's a good look for you," #08 complimented._

"_The Sarcophagus should be something small and easy to miss," said #13. "Do a thorough scan if you have to. Also, grab anything that might be useful here."_

"_Hey, #13, I have some good news and bad news," said #08. #13 looked at him expectantly to continue, "The good news is that I found the markings. The bad news is…" He pointed to a large box that had the markings on its surface and a panel with a screen and keypad on it. "They're on that."_

"_OK, that's huge," said #11. #02 beeped in response. "Yeah, I know. Why can't these things be simple?"_

"_Hey, the motion trackers indicate that some more guards are heading up here!" #10 alerted._

"_We better hurry and get this up on the roof then for pickup," said #08._

"_How are we supposed to get it up to the roof?" asked #11._

_#13 activated his com-link, "#00, #12, either of you close to our location?_

"_Yeah, I'm watching you guys," said #12. "Cool toys, by the way."_

"_Do you see a window washing unit?" #13 questioned._

"_Yeah, I do," said #12._

"_Wait for us on the roof," said #13. He ordered the others, "#02, #08, I need you here. Everyone else, head up to the roof."_

"_What are you planning?" #08 asked as #13 went to improvise._

* * *

><p><em>#13 had a rope tied around #02's midsection as he looked down at the ground below. "We'll use #02 as a counterweight and send the Sarcophagus up to the roof." Their 'package' had been pushed onto the window washing unit.<em>

_#02 beeped, which translated to, "Too high."_

"_Oh, don't be a baby. You're the only one here heavy enough for this," said #08. He then unceremoniously kicked #02 out the window. The window-washing unit went up swiftly as #02 went down at the very same pace. As he passed another floor, two guards barely heard him._

_"Hey, did you hear something?" the first one asked. _

_"That was the sound of you being an idiot," the second one retorted. _

_"Oh, you might be right... dick-weed." _

_The rope around #02 finally reached its end point, bouncing him up into what appeared to be a parking lot and propelling the package onto the roof. Some armed guards confronted him._

_"Hold it! Don't move!" one of the guards shouted as the guns trained on the large cyborg. #02 said nothing as he calmly untied himself and walked towards the guards and activated his dual chainsaws. They then became nervous as they backed away from him in fear._

_"That should give us more time," #13 nodded as #02 began decorating the lot with red graffiti. _

_#08 commented, "I almost feel sorry for those people down there."_

"_Don't be," countered #13. _

"_What? I said almost!"_

_The door was broken down and both reacted quickly. #13 fired his Vulcan Shooter as #08 fired with an assault rifle as they gunned down the guards. As the dust and smoke settled, they saw an armored figure boldly entering, holding what appeared to be a flamethrower and aiming the weapon right at them._

"_What the fuck is up with this guy?" #08 asked and suddenly he yelped, "WOAH, THAT'S HOT!" as the flames shot towards them. He and #13 leapt out of the way and took cover behind the tables. #08 tossed a grenade but it was neutralized by a blast of flames. He then grabbed a gun from the table and took aim, firing a green energy bullet which hit the floor next to the flamethrower-wielder's feet before bouncing right past him, hitting the ceiling outside the room. "It bounces!-? Who makes a gun that bounces? This has got to be the worst gun, ever-WOAH!" #13 pushed him out of the way from another stream of flames._

"_Take cover," #13 commanded._

"_Gotcha, boss." He watched as #13 took out his Vulcan Shooter and ran out to fire at the flamethrower, the energy beams cutting into the tubes and cutting off his flamethrower's fuel supply. #13 then took out his Gravity Hammer and hurled it with all his might, the heavy weapon slamming into his opponent's face, knocking him down and knocking him out._

"_That guy was an asshole," #08 quipped as he and #13 raced up to the roof._

_They spotted the rest of the team and #10 planting what appeared to be a bomb before arming it. "Package is secured," #11 reported. _

"_Hey, where's #02?" asked #04._

"_He's downstairs keeping our hosts busy," said #08._

"_I almost feel sorry for them."_

"_I know. That's what I said."_

_"Four Seven Niner, this is Team A," #13 reported on his com-link, "Package has been secured. We need you to evacuate us from the roof of the tower."_

_"Roger that. I'm on it."_

"_Good, it's time we go," said #13. However, the door to the roof entrance was kicked open and guards ran out to surround them._

_"GO, GO, GO! MOVE! COMPLETELY SURROUND THEM!" the guard in the lead shouted. At the same time, some small assault choppers flew around the roof, dropping off other guards to move into position. Team A was surrounded as they saw the guns and choppers aimed at them._

_"Drop your weapons!" the lead guard ordered. The NUMBERS did as they were told. "You, dickhead!" he then addressed #06, "Disarm that bomb!" _

"_OK, OK, take it easy," said #06 as he knelt down to examine the bomb. "No need for drama."_

"_Well?" the lead guard asked impatiently. "Get the fuck to it already!"_

"_It's not a bomb," #06 said. "It's a transmitter."_

"_OK, it's just a transmitter." After a beat, the lead guard asked, "Wait, what's it transmitting?"_

"_Our position."_

"_And why would it do that?"_

_#10 grinned under his helmet as he looked up. #13 decided to take advantage of this situation, casting a time deceleration field on the guards. At the same time, #11 activated her powers to create an illusionary mist to mess with their opponents' senses._

"_Attack," was the simple command and the NUMBERS went into action. When sped back up again, the guards were being taken down with the lead guard standing in confusion as all his men were being killed. #11 used her scythes to cut them down as #04 and #01 drained them of blood and energy respectively. #10 was showing off as he took them down with his swords._

"_Hey, mind holding this for me?" asked #06 as he handed the transmitter to the lead guard. "Thank you."_

_Hanging in space was a GIN-SHOCKER satellite equipped which was with a high-powered energy cannon. The transmitter was actually transmitting the target to the satellite. Meanwhile, in GIN-SHOCKER HQ, General Nagazawa gave the order, "Fire."_

_"Firing Orbital Cannon."_

_A beam of energy flew down towards earth, blowing holes through the clouds before blazing down on the building, prompting the lone guard to look up. "Ah, sonova-" was the last thing he said before the beam smashed down upon the building, causing windows to shatter and blowing everyone and everything away. The unlucky ones were blown right off the roof and sent plummeting to their deaths. The Sarcophagus was also unlucky to be sent tumbling and falling off the edge._

"_#12, catch the package," #13 ordered._

"_On it!" #12 replied as he hovered up into the air. "And you guys better get off the roof before the place collapses." Without another word, he nosedived after the package._

"_I don't wanna do this!" shouted ##01 as he and the others ran towards the edge as the building began to collapse, destabilized by the satellite's laser cannon. _

"_This must be karma for kicking #02 out the window!" shouted #08 as they all leapt off the edge and started free falling. Unfortunately, none of them could fly._

"_Sonovabitch!" #06 yelled._

_"Hey, you crazy maniacs!" #12 shouted as he came into view. He was apparently sky-surfing on the package. "Get over here!" _

_"#12!" #08 shouted._

_"I got you!" #12 shouted as he jetted himself and the package closer. He reached out and grabbed #08 and #11 and got them on the package safely. "Hey! #13!" he shouted at their leader. He was still falling. _

_Their own dropship arrived positioned itself in front of them. Instantly, #13's boots flared up as he rushed forward, grabbing onto #01 and #10 before he pushed his comrades and the package into the ship with a kick._

_"Ow!" #11 cried soon after they made their rough landing. _

_"Here we go!" the pilot declared as she pushed throttle down, forcing the ship to shoot up into the sky. _

_"Well, there goes our ride," #06 quipped as he and #04 were still dropping. _

_"You think maybe we should have had a fallback plan?" #04 asked._

_"Hold on," #06 remembered, "What happened to #02?"_

_Suddenly, a jeep caught them much to their surprise as #06 shouted, "Are we in a car!-?" #02 was driving with #06 riding shotgun and #04 in the back._

_Back in the dropship, #08 commented on #13's new features. "So, rocket boots, huh? That's interesting."_

"_Dr. Gebok had them installed. This was their first field test," said #13._

"_Heh, you always get the best toys," scoffed #10._

_#13 ordered, "Get the package to headquarters. I'm going to check on the others." He jumped out, his rocket boots bursting to life._

"_Tell 07-chan I said hi!" #11 shouted after their field commander. "Rocket boots. Cool. We should get those."_

"_Beats turning into street pizza," quipped #01._

* * *

><p>"Phyllis, please activate a Warp Portal to these coordinates," Dr. Magi spoke into his cell phone.<p>

"Who's Phyllis?" Shinichi asked.

"Oh, she's another AI, like Sheila. Actually, she's like Sheila's sister," Yokoshima answered. Suddenly, a swirling and glowing green portal formed right in front of them.

"WHOA!" Yuji exclaimed.

"What is that?" Ruby asked.

"It's our way to the base," said Shogo. "Express way, and very fast. You can get to anywhere in the world in the blink of an eye."

"And you save money on gas too," added Yokoshima.

"That's actually not the point… oh, never mind." Shogo sighed.

"Please, follow me," said Dr. Magi as he walked into the Warp Portal, vanishing from sight. Yokoshima, Shogo, and Chiaka followed him. Shinichi was about to follow when Moka grabbed his hand.

"Moka-chan?" he questioned.

"Shinichi-kun, are you sure about this?" she asked, worriedly. "Are you sure you can trust them?"

"I trust Dr. Magi," answered Shinichi. "I remember he was really nice to us. He even adopted Yokoshima as his son."

"The same way Dr. Washam adopted me," added Misato. "Dr. Magi's not a bad guy."

"Oh, so how come he was in GIN-SHOCKER?" Kurumu questioned pointedly.

"GIN-SHOCKER has a way of making you do what they want," Hana said sharply.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile at Sora's shrine, Leon was having some time tea while the miko was tending to the unconscious Aphrodite. The Manakyte in question was lying on the futon while the human girl was placing a damp towel on her forehead. Thankfully, the poisonous gas was purged out of her system, despite it not being a lethal dose. But Leon wasn't one who would take such chances.<p>

Sora stood up after finishing, and took a seat opposite to Leon. "So you two were attacked by some poison guy?" she asked him.

Leon nodded, "He was a Manakyte, like Aphrodite. He viewed humans as insignificant and tried to take Aphrodite."

Sora frowned in disgust, "Ugh, he sounds like a jerk. You fought him, right?"

"Sent him running," Leon nodded again, "Used up too much energy though. Barely had enough to get that poison out of my system."

"Well, I'm just glad you two are alright," Sora smiled brightly, "You can stay here for as long as you like."

"We won't be trouble. I just need to rest for a little bit and then we'll be gone," Leon told her.

There was some silent between them for a moment. Sora rubbed her arm slightly. She was still a little intimidated by Leon and his comrades, but she didn't want to be. She still wondered why Leon called himself a monster. He might seem a bit odd, but she knew otherwise.

"I know you're still scared of me," Leon stated.

"Well, I didn't understand what you and the others really are," Sora admitted, "But if you're willing to let me understand, then I might not be as scared as I am."

"I'm not sure about most of the others either. But I can tell they're good people," Leon told her, "They may not be humans in the biological sense, but they're good. I have an eye for those kind of things and I am good at judging character. But I'm a...different matter."

"What makes you different from them?" Sora asked.

"People haven't died because of them."

"Oh..." Sora gasped slightly, realizing what he meant by what he just said, "But I'm sure it wasn't your fault!"

"It was," Leon's silver eyes trained to the floor, "My sister, my best friends...even the woman I loved..."

Sora gasped after hearing that. She was beginning to realize why Leon didn't want to get close to her. "I'm...I'm so sorry," she apologized.

"Don't be. It wasn't your fault," Leon sighed, "People close to me are in danger. So, I try to keep people at a distance."

"But...that's just so lonely," Sora reasoned, "Everyone deserves a friend, even you."

"Aphrodite believed that too," Leon answered, "And she got a face full of poison for her trouble."

"There's no need to be pessimistic all the time," Sora replied.

"I'm a Shinigami. I'm surrounded by death all the time. That's why I distance myself. Aphrodite refuses to believe I'm a monster," Leon returned.

The silence was broken when a meow filled the air. Leon's body instantly stiffened at the sound. A golden colored cat trotted up and began rubbing its head against Sora's leg, purring contently.

Sora smiled as she petted the cat, "Oh, hey there, Katy."

"Katy?" Leon frowned.

"Oh, this is Katy," Sora introduced, "I found her under the shrine one night when she was trying to get out of the rain."

Sora picked up the cat, which then nuzzled against her chest. Sora noticed that Leon was still stiff as he stared at the cat.

"Something wrong?" she blinked.

Leon's frown went deeper, "Yeah. That cat's been a massive pain in my ass for two years now."

"It's not my fault he's so much fun to tease," Katy suddenly spoke in a sultry voice.

Sora blinked and looked to Leon, "Did my cat just talk?"

"She's cute Leon," Katy smiled at him, "You sure have good choice in girls."

"There, she spoke again!" she exclaimed.

"Takes her a while to get the picture though, doesn't it?" the cat deadpanned.

"Leave her alone," Leon scolded, "She's not used to this kind of world."

"And now you're talking to my cat," Sora sweat-dropped.

"Stop confusing her, Bast. It's not funny," Leon told the cat.

"Says you."

There was a massive burst of smoke, and when it cleared, standing in the room was a beautiful young woman. She looked to be in her early twenties, with tanned skin, yellow eyes and short golden blonde hair. There was a pair of cat ears atop her head and a long tail swished above her shapely rear. She was completely nude, and Sora was inadvertently groping her chest.

"Ooh, you're good with your hands..." Katy... no, Bast, purred with a typical cat-like smile, looking down at Sora.

Sora looked up at the Egyptian Cat Goddess of Joy dumbly. One minute she was cuddling her cat, and now the next the cat started talking and turned into a curvy older catwoman who was a head taller than her. Her eyes were popping out, threatening to fall out of the sockets at any moment, and her mouth was wide enough for a bird nest. Never mind that her hands where instinctively squeezing the Goddess' breasts, causing her to moan. At this point, only one thing seemed logical.

**THUD!**

Sora went out like a light.

"How troublesome. And now I have to look after her too..." Leon groaned, looking at the fainted Sora. He turned back to Bast and said," Put some clothes on."

"Why?" Bast smiled flirtatiously, "Don't you like girls?" She struck a pose for Leon, showing of her curves, with her breasts bouncing nicely as she did.

Leon rubbed his head, feeling a headache coming, "Girls, yes. Annoying gods, not so much."

* * *

><p>The Helicarrier, also known as the Hive Queen, was a massive flying fortress in the shape of a beehive. Keeping it aloft were six helicopter rotors. Hidden inside the combs were several weapons built for defense. It was one of GIN-SHOCKERS special air support machines, but not anymore.<p>

"_Recognized:__ Dr.__Magi. __Welcome__ back,__doctor_," a computerized female voice spoke as the group of cyborgs and Youkai walked out of the portal. The Youkai, having not used such transportation before, were feeling ill at the moment and felt their bones vibrate. Ruby was leaning on a wall, moaning as she was holding her head, while Mizore needed to sit down. The cyborgs didn't feel any different though.

"Good to be back, Phyllis," Dr. Magi greeted in return.

"So that was her?" Shinichi asked.

"Most definitely," Shogo nodded. "Say hello, Phyllis. We have guests."

"_It__'__s__ good__ to__ see__ you__ again,__#13,__"_ Phyllis greeted. _"__Welcome __to __the __Hive __Queen.__" _

"Don't call me #13," Shinichi frowned. "I'd rather not be referred as a number anymore."

"_Very well then." _

"Where is that coming from?" Kurumu asked, looking around. "I can't see her anywhere."

"Phyllis controls the entire ship and keeps it maintained while we are away, meaning that she is practically everywhere all at once," Shogo told her. "Not to worry though, you will see her soon enough."

"Well, I don't think there is any point in keeping you all waiting," Dr. Magi said. "Yokoshima, why don't you and the others show Shinichi-kun and the girls around? Think there are several things that our newest company deserves to know." He glanced at Yukari before adding, "Oh, and take Yukari with you."

"Sure thing, Pop," Yokoshima nodded. "Alright you guys, let's go." Yokoshima led his fellow NUMBERS away for a tour and once the group disappeared through a door, Dr. Magi turned his attention to the others.

"Alright, good. That will keep them busy for a while."

"Dr. Magi, you sent Shinichi away for a reason, didn't you?" Yuji asked.

"Ah, that's highly perceptive of you but yes. I didn't want to bring back bad memories from what I'm about to show you."

"Show us?" Moka questioned.

Dr. Magi fixed a serious gaze on them, hands behind his back as he led them towards the computer terminal.

"Now, I'm sure all of you wanted to know about the NUMBERS Project. About why GIN-SHOCKER kidnapped children off the streets to remodel them," Dr. Magi said seriously.

"We've been thinking about that question since day one," Netto answered.

"Yeah, we heard that the NUMBERS were supposed to be Anti-Riders. But why though?" Yuji nodded.

"None of you may have known this, but there were organizations of evil before GIN-SHOCKER," Dr. Magi began. "They all had one thing in common: domination of the world. These organizations had weapons and armies that the militaries could not match. But, there were obstacles that always stood in their way: the Kamen Riders."

"You mean the Legendary 13 Riders," Yuki clarified.

"Precisely," Dr. Magi replied. "The 13 Kamen Riders defeated one terrorist organization after another, from the original SHOCKER to the extraterrestrial Crisis Empire."

"Space aliens came to this world?" Kurumu gasped.

"Yes. You all don't know because it happened a long time ago," Dr. Magi nodded. "GIN-SHOCKER wanted to avoid all the mistakes made by those same groups. To do that, they needed to create the NUMBERS. The NUMBERS were created with one major goal, which was…"

"The goal was…?" Qiao pressed on.

Dr. Magi knew he would have to reveal everything to his new young allies, he just didn't think it would be this difficult. He also knew that they were not going to like the answer. Bracing himself, he gave the response.

"The goal of the NUMBERS…" he repeated, "Was to kill every Kamen Rider on the planet."

All remained silent at that answer. The shock of the answer really hit hard as they made all the connections. Moka showed the first reaction by paling considerably. Kurumu, Mizore and Ruby were close behind. Yuki leaned onto Yuji and grasped his hand tightly. Netto and Qiao were just silent.

"But why…?" Ruby stammered, "Why would they do such things to children?"

"The original Kamen Riders were around collage age and legal adults when they were converted into cyborgs," Dr. Magi told them, "The ones that were converted by those organizations were none the wiser that they were meant to be used for destruction. The first Kamen Rider was actually rescued by a SHOCKER scientist who wished to repent. The second Kamen Rider was assisted by Ichigo himself in his escape. They could all think and plan because they knew how to," his expression darkened. "Children, on the other hand, still need to develop their minds, and are easy to manipulate. This was why GIN-SHOCKER selected five and six year old children over young adults. To make sure they would stay loyal."

"That's brainwashing!" Mizore gasped.

"Of course it is!" Yuji agreed, "Fourteen kids with their childhoods stripped away from them; all possible chances at a normal life gone in an instant. GIN-SHOCKER must be really heartless bastards to do something like that."

"I assure you, they are," Dr. Magi said. "And there's more to it."

"I don't like the sound of that," Netto frowned.

"Project NUMBERS was merely a farce. We were told to create an elite squad of cyborg soldiers. However, Project NUMBERS' true purpose was to see which one of the 14 NUMBERS was worthy," Dr. Magi sustained.

"Worthy for what?" Qiao asked.

"Worthy of being GIN-SHOCKER's sole ultimate weapon. 14 scientists, including me, were conscripted for this project. Dr. Gebok, who happened to be the head of GIN-SHOCKER's cybernetic science department also participated. That gave him an unfair advantage since he had full access to all of GIN-SHOCKER's resources to create the strongest cyborg," Dr. Magi told them, "And the chosen one was Shinichi-kun."

"Shinichi-kun?" Moka gasped.

Dr. Magi continued, "From the very beginning, he was to become BLACK 13. It didn't matter how well the others did. He would always be at the very top of the leader board and Dr. Gebok knew this from the start. Thus, in order to make him BLACK 13, he made Shinichi-kun do something unforgivable: betray and kill his comrades."

The reactions swept through in an instant.

"So it is true…." Kurumu teared up with her hands over her mouth, "Shinichi did…"

"Damn it…" Netto gasped in disbelief, slowing finding himself sitting on the floor, "I didn't want to believe it… I thought… it was all lies…"

"Gebok had discovered later that as long as the Spark Cores remained intact, the NUMBERS could be resurrected. He figured that if the Cyborg Mutants couldn't be able to bring back Shinichi-kun, he would be able to persuade the other NUMBERS into doing it. Since I didn't want Yokoshima to become a weapon, I decided to take him with me. I also recruited Shogo, Daichi and Chiaki. I was only able to escape with their help, stealing this Helicarrier from GIN-SHOCKER," Dr. Magi finished.

"So, you're all fugitives," Yuji concluded.

"Yes we are. We managed to get to this location, the Gulf of Mexico, before we managed to finally lose them. After waiting for days in making sure that we were out of their range, we knew that we needed help if were to stop GIN-SHOCKER," Dr. Magi answered. "We pinpointed Shinichi's location by locating the frequency from his Spark Core."

"And that's how you found us," Yuki answered.

"Alright, I'm afraid to ask but…" Netto started, looking at Dr. Magi, "What did Gebok exactly do to Shinichi?"

"Yeah… the girls said that he's different from when he was with GIN-SHOCKER," Yuji nodded. "Just how different though?"

Dr. Magi sighed, "Phyllis!" The screen behind him flashed to life and the image of a beautiful woman with long red hair, red skin and dark markings on her nude body appeared.

"_Yes,__doctor?__"_ Phyllis questioned.

"Bring up the video file 0067," Dr. Magi ordered.

"_Affirmative,__"_ Phyllis nodded before blinking out the screen.

"I caution you," Dr. Magi warned, "What you are about to see is very unpleasant and disturbing. That is why I had Yukari sent away with the others. I don't want to scar her mind with these images."

Everyone steeled themselves as the screen blinked back to life once more, now showing Dr. Gebok's. face. Moka's scowl could have made her a good female counterpart to a certain Clint Eastwood. This man had been hurting Shinichi for almost a decade and made him do horrible things. It was because of him that Shinichi suffered so much. The humans from Moka's old school may have been cruel, but they were nowhere near as heartless as Gebok. She wasn't going to let him get away with this.

"_I__ am __going __to __kill __that __man __slowly,__"_ Moka-sama growled. _"__I __don__'__t __care __if __he __is __human.__ He __must __pay.__"_

* * *

><p>"<em>Unit AR-0013. Project: Cicada," Gebok began. "To make the perfect AI, you need the perfect template, and you also need it to be at a stage when it can be molded. That is why I decided to use the mind of a child as a template."<em>

_He moved to the side to reveal a sleeping child dressed in black strapped to a chair with a metal helmet on his head attached to a computer by wires. Shockingly enough, this child had dark blue hair that was very familiar in a sense. _

* * *

><p>"It's… Shinichi…" Mizore realized.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>Now, let it rip," Gebok ordered. The technician on the side nodded and began to flip switches and twist knobs on a complex looking computer. As the machine started to hum, little Shinji's eyes shot opened before electricity spilled all over him and he released an ear-piercing scream.<em>

_"We'll only get the same kind of AI if we copy it from the same brain," Gebok spoke over the boy's cries, "Of course that is why we will simulate different parts of the brain and harvest different emotional fragments to be used as raw material for more unique AI."_

* * *

><p>They watched as Shinichi was tortured repeatedly with his brainwaves scanned and recorded each and every time. The girls, witnessing this, could only watch with horrified expressions. They couldn't take it so they shut their eyes and tried to drown out the screams by covering their ears.<p>

Yuji immediately wanted Phyllis to stop, "OK, no more of that. The Jason movies are better than this shit." The video was turned off as requested but the effects would linger.

"How cruel..." Moka choked, "How could they do something like that...?"

"When a genius is bored or set on a certain goal, anything goes in Gebok's case," Netto said to her, "If he was doing all of that to Shinichi, he most likely had something bigger in store."

The girls were left speechless. What could they say when they was how someone they loved was being tortured over the course of several years.

"Gebok was working on two projects," Dr. Magi added, "One was to create a series of AI for GIN-SHOCKER, and the other was to create the perfect weapon. This way he could kill two birds with one stone. And Shinichi-kun wasn't the first. Gebok had been kidnapping and experimenting on children for years. Shinichi-kun was the only one who survived."

"That's nice," Netto deadpanned sarcastically.

* * *

><p>During the tour, Yukari held onto Shinichi's hand, happy to spend some time with him. It would've been better if it was just them but she would accept whatever time she could get with him.<p>

"Whoa, check it out!" Michiru squeaked as she looked over one of the observational windows. She could clearly see that they were over the clouds and that it was nighttime as the full moon shined on their features. "Where are we? It was still noon when we left."

"Right now we are directly over the USA, specifically Florida," Shogo answered. "It was as far as we managed to get before we managed to stay hidden. Good thing the Hive Queen comes equip with a camouflage mode."

"Must be useful," Shinichi stated.

"It certainly is," Shogo nodded. "Anyway, come on. Let's show you to the training room," he gestured the others to follow him as he walked ahead.

Meanwhile, Yokoshima was whispering to Shinichi, "So, is it true?"

Shinichi looked back and blinked, "Is what true?"

"That the pink haired girl is a vampire?" Yokoshima clarified.

"You mean Moka-chan? Yeah, she's a vampire, and with the fangs to prove it," Shinichi nodded, unashamed. "I even let her suck my blood sometimes."

Yokoshima's eyes shot opened, "You WHAT?"

"She first bit me on the day we first met," Shinichi told him, smiling fondly as he remembered that day. "She said that my blood was the best thing she ever tasted. It hurt a bit the first time, but I got used to it the more it happened. Actually... I kinda like it."

Yokoshima seemed to pale. "You enjoy her biting you...?" he squeaked, fearing that the vampire had somehow turned the Cicada Cyborg into her undead slave.

"I know what you're thinking, but if you think Moka-chan's like those vampires in the movies then you're wrong. Real vampires aren't like that. They are not undead and they don't make slaves out of the people they feed on."

"So, she hasn't turned you into a vampire slave?" Yokoshima asked, backing away.

"Of course not," Shinichi retorted. "That's all in the movies."

"But why would you want her to feed on you?" Yokoshima asked, still not completely convinced.

"She needs it, and I'm happy to give her a donation," Shinichi answered, as if that was the most logical thing. "And she's my best friend."

"Really?" Misato asked, overhearing the conversation, "Because I thought you and her were closer than that."

"We are."

"What about those other girls?"

"Well, I'm close to them too."

"How close?" Michiru questioned.

Yukari piped up, "One day, Moka-san, Shinichi-san and I will share a bed in a passionate threesome!" All eyes locked onto the witch who was smiling cheerfully at her announcement. Shinichi blushed as he palmed his face.

"...What?" was all that Misato could reply.

"Alright people, you can converse later," Shogo interrupted from the front. "We've arrived to our first stop." He turned back to the front and faced a large steel door. Next to the door was a keypad. He punched in an access code and the door hissed as it opened up. Behind the door was a large arena with walls that seemed to be giving off holographic wireframes. On the floor was a large circle that seemed to give off multiple colors.

"Wow," was all Hana could say at the moment.

"This is our training room," Shogo explained. "It has all the most advanced levels of training simulations that you could possibly think off. We can't stay rusty, now can we?"

"You'd need to keep your skills sharp to fight any foe," Shinichi agreed. He seemed to recognize the design of the training room. "This is based on the one we used back in GIN-SHOCKER, right?"

"Yeah, you're right about that," confirmed Yokoshima. "Now, let's move along."

* * *

><p>"This is our mess hall," Yokoshima said as he led them to a large cafeteria. "There's always something good to eat here."<p>

"Wow! It's smaller than the cafeteria at Youkai Academy, but flashier too!" Yukari exclaimed.

"**Youkai ****Academy?**" Chiaki questioned with a sign.

"The school I was going to after I left GIN-SHOCKER. It's where I met the girls. I'll let you in on it later," Shinichi answered.

"The food is provided using an oven that materializes whatever you want," Yokoshima continued, "Just speak into the microphone and the oven will make what you want."

"Goodie!" Michiru giggled as she skipped up to the microphone. "Choco-bananas!"

**DING!**

The oven door opened, showing a choco-banana ready to be eaten.

"Yay!" Michiru cheered as she grabbed the banana and started to stuff her face.

"Sugoi!" Yukari admired the device. "It can make anything?"

"It works just like that doomsday food machine from 'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs'," Yokoshima stated.

"Cloudy with a chance of what?" Shinichi blinked.

"Wow, you really did forget everything," Shogo muttered.

* * *

><p>"Here is our armory," Yokoshima said as he led them to a wide garage filled with jeeps, tanks, walkers, and flying machines. This is where we keep our weapons and vehicles."<p>

"What weapons?" Misato asked.

"These!" Yokoshima said as he walked to a steel wall and slammed his fist over it. The wall instantly turned over and was replaced by collection of weapons. They ranged from average firearms to high-tech guns that looked like something from a video game.

"Cool toys!" Shinichi gawked.

"Yeah, but it was made very clear we couldn't use them for anything except for dire situations. Most of these weapons here are strong enough to blow up buildings," Shogo told him. "Oh, and Chiaki here is our resident mechanic."

"**If**** you ****need ****anything**** fixed, ****I**** can ****help**," Chiaki signed.

"Maybe Yuji can help with your projects," Shinichi suggested, "He and Netto made my bike, ya know."

"He's making bikes for Michiru, Misato and I as well," Hana interjected. "Maybe he'll make bikes for you guys too."

"Huh, if you say so," Yokoshima shrugged. He led the group an elevator that took them to the next floor. "And over here are the living quarters. We have these just in case we ever need to do an all-nighter and have to stay in the base. There's also a soda fountain at the end of the hallway."

"Why is there a soda fountain in a GIN-SHOCKER Helicarrier?" Shinichi asked.

"My idea," Yokoshima said bluntly. "There's also an infirmary on this floor, as well as a recreation room," he continued as he brought them to a room lined with arcade machines and ping-pong, air hockey, and pool tables in the middle.

"Wow, you have your own arcade," admired Yukari.

"Those are a lot of games," Misato blinked.

"Almost every game ever made too," Yokoshima said. "And they're all free!"

"Looks like there's no need to go to another arcade ever again," Yukari grinned childishly.

"And here we have our home theater," Shogo said as he brought them to a large room with a wide screen TV and couches.

"Sweet," Shinichi grinned. "What a place to live."

"This may be our base, but we have to feel comfortable here too, right?" Yokoshima replied.

"And last but definitely not least, is our pool, with a Jacuzzi and hot tub," Shogo said as he led them to large room with everything he listed. "If you want to just relax and mellow out, this is the perfect place to do it."

"No problem~," Misato grinned humidly while licking her lips as ecchi thoughts of her with a certain Manakyte entered her head.

* * *

><p>The tour done, Yokoshima and the others returned back to main control room where everyone was waiting for them. It was only a second later that Shinichi found himself in the arms of his vampiric friend, who was crying into his shoulder. She kept saying something over and over again as she kept her tight grip, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."<p>

"Moka-chan?" Shinichi muttered softly. He couldn't really do anything but wrap his arms around her, returning the hug.

Shogo looked at the girl sympathetically, and then turned to Dr. Magi. Behind him were the newcomers. They seemed to lounging around, but it was obvious that they were very tense. "So you told them everything?"

"Yes," Dr. Magi nodded. "It's best for them to know about the situation now that they are caught in the middle of this, despite how painful it is."

"That does make sense," Hana nodded. "Can't leave any stone unturned." It was at that moment that the Warp Portal came to life and someone walked through it.

"_Recognized:__Sonix,__"_ Phyllis announced.

"Ah, Daichi, so glad to see you," said Dr. Magi as he saw the Cricket Cyborg present among them. Daichi could feel the glares aimed at him coming from Shinichi's little entourage. He ignored them the best he could, but he felt shivers running up his spine. His view of women was mostly cynical, thanks to his bitch of a sister. He concentrated his gaze upon Shinichi who looked back at him with a neutral expression. Slowly, he strode towards him but the instant he took the first step towards him he found his path blocked by the blue-haired succubus and violet-haired yuki-onna.

"Girls, let him pass," Shinichi said to them. They stared at him incredulously but his returned gaze was stern. Reluctantly, they parted and let Daichi walked towards Shinichi. Moka, who was also starring at Daichi, sighed and released her best friend so they could all hear what he had to say. The amnesiac was ready for anything coming from Daichi and once the Cricket Cyborg was a foot away from him, he finally spoke.

"I won't ever forgive you." Those were Daichi's cold words and Shinichi sighed. He knew it was impossible for him to earn his forgiveness. However, Daichi surprised them with his next words, "Because you're not the one who needs to do the apologizing."

Shinichi looked up at Daichi, eyes wide.

"I want to hear the words from #13 himself. I mean, you look like him but you don't act, talk or fight like him at all," Daichi added. "I know he's in there somewhere so I'll wait to hear his words and I'll decide whether or not I should forgive him."

"So, what are you saying?" Shinichi asked. Daichi extended a hand.

"Let's start over, a clean slate," Daichi replied, smiling. "How about that, Shinichi?"

"I'd like that." Shinichi grasped Daichi's extended hand and shook on it. "Nice grip."

"Been practicing."

Everyone looked at the scene with faces that read 'WTF'. First, Daichi wanted to kill Shinichi because of what he did as BLACK 13. Now, he wants to start all over as if they had never met before. "Uh…what just happened?" Yokoshima asked, confused.

"Daichi has yet to forgive #13, but since Shinichi is not #13 there is no need to hold any ill feelings towards him," Hana explained.

"What?" Yokoshima was still confused.

"Hana-chan said that they're friends now," Michiru clarified.

"Oh, OK!" Yokoshima beamed.

"So does this means that you won't try to kill Shinichi-san anymore?" Yukari asked.

"I'll admit that I am still pissed because of what happened," Daichi shrugged, "But like I said, Shinichi isn't anything like the #13 I knew back in the GIN-SHOCKER days nor is he the one I want. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Don't see any reason to hold a grudge against someone who doesn't even know me."

"Well, I guess we can go with that," Netto smiled.

"No problems here," Yuji added.

"Well everyone, enough with being emo," Shinichi said as he rubbed his hands together, "How about we show you all around?"

"YEAH!" the girls (minus Yuki) cheered.

"Actually, Shinichi, I wanted to perform an examination on you," said Dr. Magi.

"An examination?" Shinichi asked.

"The NUMBERS need to be examined at least once a month," Dr. Magi explained. "Since you haven't had one in months I thought I should take a look at you and see if there's anything wrong."

"But I feel fine," Shinichi insisted.

"Maybe so, but we need to be sure. Come with me to my lab," Dr. Magi instructed. "Girls, that goes for you as well."

* * *

><p>"YOU WERE ABLE TO GO ONTO A SECRET HELICARRIER!-? WHY DIDN'T YOU ASK ME TO COME!-?"<p>

The Youkai Academy group was back at the hotel and telling Nekonome-sensei and Gin about their day. Gin was upset since he missed it all.

"It's your fault for chasing skirts," Mizore taunted.

"Arg! Curse my libido!" Gin wailed, pulling at his hair.

The girls, of course, had learnt a lot from their little trip and glanced at Shinichi who was asleep on the couch. His day had been exhausting and a lot had happened. They were still thinking about how he could turn out this way after so many years of torture. The only logical conclusion was that Shinichi was repressing those memories.

He had to in order to stay sane.

* * *

><p>As Shinichi slept, the girls discussed what they had seen on the Hive Queen. Yukari had not seen the video. It was far too horrific for someone so young so the older girls told her the gist of it. It was enough to paint a vivid picture in the little witch's mind. The horrific things done to Shinichi would've given her nightmares for a fortnight, probably longer.<p>

"You know…ever since I met him…I've always wondered what his life was like before. Now I wish I never knew," said Moka as she nursed a cup of calming tea.

"Nobody deserves that," agreed Kurumu, "Especially him."

"And they made him do horrible things," said Mizore. "It makes sense that he doesn't remember. He doesn't _want_ to remember. He purposely repressed his memories but now he's starting to regain them."

"They kidnapped him, brainwashed him, tortured him and made him kill," Moka listed, appalled by the actions of GIN-SHOCKER upon innocent children. "They stole him from his family and stole his life from him."

"And despite all the horrible things he's been through he can still smile," Yukari finished.

"Deep down he wants revenge, though," Mizore pointed out. "Don't tell me I'm wrong. After all he's been through I think he deserves it and I will support him." He was to be her future husband after all.

"Even if he does, I don't think it will be for himself," said Moka. "He'd want to avenge his mother too. GIN-SHOCKER put her through so much and he'd want them to pay for it."

Her Inner Self agreed. And she was more than willing to lend a hand.

* * *

><p>At the same time, Netto, Qiao, Ruby and the Fudo twins where discussing about what they had seen as well in the Dragon's Den living room. "You know what I don't believe?" Yuji began, "How a kid like Shin can even bother to smile even after all the shit he's been through."<p>

"Out of all the NUMBERS, he suffered most of all," Yuki nodded. "He was striped of his humanity and made to follow orders without question. I can't believe someone would do such a thing to a child."

"Tell me about it," Netto added. He stared at his hand and made a fist, "It's ironic, don't you think? I was made into a cyborg to survive a fatal accident. Shinichi and the others, on the other hand, were turned into killing machines."

"Dr. Magi said that there were 14 scientists, including him and Gebok," Qiao stated, leaning her chin on the top of her hands, "I wonder just what was going on in the heads of those other guys when they did what they did. But Dr. Magi most likely didn't have a choice in the matter. Maybe this Washam guy didn't either, if what Misato said about him adopting her is true."

"So what do we do about it now?" Ruby asked.

"I'll tell you what we'll do," Yuji declared, a glare on his face, "We're gonna make GIN-SHOCKER pay. That's what."

"But what can we do?" Qiao asked. "We may be strong, but there's just the four of us."

"You're forgetting the girls," he corrected, "And Shin, and the other NUMBERS. Mark my words…" He conjured a ball of fire and gazed into it, "GIN-SHOCKER will burn to the ground. This, I swear…"

* * *

><p><strong>Tailsmo4ever:<strong> Shinichi's past has now been revealed to his friends, and they are not happy with it. Let's see what happens after.

**Kamen**** Rider ****Chrome**: In this chapter, Shinichi's friends find out exactly what happened to Shinichi in GIN-SHOCKER. All the horrible stuff shown in high definition. This chapter went through several stages of editing but it should be ready for reading. Not much fighting, but there is some good plot development for you guys to enjoy. Please, sit back and relax and hopefully you guys won't get bored by the chapter. No "Kamen Rider Database" this chapter, sorry.


	28. Family: Clash of the Riders

**Chapter 28: Clash of the Riders**

_Riding the jeep that was being driven by #02 with #06 riding shotgun, #04 called on his com-link, "Team B, report. I repeat: Team B, report."_

* * *

><p><em>#00 had joined Team B on the ground and they were behind a car that had been turned on its side to provide cover. #07 was looking after #05 who'd been wounded. #00 reported, "This is Team B. We have wounded and are under fire."<em>

"_We're on our way!"_

"_Negative. Just get the target! I'll try to cover everyone here!" said #00. _

* * *

><p>"<em>I see him!" #06 pointed ahead at their target's vehicle.<em>

"_OK, we'll cut him off at the overpass! Just try to get out of there!" said #04._

"_Will do. Team B, over and out."_

"_#02, pedal to the metal and punch it!" #04 ordered. #02 nodded and put his foot down on the accelerator._

* * *

><p>"<em>CANNONBALL!" #09 shouted as he rolled at the enemy soldiers and started crushing them under his weight.<em>

"_How's #05?" 00 asked._

"_I've patched him up but we're going to get him to the med bay, stat," said #07. "Those armor-piercing rounds did a number on him."_

"_#03, can you use your nano-ticks to help us out here?" asked 00._

_#03 looked at how many soldiers had them outnumbered. Fortunately, #09 was lowering their numbers by crushing and killing them. "The big fat ball seems to be is doing fine on his own."_

_A missile shot towards #09, propelling him into the air as he screamed. Assault choppers had arrived and giving the enemy soldiers much needed backup._

"_I take that back," #03 corrected. "One nano-tick cloud coming right up."_

_Meanwhile, enemy soldiers had surrounded 09 and holding him at gunpoint. The rest of his team couldn't help him. "Crap…"_

_A cloud of nano-ticks suddenly floated in the air and started to infect not only the soldiers but also their weapons. _

"_And now, go boom," #03 commanded._

_#09 was splattered as all the soldiers exploded, sending blood and gore flying in all direction as the nano-ticks self-destructed inside their bodies. #09 wiped his visor clean and grimaced. "#03, couldn't you have done that less gross?"_

"_And where's the fun in that?" #03 quipped as the choppers above them also exploded along with their passengers. _

"_Come on, let's get #05 to a dropship for evac," said #00._

"_What about the target?" #07 asked._

_#13 landed and looked at his comrades, ignoring the bloody mess left behind by 03's nano-tick explosion. "Status report," #13 said._

"_#05's wounded," said #07. #13 knelt down and put his hand on 05. "What are you doing?"# 07 monitored #05's vitals and much to her amazement they were improving. She saw #13's hand glow as well as 05 was slowly healing._

"_Ugh…" #05 sat up. "What happened?"_

"_You…you were hurt," #07 stammered. #09, #03 and #00 stared at #13 in disbelief._

"_Upgrade?" #03 asked._

"_Time distortion," #13 answered._

"_Cool," admired #09. _

"_Heh, looks like Dr. Gebok gave you an early Christmas present," commented #03._

"_#04, #02, and #06 are in pursuit of the target," 00 reported._

_#13 nodded and took off with his rocket boots._

"_And rocket boots," said #09. "Too cool."_

"_Not as cool as being able to control time," said #03._

* * *

><p><em>#04, #02 and #06 were waiting on the overpass and they spotted the vehicle with the official driving it along the freeway. #04 jumped off the overpass and landed on the hood of the car, causing the official to panic and lose control of his vehicle as she struck.<em>

_Several tendrils hooked onto the rail of the overpass and #04 swung up onto it with a white briefcase. "I've got the package, and a snack."_

"_I'd hate to be that guy," quipped #06. _

"_Come on, let's bring this thing back to base before the response team shows up," ordered #04 as she got into the back of the jeep with the package._

"_You're the boss." #06 drove down the freeway, smiling in satisfaction. However, celebrations would have to wait as they were being pursued._

_Meanwhile, #13 had found the car of the official and what remained of the official. It had crashed into the side of the road but he was dead before that. He'd been drained of blood. "#04's work," he murmured. "And she's gotten the package already." He would recommend that she be rewarded. _

_He heard several cars coming his way and checked with his visor. They were part of the security team assigned to protect the official. Unfortunately, they had been delayed by Team B. Most of their team had been killed earlier._

_Seeing #13, they stopped their vehicles and came out with guns drawn. "FREEZE!" one of them ordered._

_#13 wasn't going to entertain them and activated his rocket boots. They fired and one of those bullets hit his right boot, damaging the rocket function. He deactivated the rocket boots and landed before turning to face them._

_Clenching his fists, he charged at them and gunfire rang through the air._

* * *

><p><em>Back with #06, #02 and #04, #06 was driving along the freeway, dodging traffic. "Coming through! Excuse me!" Looking at the side mirror of the jeep he saw that they had company. "Uh-oh! Look out!"<em>

_#04 looked up and alerted them, "Incoming!"_

_Two assault choppers were in pursuit of their jeep and they weren't alone. Two soldiers on jetpacks and armed with assault rifles were flying alongside them. The jetpack soldiers fired at the jeep with their rifles as the choppers provided support with their mounted chainguns. 06 was dodging bullets while #04 ordered, "#02, protect the briefcase! I'll handle this!"_

_She shot her needle-tipped tendrils at the jetpack soldiers and they dodged away from them. Scowling, 04 controlled her tendrils to curve into the air. They wrapped around one of the jetpack soldiers and slam him into a truck before she withdrew. A gunshot was heard and #02 slumped over in the passenger's side seat with a bleeding wound in his shoulder. #06 looked ahead and saw a sniper riding on the bed of a truck in front of them._

"_Sniper!" #04 yelled._

"_On it!" #06 aimed and fired a crystal dart that pierced right through the sniper's head. "Headshot!"_

_The lone jetpack soldier and the two choppers were still firing but then #13 was seen speeding on a black motorbike he managed to 'commandeer' from his 'friends' earlier. Using his functioning rocket boot which burst to life, he propelled himself and the bike into the air and fired at the first chopper's cockpit with his Vulcan Shooter, killing the pilot and sending the chopper crashing right into the second one, sending both choppers crashing onto the freeway and turning them into burning scrap. He landed, the tires screeching against the road before he sped on._

_The jetpack soldier landed on the hood of their jeep and made a grab for the briefcase but 04 shoved him off with a jump kick. That move would not slow him down as he jetted back for his target. With #06 driving and #02 injured it was up to her to protect the briefcase from this guy and he was good. His military armor, which was colored in camouflage for autumn, made him stand out from the other soldiers and he wore a helmet with a brown visor._

_He grabbed for the briefcase but it was knocked out of his hands before he was knocked off the jeep by #04 who caught the briefcase. "Got it!" The jetpack soldier returned and kicked the briefcase out of her hands before making a grab for it but 04 kicked the briefcase onto the bed of another truck carrying barrels. #06 spun the vehicle, tossing the jetpack soldier and 04 towards the truck. Both tried to grab for the briefcase but it was 04 and her tendrils that managed to grab it first._

_The jetpack soldier tossed barrels at #04 but she dodged. However, #06 was getting annoyed as he evaded the barrels coming at him and shouted, "Quit throwing shit!" He then saw something in the rearview. "More company!"_

_Two more jetpack wearing soldiers came but #02 intercepted one and bisected him with his chainsaw. The other one landed on the truck bed and #02 jumped up to fight him as 04 had to fight her own jetpack-wearing opponent for the briefcase. #02's jetpack soldier dodged his chainsaw swings and pushed him back. Back-to-back, #04 gave #02 a silent signal. She passed him the briefcase as they spun and switched dance partners with #02 trying to slice his opponent's head off as 04 displayed her skills with her fast kicks. _

"_Here!" #06 tossed a crystal axe towards #04 who caught it and she swung, beheading her opponent. She then kicked the man's body off the truck bed._

_The jetpack soldier fighting #02 managed to catch his right arm under his and shot the cyborg point blank with a handgun. Normally, soldiers like these wouldn't be able to fight off the NUMBERS but it would appear that these guys were not the usual weak soldiers they were used to fighting. These guys were specially trained to counter threats like them._

_#02 staggered and was kicked backwards to receive more shots in the face. The soldier then took the briefcase out of #02's hand. #04 came to his rescue and tackled the soldier away. But with the briefcase in hand he took off with his jetpack. #02 jumped off the truck bed and landed in the jeep's passenger side while #04 jumped off and landed on the back. #13 sped by their jeep, in pursuit of the jetpack soldier._

"_Looks like #13's on the case," said #06, smiling as he stopped the jeep. "That guy ain't going far."_

"_Well, I'm going to see for myself," said #04 as she jumped off the jeep. She saw #13 and the jetpack soldier head into a tunnel. Bending her knees, she activated her new super speed ability and dashed down the freeway, dodging cars as she ran._

"_Fast cars and fast chicks," quipped #06. "Man, I love this job."_

_#13 saw #04 catching up to him and nodded. #04 nodded back. He reached out his hand and she grabbed onto it. He then tossed her through the air towards the jetpack soldier as they exited the freeway. She grabbed onto the soldier's legs, her tendrils coming out to pierce right through his jetpack, causing it to malfunction. "Get off me, you bitch!" he shouted at her. _

"_Not without this!" said #04 as she wrenched the briefcase free. "Oh, and look out for that building," she said mirthfully as she released him. He turned his head and smashed flat right into the side of a building._

_#13 skidded to a halt as #04 landed in front of him. "Package secured," #04 reported._

"_Then get on," said #13. 04 smiled and got onto the back of the bike. "General Nagazawa, the package has been secured," 13 reported back. _

"_Excellent work, #13," General Nagazawa complimented._

"_Thank you, but it was a team effort, sir." _

* * *

><p>"Yay! It's finally my turn!" said Yukari cheerfully. It was the next day and finally Yukari's turn to date Shinichi, which she waited very patiently for it. She was dressed up in a pink and white striped shirt with a pink skirt that reached her thighs, white leggings and pink glittering sneakers. She also had two red ribbons on each side of her hair.<p>

"Yeah, it is," said Shinichi, smiling, but his tone was morose compared to hers.

"Shinichi-san?" she asked.

"Oh?" He tried to smile honestly, but he couldn't. A lot had happened during their vacation. It was hard to believe that it was almost the end of the month. It felt much longer.

"You're worried you might get attacked, aren't you?" she asked.

"Why shouldn't I be?" he retorted. "I go out with Kurumu-chan, I get attacked. I go out with Mizore-chan, I get attacked. I went out with Moka-chan, and not only did I get attacked but innocent people got hurt." His fists were clenched.

Yukari looked at him, really looked at him. '_He __blames __himself_,' she realized. Even if the NUMBERS had been the ones who'd attacked and killed those people, the reason they were doing so was to hunt down Shinichi. They were just collateral damage. Yukari wasn't sure what to say to cheer him up, afraid that she might say something wrong. What she learned about what happened to him in the past ten years of his life didn't really help matters either.

"Sorry," Shinichi apologized. "Come on, let's go," said Shinichi as he took Yukari's hand. Yukari felt the warmth of his hand and smiled, blushing, as they walked out of the hotel together and went towards the Cyclone-X3. Meanwhile, the pair was being monitored by Lazerbeak and the Cicadroid, making sure they would not be attacked. Shinichi's last three dates had been ruined. He just hoped that he gave Yukari the date she wanted and deserved.

Shinichi wasn't blind, and Yukari was rather obvious with her intentions. Her declaration was rather loud. She wanted to share a bed with Shinichi and Moka, creating a threesome relationship between them. Yukari was much too young to be thinking about those kinds of things. However, she was also cute and she might grow up to become a beautiful girl like the others in a couple of years.

* * *

><p>Kurumu went down to the Dragon's Den to talk to someone. As she entered, which alerted Yuki who was working at the desk, she greeted, "Hi there."<p>

"Hi," Yuki greeted. "You need something?"

"Is Michiru around?" Kurumu asked.

"You called?" Michiru asked as she suddenly appeared out of nowhere and behind Kurumu, causing the succubus to yelp.

"Where did you come from!-?" Kurumu asked. Michiru pointed up to the hanging horizontal bar attached to the ceiling.

"I was doing some exercise when you came in. So, what do you want to talk to me about?" Michiru asked as she peeled a banana and ate it.

"I…I want to know what he was like back in GIN-SHOCKER," said Kurumu, almost shyly.

"Oh, you want to know what Shinichi-kun was like as #13," Michiru replied.

"Yes."

"Well, up until the time he killed us I always thought he needed to lighten up and have fun. He was always so serious and he took the job way too seriously compared to us. He was always training, or doing work for Dr. Gebok." The mention of that evil scientist's name made Kurumu frown. "But he had his good points too. He was pretty loyal and he always looked out for us. He even saved Daichi's life."

"He did?" Kurumu blinked.

"Yeah, he did. Took a tank shell right in the chest," Michiru answered. "It was a miracle that he survived too. We may be cyborgs but we're not indestructible. #13 proved that when he… I mean when Gebok made him kill us."

"So, in a way, he cared for you all," Kurumu concluded.

"Yeah, that's right," Michiru nodded. "So how is he like today?"

"Well, he's pretty much the way you described him, minus the seriousness," Kurumu replied. "See, at our school Moka is the most popular, and I was jealous. I thought Shinichi was one of her admires so I try to seduce him away from her as revenge. It... didn't go as I planned it."

"What happened?" Michiru asked.

"You know that I'm a succubus, right?" the Mantis Cyborg nodded, "My race has an ability called Charm. We can hypnotize men by shooting beams from our eyes and turn them into our willing slaves," the demoness explained, using her index and pinky fingers to point at her own eyes. "I tried it on Shinichi twice, but all it did was give him a painful headache. The second time actually knocked him unconscious."

"Whoa," Michiru blinked, "That sounds heavy. What happened after?"

"Moka was angry at me, and she had a good reason for it," Kurumu continued, "Turned out she wasn't so used to people and Shinichi was her only friend at the time. That was when we had our first encounter with GIN-SHOCKER."

"Oh, Spider-Borg and Bat-Borg," Michiru realized.

"Yeah, those two. After we beat them, Moka's inner self wanted to beat me up for trying to take Shinichi, but he stood up for me." Kurumu giggled cutely, "No one's ever done that for me before."

"Ah, so that's how you fell for him," Michiru smiled.

"Yeah~," Kurumu blushed as her hands pressed against her cheeks. "That's not all. He even helped me pass my final math exam and protected me from a sick perverted slug."

"No wonder you girls like him so much," Michiru grinned. "I'd fall for a guy like that, too. But what about Yukari-chan? Shinichi-kun isn't a lolicon, is he?"

* * *

><p>"Let's go there," Yukari pointed and Shinichi's eyes bugged because she was pointed to a love hotel.<p>

"Yukari-chan!"

"Just kidding."

* * *

><p>"Of course not!" Kurumu huffed, folding her arms under her chest, "The brat just won't get the picture."<p>

"When a child admires someone as much as Yukari does, they often fantasize themselves marring their person of interest," answered Yuki, who was listening in on their conversation, "Yukari isn't any different."

"You mean like how she said she wanted to be in a passionate threesome with him and Moka-chan?" Michiru asked.

Yuki stared at her blankly, "...What?"

"Yeah, that was the same reaction we had," Michiru nodded, shuddering slightly.

* * *

><p>Goemon had his hands placed in his pockets while walking through the streets wondering what to do. He couldn't go back to GIN-SHOCKER because he failed and he wouldn't like to stay with Yuji since the shopkeeper scared the crap out of him. He had nowhere else to go, returning back to pick pocketing to survive. He could just transform and steal some money from a bank, although Shinichi wouldn't like that. Not one bit. It seemed freaky though. Back when they were with GIN-SHOCKER, he would care less about those things unless it was involved in a mission. What happened to cause that sudden change? Well, whatever did happen, maybe it was for the best. Maybe he should just dance away his own troubles until he could think of something. He walked into the park and heard someone playing "Poison", an old American hip hop song from the early 1990's by Bell BivDevoe, one of his favorites. Quirking an eyebrow, he walked over to the source of the music.<p>

Moving into the clearing, he saw a female dancer the same age as him, break dancing to the boom box next her. She was wearing blue shorts, red t-shirt, open gray jacket, blue and white sneakers, and a white cap on her head. She also wore fingerless black gloves on her hands. She had chin-length silver hair, golden eyes, and an easy grin on her face and a tasty figure. Her dancing was quick and fluid, like water. Goemon had to admit to himself that she had skill.

"Yo," Goemon waved. The girl blinked, coming out of her funk, and noticed Goemon staring at her. She hit the stop button on her boom box with her left foot and looked back with her hand at her hip.

"Yeah, watcha want?" asked the female dancer in an American accent.

"Pretty flashy moves you got there. Mind if I join?" Goemon asked.

"Don't know. Think you can out-dance me?" the girl smiled arrogantly, skipping over and pointing at him dramatically.

"I say I do," Goemon smirked back.

"Well then, mind if we bust a move and I kick your ass?" the girl said before she twirled around, sprung into a quick split and pointed at Goemon again and added, "Kotae wa kiitenai!"

"Well I don't know about the part about my ass getting kicked, but if that's a challenge you're asking for, then I'm game," Goemon smugly smirked back as he performed a few dance steps of his own.

"You've got guts. Got a name?" the girl asked.

"Name's Goemon Jaga. What's yours?" the Centipede Cyborg inquired.

"Call me be Ren Rakusa," the dancer answered.

"Well then Ren, let's dance!" Goemon declared.

"Let's kick it!" Ren replied as she kicked the music on the boom box back on. This time, the music started to play "Double Action Gun Form". The two dancers put their pride on the line and started dancing like no tomorrow.

Goemon felt... , looser than loose. He actually felt free, something that he never felt in a very long time before. He was truly enjoying himself. He had never actually dance battled with anyone before, but it was better than he imagined it would be. On top of that, he's doing it with a super hot babe.

Once the music ended, Ren picked up her boom box and hefted it on her shoulder. "Well, you're better than I thought."

"Yeah, you too. You're really good," Goemon returned.

"Ah, my mom's waitin' for me. I gotta get going." She walked up to Goemon, took his hand and scribbled something on his hand. "That's my phone number. Call me whenever you want, boya," she winked, making him blush. "See you!" she waved as she walked off.

"Yeah, you too," Goemon waved back as he went his separate way.

* * *

><p>"How about you pick the movie?" Shinichi suggested as Yukari stared at the selection.<p>

"That one," Yukari pointed. It was MahouShoujo movie called "Witch of Love and Justice: Mirakurun". Even if she was a genius in high school, she was still pretty much a little girl with the same interests. It may seem embarrassing for Shinichi thought to be watching something so childish but he didn't mind. He wanted to make Yukari happy.

After buying popcorn and drinks, the two walked into the theatre and took their seats. Yukari instantly took Shinichi's hand and smiled at him. Shinichi smiled back. It didn't feel much like a date to him. Yukari was still just a child so he was just taking her out as a friend. Yukari's feelings for him went beyond friendship.

* * *

><p>The pair went to the karaoke box next. Shinichi still felt a little dubious. His last three dates had not gone as planned, always interrupted by one of the NUMBERS. But as he watched Yukari perform he calmed down. Maybe it wasn't going to be so bad.<p>

* * *

><p>It was getting late and they were going to head back to the hotel. However, Yukari stood in front of the Cyclone-X3 with her hands clasped together and her lips puckered up. She was expecting a kiss. Shinichi stared at her and smiled and then leaned down to brush away her bangs and plant a kiss on her forehead.<p>

"My forehead?" Yukari asked as she rubbed the spot and beamed. She was satisfied with that for now.

"Let's head back to the hotel," Shinichi said.

"Oh, I can't wait to tell everyone my date with you went perfectly, Shinichi-san!" Yukari beamed. Suddenly, she blinked at she noticed something on Shinichi's head. "Shinichi-san, why is your hair doing that?"

"Huh?" Shinichi blinked. Holding his hand up, he could feel his twin ahoge twitching like bug antennae. "Aw crap. And today was going perfectly fine too," he frowned.

"Eh?" Yukari was confused, but she soon got the answer.

"Babysitting, #13?"

Shinichi froze, recognizing that voice and he turned around. There standing several feet in front of him was a young man with neatly combed blonde hair and dressed in an expensive looking grey business suit with brown loafers covering his feet. He had a look and posture of arrogance as he crossed his arms, looking at Shinichi condescendingly. Yukari tilted her head to the side, not recognizing him but she did recognize what the guy had called Shinichi. Only those from GIN-SHOCKER referred to him as '#13'.

"A beautiful night for a walk, don't you think?" he asked and he hung his tongue out to display his 'X' tattoo which was the Roman numeral for 10. That was all the confirmation Shinichi needed on his identity.

"Yukari-chan, stand behind me," said Shinichi to the little girl as he stood between #10 and her. "What do you want, #10?"

"Oh, you know what I want, #13," retorted #10, his face contorting into rage. "Oh, right, you go by another name, right? You're called 'Shinichi' now? Well, you may call me Kamiyami Kato."

"I knew you had a superiority complex, but to use 'kami (god)' and 'yami (dark)' as part of your name seems lame," Shinichi retorted.

"It's the name that defines me for who I really am, for my destiny, the destiny which you stole from me!" Kamiyami accused.

"Look, whatever I did it I didn't do it because I wanted to," said Shinichi. Kamiyami snorted. "And I want to help you out."

"Help me out?" Kamiyami retorted.

"You know GIN-SHOCKER kidnapped us and turned us into cyborg super soldiers against our will," Shinichi explained, "So I think you'll have more hatred for them than you have with me for taking you away from your family."

Kamiyami's expression was blank for a second but then his lips curled into a smile. He then, surprising them both, tossed his head back and laughed maniacally. Between his laughs, he said, "You…you think I didn't choose to be like this? You really have changed #13!" He looked Shinichi in the eye and said, "I wanted to be this way! I wanted to throw my humanity away! I wanted power! It was my decision from the start to become what I am today! I am no longer a weak and pathetic human!"

"Say what now?" Shinichi gasped incredulously. "You're saying that you went to GIN-SHOCKER willingly? You expect me to believe that?"

"You can believe what you want!" another voice said. A figure dropped down from a building and walked into the light. This boy was wearing an old style version of a pilot's helmet and goggles. He also wore a yellow shirt, cargo pants and loafers. His right eye was blue, but his left eye was clearly cybernetic. It was pure white and had the mark XII in the middle, revealing his identity.

"Bomber," Shinichi identified.

"I'm Saisen Koremitsu," the Dragonfly Cyborg nodded. He frowned as he pointed at Shinichi accusingly, "You think you can just make us defect from GIN-SHOCKER just like that? Hate to break it to you, but even if those bitches decided to go rogue, it ain't gonna happen with us!"

"GIN-SHOCKER took our lives from us!" Shinichi shouted. "They took us from our homes! Our family! They made us kill so many people!"

"You don't get it do you?" another voice shouted. Shinichi and Yukari turned, seeing #06, Jin Majutsushi, sitting on a car casually. "That's the whole point! It's too much fun for all this to stop now!" he yelled mockingly.

"There is only one thing we want," another voice said. The pair turned up to see #03, Koichi Sumira, standing on a lamppost. He looked down at them like tiny ants, "That's to leave our mark on the world!"

"But before that," one last voice said behind them. It was #01, Todoriko Shiki, "We're going to have our fun with you!"

Four of the NUMBERS now surrounded Shinichi and Yukari. Shinichi eyes looked around at his opponents, his former comrades, who had admitted that they were not going to abandon GIN-SHOCKER anytime soon.

"So, negotiations have broken down," Shinichi realized. "Well then…Let's Ride!" His Spark Core appeared. He had no time to waste with these guys by dancing around them and thus decided to go for the big guns as he connected the Legacy Driver to his belt.

"**ULTIMATE RIDE: LEGACY MODE!"**

A blinding pillar of golden light enveloped Shinichi and when it shrank and vanished, Showa stood in his gold and silver Legacy Mode armor. "Yukari-chan, run and don't look back," he said as the NUMBERS activated their respective suits of armor.

Meanwhile, Lazerbeak was watching as this happened and finally decided to report all this back to Yuji.

The NUMBERS let Yukari run off. They weren't interested in the little witch. Their focus was solely on their enemy, the former BLACK 13. Clenching his Legacy Saber in one hand tightly, he focused his eyes on all five opponents surrounding him.

They then lunged.

* * *

><p>Sparks flew as Showa and King's blades clashed. He then jumped over King as bullets riddled the ground. Parasyte and Petrifier both struck with their daggers but were pushed back as Showa shot at them. Bomber remained in the air, firing at Showa who hopped around and dodged but then he was knocked out of the air by a precise shot from the Legacy Saber's gun mode.<p>

Petrifier, Parasyte and King tried to attack him by surrounding him but despite the closed space he was in due to them attacking from all sides, he was able to duck and dodge their attacks and even caused King to accidently knock Parasyte backwards with a stab from one of his swords. Showa pushed him back with a knee to the stomach and then knocked him up into the air with an uppercut before using a straight punch that hit King's stomach and sent him flying into a car, denting it and shattering the windows. Petrifier recovered and sent a wave of crystal rushing towards Showa who got stuck as his legs were enveloped, pinning him to his spot. Parasyte went to bury his daggers into Showa's chest but missed as Showa activated Biorider's power and turned into liquid, flowing out from his trap before becoming solid again.

"Let's Ride: Riderman!" he called and his right arm became replaced with Riderman's Power Arm. He rushed at the NUMBERS, swatting crystal projectiles away and hit Petrifier in the chest, sending him tumbling. Showa was about to engage King when all of a sudden Scanner made a loud announcement.

"Hey, guys! Look at what I caught!" called Scanner as he held Yukari hostage. He had not engaged Showa but instead gone and chased after Yukari. Despite her magic, she was no match for the Leech Cyborg as he grabbed her and drained her energy, leaving her weak and helpless in his grip.

"Shinichi-san!" Yukari cried as she was in Scanner's grasp.

"Yukari-chan!" Showa gasped. King took the chance and slashed Showa across the chest and spun around with a kick, sending him sprawling on the floor. As he tried to get back up, Parasyte sent a cloud of nano-ticks at Showa and commanded them to explode once they came into contact with him. The explosions thus forced Showa to his knees in pain.

King sneered, "You got distracted, #13 and now you're on your knees in front of me, right where you belong."

"So what, you want me to blow you?" Showa retorted, causing Petrifier and Parasyte to chuckle.

King, while angered by the remark, still kept his cool and reminded Showa, "Have you forgotten about your friend?" He pointed to Yukari with one of his swords. Scanner was holding her by her wrists, tight, preventing her escape.

Showa demanded, "Let her go! She has no part in this!"

King retorted, "I think not. She's assurance to make sure you are more cooperative."

"Teme…let her go," demanded Showa again but Bomber stood behind him with the barrels of his guns pressed against the back of his skull.

"You used to be the best, #13," Bomber reminded, "But I guess either you got weaker…"

"...Or we got better," finished King as he crossed his blades under Showa's chin. "This is checkmate, BLACK 13, and when we deliver your head to our superiors, well that means I'll be the top agent as I should be."

"You really believe that, don't you?" Showa asked, looking straight up at King, "You really think they'll reward you if you deliver me to them, dead or alive?"

"Of course," King replied, completely sure of himself.

"You don't know then," Showa sighed. "Heh, I guess in the end we're all just tools to GIN-SHOCKER."

"What are you talking about?" Bomber asked.

"As if you'd believe me, but here's the summary: you deliver me to GS, and you all become obsolete while I return to becoming their ultimate weapon. That is why you guys were revived. Once you've delivered me, your purpose has ended and like all obsolete machines you'll be scrapped," Showa said.

"You're lying!" King growled.

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. Don't care, really. We'll see when you go back to GIN-SHOCKER," Showa shrugged.

Parasyte was starting to have some doubts, "King, maybe #13's right. I mean why did they revive us now after they fought #13 when they could've revived us after we were dead?"

"Shut up, #03!" snapped King as he trembled.

"You call yourself a king, Kamiyami, but you're just a lapdog on GIN-SHOCKER's leash," retorted Showa.

Now that pissed King off. He then grinned under his helmet, "Well, then if I'm a dog then maybe I should sink my fangs into some meat." He walked over towards Yukari and raised his sword, ready to cut the poor girl down in half. Suddenly, a black and gold blur appeared and King screamed as spark flew across from his chest. Scanner was also knocked to the ground by a violent punch to the face and was slammed against the side of a building. Yukari looked up and saw the face of her savior.

Kamen Rider Necros questioned, "Attacking a child? You really are scum."

King shouted, "Who the hell are you!-?"

Kamen Rider Necros responded by hitting King with a palm strike that launched him across the street and into a building. "You call yourself 'King'. Let's see how you fare against a God of Death."

Scanner and the others were kicked around by a flash of blue as Liger Jäger came into view.

"It's him!" Parasyte shouted as he glared at the Rider.

"Time to get wild!" Liger Jäger declared as he revealed a green CAS card with gold circuit lines styled into a "P". He ejected the blue card and inserted the green one.

"**PANZER FORM!"**

The blue armor shattered into shards of energy and changed to a bright green as they clung back to Liger's body and reformed into new armor. The black bodysuit now had green plating on the sleeves and thighs. He wore green gauntlets with a mini gun on the left arm and twin-barrel laser cannon on the right. He had green greaves with a missile pod on each leg. He sported green torso armor and a pair of cannons on his shoulders. The lion face plate was now green. The only things that hadn't changed were the red nodes, red eyes, and gold claws.

"Surprise sucker!" a cybernetic voice shouted before a flaming fist slugged Parasyte on the side of his head, knocking him into the same building with King. Inferno Leo Mega dusted off his hands and waved at Showa.

Aphrodite jogged over from a clearing to Showa and helped him back to his feet. "Are you alright?"

"Been better," grunted Showa. "Yukari-chan, are you okay?"

"Just a little weak," she admitted.

"Scanner must've drained you then," Showa concluded. "Hey, can you look after her?"

"Absolutely," Aphrodite nodded, "Come on, Yukari. Let's go." She helped the litter witch on to her back ran out of the battlefield. Showa, at the meantime, looked at Liger Panzer's transformation with admiration. "Wow, those are some really big guns."

Bomber opened fire on Liger Panzer but his bullets were ineffective against the Liger Rider's thick armor plating.

"Nice toys," Liger complimented. "Now lemme show ya mine!" He locked his legs in a horse stance and swiped his pass over his belt.

"**FULL CHARGE!"**

Energy began to gather into the barrels of the two cannons as Liger charged his attack. **"****Hyper ****Cannon!****"** The cannons let loose a blast of red energy as Liger was pushed back slightly from the force.

"FUCK!" Bomber swore as he steered around the energy blast. He pushed himself a bit too far as he ended up crashing into the side of a building and falling down.

King snarled as he and Parasyte stepped out of their holes, "You damned Riders…" he cursed, "You can't leave well enough alone, can you?"

"If we didn't, then what kind of Kamen Riders would we be in the first place?" Mega snapped. "Besides, we aren't just about you rough up Shinichi because you can't see past your anger!"

"Then I guess it's high time we got you all erased from this world forever!" King snapped his fingers and several cries were heard before an army of Cyborg Mutants and GS-Soldiers dropped down from the buildings, surrounding the four Riders. "We knew that we would come across you three again eventually! Let's see how long you can last against our army!"

The four Kamen Riders found themselves surrounded by GIN-SHOCKER's forces, no way out in sight. Showa commented, "Looks like they're taking no chances this time."

"Mm. They're getting desperate," Necros nodded, "Well, this could be fun."

"Good thing we have some back up of our own," Liger stated.

As if on cue, a powerful blast of sound erupted from right in front of them, sending most of the Cyborg Mutants and GS-Soldiers flying.

"Hey, need any help?" Sonic asked as he stood in front of two jeeps as Slasher, Zero exited out of the vehicle. Seras, Arachnia and Carmen exited out next.

"It's much obliged," nodded Showa.

"CANNONBALL!" Armadillo shouted as he jumped off the roof of a building and came crashing down, causing the ground to shake as he flattened a few of the GS-Soldiers. He unrolled himself and said, "WOO-HOO! Party time!"

"Coming through!" another voice shouted as several more GS-Soldiers were suddenly thrown into the air. The attacker halted in front of Showa and revealed herself.

"Huh?" Showa blinked, "Sora? Is that you?"

She did look like the young priestess that would follow Leon around, but there were some major differences. This girl basically looked like some kind of were-cheetah, with fur, cat ears and a tail. She also had gauntlets with claws, and greaves on her legs. Honestly, Showa thought she was hot.

"Well, not exactly," 'Sora' smiled sultry, "I'm Bast, the Goddess of Joy. Sora made a pact with me and I'm using her body right now." She grinned as she leered at the Rider, "So, you're Showa? You're more handsome in person."

"Uh..." Showa stuttered, unsure of what he should be feeling.

"OI!" a voice a feminine outrage shouted. Bast turned around to see Moka, Kurumu and Mizore fuming.

"Relax, I'm just teasing!" Bast laughed.

**(Music- Deep Breath)**

King fumed at the newcomers, but his expression changed when he noticed Moka. His hateful gaze melted into a lustful smirk as he gripped his swords.

"You damned suicidal morons!" Petrifier roared. "Kill em all!"

"Now you're speaking my language!" Liger Panzer grinned. "OK everyone, let show these guys what it means to be real Kamen Riders!"

"Let's de-rezz em!" Mega agreed as he ran forward alongside Liger Panzer.

Showa nodded as he engaged the enemy, quickly crossing the gap between himself and his Youkai Academy friends, knocking down GS Troopers-Soldiers with his Legacy Saber. Reaching Moka, his hands reached towards her rosario only to be knocked back as a crescent energy blade separated him from Moka.

"#13, your fight is with me!" challenged King as his swords glowed but then Necros stood in his way.

"Forgot about me?" Necros retorted as he swung and his blade slammed against King's crossed swords. "Shinichi, let me handle this guy."

Showa nodded and pulled off Moka's Rosario, allowing her more powerful inner self to come free. Seeing all the GS Troopers-Soldiers and Cyborg Mutants, she loosened her shoulders eagerly, "Well, this is what I was waiting for."

"Just be careful," said Showa, "And for insurance," he put his hand against her back, "Let's Form Ride: Ichigo!" Her body was immediately enveloped in the armor of Kamen Rider Ichigo and she smiled. "Your kicks will definitely do more striking damage now." He turned to Kurumu and Mizore, "As for you both." He turned them both around so their backs were facing him and put his hands to their backs, "Let's Form Ride: RX!Riderman!"

Mizore was instantly donned in a sparkling light before she appeared in Riderman's armor, but her violet hair spilled out slightly from the helmet. As for Kurumu, the Sunriser appeared on her waist before a flash energy surrounded her. She wore the skintight green bodysuit and black armor of Kamen Rider BLACK RX and smiled as she drew the Revolcane.

Moka-Ichigo-sama charged at the GS Troopers,-Soldiers, knocking two down with a scissor kick before landing on her feet before performing a reverse roundhouse that sent one flying. Two tried to strike her down with their machetes but her fists sent them flying across the street before they stopped when they hit streetlamps.

As for Kurumu-RX and Showa, the two stood back to back as they fought against a pair of Cyborg Mutants modeled after jaguars with blades for arms. Sparks flew as they parried the attacks and the two spun around, switching partners as Kurumu-RX ran the creature through at the same time Showa hit his Jaguar Cyborg Mutant with a headshot right between the eyes. He then joined Mizore-Riderman who was taking down GS Troopers-Soldiers and she used the Machinegun Arm to fire bullets made of ice to take them down. Showa leapt onto her shoulders and jumped up to fire with his Legacy Saber Gun Mode, killing the GS Troopers.-Soldiers.

He picked up an assault rifle and called, "Michiru!" before tossing it. The assault rifle flew towards Carmen who was slashing with her scythes. As soon as she saw the rifle coming her way her hands changed back to normal and she caught it before unloading its payloadammo upon the GS-Soldiers. "Thanks! Shotgun!" She kicked up a shotgun and then kicked it through the air. "Hana-chan!"

Arachnea caught the shotgun as she stuck her twin Spider Kamas into a pair of Hound Cyborg Mutants. She shot several GS Troopers-Soldiers down and then discarded the shotgun as she withdrew her Spider Kamas, sending the two Cyborg Mutants to bloody death.

Shots hit close to her feet and another flew past her head. "Snipersup on that building!" she called as she pointed to one of the rooftops.

"I'm on it!" said Zero as he aimed and fired his needles, the projectiles hitting the snipers and exploding, sending them to sweet oblivion. He picked up a sniper rifle and started picking off GS-Soldiers one by one before discarding the weapon once it ran out of ammo.

Sonix was surrounded by GS-Soldiers, all armed with electric batons. He simply snorted as he slammed his fork to the ground, creating a shockwave to send all of them flying. Another GS-Soldier stood behind a car and aimed a flamethrower at Sonix. He was about to fire, when Slasher suddenly rolled in front of him and spat a gluey substance from the nozzle of his facemask. The glue stuck onto the flamethrower's nozzle. With nowhere for the flames to escape out of, the gun started to overheat, forcing the soldier to drop it. Slasher took the moment of distraction and slammed his fist on the GS-Soldier's head, knocking him into the air.

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god," frantically uttered a terrified Scanner who was trying to crawl away somewhere to hide only to stop at a pair of silver boots. Looking up, he stared up at Moka-Ichigo-sama who then slammed her foot into his chin, tossing him into the air. She then grabbed onto his foot and smashed him facedown onto the ground.

Bast was racing around as a blur to the world, slashing at the GS-Soldiers and Cyborg Mutants that got in her way. She was clearly have the time of her immortal life, laughing as she made mincemeat out of her pray.

Slasher proved his strength by knocking out the GS-Soldiers with his fists. He grabbed two by their heads and bashed them together before using them as makeshift clubs. He then tossed them away like garbage as he activated his chainsaws.

"I almost feel sorry for those guys," Sonix mused as he used his Cricket Fork to drive the GS-Soldiers away. A Cyborg Mutant modeled after an anteater grabbed him with its long tongue but said tongue was sliced in half by Showa's sword before the Cyborg Mutant was destroyed by a powerful sound blast that tore its body apart.

Some of the GS-Soldiers managed to intercept Aphrodite and Yukari as they watched the fight from afar and went for the attack, thinking that they were easy prey. Aphrodite, however, proved them wrong as water suddenly circled her and Yukari and grew into a massive tidal wave that swept the soldiers away

Zero engaged Bomber in the air, exchanging projectiles. When Bomber fired a missile from his chest Zero dodged to the side and the missile exploded against the side of the building. Zero was blinded by the dust and rubble and Bomber capitalized on this by hitting Zero with a kick, dragging him through the air. He then fired a laser from the gun equipped to his foot, sending Zero painfully crashing to the ground.

Sonix, seeing this, shouted, "Yokoshima, rocket launcher!"

Armadillo saluted and rolled towards the jeep, GS-Soldiers in his path moving out of the way lest they be flattened. He made his way to the jeeps and unlocked a trunk that was in the backseat of one. He pulled out a rocket launcher and aimed at Bomber. "OK, target locked. FIRE IN THE HOLE!"

The rocket was a heat seeker and locked on Bomber. Bomber tried to out fly the rocket but he was hit and his winged jetpack took damage. "Fuck! Fuck! FUCK!" he screamed as he started plummeting before crashing.

"Not such a bad shot now, am I?" Armadillo taunted but then he was stuck in crystal which covered all but his head and the arm holding the rocket launcher.

"I'll be taking this!" said Petrifier as he took the weapon of Armadillo's hand. "Oh, and you're still an idiot." Armadillo wanted to curse but he was instantly covered in crystal.

The rocket launcher model that Petrifier had taken from Armadillo was different from conventional rocket launcher as it sported a rotating chamber to load up to eight rockets of the surface-to-air or the surface-to-surface variety.

He looked through the scope, locking onto Showa but then a rope tied around the barrel of the weapon, tearing it out of his grip. "HEY!" he shouted but then paled as he saw that it was in Seras' grip once she withdrew her tendril from it. "#04…Misato…" Petrifier backed away. "You wouldn't hurt me, would you?"

She squeezed the trigger and fired, Petrifier screamed and his screams increased in volume as he was launched into the air by the resulting explosion.

King and Necros were still having their sword fight. Necros had managed to relieve King of one of his swords, causing the Dobsonfly Cyborg to defend himself with only one lone sword. As they crossed swords, King said, "Why do you protect #13? Do you have any idea about everything he's done?"

"Yeah I do," Necros replied.

"And you still protect him!-?" King shouted.

"A monster like me got a second chance, so why shouldn't he?" Necros retorted as he hit King in the midsection with a kick that drove him backwards. "And I know all about second chances." He put his sword away and took out his Mobirider and a Rider Key. "Rider Change!"

He activated the key with the phone.

"**KAMEN RIDER SKULL!"**

His armor changed as tornado surrounded his body before black fragments bonded to his body, donning him in a black armored bodysuit with silver bracelets on his wrists and ankles. A tattered white scarf hung from his neck and he sported a silver, skull-shaped helmet with black eyes and a scar running down the right one. Silver rib-like patterns decorated his chest and he also wore a white fedora on his head. His belt buckle was the same model used by Eternal with a black Gaia Memory inside.

"Now, time to count your sins," said Skull-Necros before he charged at King. King slashed at him but he dove underneath the swing and rolled along the ground before getting up on one knee with a submachine gun held sideways and aimed at King. He fired the Skull Magnum, hitting King with shots from the gun. He continued shooting, forcing King backwards with each shot. He took the Gaia Memory out of his belt and loaded it into the Skull Magnum.

"**SKULL: MAXIMUM DRIVE!"**

He pushed the chamber up onto the gun's barrel and fired intense, skull-shaped blasts at King, knocking him further and further back until he was backed up against a car. Taking the Skull Memory out of his gun, he loaded it into the Maximum Slot on the side of his belt.

"**SKULL: MAXIMUM DRIVE!"**

"Rest in peace."He adjusted his fedora then leapt into the air as his chest created an energy projection in the shape of a skull. He kicked the energy skull and it flew like a missile, hitting King with immense, explosive force as he screamed, the car exploding and knocking him into the air. Carmen and Arachnea saw this and leapt, slashing at King in midair as he cried out in pain and humiliating before he got caught by Mizore-Riderman's Rope Arm and slammed violently to the ground. She withdrew the Rope Arm and smiled as King tried to get back up.

"Damn…damn it…" he cursed.

"**LEGACY CHARGE!"**

"RIDER LEGACY KICK!" Showa shouted as he leapt through the rings, destroying several of the GS-Soldiers and Cyborg Mutants. He watched as Kurumu-RX took down GS-Troopers with her Rvolcane before going for the kill by running a Cyborg Mutant through, withdrawing her blade seconds before it exploded.

"That's nice, Kurumu-chan, but watch mine!" he complimented as he removed his Legacy Driver from his belt and attached it to his Legacy Saber while it was in sword mode.

"**LEGACY CHARGE!"**

Showa rushed at the GS-Troopers and Cyborg Mutants and attacked. With each slash, a transparent image of one of the Legendary Riders would appear, performing the same action as he cut down the number of enemies. "RIDER LEGACY SLASH!" he called. They all exploded once he slashed one last time, causing them all to explode around him as he shouldered his blade. "How's that?"

"Very nice!" Kurumu-RX acknowledged.

Sparks flew as Parasyte tried to take on Liger Panzer. Unfortunately for him, the Panzer armor was thick and it only took a backhand from Parasyte to send him flying into several GS-Soldiers, knocking them down like bowling pins. He tried to get back on his feet, only for a heavy staff to be bashed on the side of his head. Parasyte rolled on his side and growled at Mega. He stood up and lunged with his daggers. Like Liger Panzer's armor, Inferno Leo Mega was too thick for Parasyte to puncture, and proved it by blocking with his forearms. Mega grabbed Parasyte by the shoulders and started to swing him around before sending him flying into a Shrimp Cyborg Mutant, sending them rolling on the ground.

"Get of me!" Parasyte screeched as he kicked of the Cyborg Mutant off. Getting to his feet again, he growled as nano-ticks started to escape from his body and flew at Mega.

"That won't work on me!" Mega shouted as he spun his Leo Staff before slamming it to the ground. A wave of fire erupted and roared at the ticks, making them separate.

"Don't just stand there! Get him!" Parasyte shouted, slapping the Shrimp Cyborg Mutant forward. The creature roared as it charge, but Mega wasn't about to just sit by and take the blow. Taking a stance, he tapped his belt.

"**FINAL DOWNLOAD."**

Fire began to erupt on each end of his staff before he jumped and twisted into the air. **"****Overheat!****"** he yelled out. Normally, he wouldn't call out his attack, but considering whom he was working with, he might as well do something flashy as well. Gravity took hold of him again smashed the first end of his burning staff, knocking the Shrimp Cyborg Mutant backwards as flames licked its body. As it tried to snuff the flames out, the first phase of the attack actually propelled Mega back up. He came down again, this time with the Leo Staff over his head. Reaching his target, he let out a shout and slammed it against its head once more. This time the damage was too much as the Shrimp let out a screech before it exploded in a fiery blast. Mega landed on his feet and loosed his neck from side to side.

Liger Panzer growled as he saw more GS-Soldiers and Cyborg Mutants dropping down from the rooftops. "Guys, I think it's time we finished this," he said before pressing down on the button on his belt.

"**FULL CHARGE!"**

"Everyone hit the dirt!" Mega shouted, seeing what Liger Panzer was about to do. The rogue, original and Youkai Riders got low.

The hatches on the Panzer armor all opened up to reveal a menagerie of missiles. Three of the GS Riders ducked down as the enemy all gawked.

"Holy shit!" Petrifier snapped.

"Every man for himself!" Scanner cried as he tried to run.

"He's got more ammo than me!" Bomber cried in outrage.

"**BURNING ****BIG ****BANG!****"**Liger Panzer roared as his stash fired and flew all over the place. The remaining GS-Soldiers and Cyborg Mutants stood no chance as each missile hit them and explosions ravaged the area. When it all cleared up, no GS-Soldier Cyborg Mutant remained. There were only a few flames here and there. Most of the cars didn't survive either and the buildings where completely roughed up.

**End Song**

The five GS Cyborgs were backed into a corner, realizing that they were outnumbered and outgunned. "This… this isn't over…" King swore as he threw a smoke bomb on the ground. It exploded as provided a smokescreen for them. As it cleared up, they were gone.

"So they ran," Liger Panzer huffed. "Not like they had much of a choice anyway." The air around him warped with heat as his armor shattered into shards of energy, leaving him in just the bodysuit

"That's for helping me out, man," Showa said as he place his hand on Yuji's shoulder.

"You know it," he grinned. They bopped their fists together.

"Hey, about Yokoshima," Carmen said as she tapped on Armadillo's crystal cell with the back of her hand, "He's stuck."

"I got him," Mega said as he walked over, only to find Moka-Ichigo-sama's arm stretched out before him. "Huh?"

"Allow me," Moka-Ichigo-sama said as she marched up to the petrified Armadillo. She clenched her right fist and smashed it against the crystal cell with great force. With her inherited vampire strength and the enhanced cybernetic power bestowed on her by Showa, it was more than enough to shatter the crystal. Armadillo was sprawled on to the ground, coughing as his transformation cancelled in the form of his armor shattering.

"Where's that jewel bug!-?" Yokoshima demanded, looking around, "Come out so I can-!" He stopped as he noticed Moka-Ichigo-sama standing before him. The armor shattered in puzzle pieces, revealing the silver-haired vampire with a coy look on her face. Yokoshima gulped.

"What's the matter?" Moka-sama said as she leered at him with a smile, showing her razor fangs, "Are you afraid of this version of me?"

"Me...? Afraid...? Hahaha, no way," Yokoshima denied, although him backing away from Moka-sama while sweating bullets said otherwise.

Showa removed the Legacy Driver from his and reverted back to normal, causing Kurumu and Mizore to change back as well. He stumbled a bit, dizzy and exhausted from straining himself but the two girls kept him steady by grabbing an arm. "Are you okay?" Kurumu asked, pressing his arm against her chest.

"I'm fine," he said. "Just a little drained. Is Yukari-chan alright?"

"I'm alright," said Yukari as she ran towards Shinichi and hugged him around the waist. "My hero."

"Hey, what about us?" Daichi asked indignantly after his armor was canceled in a ripple of soundwaves. "We did most of the work too!" The rest of the Riders also deactivated their suits, the armors vanishing in various ways corresponding to each wearer.

"Ah, a lot of little girls are like that," Misato shrugged, "Anyway, it's been fun. Let's get going before the police show up or something."

"Whatever," Daichi huffed, walking back to the jeep. "I call shotgun!"

**KER-CLICK**

"You were saying, Daichi?" Shogo smirked as he aimed his shotgun at the Cricket Cyborg's face. Daichi sweat-dropped. Shogo then went into the passenger side as Daichi climbed onto the truck's bed.

"Seriously, it's like Shogo's married to that thing or something," Daichi commented.

"Can you blame him?" Michiru giggled as she got to the diver seat of the other jeep, holding a shotgun of her own. "Shotguns are cool."

"You'd think so," Hana remarked.

"Hey, where's Leon?" Kurumu asked.

"Heh, he pulled another vanishing act," Shinichi stated with amusement.

* * *

><p>While Bast had used her supernaturally enhanced speed to reach the shrine, Necros had arrived with Aphrodite riding piggyback after he used Shunpo to cross the distance between the battlefield to this place. Necros put Aphrodite down and allowed his armor to vanish, his body finally feeling the effects of his exhaustion as it caught up with him. He started to fall but Bast and Aphrodite caught his arms before he touched the ground.<p>

"Let's get him inside," said Aphrodite and Bast agreed as they dragged Leon into the shrine before putting him in a futon and tucking him in with the blanket. "He exerted himself. He didn't recover fully from his last fight."

"He still put up a fight, though," said Bast as she admired one of Leon's Rider Keys. "Such power in a small package."Bast gained a catty grin on her face. She leaned forward and planted a kiss on Leon's lips. In a flash of light, Sora was no longer possessed by Bast, but was still kissing the unconscious Shinigami. Sora's face turned bright red. "My...my first kiss..." She then let out a sigh as she too passed out on top of Leon.

"_This group is fun!" _Bast's voice cackled throughout the air,_"I think I'm gonna like being with all of you!"_

* * *

><p>Gebok frowned as he watched the footage of the street battle in his lab. He didn't expect that things would end up like this. Behind him, the door hissed opened and someone walked inside. "The ambush was a failure, I presume?"<p>

Gebok turned around and bowed, "My apologies, General Nagazawa."

"How many times have we wasted our men, Gebok?" Nagazawa frowned. "Already we only have five NUMBERS remaining with the others gone rogue with BLACK 13. Too much is riding on this."

"Yes, I wasn't expecting #13 to convince numbers #00, #02, #04, #05, #07, #08, #09 and #11 to revolt along with him," Gebok nodded tensely. "Fortunately, I have the perfect solution. Right now, I am working on a new generation of NUMBERS; each one stronger than the previous. I already have the materials I , I need candidates."

"I expect for this project to be completed as soon as possible," Nagazawa told him. "There is also the matter of these young women that are following BLACK 13. Our scans show that they possess similar abilities to most of our cyborgs here. What is your take?"

"I can tell you one thing," a feminine voice said behind him, "None of them are human." Nagazawa turned around and found a shapely figure leaning on the doorframe.

"I'm sorry. I don't recall this being an opened conversation. Who are you?" Nagazawa demanded.

"She is my most recent project," Gebok grinned as the woman approached the two men. "General, allow me to introduce you to one of the members of the Cyborg Youkai Corps, Madame Medusa."

"Youkai?" Nagazawa repeated. "As in monsters?"

"That's right," the Cyborg Youkai nodded, stopping before them. "We have existed for as long as humans have. The only reason why you are only hearing this now is because most of us live in another dimension and closed off locations."

"Is that right?" Nagazawa frowned, "Damn. So Spider-borg wasn't blowing smoke after all."

"The girls that are so fond of #13 are as followed; Vampire, Succubus, Witch, and Yuki-Onna. There is even a Werewolf among them. Also with them are special Dragons, a fox demon, and another Witch. The Youkai you must really watch out for is the Vampire, Werewolf, Fox and Dragons. They are at the S-Class for a reason."

"What is your suggestion then?" Nagazawa asked.

A smile graced her lips, "Let me go after #13. It's been a while since I had my fun. Besides, it would be a good opportunity to say hello."

"Very well then," Nagazawa nodded. "You assignment is to capture BLACK 13 alive. You are then to bring him to the extraction point for reprogramming. Select whatever cyborgs you need for the mission. Dismissed."

"Yes sir," she saluted before walking out the lab.

Nagazawa turned back to Gebok. "What about you, Gebok? Are you still planning on investigating BLACK 13's previous location?"

"Indeed I am," Gebok smiled, turning back to his work. "Even with the Cyborg Youkai Corps, I only managed to gather a few scraps of data. I am anxious to learn more and for that I need more information."

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER DATABASE<strong>

"Hi, I'm Bast!"

"And I'm Sora."

"And welcome to the KAMEN RIDER DATABASE!" both girls announced.

"In this chapter, we got involved in a Rider VS Rider showdown. Well…not exactly," Bast began. "There were some mooks and monsters but other than that is was the NUMBERS VS the ex-NUMBERS and their allies."

Sora continued, "And Bast-san took over my body so we could fight together."

"Hey, it was the only way," shrugged Bast. "Anyway…let's review some new Riders!" The screen showed Liger in his Panzer Form armor. "Alright, a Rider based on a liger! My favorite wild cat! Now, as you can see Liger becomes covered in thick and heavy green armor that provides him with extra protection but at the cost of his speed. He is also equipped with a pair of massive hybrid cannons and concealed missile launchers which drastically increases his firepower. Liger Panzer has two Full Charge finishers: Hyper Cannon which is a powerful blast of energy from the cannons with an equally powerful recoil and the Burning Big Bang which is when Liger unleashed all his weapons at once and lets loose his payload on his enemies. Overkill, but it gets the job done."

"However, Liger Panzer does have a weakness. He risks overheating due to using his weapons and this form lacks a cooling system to prevent him from overheating and so he rarely uses Liger Panzer," finished Sora.

"And next up, our boy! Leon Smith, aka Kamen Rider Necros. He uses a new Rider Key today and becomes Kamen Rider Skull!" Bast pointed to the screen.

Sora started the explanation, "Kamen Rider Skull is the Rider form of Sokichi Narumi. He was a private detective who solved Dopant crimes but he was gunned down on his last case, passing his hat onto his apprentice ShotaroHidari who would become Kamen Rider Double along with Phillip. Kamen Rider Skull isn't all that unique and is actually similar to the old school Riders as he simply has enhanced physical combat skills. He is armed with the Skull Magnum and Skull Memory, with the latter allowing Skull to perform Maximum Drive finishers by either inserting it into Maximum Slot in his Skull Magnum or the one on the right side of his belt. Kamen Rider Skull's system is similar to Eternal's as they utilize the power of a Gaia Memory and the Lost Driver."

"He also looks cool with that fedora of his," Bast added. "Man, does he make it look good."

"You can never go wrong with a good fedora," Sora agreed. "Well, that's all the Riders for this chapter. Come back when we unlock more Riders to look at!"

"Till next time!" Bast waved.

* * *

><p><strong>Tailsmo4ever:<strong>Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Hot fights and dark foreshadowings. Stay tune for the next chapter!

**KAMEN****RIDER****CHROME**: And yes, foreshadowing. Also, don't forget the Rider action. It's always good, isn't it? Now, what happens next? Who is Madam Medusa? Find out next time on Showa & Vampire!


	29. Family: Longest Summer's End

**Chapter 29: Longest Summer's End**

_"WARNING! WARNING!" a computerized voice rang though out the base. "DANGER LEVEL 13! ALL TROOPS PREPARE TO ENGAGE! REPEAT! DANGER LEVEL 13! ALL TROOPS PREPARE TO ENGAGE!"_

_From the lower level, the skylight shattered as BLACK 13 dropped in. Just as he landed, he created an energy bubble that knocked away all the enemy soldiers that were inside. Blades of crimson energy emerged from his forearms and ankles as the door opened and more soldiers appeared out of it, ready to fire. "There he is! BLACK 13 has gone rogue!" the leader shouted. _

_BLACK 13 roared and lunged at them. As the soldiers came at him he swung and kicked, slicing them into ribbons, cutting off layer after layer of flesh in long, curling streaks of tortured muscle and spouting blood that screamed in his consciousness. More came as he took the gun of__f__ one of the soldiers he killed. He didn't aim; he just fired in blind rage. All that came into his path dropped dead. He went outside to the complex and continued shooting all the soldiers. Coming up to a blockade of soldiers, he found himself out of bullets. _

_"Enough with this BLACK 13!" the leader demanded. "You've already made quite a mess here. Now surrender and come with us." _

_BLACK 13 growled as he threw down the gun. "Don't..." he thundered as he pulled up a large inactive motion tracking blaster from the ground and raised it over his head, "GIVE ME ORDERS!" with a scream, he threw it at the soldiers who were too slow to react in time. They ended up getting crushed by the heavy blaster and burned as it exploded in a violent flash. Looking up, he spotted a chopper hovering over him. It locked on and fired. Missiles streaked out and BLACK 13 ran. The missiles exploded behind BLACK 13 and the chopper gave chase. More soldiers tried to stop him. He wouldn't let them. He ran up to one, BLACK 13's blades impaling him before the cyborg jumped and dove at another, impaling the next one through the head. He rolled and began slashing every soldier that got in his way. Each one fell into pieces at his blades. The chopper fired again and the missile exploded behind him once more. It was getting irritating._

_He came to a glass bridge, but the chopper cut him off by blowing up the midpoint. Looking behind him, he saw more soldiers catching up. Looking down he saw a platform and jumped down. He continued to run and had to jump across the walls to keep going. He got to the highest platform and saw the chopper. It was going to fire again. _

_Not if he could help it. _

_He sprinted and jumped. He darted through the air and landed on the windshield of the cockpit. _

_"Emergency! Emergency! BLACK 13 has-!" the pilot didn't even finish as a crimson blade cut into his skull. The helicopter went out of control as BLACK 13 struggled to hold on. Then he saw it. There! That light! He jumped off the helicopter just as before it crashed and burned. Using his blades as shovels, he dug towards the pretty light. He dug and dug and dug until he ended up in a room: the main control room. He knew what he had to do. Retracting his blades, he went over to the computer. With trembling hands, he began typing in a code. When the code was complete the words **'WARNING! DEACTIVATING THE MAIN POWER CORE WILL CAUSE CRITICAL SYSTEM ERROR! YOU WILL ONLY HAVE 15 MINUTES TO EVACUATE! PROCEED?'** appeared on the screen. _

_"I'm going to rid the world of this godforsaken place," BLACK 13 whispered sinisterly. And he pressed "Y"._

* * *

><p>"You were right, Gin, I was some kind of secret agent," said Shinichi. He gave out a sigh. It was the next morning and Gin were sitting alone at a café, with Shinichi staring down at his cup of coffee. "I was just on the wrong side."<p>

"From what I've heard, you got pretty messed up," said Gin.

"You heard?" Shinichi asked.

"Hard not to. Girls gossip all the time and I always keep my ears open for juicy stories," boasted Gin.

"Less than half my old team wants to kill me, while the rest want me to help them fight GIN-SHOCKER," said Shinichi. "The choice should be obvious, right?"

"Right," Gin nodded.

"It ain't," Shinichi countered. "I'm tired of fighting."

"Then quit," Gin suggested. _'Then I can be the hero and have all the girls flock over to me.'_

"That's not an option. I can't. I have to," Shinichi replied. "Ever since I took on the Kamen Rider name GIN-SHOCKER has become my responsibility." His hands tightened around the cup, "And I want to make them pay."

Gin knew very well about why Shinichi was angry at GIN-SHOCKER. The girls had told him everything they had learned about Shinichi's past. The werewolf never thought that there were people out there who would do such things to little kids, and yet throughout the summer they've all had close encounters with those types of people. He may have not show it but he was mad as Hell and was more than happy to help Shinichi get back at the punks who ruined his life. It was the least he could do after he tried to frame him for being the Serial Peeper. Still, he reminded, "We'll be heading back to the academy in a few more days. You sure you'll have time for it?"

"I'll make time," said Shinichi firmly.

"But GIN-SHOCKER's pretty big from what I've heard."

"If the Riders in the past could take down those organizations, there's no reason why I can't. I'm their legacy, and it's something I'm supposed to do. Something I have to do," Shinichi insisted.

"Guess that explains your hatred for organizations like the Student Police," Gin commented. "Hey, if you remember about most of your life in GIN-SHOCKER, do you remember why you abandoned the organization and how you ended up at Youkai Academy?" asked Gin.

"That's a question I've been asking myself. I do know that something really traumatic happened that would cause me to repress my memories," said Shinichi. "Of course I've been through so much trauma I wouldn't know where to start. I could ask Dr. Magi, but I want to find out on my own."

* * *

><p>Netto and Yuji were at the former's house, watching the news with frowns on their faces. As predicted, the damage done to the streets where last night's battle took place had not gone unnoticed and was now being closed for investigation. The police were not sure if this was connected to the strange events that were going on over the course of the month and they had very little clues on how to put it all together. The only connection they could come up with is that the people seen on the surveillance videos were wearing armor similar to the Kamen Riders of urban legend. What was even more interesting was that the armors were seen before. Thanks to the incident, several cold cases have been reopened and the police planned to find the ones responsible.<p>

"This blows," Yuji sighed, "It's way too much."

"Tell me something I don't know," Netto nodded. "I mean, this is all happening so quickly. It's been what? Almost a month now? Never thought that one of our clients would reveal to us the existence of a technologically sophisticated terrorist organization. Kinda wonder if this is what our parents had to go through when they were younger."

"With all the crap they dealt with when they were in their early prime, they most likely did. When I first laid eyes on him, I knew there was something about Shin, though I couldn't place my finger on it. Hell, never thought that it would all come up like this. Still, part of me is glad for meeting him," Yuji commented.

"Yeah, same here," Netto added. "But his vacation is over in a few days, and I'm sure he and his girls are stressed out." He snapped his fingers. "You know what we should do? Throw a little party! You know, everyone get together just to get rid of the stress of fending off GIN-SHOCKER for the past few weeks."

"Yeah we could all use something like that," Yuji smiled. "We can all just talk, hang out, play video games, and stuff ourselves."

"Let's do it at my place here. Your place is pretty small," Netto said. "We've got plenty of entertainment and food perpetrations won't be a problem as always. You and Yuki-chan are gonna help with that, right?"

"Hey, you know Yuki," Yuji grinned, "She never turns down an opportunity to show off her cooking skills."

"Nice," Netto grinned. "I'll get started up right away." He was about to head into his kitchen when a knock rapped against his door. Walking to his door and opening it, he found a girl who was around the same age as Yuji. She also wore a black skirt which reached to her knees and black socks. However, she also had stitches running around her neck, along the sides of her mouth, up to her hairline from her left eye, and even her fingers had such marks. The most distinguishing feature had to have been the large metal bolts sticking out of her head above her ears and just behind her temples.

"Oh, hey Fran-chan," Netto greeted her.

"Hi, Netto. I just stopped by to return the automatic charge," Fran smiled as she handed him an odd looking device.

"Thanks," Netto nodded. "So your PET Scanner is working fine again?"

"Oh, yes. The static discharge has stopped. I'm glad it wasn't something serious," Fran told him. She blinked as she noticed Yuji walking up to them. "Oh good day, Yuji."

"Sup, Fran," Yuji waved back.

"Fran, you got any appointments later tonight?" Netto asked the stitched-up girl.

"No, why do you ask?" Fran asked him.

"We're gonna have a little end of summer get-together, and maybe you could use a break from your work," Netto answered. And it was true. Dr. Fran Madaraki focused on her career and research more than anything else. In the eyes of other professionals, this would make her look like a dedicated doctor. To her, all life was sacred. Her methods…well, those could use a little bit of work but she wasn't what people would call firmly grounded in ethics. "You wanna join in? We could introduce you to our friends."

Fran tapped her chin, "Well, things have been a little slow as late... why not? I could use some fun."

* * *

><p>"You're going to the Hive Queen? Can I come?" Kurumu asked.<p>

"Actually, I just need to use their training room," said Shinichi. "Sorry, but I can't really bring you girls along. You understand, right?"

"Are you sure?" Moka asked.

"Yeah, and it won't be long. I'll be back by tonight. Later."

The girls watched Shinichi exit the hotel room and sighed. Moka, however, was not going to just go like that.

* * *

><p>"I'm telling you it looks more like a puma than a warthog," said Yokoshima.<p>

"What the hell is a puma?" Daichi retorted.

"It's a big cat, like a lion," Yokoshima answered.

"You're making that up," Daichi remarked.

"It's a real animal, I'm serious," Yokoshima insisted.

"Hey guys, what's up?" asked Shinichi as he entered the vehicle bay.

"Oh, hey, Shinichi," said Shogo. "Daichi and Yokoshima were just in the middle of a philosophical debate."

"What are they debating about?" Shinichi asked.

"What to name our jeeps. Daichi suggested 'Warthog'," answered Shogo.

"Like those jeeps in the Halo series?"

"Yeah, but Yokoshima thinks the name 'Puma' sounds better."

"Puma sounds cooler."

"Now, look at these tow-hooks. They look like tusks," Daichi pointed. "And what animal has tusks?"

"A walrus," Yokoshima answered.

"God damn it, Yokoshima. Stop making up animals," Daichi growled. "Hey, Shinichi, mind settling this for us?"

"I vote for Puma," Shinichi answered.

"Hah!" Yokoshima laughted triumphantly.

"Puma?" Daichi looked at Shinichi incredulously.

"Made up or not, you gotta admit that 'Puma' sounds a lot cooler than 'Warthog'," Shinichi justified. "I'll go with Yokoshima's suggestion."

"Hmph, fine," huffed Daichi. "So, what are you doing here?"

"I was gonna go to the training room," said Shinichi. "You got some nice equipment. I thought I could try it out."

"Oh, sure," said Yokoshima. "Oh, I almost forget, Dr. Magi has your old uniform. You wanna try it on?"

Shinichi shrugged, "Don't see why not."

* * *

><p>Not long after he left, Moka had arrived to the Hive Queen to look for Shinichi. The coordinates for the Helicarrier have been wired into the Com-Links that Shinichi made for them, so that they could enter the Hive Queen just as easily as Yuji, Netto, Leon, and the others. The former NUMBERS all had quarters in the Hive Queen and Moka was told where Shinichi's quarters were. She was told to look for a door with his symbol: XIII.<p>

It was a steel door with no doorknob. Instead there was a keypad on the side. Would Shinichi lock his door among allies? Raising her fist up, she rapped on the steel door. Her rapping made a soft clanging noise and after three knocks she withdrew her hand and stepped back as the door slid open.

"Ah, Moka-chan," Shinichi, said, surprised. He stepped out of his quarters. Moka could see that he had changed his clothes. "What brings you here?"

He was completely clad in black. He wore a black jacket which was zipped up to his neck, with a black scarf hanging like a tie from his neck. His hands were covered in black gloves and he wore black pants with matching black boots. The jackets had pads on the shoulders and pads on the knees. On his back was a picture of a black and green-eyed cicada, the insect his Rider form was based on, with the number 13 in the center.

"I wanted to come see you." Moka didn't think he looked good in black. "Shinichi-kun is this…?"

"Yeah, my old uniform," said Shinichi as he pointed to the XIII's on both shoulders. "Dr. Magi removed the GIN-SHOCKER emblem from the back and replaced it with a new one." He then asked, "So, what can I do for you?"

Moka needed to ask him, she needed to know, "Shinichi-kun, what do you plan to do?"

The gentleness faded from his face as his eyes narrowed, his tone turning cold, as he said, "I plan to crush GIN-SHOCKER." His fists clenched at his resolve.

This…this wasn't the kind boy she had fallen in love with. She had seen him angry before, even when he wore a mask, but the cold fury in his eyes was unlike anything she had ever seen.

Of course, he was angry, angry at the people who had turned him into a cyborg, a weapon, a killing machine. And he had every right to be. His anger was justified. They had made him do horrible things, controlled him like some kind of puppet, and dirtied his hands in blood for their own goals.

Moka reached up with both hands, caressing his face. His gaze softened as she rose up and pressed her lips against his, gently. He stiffened, relaxing seconds later, to put his arms around her. Moka's arms snaked around his neck, holding him close, their kiss deepening.

The kiss broken, their soft gaze connecting, he asked, "What was that for?"

"The other me," she began, "The other me admires your strength, but she also admires the light in your soul."

"My soul," he repeated.

"Your soul," she affirmed. "You are the first human-"

"I'm not human," he interrupted.

"Yes, you are, don't let anyone make you think differently. You have machines inside of you but that doesn't make you any less human," she said. "I used to hate humans before I met you but I learnt that humans can be good and bad. There are always two sides in any race. And the humans who did this to you…were inhumane."

GIN-SHOCKER, whose members were humans who discarded their humanity were truly evil monsters in her eyes.

"I couldn't agree more," he said.

"I just…please…" she begged, "Don't become a monster to fight them." She explained, "You're angry at them, you hate them, I understand that and you have every right to feel that way after what they did to you. But I'm here to remind you that you're fighting for more than revenge. You're fighting to save innocents."

She was right. If he focused on revenge he would lose sight of what was important. He would lose his light, the one shred of humanity he had left.

But every time he thought about that place, about the things that happened there, about what he had been made to do, he could feel nothing but anger. He looked towards Moka and a different set of memories appeared.

Youkai Academy. The days spent there were the happiest he could remember. Oh, there had been fights but overall his time in Youkai Academy had been the best since he wasn't alone.

He wasn't alone, he was never alone.

He had never been alone. The memories were fuzzy, broken, incomplete, but in GIN-SHOCKER he had the NUMBERS at his side and in Youkai Academy he had his friends at his side. Now, he had both.

"I know, Moka-chan," Shinichi smiled, bringing her into a hug. "You and the others have done a lot for me. And even after learning about everything I've done in the past, you never left my side."

"But it wasn't you," Moka muttered in his chest. "That Gebok person made you do all of it."

"I know," Shinichi nodded as Moka looked up to face him. "I still wonder if there's any way to repay the kindness that you, Kurumu-chan, Mizore-chan, and Yukari-chan have shown me. Hell even Gin-sempai too. I don't care what anyone else says about you. You guys are like angels to me. My guardian angels."

"Oh, Shinichi-kun, you're too modest," Moka giggled before looking away shyly. "But... may I..."

Shinichi snickered, "Go ahead."

"Thank you," Moka smiled as she unzipped his jacket slightly to expose his neck. She then pulled herself up to Shinichi and took a bite.

CHU~!

"Hey, Shinichi! How do you like your-" Yokoshima began as he walked around the corner, but then stopped as he saw Moka sucking on Shinichi's neck. Instantly, he began to pale. "It is true..." he murmured. His eyes rolled to the back of his head and he fainted on the spot.

"Looks like Yokoshima caught us at a bad time," Shinichi observed. Moka released herself from his neck and blinked at the sight.

"Will he be OK?" she asked.

"Eh, he'll feel fine," Shinichi smiled. "Come on, let's go to the mess hall and get you some tomato juice."

* * *

><p>A bit later after Yokoshima snapped out of his shock, the teenagers relocated to the holographic training floor. There was a nearby observation deck for an audience. Currently, Shinichi was in the training room and standing across from him were Daichi, Yokoshima, Chiaki and Shogo. Each one was wearing a black outfit of their own. On the back of Daichi's jacket was a grey cricket with the number 8 in the center. Yokoshima's jacket had a dark silver pillbug in a rolling position with the number 9 in the middle. Chiaki had a jacket with a blue termite and the number 2 on its back. Finally, Shogo's jacket had a black and yellow wasp with the number 0 on its side.<p>

Moka was up in the observation deck, watching. At the same time the red gem of her rosario flashed slightly as if her inner self was watching as well through it.

"OK, Phyllis, start it up," commanded Shogo.

_"Affirmative. Beginning Hand-to-Hand Combat Scenario in 10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1…Mission Start."_

They all got into fighting stances and the team of four charged at Shinichi who was ready for them. Shogo, being the fastest, reached him first and threw a punch only for Shinichi to block and deflect with his forearm before tossing Shogo backwards with a palm strike to the chest. Propelled backwards, Shogo knocked into Yokoshima, sending them both to the floor. Daichi and Chiaki attacked together but Shinichi ducked under their swings. Daichi recovered and went to hit Shinichi in the back of the head with a punch only to miss as Shinichi leaned his head to the side, the fist just rushing past before Shinichi spun and elbowed Daichi in the stomach, causing him to double over. Chiaki was about to slam both his fists down on Shinichi only for Shinichi to grab his wrists and jump before receiving a heel to the chin, sending him staggering back. Yokoshima and Shogo had already recovered when Shinichi came at them. Yokoshima squawked and ducked under a punch but got kneed in the face for it. Shogo tried to hit Shinichi with several fast punches but Shinichi blocked them all before punching Shogo in the stomach, grabbing his arm and then tossing him over his shoulder and to the ground.

"Ugh…" Yokoshima groaned as he rubbed his chin before charging at Shinichi to tackle him, only for Shinichi to sidestep and trip him with his foot, sending him barreling into Daichi, knocking him to the floor again. Chiaki now came at him like a locomotive and brought his hand down in a karate chop. Shinichi blocked but his hand felt numb from the blow. Chiaki grabbed his shoulders and tossed him up before punching him in the gut, sending him tumbling.

"Shinichi-kun!" Moka cried out.

_"Relax,"_ said Moka-sama through the Rosario, _"You know as well as I do that he's just getting warmed up. Just watch."_

Moka continued to watch as the four cyborgs surrounded her (boy)friend. They started throwing punches but Shinichi dodged and blocked their blows before jumping up and hitting Daichi and Shogo with a simultaneous punch and kick attack. He then swung his leg in an arch, catching Chiaki in the face before he bounded off Chiaki's chest with his other foot, leaping over Yokoshima as he did a backflip to land behind him. Yokoshima whirl around and was kicked in the stomach, hard, sending him flying.

_"You see?"_ Moka-sama said, almost smugly.

Yokoshima coughed as he stood up on his feet. "OK, he may not act like #13 but he sure moves like him," he commented.

"If you could fight like that, you could've taken down those losers easy," Daichi said to Shinichi."What happened?"

"They got Yukari-chan," Shinichi answered, his shoulders slumping slightly, "And I froze."

"You're definitely different from #13," Shogo remarked, "Innocent bystanders never really registered to him."

"My very existence puts those girls in danger and they just don't care," Shinichi said, almost solemnly.

"That makes you lucky. You've got girls who love you," Daichi told him. His face then shifted into a deep frown. "My sis, on the other hand, didn't give two fucks about me."

"You said that she sold you to GIN-SHOCKER," Shinichi recalled. "Why'd she do it?"

"No reason at all," Daichi grumbled as he stuck his hands in his pockets. "She just said that I was a waste of space; that I was nothing. Our parents died when we were younger so she was stuck with me. I was too young to understand but my guess was that she was tired of always having to take care of me. Dr. Kujirai paid her a lot of money to take me off her hands."

"Let me guess: Dr. Kujirai was your handler," Shinichi answered.

"You got it," Daichi nodded. "She was worse than my sister. She'd often call me stupid, a bum, and a dog. Sometimes it led to physical abuse. I assumed that all women were like that, so I didn't really trust, Misato, Hana or Michiru for a while."

"Wow," Shinichi frowned, "They both sound like bitches."

"You don't know the half of it," Daichi remarked.

"Huh, maybe you guys could come with us to Youkai Academy," Shinichi offered. "The place really isn't bad. Aside from the monsters that think they're all that, the place is pretty nice. There's even a Kamen Rider Fan Club."

"Really?" Shogo blinked.

"Let's just say my exploits got me popular," Shinichi shrugged. "At least I felt like an ordinary student while I was there."

"Meh. Always did want to see what a high school was like," Daichi admitted. "That doesn't sound like a bad idea."

"Yeah, we can go talk to Pops about it later," Yokoshima nodded.

Moka smiled as she watched the exchange. While they may have gotten off the wrong foot before, it seemed like they were brothers. She envied them.

* * *

><p>"You're back early," said Kurumu as she saw Moka and Shinichi return together. She frowned slightly when she saw them holding hands but gave out a sigh once calming herself down. She loved Shinichi, and wanted him to be happy. Moka also had every right to love Shinichi as well, even if Kurumu didn't like it.<p>

"Yeah, Moka-chan convinced me," Shinichi said.

"Oh, while you were out, Netto-san called and invited us to his house," said Yukari.

"Really? What for?" Moka asked.

"He said that it was an end-of-summer party before we go back to Youkai Academy to help forget about the stress of fending off GIN-SHOCKER," Mizore told them.

"That sounds like fun," Shinichi smiled. "I sure don't mind chilling out and doing nothing for awhile. What about you guys?"

"I wanna go too!" Yukari chimed.

* * *

><p>Michiru was greeted by a yummy smell as soon as she walked into the door. Something good was being cooked and her iron stomach was growling in response. Walking into the kitchen, she saw Yuki at the stove cooking something.<p>

"Oh, welcome back," Yuki greeted as soon as she saw Michiru.

"Hi, Yuki-chan," Michiru smiled, "What's that you're cooking? It smells yummy."

"Red Daemon's Ramen," she replied, "It's Onii-sama's favorite. I balanced out its spice level with sweetness."

Michiru blinked, "Why is it called that?"

"Uncle Jack's Red Daemons Dragon was used in order to promote the ramen," she explained, "He got Onii-sama to eating it as well."

"Must really be spicy," she assumed.

"It normally is," she assured, "I can't eat it, but Onii-sama can, so I make it for him whenever I have the chance."

"Can I have some?" she asked.

Yuki spooned up a sample and held it up to Michiru. "Say 'ahh'..."

"Ahh..." she repeated as Yuki fed her. Her eyes lit up after swallowing and she beamed, "Umai~!"

"You and the others are really getting used to living here now," Yuki noted, "That's good."

"We needed to adapt."

"Do you like my brother?" she asked.

"Yup!" she nodded.

"I'd like to know what you think of him," Yuki pressed on.

"Well, he was really brave when he took us in, even when we were sent to kill him. He's also nice enough to let us stay," Michiru explained.

"Would you say that you're growing fond of him?"

Michiru blushed, "Hai..."

"Then you like him more than just a friend," she concluded.

"Yes...I do."

"Good," she nodded, "I wonder how the others feel."Yuki put her hands on Michiru's shoulders and gave a soft smile. "Don't keep your feelings locked in for too long," she advised, "Otherwise your love will never blossom."

"I'll keep that in mind," Michiru smiled. "So, can I ask what the occasion is since you seem to be going through all this trouble?"

"Onii-sama called and said that he and Netto decided to set up an end-of-summer party to help forget about GIN-SHOCKER for awhile," Yuki explained. "Right now, he's with Netto to help cook and clean up. Shinichi and the others will be going back to school soon, so it seemed appropriate."

"Oh yeah, I forgot that Shinichi-kun goes to school now," Michiru realized. "Still, does he really go to a school for monsters? How did he pass as one?"

"Shinichi explained that he passes as a doppelganger, due to his ability to switch Rider forms," the female twin told her. "He doesn't know why or how he ended up at Youkai Academy, just that he was there the moment he first awoke. Still, I heard he is quite popular there, ever since he fought against some rogue monsters who foolishly thought that he was weak."

"Sounds like he had fun there," Michiru smiled. "Maybe we should go there too!"

Yuki gave a short laugh, "Eventually you will."

* * *

><p>"Hey, Yuji!" Netto called as he looked over the dish that was just finished. "What's that you got there?"<p>

"Oh this?" Yuji asked, "This is something new that I learned from Uncle Crow. These babies are called the Four Horsemen Burgers, and they get their names because they're as hot as hell."

"Hot as hell, huh?" Netto asked as he took a burger, "Let me see that." He took one of the burgers into his hand and took a bite. A mere second later, Netto found himself drowning underneath his tap, trying to cool down his tongue.

"Too hot for ya?" Yuji chuckled. "I'm not surprised. It's made from the hottest chili on the planet."

"-pant- -pant- I almost forgot how much I hated spicy food," Netto panted, wiping his forehead.

Yuji looked at the dish that the technopath had prepared, "So what's that you got?"

"Oh, this? This is the Four Cheese Ravioli, one of my favorites," Netto said as he got a small serving. "Try some?"

Yuji took the plate and stuffed his face with the pasta. He swallowed and smiled at the taste, "Hey, this is good!"

"Yep, looks like it's ready," Netto nodded in approval. "So how have your guests been?"

"They're adapting," Yuji answered. "They've gotten used to living in a normal neighborhood rather than an undisclosed location. It's good to know that even after all the crap they went through they could still act like normal girls."

"And Ruby-chan?"

"Better. She managed to get over the death of her master but still visits Witch's Knoll from time to time."

"Heh, sounds to me that you really feel something for those four," Netto remarked.

Yuji blushed, rubbing the back of his head, "Yeah, I do."

"And from the looks of things, they really seem to like you too."

"What can I say? I just have a way with women," Yuji said.

Netto looked at his watch, "It's almost time. We'd better hurry up." His doorbell rang. "Speak of the devil." He walked over to the door and opened it.

"I closed up a little early for the night since I had no patents pending," Fran greeted. "So did the party start yet?"

"Actually, you're pretty early," Netto said. "You're the first to arrive."

"Well, if it's no problem I brought a tag-along with me," Fran continued. She stepped to the side to show another company. The object was best described as a robotic blue beetle that was the size of a Volkswagen. It had four legs, each one with a wheel at the bottom, a round head with three white eyes, arms with claws, and an antenna. There was also a pod on the back.

"Hiyas, Netto!" the tank-thing waved, speaking in a childish voice.

"Tachikoma-kun?" Netto blinked. "So you're here too?" Tachikomas were artificial intelligence, walker/roller think tanks used by each member of the Section 9 Unit. They were light combat vehicles that could jump great distances, stick to vertical or inverted surfaces, engage a thermoptic camouflage mechanism, and grapple using their adhesive string launchers. They do, however, have the minds of children, and were often very immature. This particular Tachikoma had belonged to Motoko, and became attached to Netto since he was a boy.

"Yeah, you're having a party and I love parties!" Tachikoma said.

"Well, come right in and join the fun," Netto grinned at his two guests.

* * *

><p>The rest of the party guests arrived, with good food and great music, it seemed like it was going to be a really fun night for them.<p>

"Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug!" Michiru cheered as she watched Shinichi and Gin drink down two huge bottles of soda with Shinichi finishing his first. She raised his arm. "WE HAVE A WINNER!"

"Ugh…" Gin groaned as he wiped some soda off his lips.

"Man, these are some spicy burgers!" said Yokoshima. "Yummy too!"

Shogo looked dubiously at the burger in his hand and took a bite before he got red in the face and tried to put out the intense heat in his mouth with cold punch.

Misato observed and spoke to Daichi, "You know, this kind of feel like the good old days, remember?"

"Yeah," Daichi smiled fondly, "All of us together like this…well _almost_ all of us, just hanging out and chilling out."

Kurumu was playing Split/Second with Fran on Netto's video game system. Kurumu was close to the finish line before the Fran pulled a Power Play at the very last minute, causing her to crash and lose the race.

"No way!" Kurumu cried out in shock. "I was so close!"

"Don't feel bad. I have fast hands," Fran laughed.

Tachikoma was actually dancing in the middle of the room, which was a feat for such a huge machine. The fact that he had such a cute voice made him just so adorable. Leon was watching as he ate his own meal, and Sora sat next to him. Bast was in her cat form seated on Sora's lap as the miko stroked her fur.

"It's amazing," Leon said as he watched the literally dancing machine, "I never thought a machine would be programmed to act like this."

"With technology the way it is these days, a lot of things are possible," Sora said. "Although I gotta say that the little tank is cute."

"In a way, it is," Leon agreed. Then his eyes widened as he remembered something, "Wait... cute?" Heavy breathing was heard behind them. Both turned around and saw Aphrodite with her bangs over her glowing eyes. Her face was also flushed and she was clearly drooling. "Aw crap."

"What?" Sora blinked, worried with how Aphrodite was acting.

"COSI ADORABILR! VORREI PRENDERE A CASA CON ME!"

"WAAAAAHHHH!" Tachikoma screamed as he was suddenly hauled over Aphrodite's head. The water Manakyte then ran out of the party, leaving behind a trail of dust and everyone stunned.

"...Why'd she just run off with Tachikoma-kun?" Netto asked Leon as he approached.

"I almost forgot," Leon answered. "Aphrodite is addicted to anything cute. She will go as far 'taking them home' once she finds something that strikes her fancy."

"And she did this to you once?" Sora asked.

"As a matter of fact, she did. Now if you excuse me, I have a tank to rescue."

* * *

><p>After getting Tachikoma back from Aphrodite, the party went without a hitch. It was at this moment that everyone was greeted by two more guests.<p>

"Hi everyone!"Shiori greeted as she Nekonome walked into party. "Sorry we're a bit late!"

"Kaa-chan, you made it!" smiled Shinichi.

"Well, of course I'd make it," Shiori smiled.

"And Nekonome-sensei too?" Shinichi asked.

"I wouldn't want to miss a party," smiled the cat-woman teacher.

Yokoshima saw Shiori and froze. He pointed, stammering, "Shi…Shi…Shi…" He shouted, "SHIORI BANABARA-SENSEI!-!-!"

"Hm, isn't that the writer you're a fan of?" Shogo asked.

Daichi's eyes narrowed, "What's she doing here?"

Shinichi led his mother over to the guys and introduced, "Guys, meet my mother."

"YOUR MOTHER!-?" they screamed simultaneously.

Shiori smiled and bowed, "It's nice to meet all of you boys."

"Shiori-sensei is your m-mother?-!" Yokoshima cried, grabbing Shinichi by the shoulders. "No way! You're the son of the greatest legend of erotic literature!"

"Impossible," Shogo gaped as he took a closer look at the woman, "The hair, the eyes, even the twin strands on her head. She's like a female version of Shinichi. How could I have not seen it?"

"That explains everything," Daichi sighed, shaking his head, "Only someone with a mother like her could impress women like Shinichi can."

Shiori seemed to gain a perverted glint in her eyes as she smiled at the boys. She was well aware that they had become cyborgs like Shinichi had, and felt very sorry for them. Still she learned towards the boys, catching their attention, and spoke.

"How would you boys like to learn how to really pleasure a woman until she screams your name?" Shiori asked sultrily. "Since you're all friends with my Shinji, I can personally _teach_ you."

The instant she suggested that, Yokoshima and Shogo fell backwards with blood shooting out of their noses. Daichi, being the realist that he was, managed to keep himself from passing out. Although he did try to keep the blood from running out his nose, unsuccessfully by the way.

"Like mother like son," he grumbled.

* * *

><p>Shinichi, with a can of soda in hand, watched as everyone had fun. Moka also joined him as she leaned against the wall with him, a can of tomato juice in hand. "Having fun?" Moka asked.<p>

"Yeah, I am," he admitted.

"The party's in your honor," she stated.

"Well, even if it is, I'm glad everyone is having fun," said Shinichi. They watched as Yuki and Mizore gave a show and created an ice sculpture using their powers. Everyone applauded. Yukari was next as she put on a magic show.

"You know we were supposed to have a fun and relaxing summer holiday," said Moka. "But…"

"We rarely get what we want," Shinichi interrupted. "But then of course we do get what we need." He looked to her and his eyes locked with hers. "It's the best feeling, isn't it?"

"Yes," Moka smiled, blushing. Meeting Shinichi had been like a dream come true. Her first real friend. Sure, she had accidentally driven him away the first time because of her hatred of humans, caused by the ones who'd ignored and mistreated her, but he still came back to save her.

She had learnt of his amnesia early and wanted to help him get them back. Of course, he had a lot of baggage. GIN-SHOCKER wanted him back and his old comrades wanted revenge. However, looking around, she saw the ex-NUMBERS having fun. They had made so many new friends. She easily spotted Misato sitting on Yuji's lap and rubbing herself against him just to tease him. Even Michiru was eating a lot of deep fried bananas and enjoying herself. Yokoshima was still going gaga over Shiori and Daichi was just enjoying some food. Leon seemed to be content, which was the first time she had ever seen him like that, while Aphrodite happily rested her head on his lap, while Qiao was apparently following Misato's example and was seated on Netto's lap while teasing and nipping his neck.

Meeting Shinichi had given her something she had always wanted. She had friends now, true friends, and it was thanks to him.

Coming to this city during summer break had also given Shinichi back a piece of his past life. He had found his mother.

* * *

><p>Shinichi performed for his friends as he played on the harmonica. The ex-NUMBERS had never witnessed him playing a harmonica before and were stunned by the beautiful melody which flowed out from the instrument and into the air. Daichi, who was a sound manipulator, couldn't help but feel entranced by the song Shinichi was playing. It was so beautiful that it made him shed a tear. Michiru, of course, was swaying in place with her hands clasped together, smiling.<p>

It seemed to be... surreal with the way he was playing the harmonica. Almost hypnotic. In a way, the sounds seemed to ease everyone's soul.

* * *

><p>A little later in the night, when the party winded down, Shinichi and his mother were out at the balcony looking at the clouds as they passed by. "Looks like GIN-SHOCKER isn't even bothering to attack tonight," Shinichi said. "I don't want to tempt fate again, but it looks like everything went alright this time."<p>

"It certainly has," Shiori nodded. "I've missed you a lot, Shinji. I can't tell you how much I've regretted losing you on that horrible day. And to learn that you were forced to commit all those crimes..." Her eyes started watering, "I only wish I arrived earlier."

Shinichi took hold of her hand, "It's alright, Kaa-chan. I wish that I could take all the lives I took, and put them back on this world, reuniting them with their families. But I don't have that power. All I can do now is avenge their deaths by making those responsible pay."

Shiori had learned about GIN-SHOCKER and their purpose, and was enraged. She hated them for both taking her son away from her and hurting him. If she could, she would punish everyone involved for their sins. Unfortunately, she did not have the appropriate strength to fight and organization of evil. Still, she was glad knowing that Shinichi wasn't alone in his crusade against GIN-SHOCKER. He had friends that he was willing to back up for, and they would do the same for him in return.

"How would you all like to come over to my house before you go back to school?" smiled Shiori.

"I'd like that," Shinichi nodded.

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: Well, just one more chapter to go here. How do you like it? Just a nice and fun party for the gang before heading back to Youkai Academy. What will happen next? Well, stay tune for the next installment coming to you soon.<strong>


	30. Family: Going Home

**Kamen Rider Chrome: Well, here we are, the big 3-0. Also, the final chapter for the Family Arc. Hope you're ready to see what happens in this chap. It's more Drama than Action, however so please just sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.**

**Chapter 30: Going Home**

The day following the party, the Youkai Academy group was packed. They were going to Shinichi's hometown. Moka, Yukari, Kurumu and Mizore wanted to see Shiori's home together with Shinichi.

Shiori's car was already waiting for them outside the hotel and the woman called, "Come on in, kids!" However, the car only had enough space for four people. Shinichi was going to ride the Cyclone-X3 so who was going to ride with him?

"I'll ride with Shinichi!" said Kurumu as she hooked an arm around Shinichi's right.

"No fair, Kurumu-chan!" whined Moka before taking Shinichi's other arm. It became a tug-of-war with Shinichi in the middle. Mizore and Yukari simply watched but they wanted to join in too.

"Girls! Girls! GIRLS!" Shinichi shouted as he pulled his arms free. He massaged his shoulders. "How about we draw lots for who gets to ride with me?"

* * *

><p>This summer had been very eventful. Shinichi had experienced a couple of reunions. First, he got reunited with his old comrades and while they hadn't started smoothly, he managed to regain his friendship with most of them. Now, they were heading towards Tokyo, Shiori and Shinichi's hometown.<p>

Shinichi was on the Cyclone-X3 and riding alongside his mother's car and seated behind him with her arms wrapped around him was Mizore with a contented smile on her face as she pressed her body against his back. Moka, Yukari and Kurumu just stared at them with envy from the car.

Shinichi's eyes were focused on the road. They had just entered the town. However, he couldn't remember much about the place as they drove by the houses. The car then pulled in towards a house with an automatic gate which separated and slid open for the car and bike to enter.

Now, Shiori's house wasn't very big but it wasn't small either. It was just the right size for a small family and the woman wasn't the type to spend her money on extravagant things. The neighborhood was also nice. The house itself was painted blue with two floors and a garage. There was a traditional Japanese veranda built into the side of the house as well.

"We're here," said Shiori as she exited the car with her passengers. "Come on, let's go in so you can make yourselves at home," said Shiori.

"Wow, this is your house, Shinichi-kun," said Moka as she stared at the building.

"Yeah," he admitted, still with no recollection of the place. "Come on, let's go in."

The gang entered through the door exchanging their shoes for the indoor slippers in the foyer. They stepped onto the wooden floor into the living room. The living room had a TV mounted on the wall with comfortable furniture set up. The sofa and armchairs upholstery was orange in color and made of leather. There was also a coffee table.

Kurumu looked around the place and complimented, "You have a really beautiful home."

"Yes, I do, but it's been pretty lonely since…" Shiori trailed off. "Let me make some tea."

"I'll help," Shinichi offered as he followed his mother into the kitchen. The girls looked around and Moka spotted a picture hanging on the wall. It was a picture of Shinichi's family. There was his mother, his father and himself as a little boy all in the frame. It was taken in front of the kindergarten and little Shinichi was in his uniform while holding his parent's hands.

Moka's fingers traced the wooden frame. The people in this picture had suffered unfairly. Shiori had lost both her husband and son while Shinichi had lost his entire childhood.

"They were so happy," Moka murmured.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Shinichi was setting the cups for his friends as his mother spoke, "Shinji, let's go visit your father later."

"OK," he answered. It was something he needed to do with his mother.

* * *

><p>The local cemetery wasn't far and was in walking distance from their home. Gravestones were all lined up in neat rows with the names of people on them whom had passed on.<p>

There was someone they needed to meet there.

Shiori and Shinichi stood in front of a gravestone. The name on the gravestone was 'Shotaro Banabara'.

"So, this is it," said Shinichi as he and Shiori stood in front of a grave. "Tou-chan's grave."

"Yes, this is it," she said.

"Tou-chan," Shinichi uttered as he stared at it. "I barely remember him."

"But you will and if he were here right now, knowing the person you've grown to become, I think he'd be proud of you," said Shiori.

Shinichi didn't answer as he knelt down and put the bouquet down on the grave. "Tou-chan, I swear to protect Kaa-chan. You don't have to worry." His memories of his father were foggy. But he remembered that he'd been a kind man who loved his mother very much.

"Shinji," Shiori spoke, "I want you to live with me."

Shinichi stiffened slightly, "Huh?"

"Tokyo has better schools, and you've already seen how nice our house is. I've actually kept your room the way it was. You can come live with me again. I planned to enroll you in a local high school as well. Some of your old childhood friends are all there," Shiori explained before pausing with a sigh. "But if I did that, I would be taking you away from the girls who love you. Despite each of them being monsters, they all care about you in spite of learn what you were made to do. What kind of mother would I be if took you away from them?"

Shinichi had told her about Youkai Academy. There should be no more secrets between them, after all. She, unlike the others, had yet to learn of the horror he'd experienced in GIN-SHOCKER. But she was an intelligent woman. She could probably guessed what had happened if her son was blocking out those memories.

"Kaa-chan..." Shinichi whispered, not entirely surprised by her request but still a little stunned to hear that she still wanted him around. She knew the risks too. However, she also understood why he needed to go back to Youkai Academy.

Shinichi had told her about what his friends really were. She was surprised, but she was open-minded. Even if the girls weren't human, it wasn't something she could hate them for. They never asked to be born the way they were and they'd been so kind to her son. How could she hate such lovely girls who loved her son so dearly?

"I really missed you, Shinji," Shiori said as she hugged him. Tentatively, Shinichi returned the embrace.

She really wished they could remain like this. She also wished that Shotaro was here.

Shiori and Shinichi drank a cup of sake each before pouring a cup and leaving the bottle with the cup on the grave for Shotaro. They paid their respects and walked away, hand-in-hand, together.

* * *

><p>"And this is where you were born," said Shiori as she showed Shinichi a picture of a Ferris Wheel. The girls were seated around the pair as well, looking at the photo album. It was a bit nostalgic for Shiori to explore old memories.<p>

"A Ferris Wheel?" Shinichi cocked an eyebrow.

"Well, I was in the final stages of my pregnancy and it also happened to be Valentine's Day, so your father took me to the amusement park for a date," Shiori smiled.

"Oh, how romantic," cooed Kurumu.

"It was," Shiori smiled fondly. "But then the Ferris Wheel suddenly stopped when we were on it and we got stuck at the very top. It really got bad when I went into labor."

"You went into labor on a Ferris Wheel?" Moka questioned, surprised.

"I think it was the altitude." Shiori continued, "Anyway, I was in so much pain but Shotaro calmed me down and decided to deliver the baby right then and there while the park's technicians tried to fix the Ferris Wheel. Let me tell you, childbirth without any drugs is really, really painful. It's like having your lower lips stretched and pulled all the way over your head." The girls paled at this description. "Well, anyway, I screamed, Shotaro screamed for me to push, and I screamed while pushing, and as soon as the Ferris Wheel started moving, Shinji popped out."

"I was born in a Ferris Wheel," Shinichi stated dumbly.

"And on Valentine's Day too!" Shiori beamed. "It was the best Valentine's Day ever in my opinion since Shotaro was with me and you were held in my arms.

"Aw~" the girls went. It was just so sweet.

"A Ferris Wheel," Shinichi repeated.

"Well, it wasn't planned, like how we didn't plan of having you. I mean on the night you were conceived I was working on my newest novel and things got so hot that your father-"

"OK! Enough stories!" Shinichi cut her off, not wanting to be shocked anymore. His mom was liberal, very liberal, and like any teenage boy he DID NOT want to hear the story behind his conception. Unfortunately, he had heard too much.

He needed to go someplace private so he could think.

"Oh, Shinichi-san looks so cute as a baby!" Yukari squealed.

* * *

><p>Shinichi was sitting on the roof, looking up at the night's sky. The sky was starless but the moon still hung over him. He let out a sigh. "What am I doing here?" he asked himself. This was his hometown, but it didn't feel like home. His memories weren't perfect and the memories of this place were still a blur. He did see 'ghosts', however. When he was standing in the lawn he saw himself as a child playing with his mother as his father watched, holding a video camera. He'd been such a happy child.<p>

And then GIN-SHOCKER took his childhood away from him.

That was possibly the last happy memory he had of his old life before GIN-SHOCKER took him away from his family.

"Yo," said Yuji as he climbed onto the roof.

"Yuji, what are you doing here?" Shinichi asked.

"Oh, I just dropped by for a visit," shrugged Yuji. "So, this is where you're hiding."

"I wasn't hiding," Shinichi retorted, looking away.

"Pull the other one," Yuji retorted before sitting down next to the other Rider. "Your mom's got a really great place. I mean, considering how much money she makes, I thought her house would be bigger."

"Kaa-chan doesn't believe in showing off how much money she makes by buying a huge house," Shinichi answered, "As long as it's comfortable, cozy and provides shelter, that's enough."

"Smart woman," Yuji complimented.

It was silent between them for almost a minute when Shinichi suddenly said, "I remember."

Yuji blinked at the sudden confession. "What? Remember? You mean…_everything_?"

"Not everything…but I do remember…Seven hundred and fifty-one."

Yuji asked, hesitantly, "…What's that? A body count?" Shinichi nodded. "Wow."

Shinichi described, "I remember the way they looked at me as I killed them. Yes, I was sent to kill soldiers but they had families, loved ones, and I took them away from them. I remember how they begged me not to kill them, how they had wives and children...and I ignored their pleas."

Yuji sighed, "Well, you can't really do much about it now."

Shinichi asked, "Do you know how old I was the first time I took a life?"

Yuji grimaced, "No, but I have a feeling I'm about to find out."

Shinichi answered, "Most kids were finger painting at the age of seven. I was painting walls in blood."

Yuji frowned in disgust, "Charming." He was going to make those assholes in GIN-SHOCKER pay. No child should be made to spill blood.

Shinichi added as he stared at his palms, "I may have been Gebok's puppet but these hands had taken so many lives, it gets so fucking hard to tell who the real monsters are."

Yuji suggested, "Well, maybe you should pay them back for all the shit they put you through, as well as the others."

Shinichi let out a mirthless chuckle. "Kill some more, huh? Great...maybe I'm just meant to be a killer after all."

"Think of it this way; it beats letting them live and carry on this bullshit with other people."

Shinichi agreed, "I know, and I'm glad..." He thoughts of his friends, "Those girls, humans called them monsters but compared to me they're angels. I love them so much but I just don't think I have a right to love them at all."

Yuji put a hand on Shinichi's shoulder. "Let them be the judge of that. They even act more human than real humans."

"Still, I'm a true monster," he replied. "GIN-SHOCKER made me that way after all. Ever since I was a child I've been nothing but a killing machine for them."

Yuji questioned in disbelief and revulsion, "What the fuck is wrong with these people?"

Shinichi answered, "They're an evil terrorist organization, Yuji. What do you expect? We're just tools to them."

Yuji scowled, "I can't understand why such humans exist..." To make children who grew up together fight and kill…it was something Yuji couldn't fathom.

Shinichi said, "Neither can I. Taking me away from my family, turning my body inside out, and messing with my brain so they could have a powerful weapon...they're just evil. And I hate them for it." Shinichi's face curled into a disturbing, rage-filled, expression, "I want them to beg for me to kill them."

Yuji could see the rage painted on Shinichi's face. He wasn't one to be frightened but he was still concerned for his friend, "I know. Just take it easy unless you wanna blow a gasket and if there's anything you need, I got your back."

Shinichi smiled, "So, that probably makes you my #2!"

Yuji grimaced, "Maybe. Just don't ever say _that_ again. It sounds disgusting."

"Oh, and Yuji, what I went through so did the girls: Hana, Michiru and Misato. They killed people too and even though they hide it it's affected them too. Take care of them, OK? They're my comrades after all."

Yuji promised, "Of course, man."

Shinichi amended, "Maybe I should just call them family."

Yuji nodded in approval, "If it helps any. So, the girls and I are going on a road trip after you head back to school."

Shinichi asked, "A road trip? Where are you headed?"

"We're gonna be looking for the girls' relatives."

"I wish you luck then."

"Thanks."

Shinichi could understand. He was happy to know he had a mother and they deserved the chance to see if GIN-SHOCKER had overlooked their own relatives. "They need this; they need closure, and they need to know there's family still out there looking for them."

Yuji said confidently, "I'm betting they are. And I'm usually right when I bet."

Shinichi said, "If I could find my mother then you're probably right. But I think they've already found family with you."

Yuji smiled. "Thanks."

Shinichi added, "Hey, I'm glad they met you. If they had come after me with lethal intent then I would've been forced to…" He paused, "...I don't want to ever do that to a friend ever again."

Yuji nodded, "I know you don't. I guess I'm lucky I was made their target."

Shinichi silently agreed. The girls had tried to kill Yuji and yet he had welcomed them with open arms. Shinichi wouldn't have tolerated an attack on his person. Changing the subject, he said, "Hey, my Kaa-chan asked me to go live with her."

Yuji nodded, "Oh, that's nice." He then paused in thought, "...Wait, what about that school of yours?"

Shinichi answered, "I told her about it. I told her EVERYTHING."

Yuji asked, confused, "OK, so how are you gonna live with her if it's in another dimension?"

Shinichi explained, "She thinks it's better for me to go to a normal school, in the human world."

Yuji assumed, "You told the girls."

Shinichi tilted his head from side to side, "I might've...implied it. They don't want me to leave, I know, but they also know that I've just found my mother." He put a hand on his heart, "I love my Kaa-chan, and that's why I can't stay with her."

Yuji volunteered, "Well, I'll see what I can do for her while you're gone. I idolize the woman, so the least I can do is help her out somehow."

Shinichi requested, "Protect her. I'm a magnet for trouble and anyone who gets close to me get dragged into the whole mess. I'm actually considering not going back to Youkai Academy either."

Yuji pointed out, "Then you won't have anywhere to go. I have a feeling GS is gonna try and raid that school of yours, though I doubt it'll be easy. We should focus fighting on two fronts if they try anything."

Shinichi agreed, his idea shot down, "Yeah, you're right. They'll still target the people I love, even if I leave them."

Yuji affirmed his previous offer, "Like I said; I'll see what I can do."

Shinichi then thought of something. It was something he had to ask, "Let me ask you this: after learning about what I am and what I did, do you think I'm a devil?

Yuji shrugged, "Not really. I see you more like a kid with deep issues, that's all."

Shinichi snorted, "Yeah, I'd be a goldmine for therapists."

Yuji said, "Well, good night."

"Oyasumi…"

Yuji jumped off the roof and landed on the ground before going back inside. Shinichi sighed. He lay back down and stared up at the night's sky. He heard footsteps and assumed Yuji had come back. "Yuji…" He sat up to look and then realized he was wrong. "Leon?" Leon walked up to Shinichi before punching him in the face, knocking him on his back. Shinichi cried out, a hand to his face, shouting, "What was that for!-?"

"I heard what you said and it pisses me off," Leon said, his tone low and dangerous.

"You heard? Then you must know of the things I did," Shinichi said.

"Yeah, I know, but that was BLACK 13. You're Shinichi," Leon answered angrily. "Stop moping about something that's not your fault. There's only room enough for one monster in this group."

Shinichi argued furiously, "So? I have those memories! My body, my hands! BLACK 13 and I are the same person! As long as I have those memories I will always suffer from those sins!"

Leon asked, "Did someone who always looked after you die saving your pathetic ass? Did you ever slit your best friend's throat? Did you lose someone you loved because you were too slow?" He added, "Because I have. I did those things. No one else. And you're lucky because, even with the memories, you won't be stuck in the Hell of knowing that it was you and only you."

Shinichi shouted, "I killed my comrades!" Those memories had broken his heart. The people who trusted him had been betrayed by him.

Leon countered, "No, YOU didn't! BLACK 13 did!" Leon saw Shinichi and BLACK 13 as different people, and that Shinichi shouldn't blame himself for what he did as BLACK 13. Those were the actions of a weapon, not the person before him.

Shinichi questioned furiously, "So why the hell do I still have nightmares!-? Why do I feel guilty!-? Why do I have these memories!-?"

Leon answered, "Like I said, you have the memories but you, Shinichi, didn't do any of them."

Shinichi asked, softly, his voice a trembling whispers, "Then…who am I?"

Leon answered, "Shinichi Banabara, Kamen Rider Showa, or a hero. Take your pick. But the role of a monster...that's already taken." He then vanished from Shinichi's sight in a flash.

* * *

><p>Shinichi decided to take a little walk around the neighborhood. His mother said this was his home for the first six years of his life but he barely had any memories of this place. It just seemed so new to him. A chance for a normal life…but with a price, though. A heavy one.<p>

Passing a block, he came across a kindergarten. It was the same kindergarten that he had attended ten years ago. He recognized it from the pictures his mother showed him. He gave out a sigh and leaned against the kindergarten's fence. "Leave or stay?" he asked himself. He had a dilemma and needed to find a solution.

Meanwhile, two girls were walking down the street when one of them spotted Shinichi. They seemed to recognize him and one spoke, "Hey, is that him?"

"I did hear that Shiori-san found her son again," the other girl stated.

"Well, let's say hello," the first said, smiling. Shinichi noticed them coming and wondered what they wanted. He just wanted to be alone.

"Can I help you, ladies?" Shinichi asked. He took the appearance of the girls. The first one, who seemed to be a bit older than him, had long blond hair, and blood red eyes with black slits like Moka-sama's, hinting that she could be an S-Class Youkai. She was dressed in a black gothic dress that reached below her knees, black fingerless opera gloves and black shin-high boots. She also had a silver tiara on her head. The second girl was closer to his height. She had long black hair, bright red eyes that were different from the first girl next to her, and was wearing a black school uniform that he had never seen before. It was dark blue with a red bow wrapped around her collar. The skirt reached her ankles, showing a pair of socks with brown shoes. Bluntly speaking, both girls were bombshells in his opinion.

"Shin-chan," said the younger looking girl, slightly leering at him. "Is that really you?"

"How did you know my name?" Shinichi asked. They could be spies or assassins for GIN-SHOCKER. He couldn't really trust anyone new at the moment, including strangers who knew his birth name.

"Don't you remember us?" the older girl asked. "I'm Hime."

"I'm Reiri," the younger one continued, "We used to play together when we were kids."

Suddenly, he had a memory flash of two little girls: two little girls who used to play with him in the playground, one with blonde hair and another with black hair.

_"Shinji-kun! Come play with us!" _

_"Yeah, come on! Let's play!"_

_"OK Reiri-chan, Hime-chan! Let's play!"_

"Reiri…chan? Hime…chan?" he asked, a light of recognition in his eyes.

"You remember!" Reiri immediately went and hugged Shinichi, stunning him, and momentarily frightening him. Mizore, Moka, Yukari and Kurumu always reacted violently with their own reactions to each other's affection towards him, and he was scared of how they would react to _this_.

"So, what happened to you?" Hime asked. "You vanished without a trace on the day before your sixth birthday. Shiori-san was even planning a party."

"I…don't want to talk about it," he answered.

Hime assumed that he'd been traumatized but then shrugged before she too hugged him. "I missed you."

"_We_ missed you," Reiri corrected.

"Hai, hai," Hime rolled her eyes.

Childhood friends. So he really did have friends before GIN-SHOCKER took him away. Yet another piece of his past which managed to survive. Too bad the memories he had of his childhood were all just fragments, with random flashes here and there. He could remember his GIN-SHOCKER days clearly but those memories he could live without.

Suddenly, a loud crash was heard behind Shinichi and he turned only to grimace in annoyance. "Fuck…" He wouldn't swear in front of girls but the arrival of a humanoid, cybernetic pig with wrecking ball fists was clearly something he was not in the mood to deal with.

"What is that?" Hime asked, eyes wide, but overall calm.

"BLAC K 13!" Wreaking Ball Pig-Borg snarled, raising up its fists and slamming them together, creating shockwave vibrations, "By orders of Madam Medusa, I'm bringing you in!" In a blind rage, it rushed in, completely uncaring of the seemingly innocent bystanders. Shinichi growled as he lunged forward and placed a flying roundhouse kick on Cyborg Mutant's jaw. As a result, Wreaking Ball Pig-Borg was sent flying and crashed head first into an opposite fence, utterly destroying it.

"Oh my," Reiri blinked at the sight, "Even I can't kick that hard."

"Perhaps this has to do with his ten year disappearance?" Hime guessed.

"Hime-chan, Reiri-chan, stand back," Shinichi told them as he summoned his Spark Core. He performed the pose and called out, "Let's Ride: Showa!"

**Music- Split/Second Theme "Powerful Tower" Mix (starts at 1:33)**

The two girls witnessed as, right before their eyes, their childhood friend transformed into an armored superhero. "Kamen Rider…" he began as he threw his right arm across his chest with his left fist pressed against his left hip. He then pulled back his right arm with and rested his right fist to his right hip and brought his left arm up with the knuckles of the fist at eye level. "Showa! Sanjou!"

"Ara ara...Shin-chan has certainly become much manlier since we last saw him, Hime-sama," Reiri admired, clasping her hands together.

Hime smirked, "Hn...he's not a crybaby anymore."

Showa charged towards the Wrecking Ball Pig-Borg and slammed his fist into its snout, knocking it backwards. Snorting, the Cyborg Mutant threw its wrecking balls at Showa who jumped and landed on the chains. He then ran along the chains and jumped, kicking the Cyborg Mutant again in the face. The Cyborg Mutant's wrecking ball fists flashed before they extended from his arms and began to swing them around to hit Showa. He ducked and rolled under the attacks but there was massive collateral damage wherever the wrecking balls hit, bending a lamppost in half, smashing craters into the ground and even breaking a nearby bench.

When the wrecking balls were flying towards Reiri and Hime, the Kamen Rider called out, "Let's Ride: Skyrider!" as he flung himself to the girls, grabbing their arms as he took to the air. He looked down at the Cyborg Mutant as he deposited both girls a safe distance away. "Be back in a sec!" he told them as he ran towards the Cyborg Mutant as he reverted back to his default armor. He summoned his Gravity Hammer and sent the wrecking balls back to their owner with his weapon. Wrecking Ball Pig-Borg was hit violently and sent flying backwards by his own wrecking balls.

Hime complimented, smiling, "Hm, not bad."

"Shin-chan's gotten stronger," Reiri admired.

"But what is he now?" Hime asked.

"Kamen Rider." Hime and Reiri both turned to see a young man somewhat younger than both of them behind them, clothed in black. It was Leon.

"Kamen…" Reiri began.

"…Rider?" Hime finished.

"That's what he is now," said Leon, "A masked hero who fights evil in the shadows."

"How fitting," Hime smiled.

Bringing the Gravity Hammer up, Showa slammed it to the ground. The force of the blow not only propelled him into the air but tore the ground apart as energy ripped through it and smashed into the Cyborg Mutant, trapping it within an anti-gravity field. As Showa descended, he held his Gravity Hammer over his head. The Cyborg Mutant couldn't flee as it was pinned by the gravitational field as Showa swung his hammer down upon its skull with a shout of, "SOI-RYAH!" The skull crushing blow knocked the Cyborg Mutant down to the ground violently, causing spider-web cracks to form, before it exploded from the destructive impact of the Gravity Hammer. "Game Over!" Showa declared as he shouldered his Gravity Hammer. Leon then vanished in a blur, seeing that Showa had it all taken care of.

**End Song**

Showa jogged over to both girls, his armor vanishing in the form of jigsaw puzzle pieces. "I bet you both want an explanation," he said, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

"What is that armor?" Hime asked. "From what I recall, you're just a normal human."

"I've been gone a long time and…a lot of things happened," he answered.

"Hime-sama, he might make a good Blood Warrior," Reiri whispered to Hime.

"I'm sorry I freaked you both out," said Shinichi. "This wasn't the homecoming I was expecting."

"So, is that what you call a 'Kamen Rider'?" Hime asked.

Shinichi blinked. "Where did you hear that name?"

"Perhaps we can tell you later, Shinji," said Hime. "As much as we would love to catch up with you, we are running an errand. Reiri, let's go."

"Hai, Hime-sama. See you later, Shin-chan," smiled Reiri before she walked with Hime, away from Shinichi.

Shinichi tilted his head to the side and scratched his head. '_Girls…I'll never understand them_.' Shrugging, he went on his way. When the area was once again empty, a lone figure stepped out from the corner of a building.

"He's gotten better," the figure smiled to herself. "I think I'm going to enjoy playing with him."

* * *

><p>"Tadaima."<p>

Shinichi returned to Shiori's house and was welcomed by his mother. She hugged him. "Okaeri nasai," she said. She pulled away, smiling, saying, "I was so worried."

"Did you wait long?" he asked.

"Not just me," Shiori answered and they walked into the living room together to see Moka, Kurumu, Yukari and Mizore asleep together. Moka was sleeping in an armchair, Kurumu and Mizore ha dozed off on the couch, and Yukari was curled up on the floor. "They've been waiting for you, and we talked too."

"Kaa-chan, I know you asked me if I wanted to go to school here, but I don't think I can fit in with normal kids," he told her reasonably.

"I know, the girls told me. When I told them I wanted you to go to school here they persuaded me to change my mind. You're lucky. These girls really care about you."

Shinichi smiled and agreed, "Yeah, they do."

"Shinji, why were you out so late?" his mother asked.

"I just needed to clear my head," he answered. "You know, ever since I woke up in Youkai Academy, I've been wondering who I really am. GIN-SHOCKER tells me I'm a weapon, the NUMBERS call me a betrayer, but my friends tell me differently," he said. "Then I met you."

"Go on," she prompted.

He also remembered all the horrible things he did. "I needed to figure it all out and I think…no, I know the answer."

"So, what is your answer?" Shiori asked.

"I'm your son," he answered, smiling tenderly. He and Shiori hugged with tears of joy falling from her eyes as Shinichi closed his eyes. "I'm your son, Kaa-chan, and I love you."

"I love you too, Shinji."

* * *

><p>Shinichi was sitting in the tub, soaking in the hot water. He felt calm, relaxed, and let out a sigh. That was when he heard a knock on the bathroom door and his eyes bugged as it slid open, revealing Kurumu wearing only a towel. "KURUMU-CHAN!" he shouted but she instantly closed the gap and put her hand on his mouth.<p>

"Quiet, or the others will hear," she said.

"Wha-wha-what are you doing here!-?" he asked, hushed, with a blush as he tried to keep his eyes focused on her face but then of course they wandered down her neck, the milky smooth skin, and down at her cleavage. She was only wearing a towel. His blood was already rising to his face.

"I wanted to wash your back," she smiled, "And do this." She leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips. Shinichi relaxed a little as he felt her tongue probing his mouth. She broke the kiss, and smiled as she moved back. It was their first kiss.

"Kurumu-chan, now's not a good time," he said.

"But…" she began. "I want to…"

"I need to think," he murmured softly. "Please…"

Kurumu upset, nodded and got up. Shinichi watched her leave but her hips swayed and he couldn't tear his eyes off that beautiful rear. Kurumu knew he was watching and smiled.

* * *

><p>Shiori wasn't kidding when she said she had left his room unchanged. It was a kid's room, meant for someone at the age of six. There was a toy chest at the foot of the bed and also drawings he'd done back when he was a child all taped to the wall. The bed sheet had cartoon characters on it and so did the blanket and pillowcase.<p>

"My room," he murmured. "Gotta think of redecorating soon."

He heard a knock at the door and went to open it. He saw that it was Moka. "Moka-chan?"

"Can I come in?" she asked.

"Sure," he smiled, letting her inside. She walked in and looked around.

"It's a really cute room," she said.

"Yeah, Kaa-chan did say she left it the way it was," he said. "This is a room for a six year old kid after all."

Moka looked down, frowning. '_That's right. He's been gone from his home for ten years._' There was no chance of him growing up here. She sat on the bed and Shinichi joined her.

"So, do you want to go back to Youkai Academy with us?" Moka asked.

"Of course," he answered.

"But what about your mother?" she asked.

"She understands, and well I need to finish my education. And there's a fact that I'm missing ten years worth of formal schooling so my records would be a little dubious," he reasoned.

"But you're leaving your mother behind," said Moka.

"No, I'm not," he said. "I'm just going to school and we can still contact each other. Plus, I don't think I'll be able to fit in a normal human school."

Moka could understand that. The same happened with her.

"And there's no way I'm just gonna leave you all either," added Shinichi. "You girls are precious to me and it'd break my heart to just leave you like that. The thought of never seeing you all again really hurts."

"Oh, Shinichi-kun…"

"So, I'm gonna stay in Youkai Academy and come back here during the holidays," Shinichi resolved.

Moka couldn't help herself and hugged him before kissing his neck. Shinichi knew what was coming next as he felt her fangs pierce his skin.

"Chu~"

That was when his mother opened the door. "Oh, I'm sorry! Please carry on." She closed the door but not before smiling impishly. "Hm…a vampire romance novel…"

* * *

><p>Shinichi woke up in the middle of the night for a glass of water and maybe even a midnight snack. He went down to the kitchen and turned on the light. "Now, let's see what Kaa-chan's got in the fridge." He opened the fridge and searched its contents. "I guess a peanut butter sandwich will do for tonight," he mused out loud as he took out the jar and packet of bread. He closed the door and freaked out when he saw Mizore just standing there. "Dammit!" he shouted, nearly dropping the things in his hands. "Mizore-chan, when did you get here!-?" He should've expected her to sneak up on him like that.<p>

"Sorry," she apologized.

"Apology accepted," he said. "So, you want me to make you a sandwich too?"

Mizore smiled and Shinichi took out four slices of bread before spreading the peanut butter on them. He made the sandwiches, giving one to Mizore and they ate together at the kitchen table.

"Couldn't sleep?" he asked.

"I should be asking you that," she retorted.

"I got hungry," he answered.

"Your mother's really nice," said Mizore. "She doesn't treat us differently for being monsters."

"Well, I guess Kaa-chan's just really open-minded," said Shinichi. "I mean she accepted me even after she learnt I was a cyborg."

"More humans should be like her," said Mizore hopefully.

"Maybe someday there will be," said Shinichi. "Someday coexistence between humans and monsters will be possible."

"That's unlikely, because humans are afraid of things that are different," said Mizore. She was speaking from experience. Her first love had run away from her when she'd told him she was a Yuki-Onna.

"Well, humans are stupid like that but in the darkness there is always that speck of light that shines through," said Shinichi. Taking her lollipop out of her mouth, Mizore leaned forward and kissed his cheek. He blushed and then she kissed him softly on the lips. He didn't pull back and deepened the kiss.

His lips felt warm on hers and they broke the kiss because they needed to breathe.

"How was that?" he asked.

Mizore blushed, her fingers touching her lips, before she smiled beautifully.

* * *

><p>It was finally time to head back to school. The bus stopped in front of Shiori's house and the Youkai Academy students were all set, dress in their uniforms.<p>

"Well, here's the bus," said Shinichi.

"I guess this is goodbye," said Shiori sadly. "I really wish we could've spent more time together and catch up."

"I'll come back during the holidays," Shinichi promised. "I finally have a home to come back too."

Shiori hugged him. "Take care of yourself, Shinji."

"You too," he smiled. Letting go, he turned to Yuji and the girls, "Not sure if this is goodbye…"

Yuji held out his hand and Shinichi accepted it, with the older teen bringing him in for a manly hug. "Don't worry, Shin, I'll be seeing you soon," Yuji promised.

"Sure thing," Shinichi nodded.

He was then hugged by Michiru, "We're gonna miss you, guys," she beamed.

"What she said," Misato and Hana chorused.

"I hope you all will be safe back at school," Ruby wished.

"Man, I never thought I would ever get to go to an actual school," Yokoshima commented. He, Daichi, Chiaki and Shogo would be joining up with Shinichi and the others to Youkai Academy. Dr. Magi had everything prepared for them with Nekonome-sesei's help. They should be enrolled already.

"Don't forget, this is a monster school we're headed to," Daichi remind him. "Be ready for anything."

"Yeah, yeah," Yokoshima said, rolling his eyes.

"This will be an interesting experience," Shogo admitted. Chiaki dimply nodded in agreement.

"Matte!" was heard before to girls ran up to them. Shinichi blinked as he recognized them.

"Hime-chan? Reiri-chan?" he blinked.

"Shiori-san called and told us that you would be leaving for your school," Reiri told him. "We wanted to see you off."

"Hey, Shinichi, who are they?" Kurumu asked, eyes narrowing at the girls.

"Oh. Everyone, these two are Hime and Reiri, and they've known Shinji since kindergarten," Shiori told everyone.

"They bumped into me last night and said hello. I told Kaa-chan about it too," Shinichi continued.

"So they're your childhood friends?" Moka asked.

"As a matter of fact, they are," he answered.

"We couldn't miss an opportunity to actually say goodbye this time," Hime smiled as brought Shinichi to a hug. Several eyes started to narrow at the sight.

"You'll come back, won't you Shin-chan?" Reiri asked as she also hugged him.

"Don't worry, I'll be back for sure," Shinichi smiled as he released the two girls. "We can make up for lost time when I do."

"Good," Hime smiled. She then looked behind him as she noticed Leon, "You're that boy from last night."

"Huh? Last night?" Shinichi blinked, looking at Leon.

Before Leon could reply, motor roars were soon heard and the group turned to see Yuki, Netto and Qiao approaching on the D-Board and motorcycle before skidding to a halt. Kicking up her board, Yuki carried it under her arm and held onto the gym bag that was slung from her shoulder. Netto and Qiao both jumped off the motorbike and held luggage of their own. Netto hit a switch on his bike and it suddenly folded and shrunk into a small cube which he soon slipped into his pocket.

"Whoa," Kurumu blinked at the site.

"Yuki? Netto? Qiao?" Shinichi blinked.

"You ready to go?" Yuji asked. Yuki nodded. "And you all called home and said your goodbyes, right?" She nodded again.

"Netto-san, Qiao-san, and Yuki-san are coming with us?" Yukari gasped.

"Yeah, Yuki said she was bored and wanted to go to school again," Yuji explained, "She called home yesterday and they were OK with it."

"Airen and I were both homeschooled, so we never went to an actual school before," Qiao added. "My mama's an alumnus so we talked to her and she got everything set up for us."

"And I'm going too!" Aphrodite beamed as she popped out from behind Leon, startling some of the group.

"She wouldn't take no for an answer," Leon replied. "I can understand about Netto and Qiao due to them being homeschooled, but why are you coming to Youkai Academy, Yuki?"

"I was bored," she replied, averting her eyes from Leon as her cheeks turned slightly rosy. "Also, I want Onii-sama to spend time with the others." Yuji took his turn to try and look away as most eyes were on him. "By the way, if you all need extra clothes, my closet is free. Just make sure you wash the clothes after use…"

"Yuki…" said Shinichi, "Youkai Academy's pretty exclusive. Do you have all the documents you need?"

"I think I can work something out," said Yuki confidently.

"Besides, these three here are smart," said Yuji. "I mean really smart. They'd be a welcome addition to the school and could help you out there." He smiled at Yuki, "Isn't that right?" She nodded confidently.

"I guess I can speak with the Headmaster about enrolling several new students," said Nekonome-sensei.

"Well, then it's settled then!" Moka beamed. "Welcome aboard, everybody!"

The group, with an exception of Shinichi and with new additions, entered the bus. The Bus Driver put out his cigar and asked, "So, you all are going to Youkai Academy too? I should warn you, it's a really scary place."

"No worries," Netto saluted.

"We can take care of ourselves," Qiao nodded.

"I'll go wherever Leon goes," said Aphrodite.

"I fear nothing," added Yuki.

Yokoshima, Daichi, Chiaki and Shogo simply nodded.

"Well, don't say I didn't warn you," said the Bus Driver, a huge and sinister smile on his face, but then again his smile was always creepy looking. "Next stop: Youkai Academy!"

"Be careful, OK? Don't forget to call me and write to me too," said Shiori as she hugged her son.

"I promise, Kaa-chan," smiled Shinichi. He got on the Cyclone-X3 and revved the engine as the bus started up.

Yuji, Reiri, Hime, Ruby, the ex-NUMBERS girls, and Shiori watched as the bus and bike pulled out and drove away.

"You think she'll be OK?" Misato asked.

"She's with friends," Yuji answered, "She'll be fine."

"Shiori-san, are you crying?" Hime asked.

Shiori wiped her tears away with a handkerchief. "Oh, I miss him already!" she sobbed before blowing her nose.

"I understand," Reiri smiled sympathetically, "I already miss him too. But at least we all know that he's alive and well now."

"Well, we're gonna head back," Yuji stretched. The girls made their way to the car and Yuji handed the three a card with his shop's contact info and address. "My personal number's here too," he explained, "Just call if you need anything."

"I'll keep that in mind, Fudo-kun," Shiori smiled.

He blushed and nodded, giving her a quick bow before making his way to the Lancelot as he got in the driver's seat and turned on the ignition. "OK, let's roll," he nodded.

"Saying bye-bye to Shinichi's mama?" Misato smirked.

"Bite me," he grumbled.

He then wished he hadn't said that as Misato started licking his neck. Her fang marks were already visible, ready to sink into him again. Michiru and Ruby giggled as Hana sighed. Shiori, Hime and Reiri watched as the Mustang drove off before they went their separate ways.

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: Well, here is the end of the family arc so next we have them returning to Youkai Academy. You might have to wait, however, for the next arc because we'll be taking a break to work it all out for your reading pleasure. Please, look forward to their new adventures in the monster world. Oh, and LET'S RIDE!<strong>

**TAILSMO4EVER: That's a wrap! It was a long one with several twists and turns but we finally managed to finish the Family Arc. We also managed to put several new characters that you will see latter on. The Tachikoma is from Ghost in the Shell: SAC, Fran from Franken Fran, and Hime and Reiri from Resurrection Princess. Google those up if this is the first time you're hearing about them. See you all next saga!**

**SHADOW ELEMENT 13: And so ends another arc of Showa+Vampire. Some more hints were dropped about Leon's past, as well as some hints as to what lies ahead for the young Rider. Also introduced was a new enemy for Leon, Mephisto the Poisonous Manakyte. Look forward to the future where new enemies and allies emerge, and the group discovers just how much of a "Monster" Leon truly is.**

**KAMEN RIDER BUSHIDO: And that ends the Family Arc. And it's about time. Next up is the return to Youkai Academy for Shinichi and the gang. And here's the update to the VA list:**

**Shiori Banabara: Wendee Lee**

**Yuji Fudo: Johnny Yong Bosch**

**Yuki Fudo: Andrea Libman**

**Aphrodite: Tabitha St. Germain**

**Leon Smith: Steve Blum**

**Misato Kurushina: Tiffany Grant**

**Hana Nekozawa: Brina Palencia**

**Michiru Masami: Julie Maddalena**

**Netto Kusanagi: Richard Ian Cox**

**Qioa Xang: Andrea Libman**

**Mephisto: Christopher Sabbot (sounds like Vegeta)**

**Shogo Kuso: Crispin Freeman**

**Yokoshima Ryuunosuke Magi: Will Friedle**

**Daichi Takashima: Eric Vale**

**Dr. Magi: Simon Prescott**


	31. New Term: Rivalry Comebacks

**KAMEN RIDER CHROME: With the end of summer vacation, the Youkai Academy Newspaper Club will return to school. They've even brought along some friends. However, trouble seems to have followed them. What new challenges will the new school term present to them? Well, wait and see.**

**Chapter 31: Rivalry Comebacks**

The bus exited the tunnel and pulled over at the bus stop which was marked by a scarecrow. Seconds later, the Cyclone-X3 and its rider also exited the tunnel, stopping next to the bus. Shinichi removed his helmet and watched as his friends exited the bus, one-by-one.

"Shinichi…" Kurumu whined. She'd wanted to ride with him but he'd refused the offer. Not having him on the bus to sit next to had been torture for her and she could only watch as he rode alongside the bus.

"So, this is Youkai Academy?" asked Yokoshima. "Kinda creepy looking."

"It's desolate…" Yuki frowned slightly.

"This is just the area surrounding the campus," said Shinichi. "Everything you see here is encased in a barrier to protect the school from outsiders." A lot of help that did. GIN-SHOCKER still managed to track him down. "Come on, I'll show you guys to your dorm rooms."

"We have dorm rooms?" asked Shogo.

"That's right," said Ms. Nekonome with a smile as she handed the new students sheets of paper which designated their dorm room assignment.

"I wanted to stay with Airen," pouted Qiao.

"And I wish to stay with Leon," added Aphrodite.

"Sorry. School rules," said Ms. Nekonome.

"You can still visit," said Netto. This made the fox girl beam.

"Moka-chan, Kurumu-chan, Yukari-chan, and Mizore-chan," began Shinichi.

"Hai, Shinichi?" they responded nearly simultaneously.

"Talk about being in synch," Daichi joked.

"Girls, do you mind showing Qiao-san, Yuki-san, and Aphrodite-san to the girls' dorm while I show the guys to the boys' dorm?" Shinichi requested.

"You can count on me, Shinichi!" proclaimed Kurumu. "Come on, girls!"

"Who died and made you boss, Boobzilla?" Yukari shot back.

"What was that, brat!-?" Kurumu snapped.

"Please, don't fight," begged Moka.

"Let them, it might be entertaining," said Mizore.

"Yeah! Catfight! Catfight! Like in Shiori-sensei's book, 'Wrestling Women'!" encouraged Yokoshima.

"You really are my Kaa-chan's fan," said Shinichi, shaking his head in amusement.

"Believe it," remarked Daichi, "He's got a huge collection of those books."

"Now, just follow me," instructed Shinichi as he rolled his bike along as he led the boys to the boys' dorm. The girls also followed since the girls' dorm was neighboring the boys' dorm. '_This is going to be an interesting situation_,' he added with a thought.

"HOLY SHIT! BATS!" Yokoshima screamed as he spotted the flying animals in the trees.

"Shut up, you nimrod! They're more afraid of you than you are of them!" Daichi snapped.

'_Yup, interesting_,' Shinichi agreed with himself. He then remembered that Daichi had a fear of snakes as well and grimaced in thought. '_I better warn him about Ririko-sensei_.'

* * *

><p>Shinichi returned to his room and lay down on his bed, smiling. It felt good to be back. The cyborg boys were now settled in their new dorm rooms. "I should get Nekonome-sensei a present for her help." The cat-woman teacher was just so sweet and kind, caring for her students like her own kids. "Maybe I should ask Kaa-chan to get her a boyfriend."<p>

Tomorrow would be the first day of school since summer break and there was going to be an assembly on that day to welcome back all the returning students. He just hoped this term would be different, and peaceful, and not at all as violent as the last one. However, considering it was a school for monster, it was only a matter of time before there was some kind of incident.

He had even managed to make his dorm room livelier. During the first term, it was partially empty, since he didn't have many things to call his own. Now he had a laptop on his desk with several of Shiori's books stacked in the shelves. There was even a few bean bag chairs in case he brought over some company. That was something else that he had to thank his mother for.

His com-link watch beeped and he turned it on. "Shinichi here."

_"Shinichi-kun,"_ Moka spoke from the other end.

"Oh, Moka-chan," Shinichi smiled. "Have Qiao-san, Yuki-san, and Aphrodite-san been settled?"

"_Yes, they have_," Moka confirmed. "_Shinichi-kun, would you like to walk to school together, tomorrow morning?_"

"You don't even have to ask," Shinichi replied. "I'll be waiting for you."

"_Oh, thank you! Well, bye!_"

"Bye, later." Shinichi thought back to his friend, Moka. Well, she was more than that now. Kurumu, Mizore, and Yukari were more than friends to him now. However, he wasn't sure if he could be in an exclusive relationship. He loved all the girls he'd befriended during his first term in Youkai Academy. Sure, Kurumu had tried to control him, Yukari had tried to drive him away, and Mizore had tried to freeze him, but their intentions had not been malicious. In each of their own unique ways, including Moka, they were very lonely. Moka was treated as a freak in her middle school, Kurumu needed to find a soul mate to keep her race from dying out, Yukari was bullied for being a witch, and Mizore's first love ran away from her in fear after learning what she was.

And then he himself was an odd case. He awoke in the forest surrounding the school with nothing more than his school supplies and the uniform on his back. He was shy back then, not knowing anyone or how he ended up in the school. He didn't even know who he was. And then, on his summer vacation, the awful truth was revealed to him: he was a cyborg who was kidnapped on the day before his sixth birthday, and remodeled into a killing machine. He was made to take the lives of many people without remorse, including those of the NUMBERS. Needless to say, he took the revelation hard, but with the help and support of the girls, he managed to recover from the shock.

He owed the girls a lot. He wondered if it was ever possible to repay them for all the things they did for him.

* * *

><p>Netto looked around the room he'd been given. There was a desk, a bed, a kitchen and a bathroom. "Well, guess it's time to personalize this place." He already had plenty of things to make the dorm into his personal computer lab, and several other things to make it look like his own room back at home.<p>

Meanwhile, Daichi was already putting up posters of rock bands on his wall and had stood his guitar up against the wall. "School, huh?" It would be a new experience for a lot of them. They did have education programs in GIN-SHOCKER, but the only thought the things necessary for missions, such as mathematics, language, or science. That, and they were the only class there. This would be the first time they went to school with people their own age.

In his room, Yokoshima was putting his books on his new desk and putting his clothes in the closet. He couldn't wait to go to school. Chiaki himself was already arranging his wood carvings on his desk and Shogo was actually putting a dart board on the wall of his own dorm room.

And Leon? He was just a book on his bed to pass the time. The book he happened to be reading was called 'Island Lovers', Shiori's latest book. He didn't let anyone know, but he too was a fan. Her books were just that addictive.

In the girls' dormitory, Aphrodite was in her room ironing all of her uniforms and polishing her leather shoes, happily singing to herself as she did. She still wished that she was with Leon right now, but being with him in school made it all the more worth it.

Qiao had already made herself at home and was just having a little fun by posing in front of her mirror with some of the Chinese cheongsams she had brought with her. Oooh, she couldn't wait before she could actually wear them in school. She always did love to wear them, especially for Netto.

Lastly, Yuki was just finishing getting settled in her dorm. Walking to her desk, she kicked up the seat, causing it to spin in the air before landing on the legs. She sat down and kicked her legs up on the desk and revealed a pair of Desert Eagles in holsters strapped to her thighs. She took out the guns and began polishing them with a cloth, smiling as she performed maintenance on her weapons. They were gifts from her father, Yusei Fudo, and he taught her how to use them.

The newcomers were starting to get settled in, most of them looking forward to the first day of school which would begin the following day.

* * *

><p>Shinichi was taking a little jog around the area when he bumped into Moka upon exiting the dorm. "Oh, Moka-chan," he said.<p>

"You going somewhere?" she asked, noticing that he was in gym clothes.

"I was just planning on going for a jog," he told her.

"Mind if I join you?" she asked, twirling some of her hair around her finger cutely.

"Yeah, sure and..." Shinichi trailed off and looked up.

"What?" Moka asked and she heard loud buzzing. "What is that?"

No sooner had she heard the buzzing, Kamen Rider Zero landed in front of them. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he deactivated his armor in the form of yellow wasps flying off his body.

"Good afternoon, Akashiya-san, Shinichi," said Shogo as he saluted, all decked in his YA uniform.

"At ease, soldier," Shinichi joked. "Doing some aerial recon?"

"I was," Shogo confirmed. "I saw a lot of things when I did my little fly around. Did you know there was a penthouse on top of the girls' dorm?"

Shinichi blinked. "A penthouse?" He asked, "Moka-chan, do you know?"

"I never noticed," Moka replied.

"Well, I have!" shouted Kurumu as she swooped down and tackled into Shinichi, nearly knocking him off his feet.

"Kurumu-chan!" he grunted. He noticed she was in gym clothes. "Huh?"

"Wanna jog together?" she asked.

"And how did you...were you spying on me through my window?" He cocked his eyebrow in suspicion.

Kurumu laughed, albeit nervously, "Do you think I'm anything like that stalker?"

Mizore poked her head out of a bush and spoke, "Wish I could fly."

"How long have you been there?" Shinichi asked. "Never mind..." He sighed, shaking his head.

"Shinichi-san!" a voice called out. The young body of Yukari tackled Shinichi from behind as she hugged his neck, making him stumble slightly. "Shinichi-san! Konnichiwa!" she beamed.

"Oi, back off brat!" Kurumu hissed. Yukari replied with a raspberry and pulled down her eyelid.

Shogo observed, "Interesting company."

Shinichi answered, in spite of the fight between the two girls sandwiching him, "Well, they are my best friends, Shogo."

"Shogo-san, what were you saying about a penthouse at the top of our dorm?" Moka asked.

"Eh?" Yukari blinked out of her grappling with Kurumu, "There was a penthouse at the top of our dorm?"

"Yes," Shogo nodded, "You girls must have not seen it from the bottom, but in the air I noticed a wide portion of the building sticking out from the rest. It seemed to resemble something that high class societies would have."

"I've actually flown by it a few times whenever I stretch my wings," claimed Kurumu. "I don't know who lives there."

"Possibly someone rich who thinks she's too good enough to rough it like the rest of us," snorted Yukari. "So, Shinichi-san, where are you off to?"

"Just for a little jog," said Shinichi.

"Actually, Daichi asked me to give you a message," said Shogo.

"What kind of message?" Shinichi questioned, thinking it could be serious.

"He said, 'if you aren't too busy monkeying about with your harem, we want to do some stun gun training in the forest at 1700 hours'."d.

"You know," said Shinichi as he tapped his watch. "We do have com-links."

"He wanted me to pass it along when I saw you," Shogo remarked. "I'm just the messenger."

"Fine," Shinichi said as he checked his watch. "Today at 5 o'clock, huh?"

"What's 'stun gun' training?" Mizore inquired.

"Oh, we use these pistols loaded with stun rounds," explained Shinichi. "Just bolts of electro-magnetic energy that paralyzes us."

"Sounds painful," grimaced Moka.

"Stings like a bitch," stated Shogo. "Make's our armor's hard as a rock too. Remember when you went up against those three during training?"

"Kamiyami, Saisen and Jin," snorted Shinichi. "Oh yeah. Big dummies."

"Saisen was still sane back then, so he was the straight man among the three, except when he's blowing something up," Shogo remarked. "Kamiyami and Jin on the other hand got so pissed at you for one siding them they decided to use live ammo during the training."

"What?-!" Mizore gaped.

"Kamiyami even tried throwing a grenade at you," Shogo continued.

"A grenade!-?" the girls shrieked.

"And General Nagazawa didn't even think of punishing them either," Shogo finished.

"You've gotta be kidding..." Kurumu frowned.

"Uh…General Who?" Shinichi blinked in confusion.

"Oh, right, you still don't remember everything," Shogo realized. "He's the High Commander of GIN-SHOCKER and was the one who assigned missions to us. He's also the strongest cyborg out of everyone there, with his powers only second to that of the Great Leader. It would be ill-advised to face up against him head to head. Especially considering that he can drain your powers dry."

"Holy crap..." Shinichi gulped. "I'll try to remember that then."

"Oh, and here," said Shogo as he handed Shinichi a pistol. "And some clips for ammo."

"Thanks," said Shinichi as he received the pistol. Normal schools wouldn't allow students to carry firearms but this was a school full of monsters so some precaution was necessary. Shinichi checked the clips. "And fully charged too."

Moka didn't like the looks of the weapon but she trusted Shinichi. The thought of him being shot with live rounds though was frightening.

"So, about the training session you had with those three…" Kurumu spoke up, wanting details.

"I completely dominated them," said Shinichi proudly.

"Humiliated them too," Shogo added. "Kamiyami never could stand you being better than him."

"Whiny bitch."

"Exactly."

The girls watched the casual exchange with some interest. Not too long ago, Shogo had attacked Shinichi. However, afterwards they had become friends again.

"Well, see you at tomorrow 5," said Shogo. He saluted, "See you again sometime, ladies." He then walked off.

Shinichi pocketed the pistol and clips. "Well, do you ladies mind joining me for a jog around the place?"

"Hai!" they all chirped.

* * *

><p>At 5 pm, Shinichi was dressed in his black combat uniform, his clips on his belt and his gun holstered as he went down to meet his comrades outside of the dorm. They were already outside, waiting for him, dressed as he was.<p>

"Almost didn't think you were going to make it," Daichi spoke.

"Well, you should know that I'm always punctual," Shinichi retorted. "So, how are we going to do this?"

**"We'll be using the forest as the training field," **Chiaki signed.

"Makes sense," Shinichi agreed.

"Let's go," ordered Daichi before they ran towards the forest for some stun gun training.

* * *

><p>The training session ended and the group was going to resume the following day at 5 pm as well. Shinichi groaned as he entered his dorm room at 7 pm. His body felt sore and he reeked of BO. "They weren't kidding when they said that those shots stung," he murmured as he slowly stripped himself down and entered the bathroom to take a bath. He needed a nice relaxing soak to relax his sore muscles.<p>

But first he needed to clean himself up. He was covered in sweat, grime and dirt and smelled really bad. He turned on the shower and let the water rain down on him before he lathered up his body with soap. Then he rinsed off the soap before going into the tub.

"Ah…" he sighed. Tomorrow school would start again, along with the craziness. It was a school for monsters but because everyone looked so human he always forgot they were just wearing disguises.

He gazed at his fingers. His bones were made of metal, he had circuitry and wires interwoven with his nerves and blood vessels, and his muscle tissue had been reinforced.

He was wearing a disguise like the rest of them.

He fit into this school.

He just hoped the others could handle it.

"Daichi should study hard for math," he mused, "Or else Ririko-sensei would give him private tutoring." He could imagine the look on Daichi's face if Ririko-sensei turned into her true form. He'd be so freaked out.

His mother had given him a few precious items. She had given him a DVD. They were their family's home movies that he could watch to regain the memories he'd lost.

"I should call the girls," he thought out loud. "We could watch it together."

* * *

><p>The following morning,Netto yawned as he walked out of the boys' dorm room. He got himself a good night's rest and now was dressed in his YA uniform with his blue sneakers. This was the first time he would be going to a school with others his age. He felt excited with anticipation and at the same time rather nervous.<p>

"Airen!" Qiao shouted as she tackled him in a flying hug, "Zǎoshang hǎo, Airen!"

"Morning to you too, Qiao-chan," Netto smiled as he returned the hug. She was dressed up in the female uniform, complete with the black socks and red sneakers. "You sleep well?"

"I did," Qiao nodded. She sighed contently as she pressed herself against him, her chest squeezing his, cause his cheeks to go red. "But I think I would have slept a whole lot better with you."

"Y... you don't say..." Netto stammered. She was always like this. She always enjoyed teasing him.

"Ah, I know what you mean, Miss Qiao," Aphrodite chimed, walking toward the pair with her bookcase in both her hands, "I still wish I was with Leon again." She smiled brighter as she saw the position Netto was in, "Buona mattina a voi, Netto."

"Yo," Netto returned with a salute.

"Did you see Leon?" she asked hopefully.

"Sorry, didn't see him," Netto answered, "He must have left early."

"Oh..." Aphrodite frowned slightly, then she perked up, "Mind if we walk to school together?"

"No reason for me to say no," Netto nodded.

The two Youkai girls and single cyborg boy walked down the path to the school. Qiao was hugging Netto's arm against her chest. Aphrodite watched and giggled, noticing how alike the fox was with her when it came to her mate. Deciding to break the silence, Netto started a conversation.

"So, Aphrodite-chan, you sure are attached to Leon," he said, "Is there a reason why?"

"Well, we met in Italy a few years ago," she recalled, "I was running for my life from a mafia gang and I ran into Leon. He saved me from those hooligans and even took down the entire gang! He was so adorable, yet so strong, that I fell head over heels in love with him~. I even gave myself to him during our first night together!"

"The basic hero's reward?" Qiao questioned with a grin, "Nice."

"Yes, and Leon actually seemed happy after it," Aphrodite remarked, "Actually, it's one of the few times I've seen him like that."

"And the rest of the time he's pessimistic," Netto concluded. "He doesn't always have to be like that."

"Well, Leon wouldn't want me to tell you but... a lot of people he was close to died a long time ago," Aphrodite told him, "He fears that something just as terrible will happen to me. But I can take care of myself just fine. We Manakytes are very difficult to defeat."

"You sound confident to be with him no matter what," Qiao said.

"That's because I am," the Manakyte smiled, "But enough about me, what about you two?"

"We were both four when we first met," Qiao answered. "Airen saw me in my true form and though I was cute. We played together on that day, and started having play dates ever since. But if you must know, it wasn't until my fourteenth birthday that I choose him as my mate. We even had our first kiss together on that day."

"That sounds romantic~," Aphrodite gushed.

"It was," Qiao giggled, "It was the best birthday present I could ever ask for!"

"And she's the best friend I could ever want," Netto added, blushing.

"You two are lucky. May I wish more happy years," Aphrodite beamed.

"Thanks," the couple said gratefully.

* * *

><p>All the students were in the auditorium, standing in rows for each of their classes. The teachers were sitting on stage as the Vice-Principal gave the students a welcoming speech. The Headmaster never ever made any public appearance and it had been like that since the school's establishment many years ago.<p>

"Welcome, students, to your second term of school year. It is good to see old face among the bunch, as well as several new ones. As you all know, there have been some changes made since last term. The Student Safety Committee, for example." The students murmured about the now disbanded organization. "We've decided to revive the Student Safety Committee." Now there were some shocked gasps coming from the students, some protests as well. "Students, please, settle down. I know that because the previous group was…well…corrupted that you all have doubts. Fortunately, all members from the previous Student Police have been dealt with so I would like to introduce to you, Mr. Leon Smith." Walking up to the podium, Leon shook hands with the Vice-Principal before standing behind the podium.

"Fellow students, not many of you know me, but some of you already know me and know that I can be trusted. I know what Kuyou did and I promise you that I will not become a tyrannical dictator with a distorted view of justice. I know the difference between right and wrong. The Student Safety Committee was meant to protect the safety of the students here and to prevent unnecessary violence and violation of the school rules. You may have doubts, and you may have concerns, but rest assured that you can put your worries to rest. This is a new era for the Student Safety Committee and I swear to you that I will do my job as it is meant to do," Leon spoke.

The students were silent until Shinichi started clapping and then cheering, enthusiastically, "Go Leon! You can do it! Yeah!" Since Shinichi had become popular after defeating Kuyou, the rest of the student body joined him in applauding Leon, starting with his friends and then the friends he had made during summer break.

"Well, if anyone should lead it should be him," said Kurumu.

Leon was relieved. He was afraid that the students might not react too well at the news of a new Student Police, especially after the disaster that was the previous one. He walked down from the stage as the Vice-Principal stepped forward to speak into the microphone.

"Also, we have yet to find a permanent replacement for both Art and Physical Education classes, so substitute teachers will still be conducting those glasses. However, we do have a new Biology teacher, Kobe-sensei," the Vice-Principal introduced. He stayed silent for a moment, waiting for Kobe-sensei to respond. "Well, he doesn't seem to be here at the moment. For now, let's-"

"Oi, oi, oi, I'm here. Don't start without me!" a hurried voice exclaimed as an unfamiliar Caucasian man came running from the front exit. His hair was brown and he wore round spectacles. His face seemed aged up, as well as his hair since it had a little gray in there.

"So you're here," the Vice-Principal said.

"Sorry I'm late," the man said sheepishly as he fanned himself with his fedora, "I had... problems with the directions."

"It's quite alright, Kobe-sensei," the Vice-Principal hand-waved.

Kobe-sensei nodded and walked to the podium once the Vice-Principal stepped aside, "Good morning students. As the Vice-Principal probably already said, I am Professor Gregory Kobe, and I have just arrived here from America. Due to the incidents involving several of the teachers which will remain nameless back in the first semester, I will understand if some of you may have some misgivings about me. However, I am a dedicated and hard working man and I shall prove it to you with a little project for those of you who are assigned to my class. Aside from that, I hope all of you will have a good time in our new school term."

There was applause as Kobe-sensei left the podium. Shinichi and the others though remained silent, as they couldn't help but feel some kind of familiarity coming from him. They all couldn't help but know him from somewhere, but they just couldn't place it.

It wasn't long before the assembly came to an end and the students when to their classes.

* * *

><p>"Was it just me or did Kobe-sensei remind you of someone?" Moka asked Shinichi. Shinichi and the girls had returned back Nekonome-sensei's class.<p>

"I'm not sure," Shinichi shrugged. He looked around, "You know, I've noticed something."

"What is it?" Moka asked.

"There's a lot of empty seats," he answered, looking around their classroom.

"Well, after all the things that happened last term, especially with Kuyou, a lot of our classmates dropped out since they couldn't handle what was happening in school," Mizore stated.

"Hmph," scoffed Kurumu, "They really shouldn't be worried." She looped her arms around Shinichi and smiled, "We have a Kamen Rider protecting the school and the students."

"I'm glad you have faith in me," Shinichi smiled at her appreciation.

The girls, despite learning of his forgotten past as one of GIN-SHOCKER's top agents and the organization's ultimate weapon, still cared about him. In fact, their affection for him seemed to have grown as they attempted to make him happy. After all, he had spent 10 years as GIN-SHOCKER's prisoner and slave.

That fact just showed them that the smile he wore on his face had not been on for a very long time.

"Minna-san!" Nekonome-sensei greeted cheerfully as she entered the classroom. "Welcome to our second term of the school year!" She looked at all the empty seats and sighed. "It seems that a lot of our friends have left. It's such a pity." The smile returned to her face as she added, "But we have some new friends joining us!"

Shinichi then watched as Daichi, Chiaki, Yokoshima and Shogo entered the class. It was Chiaki who got a lot of stares as he was big, and still wore a snowcap with a bandanna covering the lower half of his face. He looked rather intimidating, despite being kind-hearted in nature. Daichi wore a scowl and Yokoshima smiled as Shogo wore a neutral and serious expression.

"Would you like to introduce yourselves to the class?" asked Nekonome-sensei?

"Hi, I'm Yokoshima Ryuunosuke Magi and I really, really hope we can all be friends!"

"Call me Daichi Takashima."

"Shogo Kuso, and yes I do realize my name means 'One's Ministry's Damned."

Chiaki pulled out a sign out of nowhere with his name written on it**.**

The students all murmured amongst themselves about the new arrivals.

"Well, boys, please take any of the empty seats you can find," instructed Nekonome-sensei.

Daichi walked past Shinichi and reminded, "Don't forget, 5 o'clock."

"Don't worry, I won't," Shinichi promised.

* * *

><p>"Class, please pay attention," Ririko-sensei said to her class. Everyone hadn't forgotten about the… tutoring methods she tried to pull on her students. Luckily, compared to what the other two teachers tried to do, she was let off easy. She was just trying to help the best way she knew, "This new term we have several new students joining us. I would like all of you to make them feel welcome." She turned to the door, "You may come in now!"<p>

Leon watched from his seat in the front row as three taller than average height girls and a single boy walked into the class. Netto looked confident, Qiao was smiling, Yuki had her usually neutral expression on, and Aphrodite seemed to be just as perky as ever. A lot of the girls seemed to smile dreamily as they noted how much of a handsome bishounen Netto was, while the boys seemed to drool at the sight of the girls, not to mention at the size of their breasts. Aphrodite had the largest bust among the three.

"I'm Netto Kusanagi," Netto introduced while scratching the back of his head. He noted the looks he was getting from the girls and started to feel uneasy, "I like to work with computers and stuff."

"Nihao! I'm Qiao Xang!" Qiao answered, "Netto's my boyfriend by the way." Several hearts broke at the announcement. "But if any girl is willing to share him with me, I'm more than happy to go for it!" Netto blushed and palmed his face. While some of the students stared at her in shock, other girls seemed to start drooling.

"Yuki Fudo," Yuki spoke stoically as she bowed. "Good to be here, I suppose…"

"And my name is Aphrodite, and I come from-" she stopped her introduction as her eyes fell on Leon. They went wide as she squealed, "MY SWEET LEON!" Before anyone could react, she lunged at Leon and grabbed him in a crushing hug, "Leon darling! We're in the same class together! I'm so happy!"

"I'm happy… too…" Leon grunted from out of her chest.

While Netto, Qiao, and Yuki knew that this was going to happen, the rest of the students stared in envy as Leon was being sent into a marshmallow hell by the older looking girl. Of course, considering that Leon was the new leader of the Student Police, there wasn't much they could do about it.

That, of course, didn't stop Ririko-sensei, "OI! You two over there!" the sexy teacher shouted. She was clenching a blackboard eraser and was arching her arm to throw it, consequently making her boobs bounce, "Quit being so touchy-feely and split apart!" She threw the eraser at the pair, just as Aphrodite looked back at the noise. Leon wasn't so lucky as the eraser collided against his face, leaving a chalk dust mark on his face as it fell.

"This is going to be a long term," he mumbled.

* * *

><p>"Since our previous Class Rep is no longer with us, I think it's time we elected a new one," suggested Nekonome-sensei. "Any nominations?"<p>

"I nominate Shinichi!" Kurumu called out, raising her hand.

"Kurumu-chan!-?" Shinichi gaped.

"I second her nomination," agreed Mizore, raising her hand.

"Mizore-chan!-?"

"I agree as well," added Moka.

"Moka-chan?" he blinked.

"Well, that's three nominations for Banabara-kun," said Nekonome-sensei.

"Banabara-kun, sensei?" one girl asked.

"Oh, for personal reasons I cannot disclose, Banabara-kun has changed his surname," said Nekonome-sensei. Shinichi smiled; glad that his teacher respected his privacy. No one else knew about his amnesia, "Anybody else?"

"Actually, Moka Akashiya should be our new Class Rep," a boy suggested.

"Me too!" another agreed.

"Alright, Moka Akashiya-san also gets nominations," said Nekonome-sensei as she wrote Moka's name on the blackboard. "Anymore?" She didn't see anyone raise their hands or hear anyone speak up to nominate anybody else. "The let us begin voting."

* * *

><p>After the class finished voting, Shinichi won the election and was the new Class Rep. He stood up and spoke nervously, rubbing the back of his head, "Thank you electing me, and I promise I'll try my best to do a good job. If you have any problems, please come to me, OK?"<p>

"Well then, it's time I took attendance," said Nekonome-sensei as she held the class roster to mark those who were present and those who were absent. As she was about to call out a name, the door slid open and a face Shinichi and Moka had not seen in a long time walked into the room. "Ah, Komiya-kun! It's been a while!"

"Yeah, it has," he grunted. He'd been admitted to the hospital after his defeat from the first term and hadn't returned to school, until now. His eyes focused on Shinichi who glared back at the thug. Shinichi stood up to greet him.

"Welcome back, Komiya-san," Shinichi greeted politely.

"I've been looking forward to seeing you again," Saizou spoke dangerously, his eyes boring into Shinichi's in an attempt to intimidate him but Saizou didn't get what he wanted. Shinichi's glare was as cold as ice and the orc unwillingly backed away before returning to his old seat. After everything that happened over the past summer, Saizou was now considered a below minimum threat. He did, however, give Moka a grin that made them both shiver.

"Well, that can't be good," Shinichi said to himself.

* * *

><p>"Congratulations on your election as the new Student Police head," Netto praised Leon as they all sat together for lunch at the cafeteria.<p>

"Thank you," Leon accepted.

"But why you?" Kurumu asked.

"Why not? Would you prefer someone you can trust or an asshole like Kuyou?" Leon asked.

"I prefer someone like you, a Rider," Mizore spoke up.

"I feel better with someone like Leon-san in charge," Yukari added.

"I don't see anybody more deserving of the position," said Aphrodite, smiling to her lover.

"But what about new members?" Qiao asked. "You're gonna need a team."

"Well, I'm going to have to scout for them," Leon responded, "Then I need to interview them to. I'm not going to accept anybody who might abuse his or her power. The last incarnation was a bunch of thugs."

"You're going to need to be careful then," cautioned Shinichi.

"I'll manage," Leon shrugged.

"So, Yuki, what made you want to enroll in Youkai Academy?" Moka asked the Ice Manakyte.

"I was bored…" she answered.

Everyone looked at her funny, "You were bored…?"

"I graduated from Duel Academy two years ago with a degree in biology and physics," she explained, "I didn't know what I wanted to do until a certain…_incident_ occurred. It was then I decided to stay with my brother as he opened a shop in town a year before we met you all."

"So, you're older than us?" Kurumu asked, "And you just decided to go back to high school?"

"I was bored," she repeated. She glanced over at Leon and blushed.

"OK then…" Kurumu didn't press on further.

"Oh, girls, there's something I wanted to show you at the clubroom," said Shinichi.

"What is it?" Yukari asked, interested.

"It's a surprise," said Shinichi. It was something special he wanted to share with the girls.

* * *

><p><strong>Newspaper Club clubroom.<strong>**..**

"Hey, what's with the projector and screen?" Gin asked as Shinichi set up the equipment, connecting the projector to a laptop computer.

"Kaa-chan snuck something into my bag before I came back," Shinichi answered as he held up a DVD.

Gin, perverted as always, grinned and assumed, "Ah, so it's one of _those_ movies."

"Yeah, it's one of our family home movies," Shinichi clarified, causing Gin to face fault. "You were thinking something perverted, weren't you, Ero-sempai?"

"Oh, shut up!" Gin snapped, crossing his arms with a scowl.

"OK, everything's set up," Shinichi said as he checked everything. "Now, we wait for the girls."

"Why do you want to show them your home movies?" Gin asked.

"These are the memories I've lost when GIN-SHOCKER took me. I've gotten some of them back, but not all," Shinichi said. "So, I just wanted to share these moments with everybody."

"Seeing you as a baby," grinned Gin, "This will be interesting."

"Well, I hope so." The door slid open and Shinichi greeted them, "Oh, girls, welcome!"

"Are we going to watch a movie, Shinichi-kun?" Moka asked.

"You could say that," Shinichi smiled. "Just take a seat and enjoy." He put in the DVD and played the video. He then took his seat between Moka and Kurumu as the images played on the projector screen.

_Shinichi's baby self was sitting on a high chair as a younger Shiori fed him. He spat out the baby food and giggled as it dribbled down his chin. __"Naughty boy," __Shiori laughed._

"You were so adorable," cooed Moka.

"I was, I guess," Shinichi partly agreed.

_"He's walking! He's walking!" Shiori was heard off screen as Shinichi as a toddler walked over to her. _

"Aww~" the girls went as they saw the cute little child on screen.

_It was Shinichi's third birthday as he was holding a large teddy bear, running off with it and then tripping before falling down. He cried, calling, "Mama! Mama!"_

_"Oh, I'm here, sweetie," said Shiori as she picked up her son. "Don't cry, Shinji. It's alright. Don't cry."_

Shinichi smiled as he watched his mother comfort his younger self before the scene changed, causing him to blush and blanch. "Oh…no…"

"Why are you in a dress?" Gin asked. There was Shinichi, at 4 years old, in a pretty pink dress with puffy shoulders and a frilly skirt. "Are those hair ribbons?"

"Kaa-chan thought I looked cute in girls' clothes," Shinichi retorted in embarrassment.

"She's right," Mizore agreed.

"Mizore-chan, you weren't supposed to agree," he deadpanned.

"You really did look like a little girl," Moka observed, smiling.

"At that age you can barely tell the difference between boys and girls sometimes," Shinichi remarked. He watched as Shiori and his younger self, in a dress, danced to some music. Then Shiori took the camera as a man picked up his younger self. His hair was shaggy and black and his eyes were deep blue. He looked like an older version of Shinichi, "Tou-chan," he smiled.

"_Shiori, you're gonna mess him up if you dress him like this_," _Shotaro scolded._

_"Mou~ but he looks so adorable!" Shiori whined._

_"I admit that, but he's not a dress up doll," Shotaro continued to admonish._

_"OK, OK, fine…but can we just let him wear this a little longer?"_

"You should dress like that more often," Gin teased, causing Shinichi to scowl at him.

The scene changed to show Shinji playing in the park in a sandbox, and joined by little Reiri and Hime.

"I think this is when you first met," Moka said.

The three children built a sandcastle together, laughing and smiling.

"They all look so happy…" Yukari spoke. She couldn't imagine how those two must have felt on the day Shinichi vanished.

"Oh look, your first day of kindergarten!" Kurumu pointed. They watched as Shinji stood in front of the kindergarten's entrance, dressed up in the uniform and looking so adorable.

'_Wish I could remember it though_,' Shinichi thought. All these images were meant to be something familiar to him and while they did stir up familiar emotions he just felt slightly disconnected from the boy on the screen who was a happy little child with his family.

_On a family outing to the amusement park, Shotaro was holding the camera as Shinji skipped along with his mother while holding her hand, a balloon in his free hand. Again, he was in a dress._

"She seems to like dressing you up as a girl," commented Kurumu as Shinichi palmed his face.

"Ugh…" he groaned. His mother always wanted a little girl, but because he was just so cute she couldn't help but dress him up as a girl sometimes. Also, he understood that his mother had an odd point of view.

_Shinji was eating his first ice cream cone and then the ice cream fell on the ground. He cried. "It's okay, Shinji. It's okay. I'll get you another one."_

Seeing this, there was no doubt in his mind that his parents loved him, Shiori proved that despite all that had happened she never stopped loving him, even finding out he was no longer human. A tear fell out of the corner of his right eye.

Some more images played on screen, like Shinji showing off his drawing of his family. Then there was the day at the beach and also the day at the pool with Shinji wearing water wings and laughing merrily as he splashed around.

When the video ended, over an hour had passed as indicated on the clock.

"That was such a nice presentation, Shinichi-kun," said Moka as he ejected the DVD.

"Thank Kaa-chan for lending it to me," he said, and then he sighed. He wondered if his mother had watched the DVD repeatedly after his disappearance. Remembering something, he looked at his watch. "Uh oh. Sorry guys, but I gotta get going."

"Where are you going?" Mizore asked.

"Stun gun training," he answered as he began packing his stuff.

"Stun gun training? What's that?" Gin asked.

"Oh yeah, you weren't there," Shinichi remembered, "We have these pistols that shoot electromagnet blasts that paralyze us. They aren't lethal, but they sting like hell."

"Whoa," Gin frowned, "Don't wanna get hit with that."

"Don't let us keep you from your obligation then," said Moka.

* * *

><p>As Shinichi walked along the path towards the designated area, he felt a familiar, malevolent presence nearby. "Saizou," he identified. He saw the delinquent and bully step out from behind a tree.<p>

"So, you knew it was me," said Saizou, smirking.

"Well, considering what happened last time, you'd want revenge on me," Shinichi concluded.

"Not just you, but on that bitch, Moka!" Saizou growled.

Shinichi's eyes narrowed as he warned, "I suggest you don't refer to Moka-chan in that way, for your own health and safety."

Saizou spat, "I've heard all the rumors, but I don't believe for one second that you beat someone like Kuyou!"

"Rumors hold a grain of truth," Shinichi argued, "Whether you believe me or not doesn't matter."

"What I believe is that I should be careful around you, which is why I brought along some friends."

Shinichi watched as several more people stepped out from behind the trees. They were familiar faces too. There was Tadashi Wanibushi, a Lizardman and the former Class Rep of Yukari's class who'd bullied her along with two of his cronies. He also remembered Junya Inui, a guy who claimed to be a vampire so that he could claim Moka for himself. His claimed proved to be false as he was merely an Onimodoki, a weak creature who would pretend to be stronger species to intimidate weaker ones. Chopper Rikishi was also present, gripping his dumbbells as he growled at Shinichi. Shinichi remembered the captain of the Wrestling Team who'd tried to coerce him into a fight to make up for the fight he would never have with Kuyou due to Shinichi's interference. Nagare Kano was also present, slimy as ever, with a disgusting grin on his face. Finally, rounding up their group of misfits was the former PE teacher, Okuto Kotsubo who'd tried to sexually assault Mizore in the past, taking advantage of her loneliness and her crush on him back then.

"Weren't you expelled?" Shinichi pointed at Nagare. "And weren't you fired?" he added, pointing at Kotsubo.

"You cost me my job, you little punk!" snapped Kotsubo.

"No, your dick did, dickhead," Shinichi shot back, causing Kotsubo to growl in anger.

"We've come together to teach you a lesson, Sanban!" Wanibushi declared angrily. He'd lost the respect of his classmates since the day he'd been defeated by both Moka and Shinichi and had lost his status as the Class Rep.

"You should've learnt from yours," Shinichi retorted.

"Look around you," said Junya, "We have you outnumbered."

"We are going to smash you into bloody pulp," boasted Rikishi.

"Six on one aren't really fair odds," Shinichi counted.

"So, at least you know you don't stand a chance," said Saizou.

"I meant that the odds aren't fair…**for you**," Shinichi added with a confident smirk. "I should warn you though that statistically, none of you stand a chance. Solo or in a group, it doesn't make much of a difference."

"Why…YOU!-!-!" Saizou roared as he assumed his true form, his shirt being ripped to shreds as a result. "I'M GOING TO WIPE THAT SMILE OFF YOUR FACE!" The rest of Saizou's little gang assumed their true forms as well.

Shinichi rolled his eyes as he cracked his knuckles and rotated his shoulders. "Alright, who's first?"

"GET HIM!" Kotsubo ordered as he lashed out with his tentacles to bind Shinichi. The tentacles shot towards the cyborg at incredible speed, but not fast enough as Shinichi took out his pistol and fired at the offending appendages, causing them to go limp and numb. "My tentacles!" Kotsubo shouted as Shinichi looked at the rest of the gang who came at him.

"GUNS ARE AGAINST THE RULES!" Wanibushi roared as he tried to slash at Shinichi who sidestepped the attack before retaliating with a shot to his chest, causing Wanibushi's body to stiffen. He then grabbed the lizardman by the tail and spun him around, smashing him into Nagare's slimy body.

Rikishi tried to tackle into Shinichi but the cyborg sidestepped and stuck his leg out, tripping Rikishi and causing him to fall on his face. When the troll tried to get back to his feet he got shot in the back of the head and fell. "Stay down," warned Shinichi.

Kotsubo was trying to move his tentacles but couldn't and looked up in time to be sent flying by a punch from Shinichi. Junya attacked but his punch was caught and Shinichi twisted his wrist, causing him to howl in pain before he received several shots from the stun gun, paralyzing him on the spot and freezing him like a statue. Shinichi released his grip on Junya's wrist and then nudged his body backwards, causing him to fall on his back.

"I really don't wanna waste my time with you all," said Shinichi. Nagare and Saizou could still move and the orc was stunned, and angered, by his foe's casual dismissal.

"Nagare, use that gas of yours!" Saizou ordered. Nagare was about to release it when Shinichi suddenly appeared in front of him and shove the barrel of his gun into his mouth.

"Bang," said Shinichi as he fired and Nagare's entire body stiffened painfully from the paralyzing effects of the gun. Shinichi twirled his gun around and put it back into the holster before focusing his attention on Saizou.

"Is that all?" Shinichi asked Saizou tauntingly. The orc roared and lashed out, swiping at Shinichi with his claws but the cyborg ducked, dodged and weaved around the assault playfully. Saizou then sent his tongue out but Shinichi shot at it, causing it to fall limp as Saizou gaped. Shinichi then gripped Saizou's tongue and gave it a tug, yanking Saizou through the AIR so that his face met the sole of his shoe, hard.

He let go of Saizou's tongue in disgust and used a handkerchief to clean off the saliva on his hand. Looking around, he saw that everyone was down, but not out. Due to the low setting of his pistol they would be recovering soon.

It wasn't long, but slowly they began to recover from the effects of the stun gun as they glared with rage in their eyes at Shinichi.

"You know, as fun as this was, I have things to do and no time to waste with you all," said Shinichi as he summoned his Spark Core. "So, I'm gonna finish this in one blow." He attached the Legacy Driver to his Spark Core. "Henshin."

**"ULTIMATE RIDE: LEGACY MODE!"**

A pillar of gold light burst up from the forest and into the sky before dissipating in seconds. Back on the ground, Shinichi stood in the middle of a smoking crater and sprawled around him were the unconscious bodies of his would-be assailants, all severely injured.

"I did warn you," said Shinichi calmly before he walked away.

* * *

><p>Shinichi finally met up with his fellow cyborgs in the clearing.<p>

"You're late," said Daichi as with crossed arms.

"Sorry, sorry," Shinichi apologized. "I ran into some…complications."

"Whatever," Daichi dismissed, "Come on, let's start before we waste anymore time."

"Hai, hai."

* * *

><p>"Damn…damn it all…" Saizou groaned and growled as he supported his sore body against a tree. The people he'd brought along to help him deal with Shinichi were useless. Shinichi had not even transformed until the very end, showing the gap between them. It just showed the orc that Shinichi's reputation was well-earned and that just pissed him off.<p>

"You look like you need help." Saizou looked up and saw Ishigami sitting on a tree branch. She jumped and landed in front of him. "Saizou Komiya, I presume."

"Who are you?" Saizou asked.

"I guess you wouldn't know me, considering you never took my art class," said Ishigami. "Let's just say I'm the same as you and I have a beef against Sanban."

"So, you want to team up?" scoffed Saizou. "No thanks. I tried to team up with some others and they were useless. We couldn't even land a hit."

"A lot has changed, and he's grown stronger, but if you let me help you I can give you the power you'll need to take Sanban down," offered Ishigami.

"What kind of power?" Saizou asked, frowning thoughtfully.

"Come with me and bring your allies too. You'll find out soon enough," Ishigami grinned.

* * *

><p><strong>...RESTORATION AT 56%…<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: Will Saizou accept the deal with Ishigami?<strong>


	32. New Term: Reptile Rumble

**Chapter 32: Reptile Rumble**

It was one morning later when Leon caught up with Shinichi as the former GIN-SHOCKER agent/weapon was headed for school. "Shinichi," Leon greeted.

"Ohayo, Leon," Shinichi greeted back. "Where's your arm decoration?"

"You mean Aphrodite?" Leon questioned. "She said she'll meet me at school."

"I thought she would've wanted to walk with you to school," Shinichi said.

"Well, it's early," Leon replied. "Why are _you_ heading to school early?"

"I'm the new Class Rep so I need to set an example and be at school on time," explained Shinichi. And that was a fact. Shinichi now wore the red armband on his left arm as proof of him representing his class. Likewise, Leon was wearing the black and white coat that marked him as the leader of the new Student Police.

The two spent the walk in relative silence for a few minutes as they reached the gate when Leon spoke, "So, I felt an energy spike yesterday. Care to comment?"

"Just taking care of a few annoying pests," Shinichi replied offhandedly. "Nothing to worry about. They're just small fry anyway."

"Pride cometh before the fall," Leon quoted softly.

"What was that?" Shinichi questioned.

"I'm just telling you that you shouldn't be too overconfident Shinichi. You've won a lot. I admit that, but sooner or later that overconfidence will cost you," Leon cautioned.

Shinichi agreed, "Yeah, I'll try to remember that."

"Out of curiously, who were the ones that attacked you?" Leon asked. He could be asking in order to use his rights as the Student Police's leader to give the ones responsible a deserving punishment.

"Just some punks that I rubbed the wrong way during the first term," Shinichi answered. "Saizou for one. Then there's one of those lizardmen and Chopper too. Even that slug Nagare managed to slither his way back here. I'm sorta surprised I didn't see Ishigami among them. I think she would have been just as pissed and want a chance to get me."

"Or maybe she played smart and laid low," Leon added. "Remember, those losers wouldn't be finished with you just yet. Just be careful. Who knows what they would try to do next?"

"I know. I'll keep that in mind," Shinichi nodded.

* * *

><p>"Banabara-kun, please read the passage!" Maki-sensei said. Maki-sensei, also known as 'Excellent Maki', was Youkai Academy's English teacher. He wore a blue pinstripe suit and had spiky hair on the sides. He also wore sunglasses.<p>

The reason he was called 'Excellent Maki' was…well…

Shinichi stood up and read, in English, "_And so, Harry went to town to buy some medicine for his ill mother. He arrived at the pharmacy and asked the pharmacist for some cough medicine and aspirin. The pharmacist gave Harry the medicine and Harry went home to give his mother the medicine_."

"_EXCELLENT! FANTASTIC!_" declared Maki-sensei. "You're really good in English, Banabara-kun."

"Thank you, Maki-sensei," said Shinichi before sitting down.

Daichi rolled his eyes. Being able to speak in a foreign language wasn't anything new for them. They all had universal translators installed into their brains, allowing them to communicate in every language on Earth. Of course, not everyone knew that they were cyborgs.

"Now then, continuing on…" Maki-sensei continued.

* * *

><p>"Alright people, listen up!" Sekai-sensei barked to his students. Sekai-sensei was a serious looking man who was tall and intimidating in every sense of the word. He had red hair that was combed to the back and dark blue eyes behind his spectacles. He wore a neat black suit and loafers. This was one of Youkai Academy's strictest teachers, and considering that he taught Advanced Math, it made sense. The fact of the matter was that he hated kids. Why he bothered taking the job was anyone's guess. "Today we will be talking about the properties of the 30-60-90 triangle. Now since all of you other than Korin and Kuso failed the quiz, I suggest you all pay attention this time because I am telling you my tests are only going to get harder!"<p>

All the students seethed silently. How the hell was that support to be a quiz? All they saw was numbers and letters bunched up together, and word problems that seemed like something out of the Da Vinci Code! One girl who was in the back corner of the classroom sank down her seat in embarrassment. She seemed to be of African descent; her hair was long and dark and her skin was chocolaty-brown. Her sharp eyes were emerald colored. She had a slender body frame with a little emphasis on her chest.

_'Why did he have to point me out?' _she thought to herself.

She turned to see Shogo in the seat in front of her, only to nearly gasp as she Shogo apparently writing something down on his notebook rather than paying attention to the lesson. She knew that he was going to get into trouble if he was caught.

"So, what is one possible value of x if angle C A B?" Scanning the room as the students were praying to Kami-sama for a miracle, he spotted Shogo still writing in his notebook. He grinned mentally, _'Ah, the new kid. Perfect.'_

"Kuso! Since you seemed to be too good to pay attention, why don't you tell us the answer?"

"The answer is 7," Shogo responded, not even looking up from his work.

The whole class gasped, even the girl was shocked, and Sekai-sensei went bright red with rage. How did he know that? He didn't even write the problem down! Even he couldn't do these complex problems in his head!

_'Well, let's see how smart this kid really is then! No one crosses Haji Sekai!'_

"Alright, _Shogo Kuso!"_ Sekai-sensei sneered, adding sarcasm in Shogo's name, "If CB = 6 and AD = 2/3AC, what does DE stand for?"

"DE equals 4."

"If the diagonal of a square is 6, find the length of each of its sides!"

"Each side of the square has a measure of 6."

"Well since you're so smart, perhaps you would like to teach the class!"

"I'd rather not replace an inept teacher whose only purpose in life is to make others feel worthless."

Sekai-sensei turned an even brighter red as he turned to the chalkboard, "Moving on!"

Korin looked at Shogo, impressed, and the others stared at the new boy in adoration. Just who was he? Where did he come from? He'd just come out of nowhere and was able to answer Sekai-sensei's questions without missing a beat. He didn't even need to do any calculations and just answered as soon as he was questioned.

Shogo, as a cyborg, had his whole body modified, which also included his brain. Like Shinichi and the other cyborgs, his brain worked just like a computer and able to calculate complex mathematical problems with ease. The cybernetics in his brain may not be as sophisticated compared to the one in Shinichi's brain but they were still advanced.

* * *

><p>It wasn't long before the day slowly drew to a close. Those who were assigned to their clubs went to their meetings, while those still new were still milling about. And for most of those milling about, well...<p>

"Please except this token of my love!"

"Kiko-sama! I managed to get the tickets to the concert you wanted!"

"Oh please! Take my heart!"

Several love-struck boys surrounded a tall blonde girl with various gifts and flowers. The girl, though looking rather pleased, gave a haughty sigh as she flipped her hair. "I'm sorry, boys, but I just remembered that I have an engagement with some friends of mine. Maybe next time," she dismissed as she walked past the heartbroken boys as she gave a backhanded wave. "See you."

"KIKO-SAMA~!" the boys wailed as tears came down their faces.

Kiko Kirishima was one of the most beautiful students in Youkai Academy, and also the wealthiest. She had lovely blonde hair with bouncy drill curls on both sides. Her hair reached her shoulders and had a white bow on it. Her face was covered in a small but fair amount of make-up, her eyes were deep green and her lips where full and pink. Rather than the standard uniform, she was wearing a silky white blouse with a matching skirt, and the blouse was kept protected by a red ribbon, leaving her cleavage up to imagination. Her long, shapely legs were covered in black pantyhose and her feet had on white heels with a buckle strap in each.

She was now in her second year, so she was very much used to the attention she got from the boys. After all, she was once the number one diva of Youkai Academy before she lost that title to one Moka Akashiya. Still, there were plenty of boys who were willing to do anything to go out with her, so it was no skin off her teeth.

Walking through the hallway, she decided to find what other boys she could string along. The day was still going after all. As she was walking by, she saw something. It was a bright flash of light that came from the computer lab. She blinked, knowing that there shouldn't be any classes going on at the moment. Becoming curious, she stepped towards the lab and opened the door a crack.

Inside was a boy with black chin-length hair with goggles over his eyes typing on one of three laptops that were in front of him, all of them that seemed to be showing some flashy screensaver of a tunnel path. He was apparently oblivious to the girl watching from the doorway.

_'I don't remember seeing him from anywhere,'_ Kiko thought to herself,_ 'He must be a freshman. He'll be fun to play with.'_ She knocked on the door, catching the boy's attention. "Hello," Kiko waved daintily, "I happened to see what you were doing so I decided to take a peek. I hope you won't mind."

The boy removed his goggles, showing his bright red eyes, "That's fine. I don't mind the company. By the way, I'm Netto Kusanagi, first year student."

"Kiko Kirishima, second year," she returned with a smile, walking forward before closing the door behind her.

"So you're my sempai," he stated.

"Yes, that's right," Kiko nodded as she stopped in front of him. Smiling, she took his face into her hand and caressed her thumb against his cheek. "You're pretty cute."

Netto blushed hard as he tried to turn away. It didn't really help that such an attractive girl was saying that.

"Can I ask what you are doing, boya?" she asked him.

"W-well," he began shakily, turning to the screens, "It's a little something that I've been working on. It allows me to convert anything physical into digital code."

"Oh my," Kiko blinked, "Sounds complicated."

"It's not so bad," Netto reasoned as he typed on the keyboard, "Though my mom was the one who started it. I want to see if I can do the same. I managed to get this far with her notes, but I still have a ways to go."

"Well, computers aren't my cup of tea, but can I watch?" Kiko asked, interested.

Netto nodded, "Sure, grab a seat and some goggles."

Kiko smiled and took another pair of goggles that were next to the computers and sat down next to Netto. She placed the goggles over her eyes and gasped at what she saw. "Wow..." all around the room there were streaks of lights and patterns dancing everywhere.

"Cool huh?" Netto smiled, placing his own goggles on. "The lenses of these goggles are made of special properties that allow people to see the electromagnetic waves around us. I made them myself."

"That's clever," Kiko smiled, leaning over to him and playing with the collar of his shirt. "So, care to show me what's what?"

Netto blushed harder and felt his back neck hair stand up. It wasn't just because of Kiko's touch, which felt nice by the way, "Well..."

* * *

><p>After spending sometime with Netto, she found him to be very interesting. He was a unique one. Many of the boys would stare at her chest and not her eyes but his gaze never wavered from her face as they had a conversation.<p>

Of course, just because he respected her figure did not mean that he found her unattractive. All she had to do was the very something she did with all unwary boys- seduce them. It was so cute to watch him stumble incoherently as she used her charms on him. He was one of those guys that wasn't used to alluring women like her. It was easy. A few gentle strokes here and there and he was putty in her hands.

She also found him to be very intelligent. The tunnel screensaver she saw on his laptop? It wasn't a screensaver, but one of many gateways to cyberspace. At first, she didn't really believe it, but he demonstrated by using his digitizer-thing on an apple. The thing in question looked like a webcam of some kind. It shot a beam at the apple, and it vanished into a green wireframe. Next thing she knew, that same apple was flying through the tunnel. It was impressive.

She decided to call it a day and went back to her dorm, but not before teasing Netto once more for giggles by giving him a light kiss on the cheek. His reaction was so funny! Getting to the dorm that was on the other side of campus, she reached another door that was on the corner. She slid the door opened, stepped inside, and closed it. The door was actually an elevator, and it went up the building to the top floor, which was her penthouse dorm.

The elevator stopped and opened up. Kiko walked into the extravagant living quarters were she was greeted by a tall man in a suit with a long sliver ponytail, "Okeari nasai, Ojou-sama," he bowed.

"Thank you, Sebastian," Kiko nodded, "Call me when dinner is ready."

"Of course, milady," Sebastian nodded as Kiko went to her room.

Kiko arrived to her room, which was large and filled with a dresser, several couches, and a large king-sized bed in the middle with drapes hovering over it. The sheets were in a royal purple and the pillows bright pink. They seemed to be as soft as clouds. She sighed as she fell onto her bed. She smiled to herself, thinking about the new boy she met, "Netto Kusanagi," she muttered, "You're very interesting. I look forward to our next meeting…"

* * *

><p>Netto sighed as he walked out of the main building to his dorm, sighing as he went he went. Going through the forest, he ran into Yuki. "Oh, hey Yuki-chan," he greeted to her.<p>

"Hey, yourself," Yuki returned. She noticed the expression on his face, "You look funny. Did something happen?"

"Well, by something happening you mean a senior girl hitting on me, then yeah," Netto commented as the walked through the forest together.

"Oh really?" Yuki remarked, smiling, "What's she like?"

"Tall, pretty, and smells nice too," Netto listed. "She said her name is Kiko Kirishima."

"Kiko Kirishima?" Yuki repeated, suddenly frowning, "I've heard of her."

"You have?" Netto asked, looking at her.

"I heard it from several of the other girls," Yuki nodded, "She's a flirt and a man-eater who has many boys waiting on her hand and foot. Before Moka arrived, she was ranked as the number one beauty on campus, and soaked up the attention like a sponge. She is also incredibly wealthy, and likes to show off. "

"So, she's your typical rich bitch?" Netto frowned.

"Yes," Yuki nodded. "It would be best if you be careful with that girl. She might try to pull you into her web as well..."

"Alright," Netto nodded. As the pair walked deeper into the forest, neither of them knew they were being watched. Then again, how would they know if their stalker was invisible?

_"This is gonna be so much fun! Hyeee hee hee heeee!"_

* * *

><p>The very next day, Shinichi and Daichi were walking to school together. "I still can't believe you got yourselves girlfriends," Daichi remarked.<p>

"What's not to believe?" Shinichi asked.

"Sorry, kept thinking of you as _him_," he apologized, "_He_ wouldn't be able to get a girlfriend, not with _his_ personality." Daichi regarded Shinichi as a separate individual, and not #13.

Shinichi, however, saw this as Daichi avoiding the issue about #13, Shinichi's former self, but let it slide since it wasn't causing him any problems. He actually liked it when they were on good terms. Sure, Daichi was an asshole sometimes, but he had his reasons. Getting screwed over by your own older sister could make anybody an asshole.

"So, how do you like school so far?" Shinichi asked.

"It's fine, but they really should update the menu for the school cafeteria," he complained, "I'm a vegetarian for crying out loud!"

A loud cheer was heard, "KAMEN RIDER-SAMA!"

"Oh god…" Shinichi groaned, palming his face.

Standing in front of the gate was the Kamen Rider Fanclub, led by the former members of the 'Love-Love Alliance' who'd tried to drive Shinichi away from the girls they admired, but after he'd saved them the trio had become his fans. After Shinichi had defeated Kuyou, the club had grown with more members. They all sported T-shirts and coats, decorated with Showa's face. They even had flags and fans with his image on them.

"The hell?" Daichi gaped.

"My fanclub," Shinichi murmured, "I told you about them, remember?"

"I didn't think you were serious! I thought you were kidding!" Daichi exclaimed.

"Daichi, you're going to need to learn that if something weird is going on in this school, it's likely to be true." He took Daichi by the arm and ran the opposite direction.

"COME BACK, KAMEN RIDER-SAMA!"

* * *

><p>Shinichi and Daichi entered the school building after dodging the Kamen Rider Fanclub. As they were headed to their classroom, someone approached them.<p>

"Oh, Sanban-kun!" greeted Ririko-sensei.

"Ah, Ririko-sensei. It's 'Banabara' now," Shinichi reminded.

"Oh, I forgot," Ririko-sensei apologized, "My mistake. Anyway, I hope you score well on my tests like last term."

"I won't let you down," smiled Shinichi. Daichi shivered when the teacher looked at him with a smile.

"You're new, aren't you?" she asked.

"Yeah," Daichi answered nervously.

"Well, if you need extra instruction, let me know," she offered.

"N-no thanks, I don't see myself asking for help anytime soon," Daichi said. The back of his hair was standing on ends. He did not know why.

"Hmm, pity. Well, the offer still stands," Ririko-sensei said as she walked away.

Daichi managed to calm down once Ririko-sensei was out of sight. "So that was the hot math teacher you told us about?" Daichi inquired.

"Yeah, Ririko-sensei," Shinichi answered. "I was also meaning to tell you this. She's a lamia."

"Lamia...?" Daichi began to pale, "As in... snake woman?"

"Yeah, she's passionate about her job, but she's also strange. Since I always get straight A's in her class, I've never stepped in to her room for tutoring sessions. But I heard that her tutoring involves her going all dominatrix on the boys as if they were her slaves, and sticking girls into maid outfits to make them serve tea and stuff. During the first term, she nearly turned everyone into mindless math zombies in order to force them to study. I busted her for it, so it's unlikely she'll try it again," Shinichi elaborated.

"Is that right?" Daichi nodded. "Alright, excuse me for a moment." And a second later, Daichi ran away while screaming his head off, leaving a trail of dust behind him.

"And he calls Yokoshima pathetic," Shinichi said, slightly bummed for being abandoned like that.

* * *

><p>Later on in the day, several of the first years and second years were having a joint gym class. It was still short one teacher, but there was a teacher substituting for the class to monitor the students. She was female, with her brown hair up in a ponytail, and dressed in a pink and white sweat suit.<p>

"Alright, you two, get going!" she barked before blowing on her whistle.

"This is stupid..." Daichi grumbled as he was climbing a rope.

"I'll admit, compared to the training courses in GIN-SHOCKER this is painfully to easy," Shogo said on a different rope.

"Aw quit your complaining," Shinichi called over from the floor as he was waiting for his turn, "It's not that bad. Besides it nice to do normal things for a change..." He paused, "…and now I just realize how weird that sounded in a school of monsters."

"Who cares? This is a joint gym class! And better yet, a joint gym class with bloomers! I didn't even know that schools still supported those!" Yokoshima said as he watched the girls nearby. He was grinning and steam blew out of his nose.

He was right about that. All of the girls were in bloomers and each one clinging to their bodies as they stretched and twisted. Almost everyone male in the gym was staring with love struck eyes, drooling as they did. It was like the only ones who were unaffected were Shinichi, Leon, Netto, and the former NUMBERS.

"Just don't watch. Girls can be lethal, especially the monster verity," Shinichi advised.

"Except for you," Netto stated next to him, "You have an open invitation."

"Shinichi!" Kurumu waved, "Watch me!" She ran towards the wooden horse and jumped, putting her hands on top of the apparatus as he legs spread so she could leap over it and land on the other side of the mat. She waved at him and he waved back.

**"Looks like someone's enjoying the attention on her,"** Chiaki signed, looking at the succubus show off.

"She isn't the only one," Leon said, looking at several other boys crowding around a corner.

In the middle of the gaping boys was none other than Kiko herself, dressed up in her own bloomers and waiting for her turn on the wooden horse. She didn't mind at all that the boys were ogling her.

"Who's she?" Shinichi asked.

"Kiko Kirishima, second year student," Leon answered. "Her popularity rivals Moka's. Though unlike Moka, she doesn't mind the attention."

Netto shuddered slightly as he saw Kiko. He still remembered yesterday when Kiko met him in the computer lab. The girl was an absolute flirt and seemed to enjoy making him blush, almost like Qiao did. He still did remember Yuki's warning about her though. He may be unsure around beautiful women like Yuji, but he knew well enough when someone wanted to use him like a tool.

"Man, I am so jealous of you," Yokoshima nudged Shinichi, "Seriously, how do you do it? You got like three hot girlfriends."

"You're forgetting Yukari-chan," Netto said, though he already knew why the little witch was not included.

"She's just a kid!" Yokoshima dismissed quickly.

Shogo and Daichi climbed back down so Shinichi and Yokoshima could have their turn.

Meanwhile, some of the girls were admiring Shinichi. They all knew him by reputation. He was the man who'd defeated Kuyou and forced the previous Student Police to be disbanded. In fact, Shinichi managed to find several love letters in his shoe locker from secret admirers. He appreciated their admiration, and was flattered, but nothing beyond that. He was just glad that he could protect the students and his friends.

* * *

><p>When the gym session was over, the boys and girls retreated back into their lockers to refresh themselves. Kiko had just finished showering and was in her white blouse and skirt again. It was always nice to get the attention of adoring fans, but as nice as it was, it also wasn't very honest. The boys only did things for her simply because she was beautiful, not because they personally knew her, which they didn't. It reminded her of the many suitors she had to deal with back home.<p>

Netto was different though. He didn't look at her as sex on legs like the other boys did. He saw her as an actual person. That was something that made her feel really good about herself.

"Maybe I should go see him again," Kiko smiled to herself. "I wonder what he's up to." She was about to cross to a corner when she noticed something going on. There were several girls huddling up against a wall, where one girl was cowering in fear.

"Oh look... its Maaka-chan," one of the girls sneered.

"What an eyesore," another stated.

"How a creature like her can be a vampire, especially with a defect like nosebleeds is beyond me."

Before any of the girls could continue with the torment, Kiko instantly cut between them and the girl. "That's enough! Knock it off!" she glared.

"Ah!" the lead girl gasped, "K-Kiko-sama!"

"We're sorry! We didn't know you were familiar with her!" the other girl stammered. "We won't do it again! Promise!"

"Gomenasai!" the girls bowed before they all ran off.

Seeing the girls gone, she turned around to face the shivering young girl. "Are you alright?" she asked sweetly. The girl in question was of average height. She had short purple hair and golden yellow eyes. Her bust was noticeably larger than hers too.

"Y... yeah," the girl spoke shyly. A pair of fangs could be seen in her mouth as she spoke, "Thanks."

"What's your name?" Kiko asked.

"K...Karin. Karin Maaka," she stammered.

* * *

><p>The two girls had gone to a bench outside of the school, since neither of them had classes at the time. Karin had bought herself a pack of tomato juice to calm herself after the ordeal with the girls who were pushing her around.<p>

"So why were those girls harassing you, Karin?" Kiko asked.

"It's because of my nosebleeds," Karin answered, blushing slightly, "I have a condition that makes me gush out blood from my nose almost all the time."

Kiko paled slightly. This girl must have a serious condition, "Is there any reason why?"

"It's because I'm different from other vampires," Karin sighed, "While most vampires can drain blood from their victims, I always have to give it in order to keep my blood in check. That and I always have these fainting spells. I'm an anti-vampire."

"But... you're still a vampire, right?" Kiko asked.

"It doesn't matter," Karin said glumly, "Not just the other Youkai, but other vampires make fun of me too! Even my older brother calls me worthless! I lack all the strengths and weakness of my kind! I can't even turn into a rat, and that ability is looked down upon! I'm a complete failure as a vampire!"

Kiko flicked her finger at Karin's forehead, causing her to yelp at the sting, "You're not worthless. No one is. You shouldn't let people make fun of you like that. Just because you always have to give blood instead of taking it doesn't make you a failure at all. I think it makes you unique."

"Really?" Karin snuffled, wiping the tears from her eyes.

Kiko took Karin's hand and stood up with her. "Let's take a little walk, you and me," she smiled. "Don't worry, I won't let anyone push you around."

Karin nodded.

* * *

><p>It was currently lunch time, so Netto and Leon were the last ones to leave the boys' looker room. Everyone else is waiting for them at the cafeteria. "I've noticed something odd about you," Leon began.<p>

"Yeah?" Netto responded, looking at him, "What of it?"

"You were turning red when you saw Kirishima," Leon answered, "You know her or something?"

"Don't get the wrong idea," Netto retorted, turning red, "She met me the computer lab yesterday and I showed her my tech. She was also flirting with me, brushing my hair, and she even kissed me on the cheek before leaving. She sorta reminded me of Qiao-chan."

"She's known for making many boys weak-kneed," Leon told him, "With the way I've seen Qiao act when she's with you, I'm not surprised that you are being affected by her charms as well."

"Yuki-chan warned me about that," Netto nodded. "Still, when I was showing her my projects, she was actually interested. I don't know... maybe..." His cheeks went brighter as he scratched the back of his head.

"You know, I never asked about you and Qiao before," Leon spoke almost hesitantly. "You two seem to know each other very well, almost more so than Aphrodite and I."

"Heh, we seem to be getting that a lot, haven't we?" Netto smiled slightly, "It's because Qiao-chan and I knew each other since we were four. We had play dates together. As we got older... well, our relationship developed and got deeper. Qiao-chan really enjoys having her fun with me, and I kinda like it when she gets dominant."

"So you're saying that you allow her to take charge of intimacy," Leon summarized.

Netto blushed deeper. Anymore and the blood would be running out of his nose, "That's a blunt way of saying it, but yeah."

Leon gave a short, dry laugh, "That's pretty chivalrous of you."

"Hey, Qiao-chan is a pervert, but she's MY pervert," Netto proclaimed. "That, and she's the very first real friend I ever made. But enough of that, how's the new Student Police thing coming?"

"Very slowly I'm afraid," Leon said, sighing, "I still have yet to set up a suitable team. I've only managed to interview three students so far, and they were all sympathizers of the former generation. I had to let them go."

"That bad huh," Netto replied. "Don't worry, it's just the start of the term, right? You'll get people, I'm sure of it."

"Thank you for your reassurance, Netto," Leon nodded. Suddenly, he and Netto stiffened and halted.

"Did you feel that?" the non-GS-cyborg frowned.

"Yes," the Shiningami frowned, "A malevolent presence."

At that very moment, three blots of light flew over their heads and exploded in flashes. The students that were nearby gasped in shock at what just happened and screamed as they ran for cover. The only ones undaunted were Netto and Leon.

"It came from one of the trees!" Leon shouted, turning around.

"Let's get moving!" Netto nodded.

The pair raced off into the woods to where the blasts came from. As they raced deeper, they could hear a sickening laughter that seemed to go off in all directions. They could also here some noises that sounded like someone jumping off the tree branches, some of the branches even breaking apart. Leaves were also shaking as if something was passing through them. Soon, the two youngsters found themselves back to back, surrounded by trees.

"Youkai?" Leon wondered softly.

"No," Netto frowned, his eyes darting back and forth, "This presence... feels mechanical..."

"_Nya ha ha hah_!" the voice cackled, "_Right on the money, pal!_"

Before them, the air seemed to wrap around, and once the distortion died down, something appeared to be hanging from one of the trees. It resembled a green chameleon, for better lack of words. It appeared to be in a black body suit with reinforced armor that had spikes on the spine. It had a small silver horn on the nose, a white belly, gauntlets with two large flappers, and green boots with yellow kneepads. It also had a red cybernetic left eye and its long red tongue flicked at them. The long green tail sported a club at the end that had three spikes on it and a red power gem in the center.

What really got their attention was that there was a very familiar insignia on its forehead.

"GIN-SHOCKER," Leon growled, his eyes flashing angrily, "Even in the barrier of Youkai Academy you still find ways to irritate us."

"Very perceptive!" the chameleon laughed wickedly, dropping down from the tree, "I'm called Sting Chameleon, and you two have gotten in our hairs long enough! The Great Leader's got warrants on your heads, see? So I'm here to rub you out!"

"So you're an assassin?" Netto asked. "Sorry, but we're not about take any of your abuse anymore!"

"Oh? So it's you, huh?" Sting Chameleon chuckled, "I heard about you from Gebok. He said that there was something weird about you. He said that you aren't like other cyborgs. There's something about your body that he finds interesting."

"What do you mean?" Netto demanded.

"The hell should I know?" Sting Chameleon shrugged, "While I was given orders to knock off moonlight eyes over there, I was told to bring you to headquarters. Dead or alive, obviously."

Netto's eyebrows furrowed. How would Gebok know anything about him in particular? That would be impossible unless...

_'He watched my fight with Bomber through the visor of his helmet!'_ Netto realized. That could the only reason why Gebok even knew about him. Who's to say that he hadn't done the same with everyone else? By now, he must have known about all of them.

**Music- "Fight!" by Nigel Godrich**

"So let's get down to the chase, worms!" Sting Chameleon laughed as his arms twisted into lethal cannons. "Get ready to bite it!" He leapt at the both of them with a barrage of plasma shots. The shots pelted along the ground as they flew at the boys. Leon blurred around the blasts while Netto jumped into the air and landed on the side of a tree. Sting Chameleon jumped after Netto and swung his tail at him. Thanks to Accelerated Vision, Netto saw this coming and dropped down below as the tail tore through the tree bark, leaving a deep gash. He kicked of the tree and landed to his side, landing in front of Leon.

Grinning, he rushed in, only for the younger Kamen Rider to back kick him in the face. Sting Chameleon was sent flying a few meters back before landing right on his legs. Netto reacted quickly and sent a fist at the side of Sting Chameleon's face, nearly knocking him off his feet again as he was sent backwards and into several trees, knocking them right off the roots and causing them to fall with a crash. Growling, Sting Chameleon got up, charged and attacked with a flurry of low and swift kicks and swings from his tail. Netto dodged and blocked each attack that went at him before sending several of his kicks and punches in retaliation. His training with his mother's Section 9 Unit, as well as Chinese Kenpo training from Qiao's mother made him just as much of a formidable fighter as Shinichi, Yuji, and Leon, and just as dangerous as well. The pair continued to match each other blow for blow before Netto rolled under another tail swing and blocked a kick with his arms, making him stagger backwards slightly.

Leon soon joined the fray running in at top speed before executing a flying kick, to which Sting Chameleon managed to evade in time by ducking. Sting Chameleon stared at the both of them, as they stood side-by-side in their own individual stances. Then he taunted them to make their move. The two boys ran forward and began to double-team him with a chain of hand-to-hand attacks, to which Sting Chameleon proved to be capable of handling, fighting back with his hands, feet, and tail. Blows and breaks that erupted from the fight disturbed the haunted forest. Jumping over the tail, Netto spun sideways in the air and slammed his heel against Sting Chameleon's skull with a metallic clank. He stumbled from the blow, allowing Leon to send a snap kick, and then a roundhouse kick to add in the pain making Sting Chameleon spin in the air before landing on his stomach. The unarmored Kamen Riders rushed in to continue the assault, but Sting Chameleon grinned as he saw them coming. He attacked Leon, whom was faster with the approach, with one punch to stun him and another send him back flying. And with Netto, he lunged with a kick to the chest, and then kicked off him to send him into another tree, making it break from the impact.

* * *

><p>"What was that?" Karin gasped as she heard the sounds of battle. She and Kiko were walking in the woods when the sudden sounds erupted.<p>

"I don't know," Kiko frowned as she looked to the direction, "But it sounds like trouble. Let's go!" She pulled Karin's arm and ran forward.

"Ah, chotto!" Karin pleaded as she was unwillingly pulled along.

* * *

><p>"Netto! Let's transform!" Leon shouted as he skidded along the ground and revealed his Mobirider and Rider Key.<p>

"Roger!" Netto rolled to his feet and nodded as his Cyber Core materialized around his waist, "Time to de-rez this asshole!"

"Going full throttle, eh worms?" Sting Chameleon chortled, "This should be fun!"

"Rider Key, set!" Leon called, putting the key into the keyhole. He then called out, "Rider Change!" He twisted the key and thrust the Mobirider forward.

Netto swung his arms around, afterimages following them, before shouting out, "Henshin!" and reached his arm out at the sky.

**"KAMEN RIDER NECROS!"**

**"DIGITIZING."**

The two Riders' armored formed, encasing their bodies, providing them with extra protection and power to go up against their foe. Like the former NUMBERS, GIN-SHOCKER now had a price put on their heads. They were the organization's most wanted and they wanted the Riders taken out as they had planned a long time ago.

Mega summoned his Photon Debugger and ran forward to meet Sting Chameleon head on. The chameleon laughed as he jumped and swung his tail around, and volleys of plasma bullets firing from the spikes of the club. Mega quickly used his sword to deflect the shots that came at him. Reaching his target, he swung his sword for an overhead strike. Sting Chameleon reacted quickly by wrapping his tongue around the wrist, but Mega retaliated by drill kicking the stomach area, forcing Sting Chameleon back.

"Oooh, not bad!" Sting Chameleon cackled as he rubbed the damaged spot. "You'll have to do more than tickle me, though!" Without warning, he opened his mouth and launched his lightning-fast tongue straight at Mega.

"Oh no you don't!" Necros shouted as he kicked the tongue away. Sting Chameleon immediately retracted the tongue back into his mouth.

"Nya na nya na nya naa~! Come on, mutt face!" Sting Chameleon taunted.

Necros dashed towards Sting Chameleon. He swung his sword to slash him in two only for his blade to hit nothing as his opponent vanished out of sight. The tree was cut though as its top half fell but other than that no lethal damage had been dealt.

"_Kamen Rider Necros, I was warned about you too. A Shinigami and a Rider with the ability to switch Rider Forms like BLACK 13. My boss said to watch out for you_," Sting Chameleon's voice spoke.

"Keep talking," Necros murmured as he tried to pinpoint his enemy's location. Suddenly, he was bashed in the head and sent crashing into the trees.

"Necros!" Mega shouted. And then he was hit on the chest and sent skidding on the ground.

"_M'heee!_" Sting Chameleon's voice echoed, "_Is this what I was warned against? Are you two really the real deal? Y'all may be tough, but you're nothing if you can't hit what you can't see!_"

"Crap," Mega cursed. Suddenly, a loud noise was heard. Without thinking, Mega rolled to the side and escaped the plasma shots that the struck his former position. He ran to the staggering Necros and skidded to his side.

"You feeling alright?" the Cybernetic Rider asked the Mystical Rider.

"I'll live," Necros nodded.

"Hey, you wouldn't happen to have a Rider in your arsenal that can see invisible enemies, do you?" Mega asked hopefully.

"Kamen Rider G4 as the ability to predict his opponent's movements," Necros answered. "But I'm not sure what good it will do against an invisible opponent."

"That's great," Mega said sarcastically. Then something dawned on to him, "Wait... I think I have an idea..." He walked past Necros and looked forward. The visor of his helmet began to slowly glow brighter.

"What are you doing?" Necros asked.

"Maximizing my Accelerated Vision," Mega answered. "I might not be able to see him, but I should be able to pinpoint his next attack. I just need to focus."

Necros stayed silent as Mega continued to search for the aggressor. His glowing yellow visors stared down at the surrounding area of the woods, looking for the any movement. He needed to find him quickly...

A little more...

No movement.

A little more...

The area was still passive.

A little more...

A transparent image of Sting Chameleon appeared, about to swing his clubbed tail.

GOTCHA!

Mega instantly ducked and swung the Photon Debugger in a forward slash. There was the sound of metal grinding each other, accompanied with sparks and a shout. The air warped again, and Sting Chameleon appeared while backing up, holding his chest.

"Gah... pretty good," Sting Chameleon glared.

"You don't know how good," Mega glared as he put his sword into a reversed grip. Necros followed suit and put up his Ankh Sword.

**End Music**

"What's going on here?-!"

The feminine outcry caught both Riders off guard, making them turn to where the side and witness who had been standing there. To their shock, two girls, one blond and another with purple hair stood meters away from the fight. The blond was gaping in shock, while the one with purple hair stared wide- eyed.

"Kamen Riders!" she exclaimed.

"Kiko-sempai!" Mega gasped.

"What?" Kiko blinked before turning to Mega, "Do I know you?"

"Ha ha!" Sting Chameleon laughed. "Looks like we've got ourselves a captive audience! And I do mean captive!" He jumped over Mega in a leapfrog style and lunged at the girls, throwing some kind of tool at them.

"Out of the way!" Kiko barked, pushing Karin away from the projectile. Kiko wasn't as lucky as the devise, which turned out to be handcuffs slapped against her wrists, locking them together. The tall woman felt herself going numb as she slowly sank to her knees.

"Wh... what's going on...?" Kiko muttered weakly. "My... my Youki..."

"Is down the drain!" Sting Chameleon laughed as he stretched out his tail. Kiko couldn't do anything as she was collected in his tail and lifted to into the air, causing her to scream.

"Put her down!" Mega yelled.

"Just make me!" Sting Chameleon snapped as he hopped into the trees and vanished with his screaming hostage.

"Damn him!" Mega snarled, clenching his fists. He turned to the girl that Kiko pushed aside from the danger, who was already being tended to by Leon, who had gotten out of his suit.

"Are you hurt?" Leon asked softly.

"I'm fine," Karin nodded, flushing slightly. "But what about Kiko-sempai? That... that... thing made off with her!"

"Don't worry, I'll go after Sting Chameleon," Mega answered, nodding, "Leon, can you get her to safety and bring some help over?"

"Consider it done," Leon replied, helping Karin onto his back. "As for you, hang on." Without another word, both Leon and Karin vanished in a blur, leaving Mega to jump through the trees after Sting Chameleon.

* * *

><p>Shinichi was sitting at the cafeteria table with the rest of his friends. As usual, the girls were fighting over Shinichi like for the millionth time. It was definitely a running gag that made the cyborgs stare.<p>

**"Shinichi is really popular with those girls," **Chiaki signed.

"I hear you. No way BLACK 13 could bag them like that. He had the personality of a rock," Daichi stated.

"Yeah. Almost reminds me how Misato tried to seduce BLACK 13 back in the day," Shogo said.

"Man, this is like a story from one of Shiori's famous novels that involves a harem. Wonder if Shinichi actually managed to bed any of them?" Yokoshima inquired.

"Smut reader," Daichi snorted.

"Hey, they are ingenious works of art!" Yokoshima defended.

"No, I don't think he's bed any of the girls yet," Shogo guessed.

**"I agree with Shogo,"** Chiaki signed too.

"Seriously, guys? You guys are going along with Yokoshima's question?" Daichi asked. Then he noticed Qiao and Aphrodite walking up to the table with expressions of worry. "What is it?

"Hey, have you seen Airen?" Qiao asked.

"And Leon? We haven't seen them," Aphrodite added.

Shinichi's harem stopped their argument once they heard the questions. "Sorry, girls," Shinichi began, "But I didn't..."

"What could they be doing at a time like this?" Aphrodite frowned, crossing her arms.

"Yeah, Airen wouldn't just be a no-show," Qiao nodded.

Before anything else could be said, Leon entered the cafeteria and saw Shinichi. Without another word, he grabbed him by the arm and pulled him from the girls.

"Whoa! What the-?" Shinichi protested.

"No time to talk!" Leon said hurriedly, "GIN-SHOCKER is back!"

"Wait, GIN-SHOCKER?" Shinichi gasped as he was dragged out of the cafeteria.

"Leon! Wait!" Aphrodite called as she and Qiao followed.

"GIN-SHOCKER?" Moka gasped. "Did Leon just say GIN-SHOCKER is back?" It seemed that those people would never leave them alone.

"We'd better follow," Kurumu said. "Who knows what those psychos are up to this time."

"Yes," Mizore nodded.

"Ikuyo!" Yukari said.

"Don't leave us behind," Daichi smirked.

"What he said," Yokoshima added.

* * *

><p>Sting Chameleon cackled wickedly as hopped around the campus, frightening the students that were passing by as he did. He always did love to get a good scare out of people, so that was a bonus. Currently wrapped around his tail was his cargo, and she was turning green from the rush. Maybe once he did in the traitors and caught his pray, he could take the girl as a plus! Then the executives would reward him big time!<p>

"Sting Chameleon!" the Beastriod turned around to the voice. There he saw the little blue bug chasing after him on foot. "Release her! I'm warning you!"

Sting Chameleon's mouth curled into a poisonous smile. "Warning, shmarning!" he sneered before sending his iron tongue at him. Mega jumped into the air just before the tongue hit the pavement. Another tongue lashing and Mega flipped to the side. Mega landed on the ground in a crouch before he continued his chase. The two began to hop their way up the branches and edges of the buildings on to the rooftop. Sting Chameleon landed on the roof looked over as Mega joined him.

"It's over, Sting!" Mega shouted from his distance. "This is a dead end! There's no place to run from here!"

"You can say that again!" Sting Chameleon sniggered, jumping to the edge and hang Kiko over. "Just give up, or I believe that this pretty lady's gonna be singing 'I Believe I can Fly'! And with the Youki Suppression Cuffs on her, I very much doubt that she CAN fly!"

"You sick, twisted scumbag...!" Mega snarled.

"Thank you! I do try my best!" Sting Chameleon laughed.

"Netto!" a voice shouted from behind him. Shinichi, Leon Qiao, and Aphrodite busted through the rooftop entrance of the building and reached their fellow Rider's side.

"You guys!" Mega exclaimed.

"I wouldn't come any closer if I were in your boots," Sting Chameleon threatened, "One step, and goldilocks gets turned into street pizza!"

"Oh my!" Aphrodite gasped. It was at that moment that the others came running from the entrance. Once they noticed the situation, they gapped.

"Isn't that Kiko?" Kurumu gasped as she noticed the ill looking girl in Sting Chameleon's tail.

"She's being held hostage, desu!" Yukari realized.

"Why would you do that? It's cowardly!" Moka shouted angrily.

"And I'm proud of it!" Sting Chameleon said sharply. "I can't wait to get back to the boss with this sweet little prize!" He laughed creepily and flicked his tongue at Mega.

"Gah! And to think I didn't want to go with you before!" Mega fumed.

"G... get me... out...o-of here..." Kiko muttered weakly.

"What?" Sting Chameleon said, bringing his gauntlet to his non-visible ear, "What's that? I didn't hear that right. You want out?"

"You heard the girl!" Yokoshima shouted. "Let her go now!"

Sting Chameleon gave a look of mock surprise, "An incorrect choice of words." With a flick of his tail, Kiko was unraveled. However, she was still dangling over the edge. With nothing to support her, with cuffs still restraining her powers, she was sent falling down the building.

"KYAAAAAAAA!"

"Shit!" Shinichi cursed.

"Fuck," Leon swore.

"Oh God!" Aphrodite choked.

"Oh no!" Qiao gasped.

"Kiko-sempai!" Mega shouted as he rushed forward. Sting Chameleon quickly attempted block him by flicking his tongue at his feet. Mega quickly jumped over the attack and kicked away the clubbed tail. He jumped down the building, skydiving after Kiko.

"Time for some speed!" Mega declared. "Ryu Henshin!"

**"STORM DRAGON."**

Mega's Cyber Core glowed bright green before the light shimmered around him. The light dimmed down and he was once again in a new form. His bodysuit was now black and the armor was green in color. The Crystal Transmitters and visor were both dark green in color. His helmet took the shape of a Chinese dragon with gold whiskers, and his shoulder pads took the appearance of dragon paws with white claws.

"As Uncle Yusei would always say, let's rev it up!" Storm Dragon Mega proclaimed as he skidded his feet on the building's wall before suddenly blurring down the path in incredible speeds, kicking off the concrete and pavement as he went. As soon as he reached the target, Mega jumped and cradled her safely. He landed with a thud, kicking up the dust, causing Kiko to cough.

"You okay?" Mega asked.

"Huh?" Kiko blinked, looking up at his draconic helmet, "Wait... you're Netto?"

"I'll explain soon enough," Mega said, putting Kiko back on her feet. "But first," he reached out a gripped the Youki Suppression Cuffs. He gripped hard, making them shatter from the pressure. Kiko sighed and massaged her wrists, feeling her power returning. "Stand back," Kiko nodded and took a few steps back. Once it was cleared, Mega jumped back into the air, the wind blowing hard as he did. Kiko had to keep her skirt from blowing up. She had her decency after all.

**SEVERAL SECONDS EARLIER...**

"What the hell is wrong with that thing!-?" Kurumu spat. They had just seen Sting Chameleon drop Kiko down the edge without any signs of being provoked

"Didn't even get a chance to fight back before she was thrown off," Leon muttered.

"Yeah, what a dick," Shinichi added.

"Of course I'm a dick! It's part of the job description!" Sting Chameleon yelled.

"...Alright, so he's a sensitive dick with good hearing," Shinichi said.

"Nya ha ha hah! Well, I was planning on going after all of your anyway!" Sting Chameleon smirked. "Looks like this job won't be such a drag after all."

"Just try it, you jerk!" Yukari snapped, taking out her wand.

Before Sting Chameleon could make his move, Mega appeared up in the air before landing on the building's railing in a squat. "Guys, leave this one to me. Sting Chameleon is mine."

"G'ay ha! ha! So you're back, are ya?" Sting Chameleon sneered, eyeing Mega's new form. "I dig the color by the way. We practically look like twins now."

"You love hearing yourself talk, don't you?" Mega said, dropping down and staring at Sting Chameleon. "Enough chit-chat. You and me, right now."

"You want some? Then let's dance!" Sting Chameleon cackled darkly before firing his twin cannons at Mega. Mega blurred from the shots instantly, swerving left and right as he did. Sting Chameleon had no time to react as Mega sent pulverizing punches at the Beastroid's face. His arms were a total blur as the chameleon's head bobbed back and forth from the blows.

"Yah!" Mega shouted as he sent a finishing uppercut to send Sting Chameleon sprawling back. He rolled on his back across the roof before sliding on his stomach.

"He's fast!" Shogo gapped. "I couldn't see him!"

"It's Airen's third alternate form as Mega, Storm Dragon," Qiao answered. "It's his fastest form, matching Liger Jäger in terms of speed."

"Sugoi, desu!" Yukari beamed.

"Kick his ass!" Kurumu and Yokoshima cheered.

"Hah, so you're fast now, eh?" Sting Chameleon growled as he got up. "Looks like I'll have to do this my favorite way: DIRTY!" He jumped into the air and fired all three of his weapons all at once, creating a literal plasma rain. Mega pivoted his legs as a gust appeared out of nowhere. He jumped after Sting Chameleon and spun himself around, creating a cyclone that knocked the plasma away from him as he went. Reaching Sting Chameleon, he grabbed him by the shoulders and kneed him in the chest. Sting Chameleon hunched forward in pain from the blow, but Mega didn't stop there as he then flipped over and heel kicked his opponent to the ground. There was dust and a slight shockwave as Sting Chameleon landed. Mega landed after him and dashed forward.

"You can't keep running forever, bug boy!" Sting Chameleon shouted as he sent more green blasts from his tail.

"Think you can try and stop me? Dragon Sais!" Mega shouted as duel weapons appeared in his hands. They were two sai knives that were green in color. Each one had a thin blade that was only centimeters thick. Mega blazed through the blasts in a blink of an eye before reaching up to Sting Chameleon and...

**SLASH!**

Mega was only a green streak as he seemed to phase right through Sting Chameleon. Sting Chameleon only managed to blink for a moment before the club on his tail fell clean off, leaving a sparking gash.

"Meh?" Sting Chameleon gawked, looking at the damage done to his tail. His reaction went from surprise to rage as he stomped his feet. "My tail! My tail! You jerk!"

"That's a praise from someone like you," Mega spoke as he turned around.

"I'll show you!" Sting Chameleon snarled as he dropped on all fours and aimed his tail at him. A pistol appeared from the wound of the tail and began shooting rapid green lasers at Mega. Mega darted left and right as the shots came at him, causing explosions as they impacted the ground. Sting Chameleon may have had excellent accuracy, but Mega was moving far too fast to be hit. Darting away from another laser, he crossed his sais together and deflected another incoming laser. The result was the blast bouncing back at Sting Chameleon. However, he jumped into the air just before the laser hit. The laser continued on and hit one of the statues around the school, its destruction covering the area in smoke.

"He's good," Sting Chameleon frowned. "This'll be harder than I thought." He scanned the smokescreen area for any movement, using the lock-on setting in his cybernetic eye. Soon, he found a silhouette standing in the middle of the smokescreen.

"I see you~!" Sting Chameleon grinned in a sing-song voice. He dropped back down to the earth and sank into the smokescreen. Laughing, he instantly pounced onto his target.

At least he thought he did, before Mega suddenly phased out of existence.

"What?-!" Sting Chameleon demanded, looking around. "What happened?" Before he could think, a tornado suddenly appeared out of nowhere and blew both him and the smokescreen away. He skidded along the ground and stared as Mega walked towards him. "How did you-"

"Accelerated Decoy," Mega answered. "I can move so fast that I can literally be at two places at once. Pretty useful, don't you think?"

"Being able to catch me off guard with your speed, you sure know how to push my buttons," Sting Chameleon commented. "Looks like I'll have to deal with you some other time." He stepped backwards and prepared to disappear, only for two whips of light to suddenly wrap around him before lifting him up and slamming him onto the ground with a loud crunch.

"What the-?" Mega blinked. Looking over to the direction of the attack, he saw Kiko marching from behind the drowned crooked beast. Only now she seemed to have changed form. Her hair was blue and her ears were long and pointed. Her eyes were now yellow and her skin was in a purple shade.

"That was for the joyride, you freak!" Kiko shouted.

"Eeeeyyyaggghhhh..." Sting Chameleon glared back before the air around him started to warp. The distortion died down and he was gone.

"So he ran off," Mega sighed. "That's typical for a coward like him." Seeing that the fight was over, he tapped the core of his belt.

**"REBOOTING."**

"Are you alright, Kiko-sempai?" Netto asked once his armor disappeared.

"Still a little woozy, but I'm fine," Kiko nodded. She looked down at her true form and smiled slightly, "I suppose you can tell that I'm a Night Elf now."

"Yeah," Netto nodded, blushing slightly as he scratched his head. "And I gotta say you look pretty gorgeous in that form."

It was now Kiko's turn to blush. She'd heard such compliments before but they had been empty. His words, however, sounded sincere.

"Hey, thanks for saving me," Kiko said as she returned to her human form in a flash of light. "Where is Karin?"

"She's fine," Netto told her, "Leon took her to safety."

"That's good," Kiko smiled, "I'll have to find some way of paying you back."

"Think nothing of it," Netto smiled, "I'm a Kamen Rider, and saving lives is what I do. Now I gotta get back to my friends. See you!" He saluted and jogged to the building and leapt up into the air. Kiko watched him go, a smile on her face while unconsciously licking her lips.

She wasn't the only one with eyes set on him. Up from one of the trees, a pair of blue eyes glowed with glee.

"I've found him... I've found my prince!"

* * *

><p>The incident with Sting Chameleon came and went. The next day, because Leon and Netto were revealed to be Riders alongside Shinichi, they found piles of love letters stashed into their lockers. Also, the Kamen Rider Fanclub was also following them around for as long as they did Shinichi. That and more students were volunteering be sworn into the new Student Police. As the former BLACK 13 predicted, their popularity skyrocketed. Of course, Netto knew that it wasn't the last they'll hear from the lizard. The next time he reared his tongue, Netto would just delete him.<p>

"Man, this like the 65th love letter I got," Netto commented as he read through the letter. He, Qiao, Leon and Aphrodite were sitting under the shade of a tree.

"65th? I'm reading my 91st," Leon said to him.

"Isn't this wonderful, Leon?" Aphrodite smiled. "You have a high approval rating now!"

"I don't know about that, in all honesty," Leon replied. While he was glad that people thought more highly of him now, the kind of attention he was getting was something he could do without.

"So, which one do you like best, Airen?" Qiao grinned.

"Hm... I'm not sure," Netto said. Qiao liked to make her intentions clear.

At that moment, someone was walked towards them from the distance. "Oh good, I finally found you!"

"Kiko-sempai?" Netto blinked as he saw her.

"Aw, you don't have to be so formal with me now," Kiko pouted cutely, "Just call me Kiko-chan."

"Alright, Kiko-chan," Netto nodded. "What's up?"

"Nothing much," Kiko answered. "Oh, and I found a way to repay you for saving me yesterday."

"Really? How?" Netto asked.

**GLOMP! SQUISH!**

"MMPH!" Netto gasped as he found his face pressed into the soft prison that made up Kiko's generous chest.

"By making you my fiancé!" Kiko smiled sultry as she cuddled Netto into her chest.

"Fiancé?" Leon repeated, blinking.

"Oh my!" Aphrodite gasped at the declaration.

"You aren't like the other suitors I've had before," Kiko said as her fingers went through his hair. "You don't stare at my chest or my legs whenever you speak with me. You are also genuine and very intelligent. And the way you fought that chameleon was so graceful. I just had to take you for myself."

Netto gasped for air as managed to free his head from Kiko's chest, "But I already have a girlfriend! And she's right in front of us!"

"Oh, she is?" Kiko blinked before turning to Qiao. "There's a perfect solution for that. There aren't many men in my kind anyway so there are often harems. Perhaps we can just share him?"

"Uh oh," Netto gulped upon hearing that.

"Oh, finally! I was waiting for this moment!" Qiao squealed. She hugged both Netto and Kiko, consequently trapping the boy in a marshmallow sandwich. "We're going to have so much fun together!"

Aphrodite giggled as she watched the two girls shower the boy they like so much with love. "This is so romantic!"

Leon simply scratched his head, "Guys... I think we infected him."

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, in a conference room located in an undisclosed location, General Nagazawa and Dr. Gebok stood in front of a large monitor. General Nagazawa was a man of Korean descent, dressed in military clothing and sporting GIN-SHOCKER's insiginia as a badge. He had short, neatly combed, black hair, and a moustache and dark, piercing eyes. Dr. Gebok, as usual, was in his ensemble of a white lab coat and fedora over a white shirt, black tie, brown pants and shades over his eyes.<p>

The two were addressing a group of people in the darkened conference room, their features hidden in the shadows. The monitor displayed the pictures of the former NUMBERS who were now marked as 'renegades'.

"As you see before you, most of your predecessors have chosen to go AWOL," Nagazwa stated. He seemed to be speaking in a Texan accent despite being Asian. "They had deserted the organization which made them who they are and they should be punished. They are also allied with three other Riders and several Youkai who have decided to go against us. You all, the new generation, are tasked with their capture."

"You are the best and brightest of GIN-SHOCKER. You may not have been with us long but you have been trained to overcome your predecessors. In fact, compared to you all, they are all obsolete," Gebok continued.

The door was thrown open before Kamiyami stomped into the conference room, followed by what remained of the elite NUMBERS.

"What is the meaning of this, General!-?" Kamiyami demanded, "Why were we not summoned for this meeting!-?"

"#10, you and the others have failed us several times already and while we do not tolerate failure here, we have been more than lenient with you," Nagazwa said calmly, "However, you will no longer be assigned with the termination of your former comrades."

"But you're giving our job to a bunch of worthless rookies!-?" the Dobsonfly Cyborg snapped.

"In a matter of speaking, yes," Gebok grinned.

Kamiyami scowled and turned to regard their replacements with a sneer. "I don't care how powerful you all are! You're nothing compared to me!"

However, he suddenly felt a weight overcome him as he was forced down to his knees. The others, the NUMBERS with him, also collapsed under their own weight which had suddenly increased. Looking up, they saw what seemed to be the bulkiest of the bunch holding his hand out, with his visor glowing deep crimson.

"And yet you're on your knees, kid," the figure pointed out, his voice showing no enjoyment in what he was doing.

"Kamiyami, my dear Kamiyami, you are such a fool," Gebok sighed, shaking his head. "Realize your place. Being an lite is not something that lasts forever. You have failed and lost your honor. So now that honor will go to the new generation."

Kamiyami growled, angered by this humiliation. His pride was trampled and he struggled back up to stand as his armor appeared in the form of metal folding onto his body. He drew his swords and charged at the group but a bolt of lightning hit his chest, and sent him flying into the wall. He slumped, sliding down to the floor, as his armor disappeared in a bright flash. Todoriko, able to stand after the weight upon them vanished, shakily went to check up on their self-proclaimed leader, only to gasp in shock.

"He's dead!" Todoriko gasped.

"Oh shit!" Koichi cursed.

"Take his body back to the lab for revival procedures," ordered Nagazawa.

The NUMBERS did not argue and carried Kamiyami's body out of the conference room. Walking pass them w as a tall, tanned man with a beard. His short hair was black and his eyes were blue. He was wearing a white lab coat covering over his white shirt. He was also wearing black pants and black shoes. He cocked an eyebrow as he watched what was left of the NUMBERS run out of the room. Turning back to the room, he crossed his arms as he faced the shadowed figures.

"So, Gebok," he began, "This is your big solution?"

"What of it, Professor Kyofu?" Gebok replied.

"I'm just pointing out how amazed I am," Kyofu said, stroking his beard, "All this trouble. So much of our resources wasted. All and all of this because you couldn't keep a leash on BLACK 13."

"Is this about your rivalry with Gebok again, Dr. Kyofu?" Nagazawa asked. "I will concede that Psychic Duelists are one of the strongest to exist on Earth, but they also have many weaknesses. BLACK 13 proved to be superior in every aspect, and that was why he was chosen."

"It should have been Weapon D! Not that cybernetic contraption!" Kyofu snapped. "All of her stats, functions, and capabilities were beyond everything I ever hoped! It should have been her!" Then he calmed down, and smiled, "But that just fine. Since his escape, I was making preparations for her. Once she eliminates BLACK 13, I'll show you who deserves to be the on the top rankings."

"Oh, a race then?" Gebok grinned. "Then let's have a bet. You're Weapon D against my new Jager Unit. Should Weapon D succeed before they do, then we will talk about your promotion." He turned to the shadowed figures, "Is this fine?"

"Sure, it'll be fun," a feminine looking figure answered.

"Very well, I too accept," Kyofu grinned. "Unlike these cyborgs, I made certain that Weapon D can surpass her limits. She will crush BLACK 13."

"I will hold you to that," Gebok retorted. "However, he isn't the only target. You must also deal with the rogue NUMBERS and their allies, three Kamen Riders and several unknown Youkai. And then there's this." He took out a photo from his pocket and threw it at Kyofu. The man caught it and blinked at Gebok before looking at the picture.

"Who is this?" Kyofu questioned, looking at the picture of Netto Kusanagi.

"He is one of the Riders who oppose us," Nagazawa answered. "Gebok found him emitting a high level energy reading during #12's run. This may prove useful to us, so we must capture him dead or alive."

"Very well," Kyofu nodded, pocketing the picture. "In that case, may the best scientist win." He walked up to Gebok and the pair shook hands. Neither of them was willing to lose. This was more than a competition, this was war. _'Just you wait, Gebok. You and your creation will fall and I shall be the ultimate __scientist!'_

* * *

><p><strong>…RESTORATION AT 67%…<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER DATABASE<strong>

"Well, looks like I'm getting a harem now," Netto sighed, hands in his pockets. "It was bound to happen sooner or later, but wow. But anyway, welcome to the Kamen Rider Database of the third saga. And today, I've shown you another one of my alternate forms, Storm Dragon. Let's take a look."

Netto stepped to the side and the screen switched on to his battle with Sting Chameleon. "To be fair, the lizard was a real snake. No pun intended. As you can already guess, Storm Dragon's specialty is speed. It's sleek, light, and able to go as fast as Mark 2. It also lets me literally be at two places at once. This is called "Accelerated Decoy" and I can use it to outwit my targets. I also gain the power to control wind, and I come equipped with twin Dragon Sais, perfect for swift attacks. Since the Hissatsu Waza for this form wasn't shown in this chapter, I'll leave it out for the time being."

"We seem to be getting ourselves in a lot of trouble, huh? Now we have this Jager Unit and Weapon D to worry about. Stay tune next chapter for some more Rider Action!" Netto concluded.

* * *

><p><strong>Tailsmo4ever:<strong> Things are getting more hectic, huh? How will they handle the new foes that are coming their way? Stay tuned to find out. Btw, Karin Maaka is a title character of another anime and Sting Chameleon is from Mega Man X. You'll see more of them.


	33. New Term: The Century Kings United

**Chapter 33: The Century Kings United**

Leon looked down at the latest batch of application forms on his desk and muttered, "Now I understand why Dad hates paperwork." They had all been filled out by students who wanted to join the newly revived Student Police under Leon's leadership. Leon, as he was the new captain of the group, needed to interview potential members. It took hours, days even, and Leon often found most of them unworthy for the position due to several reasons. A number of the applicants turned out to be sympathizers for the previous group and a few of them only wanted to join so they could bully the students. Leon could sense their intentions a mile away.

Leon picked up several rejected application forms and put them to the shredder. These were the ones who'd failed the interview. There was a stack of papers which belonged to those Leon had accepted but that was just phase one. Leon was going to put the new recruits through a series of tests and chose only a handful out of the pile to become the core members.

He heard a knock at the door and answered. "Hey, Leon," Shinichi greeted.

"Oh, hello Shinichi," said Leon. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I just came by to interview you," said Shinichi.

"Oh, for the newspaper," Leon realized what Shinichi had come for. "Come in, come in."

Shinichi saw the paper shreds in the waste basket and frowned."Bad eggs?"

"Let's just say they didn't make a very good first impression," said Leon, unwilling to pursue the subject. "So, when's the new issue coming out?"

"Oh, by the start of next week, so we're going to be pretty busy this weekend just to meet the deadline," said Shinichi as he took a seat across from Leon. Shinichi had a list of questions prepared and had both a notepad and pen. He also had a tape recorder so he could transcribe Leon's words for later. "So, how does it feel to be the new head honcho?"

"It's stressful," answered Leon, pointing at the application forms. "Now I know why my dad hates paperwork."

"Your dad?" asked Shinichi. "What's he like?"

"Oh, he runs a very big company, but the thing he hates most is paperwork," said Leon, looking a bit amused but only for a second before his face reverted to a neutral expression. "He always pushes it to my uncle to do."

"You know, you never really talked about your family before," Shinichi realized.

"A lot was going on," Leon argued, "So there wasn't any time for me to sit down with you guys and talk about my home life."

"Right..." Shinichi agreed. "OK, let's start with the interview!"

* * *

><p>"Thank you, Leon. You've been a great help," said Shinichi. "I promise that this article will definitely help students realize what you're all about."<p>

"That's all I need," said Leon.

_"...You'll protect me, right Kuro-kun?"_

"Huh?" Shinichi blinked, looking behind him.

"What is it?" Leon asked.

"I thought I just heard Moka-chan for a moment," Shinichi answered, shaking his head.

"You're probably tired," Leon dismissed, "It's getting late." He looked out the window. The sun had already gone down and was replaced by the red moon.

"Yeah, you're right," replied Shinichi. "Well, anyway, see you at school tomorrow." He shook Leon's hand and left to return to his dorm.

Leon checked his watch. "Time for my meeting..."

* * *

><p>The Headmaster's office was located in another building far from the main school building. To be precise, the place was within a mansion surrounded by a metal fence topped with spikes. As for the main building it was old, almost ancient, with a dark and malevolent aura. One could not gain access without special permission. Fortunately, Leon was one of the few who possessed special permission.<p>

Men in black suits stood guard at the front of the gate as Leon approached. Noting his uniform, they opened the gate for him and allowed him entry. He acknowledged them with a nod and entered without a word. As he walked up the steps to the door, the door opened and Leon entered. He knew where he needed to go to find the Headmaster's office.

He walked up a spiral staircase until he reached the top and walked along the corridor to meet with a tall pair of doors. He knocked, rapping his knuckles against the hard wood surface once, twice then three times.

"Enter," a voice from the other side answered and the door opened, allowing Leon entry into the Headmaster's office. The man, whose face was hidden under a hood with glowing eyes and dressed like a cult priest smiled as he saw Leon. "Welcome, Leon Smith. I've been expecting you. Please, take a seat."

Leon bowed and approached the desk before taking the seat across from the Headmaster.

"Now, here is your mission."

* * *

><p>The barrier Youkai Academy was contained in was a large one, with a lot of secrets. There were areas where students were forbidden to enter, fortified with security measures to prevent them from trespassing. There was a reason for this. There was a cave, a very scary cave, but it wasn't as scary as what was inside.<p>

Headmaster, along with his comrades from centuries ago, had sealed a powerful demon within the cave and the Headmaster had been guarding it ever since to make sure the creature inside would not be set free. However, the Headmaster had been hearing disturbing news about strange activity occurring in the area. He hadn't sent his guards, though, but he considered this a good test as Leon's first mission since officially becoming the Head of the Public Safety Committee. Of course, it was hard to be a leader of anything without anyone to lead.

Leon accepted the mission nonetheless and was given a map and a charm so that he could pass through the security seal surrounding the area the cave was located in. It was somewhere deep in the forest, very deep. The security seal was an effective was as it prevented student entry by making them go in the opposite direction, like a mind control spell telling them there was nothing of interest in that area and too simply move along.

Under the cover of night, Leon left his dorm to go and investigate. He passed through the security seal and continued onwards. Using Shunpo, he arrived in the blink of an eye and stayed hidden. His dark clothing provided good camouflage in the dark and he was silent, very silent. He could even control his breathing and heart rate so that he would be undetected.

Keeping to the shadows, Leon peered over from behind a tree to see what was going on and blanched. There were men, dressed in dark uniforms which he recognized; GIN-SHOCKER soldiers. They were surrounding the cave with excavation equipment. There was also a Cyborg Mutant who was obviously the one leading the operation present. His had a orange body modeled after a bulldozer with a hook for a right hand and a spiked ball in place of its left hand. It also had a bull-like head with a construction worker's helmet on and large, bull-like horns. It even had a ring running through its nose. On the top of its helmet was GS' emblem.

"Well, it was just a matter of time until these guys showed up again," murmured Leon. GIN-SHOCKER came to Youkai Academy to capture him, Shinichi, and Netto, but these guys seemed more interested in the cave. They knew something powerful was inside and wanted it for themselves. "Guess this is why the Headmaster wants me here."

Of course, GIN-SHOCKER had probably been here for days and yet they hadn't made any progress in opening the cave. The entrance was sealed by a metal door with ancient characters written on the surface. Obviously a spell to prevent whatever it was inside from coming out, and from anything and anyone from the outside from the outside from getting in.

"Move it, you grunts!" the Bulldozer Cyborg Mutant ordered. "Get those explosives ready! We're going to blow that door open if it's the last thing we do!" They had tried to break the door open with drill and only damaged the equipment. Now they were going to blow the whole thing up. It didn't matter who heard them. Once they got what was inside they'd be unstoppable.

Leon narrowed his eyes and got ready when he heard movement behind him. Reacting quickly, he grabbed the offender, spun around and pinned them against the tree, covering their mouths only for his eyes to widen in shock. "Shinichi," he said in a hushed tone. "What are you doing here?" He removed his hand from Shinichi's mouth. "Explain yourself." His eyes narrowed in suspicion, "Have you been following me?"

"Well…no…not exactly," frowned Shinichi. "Actually, maybe, I possibly was…spying on you." He gulped as Leon glared at him. He explained, "OK, OK, Dr. Magi contacted us earlier, saying there was some strange activity going on here so I volunteered to check it out. I didn't know you'd be here. Why are you here?"

"Secret mission, from the Headmaster," Leon answered. He removed his grip on Shinichi and the Kaizo Ningen looked to see what was going on and frowned. "Your old friends are up to something."

"They aren't my friends," Shinichi denied in a low yet dangerous tone, his fists clenched and eyes narrowed. "What are they doing?" he asked as he watched explosives being stuck to the metal door.

"The Headmaster says that a powerful demon is sealed in that cave," Leon explained. He might as well since Shinichi was involved. "He asked me to make sure it doesn't break free."

"I see," Shinichi nodded, acknowledging the information. "Need help?" he offered.

"This is _my_ mission," Leon said, refusing Shinichi's offer.

"And GIN-SHOCKER's _my_ problem," Shinichi argued. "Besides, I owe you for helping us out during summer vacation even when you didn't have to. I owe you a debt."

"So, just repaying a debt then," Leon concluded. Shinichi nodded.

Shinichi's eyes glowed slightly as he activated his enhanced, telescopic vision. He scanned the explosive devices and blanched. "They're using high grade stuff just to blast open a door. What is that thing made of?"

"Reinforced metal alloy, empowered by magic," Leon answered. "The Headmaster and his friends set up hundreds of years ago."

"Well, my scan tells me that the door is really thick. Three feet in thickness," Shinichi reported. "I guess they exhausted their other equipment if they're resorting to explosives. The explosion will be big and loud."

"How big?" Leon asked.

Shinichi answered, shrugging, "It'll probably make a really big hole in the ground. Probably."

"Well, then I guess we should stop them," Leon recommended as he walked over to the GIN-SHOCKER forces. Shinichi smiled. While he was originally meant to do only recon and report back to the others, he would not miss the chance to mess with GIN-SHOCKER.

The GS-Soldiers had already finished covering the door with explosives and were ready to detonate them when Leon's voice boomed, "THIS IS LEON SMITH OF THE YOUKAI ACADEMY PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE! I ORDER YOU TO STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND SURRENDER YOURSELVES IMMEDIATELY." He wasn't even using a megaphone and was speaking through his cupped hands.

"How do you do that loud voice thing?" Shinichi asked.

"Training," was Leon's simple answer.

"It's BLACK 13, and the other one!" the Bulldozer Cyborg Mutant identified. Leon looked annoyed at being called 'the other one'.

"I have a name, which I am not going to repeat," Leon retorted. "Now, one last time, I suggest you give yourselves up."

"They won't give themselves up," Shinichi shook his head.

"Oh, I know."

"Do you really think we would surrender after coming this far?" the Bulldozer Cyborg Mutant shouted. "Never! No way! Now we can add your deaths to our report and receive praise! I'll even be promoted!"

The GS-Soldiers, brandishing firearms and machetes surrounded Leon and Shinichi who stood back to back. Both Riders rolled their eyes at the black-clad soldiers who started to cautiously advance on them.

"Rider Change!"

"Let's Ride: Showa!"

The Bulldozer Cyborg Mutant gaped as he saw the GS-Soldiers all sprawled on the ground, defeated by the two Riders in the blink of an eye. Necros shouldered his sword and turned his attention towards the Cyborg Mutant, addressing him coldly, "Now, you will stop your project or face the consequences." He emphasized this by pointing his sword at the GIN-SHOCKER agent. "Well?"

"Ne…NEVER!-!-! BULLDOZER OX NEVER SURRENDERS!" he bellowed as his horns released smoke like smokestacks and he charged at the two Riders. He was fast for his size and weight and slammed into them, sending them tumbling.

Showa groaned as he got back to his feet and summoned his Gravity Hammer. "This one's mine," said Showa. "You go and disarm the explosives. I think they're set on a timer." He ran over to Bulldozer Ox who bellowed and charged at him with his spiked ball. Their weapons crashed together, sending sparks raining down at their feet. The hard impact of both weapons was deafening, like a loud gong. The two GIN-SHOCKER creations continued to trade blows and Bulldozer Ox added his hook as well, striking Showa across the chest with enough force to rip off a shower of sparks from his chest and sending him reeling.

Meanwhile, Necros was staring at the explosives stuck to the door. The timer was counting down and he only had less than 3 minutes to disarm the whole thing. He then got an idea. He knew how he could do this and without wasting time.

"Rider Change!" he called, activating the chosen Rider Key with his Mobirider.

**"KAMEN RIDER DARK KABUTO!"**

* * *

><p>Trees fell one by one as Showa was smashed through them as he was being carried along unwillingly by Bulldozer Ox. He was then thrown through the air to crash violently to the ground. As he tried to get up he was hit in the face by the spiked ball which was connected to Bulldozer Ox's arm by a long length of chain.<p>

"Take this!" He threw his hook, which was also attached to a long chain. The chain wrapped around Showa's throat and he gripped it as it was tied tightly around his neck. He was forced back to his feet and Bulldozer Ox retracted the chain to pull Showa through the air to meet with his spiked ball.

Showa thought quickly and called, "Let's Ride: Biorider!" In a flash of blue light he changed and morphed into liquid form to free himself from Bulldozer Ox's grip. The Cyborg Mutant stared dumbly at the puddle that morphed back into Showa in Biorider's form. In his hand was the Bio Blade and his red eyes stared at the Cyborg Mutant coldly.

Showa-Biorider shot towards Bulldozer Ox who retaliated by swinging his spiked ball at him only for the attack to pass through Showa-Biorider harmlessly. In this form, Showa-Biorider was impervious to physical harm. Once he was within range he struck and sparks flew as his sword met with the thick armor of his opponent. He realized that his blade wouldn't be able to penetrate his opponent's thick hide so what he needed to do was to take out its protective shell.

"Let's Ride: ZX!" he called and he changed into the red-white Rider. He took hold of his Cross Shurikens from his elbows and stabbed them into Bulldozer Ox's chest. He kicked the Cyborg Mutant back, running backwards so that he wouldn't be caught in the upcoming explosion.

**BOOOM!-!-!**

Bulldozer Ox screamed in pain as a portion of his armor was taken out, exposing the weak flesh hidden underneath.

"This is Game Over for you now," Showa concluded as he assumed his default form. He took out his Vulcan Shooter, the barrels rotating as he pulled the trigger and fired a multitude of shots which were concentrated on the gaping hole in Bulldozer Ox's armor. Sparks exploded from the Cyborg Mutant as it was being bombarded repeatedly by the shots. Showa stopped and twirled his gun around before putting it away.

Bulldozer Ox struggled to remain standing and then attacked, punching with its spiked ball but Showa caught it in his hand.

"Let's Ride: Stronger," called Showa as he assumed the form of the Kamen Rider Stronger. He buried his other hand into the hole in Bulldozer Ox's chest and called out, "Electro Fire." The Kaijin was zapped by a lightning bolt's worth of electricity and screamed as it was being electrocuted before Showa-Stronger removed his hand and shoved it backwards.

Showa resumed his default form and pulled his fist back, fist clenched tightly before throwing it with all his power at his target, calling out loud, "RIDER…PUNCH!"

The punch caved in the Cyborg Mutant's skull and caused it to explode. Showa walked out of the flames unharmed, but with scorch marks on his armor. He dusted them off and then went to return to assist Necros if he was having any problems. Another explosion was heard and the ground shook. The Rider nearly lost his balance but regained his footing.

"Leon," he uttered and ran to find his fellow Rider.

* * *

><p>"Ow…" It was a good thing he had his armor on or that blast would've really hurt. He'd been trying to disarm the explosives but when he thought he'd been successful and deactivated Clock Up, the bombs exploded right in his face, sending him flying and hitting the tree with enough force to uproot it. Looking back at the cave, he saw that the steel door had been blasted to bits.<p>

He then felt it, a malevolent presence. Something inside the cave had woken up and it was powerful, dark and dangerous.

"This isn't good," he murmured.

"Leon!" Showa shouted as he found his fellow Rider. "What happened?"

"The bomb went off," Necros replied, "And now the thing inside is coming out."

Drawing his Laser Saber, Showa said, "Well, let's go and say hello before sending it back to where it belongs."

Necros' senses spiked as he tried to warn Showa, "Shinichi, wait-!"

There was an explosion of crimson light and Showa screamed as he was sent flying. He landed, sprawled painfully on his back, groaning, "What…hit me?"

Necros looked at the cave and sensed it coming closer. He saw glowing gold eyes and a figure becoming more and more visible as it came into view. What he saw was…a woman?

She was tall and slender, dressed in a red bodysuit which covered her entire body but left her fingers bare. Over this she wore something resembling a kimono only that it was short and reached just down to mid-thigh. She wore a sash to keep it closed and she also had a red tail. Her skin was fair and she had cyan hair that was spiky, and almost resembling a lion's mane from the looks of it; a spiky lion's mane. Her ears were long and pointed like an elf's and she had yellow cat-like eyes. Her lips were curled up in amusement.

She put a hand to her mouth and yawned before stretching, "Ah…it feels so good to be out of there!" Around her wrists and ankles were manacles with broken chains dangling from them. Looking at the chains, she frowned and tore them off the manacles, which she now wore like bracelets once the chains were removed.

Her yellow eyes were focused on Necros and Showa who stood before her. "Well, what's this? A bug and a mutt?" she questioned, "Oh, men in armor? How interesting. Who are you supposed to be? Samurais?"

"We're Kamen Riders, and you're going back in your prison," Showa ordered, pointing at her with his Laser Saber. She looked at the weapon and cocked an eyebrow.

"So, that's how you want to play it," she smirked. She opened her right hand and a rod of red light appeared. She gripped the energy sword and smirked. "I'm game."

Showa and Necros shared a look and nodded together before charging at the demon. They struck with their weapons but she parried with her own, sparks flying as they came into contact.

"Strong, but I've faced stronger," the demon shrugged. She pushed them back and spun around, kicking Showa in the stomach with enough force to send him flying. She then focused her attention on Necros and swung her energy sword, the blade meeting his as they clashed, sending sparks exploding from the connecting weapons. Necros drew back his fist and punched at her but she dodged by vanishing.

"Teleportation," he realized and suddenly he was hit by energy balls which were being hurled from the air. The demon woman was attacking with one hand, firing energy balls at him rapidly but he batted them away with his Ankh Sword. He suddenly vanished from her sight and she blinked until she spun around and was hit with a kick to her stomach, sending her crashing to the ground.

She groaned as she held her stomach and then rolled away as a war hammer was about to come down on her. A crater formed on the spot and she saw that it was Showa with the Gravity Hammer. She flipped to her feet and caught the hammer as it came down at her again before she fired an energy ball into Showa's chest, sending him flying as his chest exploded. He was pushed back and groaned in pain. Picking up the Gravity Hammer, she gave it a twirl and chucked it at Showa only for Necros to catch it by the shaft and drop it.

"Who are you?" Necros asked.

"Oh, so now you want to know my name?" she replied, smirking. "If you must know I am the Millennium Devil! They call me Ryoko!"

"Kamen Rider Necros, and this is Kamen Rider Showa," Necros said. "You OK, Shinichi?"

"I'm fine," Showa said, rubbing his chest plate. "I've had worse." He was actually pretty hurt but he wasn't going to show it.

"Kamen Riders?" Ryoko repeated curiously. "What's that? Some sort of mountain rangers club or something?""

"To put it simply, Kamen Riders are warriors of justice. Some start out due to revenge, while others do it for the sake of redemption," Necros explained.

"And which one are you?" Ryoko asked.

"A monster forging a new path," he replied coolly before suddenly appearing in front of her, "And you're going back in your cage!" He threw his fist at her and she caught it but then Showa attacked by throwing his fist past Necros' face, hitting hers and sending her flying. She landed on her back and growled, eyes glowing red before she flew high into the air.

"I was going to let you two live, but now you've seriously ticked me off!" she snapped. "Nobody touches my face!" Energy collected in her hands and she aimed at the two Riders. She fired a barrage of energy spheres, sending them flying. A series of explosions erupted as they hit but Ryoko did not let up and continued firing. Once she stopped, she expected to see pieces of the two Riders lying on the ground but as the smoke cleared her eyes widened. The surrounding area was covered in craters but Necros and Showa were safely contained in shadow sphere which was slowly receding into the ground. "How…?" she uttered.

"I'm full of surprises," Necros answered, his tone smug. "Shinichi, mind lending me your power?" he asked, offering his hand to his comrade. Showa nodded and took it.

"It took the Dark Lord's all their power to defeat me," Ryoko claimed smugly. "What can you both expect to do to me?"

"We're Kamen Riders, and if you studied up on us you'd know that it's in our job description to do the impossible," said Showa.

"And we turn the impossible into the absolute," finished Necros.

Suddenly, light emanated between his and Necros' hands. "What's going on…?" he questioned. Necros let go of Showa's hand and took a look at his to see a miniature figure lying in the palm of his hand.

"Is this…my new power?" Necros asked. He nodded and looked to Showa. "Shinichi, use Kamen Rider BLACK!"

Showa didn't know why Necros needed the Black Sun but he decided to do as instructed. "Let's Ride: BLACK!"

Necros flipped open the Mobirider, holding up his new Rider Key and called out, "Rider Change!" He put the key into the keyhole and twisted it, activating its power.

**"SHADOW MOON!"**

Ryoko was nearly blinded by the red and green light bursting from both Riders. When the light faded, she found herself staring at the two Riders, but they had changed. One was black with red and yellow bands around his collar, wrists and ankles. He had red eyes and resembled an insect. The other was in a black bodysuit with silver armor covered his legs chest, shoulders and arms. He had blades which resemble grasshopper legs mounted on his gauntlets and also attached to his ankles like spurs. His helmet was silver, with a black faceplate and green eyes with black antennae extending from the brow. He looked almost robotic as he had bolts on the middle of his chest, wrists and shins.

This was the second Century King candidate, Shadow Moon, and he was standing together with Black Sun (Kamen Rider BLACK).

Necros-Shadow Moon stared down at his hands and flexed his fingers, feeling the power coursing through his veins. This was a new power, a Dark Rider's power, and he was going to use it to do good. Accessing Shadow Moon's memories, he conjured a sword known as the Satan Saber. It had a red blade and gold hilt. This was a weapon to be wielded only by the true Century King and now Necros had it.

Ryoko didn't like what she was seeing and attacked. She fired a beam of energy at them but as soon as it came close, Necros-Shadow Moon swung the Satan Saber, bisecting the beam down the middle and both halves flew past him and his partner harmlessly. Ryoko gaped, wondering how a sword could do that, when Showa-BLACK leapt onto Necros-Shadow Moon's shoulders and used him to vault himself into the air. He executed a flying kick, red energy collecting into his right foot, bright enough to blind Ryoko before he hit her.

"RIDER KICK!" he called, executing one of Kamen Rider BLACK's signature moves as his kick connected with her chest. She screamed as she was blasted to the ground, crashing straight into the cave. There was an explosion of dirt and dust.

Necros-Shadow Moon walked up to Showa-BLACK once he landed and asked, "Did you just use me like a trampoline?"

"Sorry," Showa-BLACK apologized. They heard a roar and Ryoko came flying out of the cave in a rage. She now wielded two energy swords and was aiming for both Riders. "Quick, do what I do!" He positioned his fists next to his Spark Core. Necros-Shadow Moon did the same as he put his hands around the Kingstone in his belt.

"_KINGSTONE FLASH!_" both Riders called out as crimson and emerald energy burst from their belts. Ryoko screamed as she was hit by the pure power and when the assault ceased she fell to her knees and collapsed.

Showa reverted back to human form and said, "I think we beat her."

Necros' armor vanished and he knelt down to inspect Ryoko, only for her to vanish right before his eyes.

"Huh?" Shinichi blinked.

"It was a decoy," said Leon.

"So, where is she now?" Shinichi asked. They heard laughter and looked up to see Ryoko in the sky, staring down at them.

"Hate to fight and run, boys, but I've got no more time to waste with you." She blew them a kiss, winked at them and waved, "Later!" She flew off and vanished from sight.

Leon frowned, "The Headmaster won't be happy about this…"

* * *

><p>It rained heavily when Leon returned to his dorm room, exhausted. He had reported to the Headmaster but instead of receiving a scolding, he got a smile from the man. Since Ryoko was still wearing her manacles, it would be impossible for her to leave the barrier and go into the human world. She was still a prisoner and those manacles still kept her true power sealed, leaving her in a weakened state. That meant that without those manacles she might've been able to kill them. Still, she was out there, somewhere, and Leon was going to find her.<p>

As he lay down on his bed, he heard tapping on his window and looked to see what it was. It was a bat, in the rain, and it looked like it was looking for shelter. Not one to let an innocent creature suffer, he opened his window and let it in. It flapped its wings dry and looked at Leon before flying up to hang upside down from the ceiling. "Good night," he said as he shut off the light and went to bed. He didn't think it odd for a bat to suddenly knock on his window. He was just too tired after what had transpired earlier and wanted to sleep.

* * *

><p>Leon was awoken when he felt someone caressing his chest. He assumed that Aphrodite had snuck in for some "alone time". "I'm not in the mood Aphrodite…"<p>

"Who's Aphrodite?" cooed a sultry voice.

Leon's eyes shot open as his hand shot out, grasping the neck of the intruder. He was greeted by a lovely figure. "You're one of Shinichi's old friends…Reiri."

"Caught me," giggled the girl. She was straddling him. She was only wearing a black bra and a pair of black panties with black silk stockings on her shapely legs. Her pale skin and red eyes were nearly glowing in the dark room.

"Why are you here?" asked Leon as he released his grip.

"A girl is in your bed, in her underwear, and you want to know what I'm doing here?" Reiri asked coyly.

"Color me curious," responded Leon.

"You," she poked his nose, "I'm here for you."

"Why?" prompted Leon. 'Great, another one…'

"Well, for one, I like cute boys. And you're the cutest I've met since Shin-chan vanished," she admitted, "And two, your blood. The rate it moves…it's like a symphony…It's beautiful." She blinked as she stared at the nasty mark on his chest. It was fleshy, and looked as though it took a long time to develop. " This scar… where did you get it?" she asked as she stroked his chest.

Leon looked down, at the massive scar on his chest. "I got it because I wasn't strong enough to protect someone precious to me." He then blinked as he realized something. "How did you even get in? Your Clan can only enter a place when invited."

"The little bat you were kind enough to let in earlier was one of mine." She smiled as she revealed her fangs. "Now, I could use a little snack…" She then reached down and she bit into Leon's neck.

"Oh, my beloved Leon, your Goddess of Love has arrived…" began Aphrodite as she snuck into his room. She was wearing a blue bathrobe, and nothing else underneath. She froze and trailed off as she saw a girl, straddling her beloved, and kissing his neck. "WHAT IN THE NINE CIRCLES OF HELL ARE YOU DOING TO MY LEON!-?"

Reiri rose and looked to the door, "Ara, it's Miss Dragon~!"

A small ball of water formed in Aphrodite's hand before it began to expand with her growing ire. **"Water Pulse!"** she cried as she chucked the compact ball at the Vampire.

A wall of shadow blocked the attack, keeping Reiri from getting wet. "You could kill her like that Aphrodite," said Leon.

"If I wanted to kill her I would have drowned her right on the spot," she growled, "And why are you defending her?-! She intruded on your sleep and is about to have her way with you! I know the scent of a girl in heat when I smell it!"

"She's here for my blood," he defended, "She's a vampire so it's not surprising."

"Well, I guess it's OK," Aphrodite huffed, "But please remove yourself from Leon! A lady must be reserved and elegant and it's too early for that kind of behavior! If you wish to spend time with Leon, it will be at night and in my presence!"

Reiri started grinding herself against Leon. "Well, it is night. And in your presence..."

Aphrodite blinked and looked at the clock, "Oh my, I didn't know it was this late already. I must've lost track of time... Silly me~!" she admonished as she knocked on her head. "Well then..." she removed her robe in one fell swoop, revealing her bountiful goods to the Shinigami and Vampire, "LET US BEGIN~~!"

* * *

><p>Several hours, after recovery, Reiri was properly dressed. She just summoned a swarm of bats which formed into her clothing. She sat on the floor, with Leon and Aphrodite. The female Manakyte held onto her beloved possessively, glaring daggers at Reiri who remained unaffected. They may have shared Leon moments ago but Aphrodite was still a possessive woman who treasured Leon. As fun as their little romp had been she wanted to know what Reiri was really after.<p>

"So, does Shinichi know you're a vampire?" Leon asked.

"Who's Shinichi?" questioned Reiri, unfamiliar with the name.

"That's what Shinji calls himself now," said Leon.

"Why?"

"It's a long and complicated story, and not mine to tell."

"Well, no, he doesn't," Reiri replied. "We kept it a secret from him, though Hime-sama and I did want to tell him when we were younger. Then he just disappeared."

"So, did you come to Youkai Academy because you missed your childhood friend?" Aphrodite inquired.

"That's partly the reason," Reiri admitted. "But actually, Hime-sama and I are enrolled here as students."

* * *

><p><strong>…RESTORATION AT 72%...<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER DATABASE<strong>

"Wow, this is such an honor," Reiri smiled, blushing bashfully. "Oh, hello! Welcome to the Kamen Rider Database. My name is Reiri." She gave a bow and greeted, "Nice to meet you." She stood straight and continued, "As you all know, I am one of Shin-chan's childhood friends but we're not here to talk about me. We're here to talk about _him_." Reiri stood to the side to gesture to the screen which displayed the image of Shadow Moon. "This is Century King Shadow Moon and is pretty much the first evil Kamen Rider to exist. He is also now part of Leon's arsenal as a Dark Rider Key."

She continued with her review of Shadow Moon, "Shadow Moon's human identity, Nobuhiko Akizuki, was born under the solar eclipse alongside his stepbrother, Kotaro Minami. Raised together, they were like brothers, unaware that they had been chosen by Gorgom to be heirs of their leader, the Century Kings Shadow Moon and Black Sun. Once they reached an ideal age they were kidnapped, converted into cyborgs with the Kingstones implanted into their bodies. While Kotaro was able to escape, Nobuhiko's mind was wiped and he was left in a state of suspended animation before being reborn as Shadow Moon. He would be Kamen Rider BLACK's nemesis and both brothers were forced to fight. In their final battle, it would appear that Shadow Moon perished in the Gorgom's headquarters when it exploded but he returned years later to seek his revenge against BLACK. Kamen Rider BLACK was able to damage his Kingstone, restoring him back into Nobuhiko. Their reunion was cut short, however, as Shadow Moon died after saving the lives of two children shortly after renouncing his evil ways." Reiri smiled sadly. "He found redemption but it was just too bad that he died right after coming to the side of good."

Reiri went on, "Like Kamen Rider BLACK, Shadow Moon possesses a Kingstone of his own. His Kingstone is green and it draws power from the moon.. The Kingstone grants him an assortment of powers and abilities, such as telepathy and electrokinesis, making him a dangerous foe for Kotaro. Also, his color is a reverse of BLACK's as he is silver and black. His main weapon was the Satan Saber, a weapon created by the Creation King himself for use of the Century Kings. After he loses this weapon, he returns wielding the twin Shadow Sabers."

Reiri concluded, "Shadow Moon was the complete anti-thesis of Kamen Rider BLACK but while he was created for evil and committed many sins, in the end he found redemption and died as a hero. Now, his power lives on with Leon. Well, that's all the time we have! Tune in next time for another exciting episode of the Kamen Rider Database!"

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: It looks like Reiri and Hime will be joining the cast list. Wonder how Shinichi's friends are gonna react to the new additions. They seem really fond of Shinichi, and one of them is a vampire, which might cause Moka's inner self to become overly possessive. Does anyone feel like something really huge is going to go down?<strong>


	34. New Term: All Caught Up

**Chapter 34: All Caught Up**

"So, they're dead huh?" Shinichi said as he looked at the text message from his cell phone. He was currently with Moka, and the pair was having a private lunch on the building's roof.

"Who's dead?" Moka asked him.

"Yuji sent me a text this morning. Apparently the remaining NUMBERS decided to pay him a visit," Shinichi answered, closing his phone.

"What happened?" Moka gasped, almost fearing the worst.

"Kamiyami was looking for Leon so he could get a rematch after that last curbstomp back in that street battle, but he didn't know he goes to school here, so he went after Yuji instead," he elaborated. "Yuji's arm was broken from another one of GIN-SHOCKER's attacks, and Misato happened to be with him, so she called Kamiyami a coward just to piss him off. They fought, but Kamiyami overwhelmed her and tried to kill her too."

"And...?" Moka squeaked.

"And... that was the last mistake he ever made."

* * *

><p><em>"Now prepare for death," King grinned as he aimed his sword at the downed Seras' throat. He then froze as his head was grabbed from behind, feeling his body being lifted.<em>

_"What...?" He tried looking back, getting a glimpse of Yuji. "You...!"_

_His eyes widened as he saw the look in Yuji's eyes, his sclera shifting from white to black as black flames engulfed his body, turning into his draconic armor._

_"Yu...Yuji?" Seras gawked with wide eyes._

_**"We will not tolerate you insulting our woman, insect,"** the Abyss King scowled deeply, jerking his left arm up to snag the back of King's neck. He slowly applied pressure, choking King from behind as he was fully intent on snapping his neck. However, the injury prevented the Abyss King from utilizing his full strength._

_"Stop...stop," King begged as he was being strangled._

_**"We will not,"** Abyss answered mercilessly, **"However, this injury is preventing us from using our full strength..."**_

_"Heh...so you're weak," King sneered, quite forgetting the position he was in, "I guess the weak always stand together, like you and that slut."_

_Bad move, pal._

_**"Die,"** Abyss replied coldly as he ignited King's body with black flames._

_King screamed as he was engulfed in the black flames of Hell, his body flailing madly in an attempt to escape Abyss's grip._

_**"We told you,"** Abyss spoke, **"Insulting our woman warrants death. Now be consumed by the Darkness as you burn for Eternity, ****False King.****"** He dropped the flaming corpse as it was being devoured by the black flames._

_"Yuji...whoa," Seras could say as she was just winded by what just happened. The Abyss King down and fished out a sphere from the burning corpse, marked with the Roman numeral "X". "You killed him," she realized._

_**"We did,"** Abyss nodded as he held the sphere in his left hand. **"This item has no value to us,"** and he crushed it in his hand, the sphere shattering like glass as it fell to the ground. **"You may disengage your armor, Misato,"** he offered. She was trembling in terror right now as she was slowly backing away. **"Please, remove your armor, so that we may see your face, Misato."** Misato did so, as her armor melted off her body. He caressed her cheek as he pressed his lips against hers. Her heart skipped a beat, her eyes widening before she relaxed and kissed back, their tongues meeting each other before breaking away for her to breathe. **"We thought we should've picked up from where we were interrupted,"** he clarified._

_"You crushed his Spark Core," Misato awed, "We were told they were indestructible."_

_**"Nothing is indestructible before the Fires of Hell,"** Abyss assured. **"Everything is devoured until nothing remains." **Suddenly, Abyss grabbed Misato and pulled her close as his wings expanded, shielding them as they were pelted by crystal shards. The wings unfurled as Abyss released Misato, seeing as they were surrounded by Scanner, Bomber, Petrifier and Parasyte._

_**"We were wondering when you lot would come out of hiding,"** Abyss scowled._

_"Thanks for taking King out for us," Petrifier greeted, "The guy just wouldn't shut up."_

_"Now it's our turn to return the favor," Parasyte sneered._

_Bomber laughed and aimed ahead, "EAT LEAD!" He fired his machineguns at Abyss and Misato._

_Abyss responded by twirling Misato to his right side as the wings covered them again. **"Misato, become our right arm,"** Abyss requested._

_"Right," she nodded. She had actually sent a distress call to the others via her com-link._

_He showed her his left arm, showing a large claw on his elbow, **"Pull this down my arm."**_

_She did so and pulled the claw as it traveled down like a zipper as his arm's armor was opened up, his Duel Disk emerging from the shadows of his opened arm with his deck set in. The wings flapped, brushing away the spray of bullets._

_**"DUEL!"** Abyss declared as he had a hand of five cards. **"DRAW!"** Misato got the signal and drew the top card from the deck. **"I summon Red-Eyes Wyvern!"** Misato took the card from his left hand and slapped it onto the disk, a black-armored wyvern appearing out of black flames as it hovered over the group._

_"What is that thing?" Scanner pointed, wanting to run away right now._

_"It's just a hologram!" Petrifier shouted._

_**"Perhaps this will convince you lot otherwise,"** Abyss suggested._

_Flashing the card, Misato saw it and slapped it down. The Wyvern cawed as it was consumed in black flames, growing, expanding into something far more bigger as the clouds darkened._

_Parasyte looked up worriedly, "Um, guys, why is it suddenly dark out...?"_

_**"Wyvern, I offer your soul to bring about the pinnacle of Darkness!"** Abyss called, **"Now show yourself, RED-EYES DARKNESS METAL DRAGON!"**_

_The flames vanished as a colossal dragon, covered in black metal and rubies roared out as its red eyes glowed with hunger._

_Hana, Michiru and Ruby had arrived on the scene with their new bikes as they all gawked at the mechanical dragon._

_Michiru pointed, "It's a dragon!"_

_"That must mean that Yuji summoned it," Hana assumed._

_Ruby trembled, "It's different from before..."_

_"WHAT THE FUCK...WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?" Scanner pointed._

_"It's just a hologram!" Petrifier repeated as he was visibly shaking._

_"So why is it casting a shadow!" Parasyte pointed as a shadow was faintly visible beneath the Darkness Metal Dragon_

_**"Darkness Metal Dragon's Monster Effect,"** Abyss began, **"Let's me summon a Dragon-type monster from my hand."** He showed Misato the card and she took it, placing it on the Duel Disk. **"Rise from the depths of Hell, Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"** A hole opened in the ground, hellfire bursting forth as the original Red-Eyes growled. **"We are far from done, fools,"** Abyss stated coldly. **"Quick-Play Spell..."** Misato took the card and slotted it into the Disk, **"Black Soul Summon, activate! When a DARK monster has been summoned, I can special summon a Tuner monster from the deck. Arise, Darkness Synchron!"** A mechanized version of Red-Eyes Black Chick emerged as it squealed like an infant._

_The NUMBERS trembled in terror as they gawked at the three dragons. This all seemed too real to be an illusion._

_**"I tune my level 7 Black Dragon with my level 3 Darkness Synchron!"** Abyss called as the black dragons took to the sky, smaller one turning into three green rings that encompassed the larger dragon as it turned into seven orbs of light like stars._

_**"When the souls of Darkness gather, the Earth is divided into chaos for the Black Beast to devour,"** Abyss chanted. The stars turned into a black beam of light shone. **"Synchro Summon! Devour the weak, RED-EYES BLACK HYDRA!"**_

_What emerged from the black light was a towering monster with 10 heads, resembling the Red-Eyes Black Dragon with huge wings and now arms as its girth was supported by two legs that were the thickness of five trees._

_Scanner screamed and ran away while Bomber and Petrifier launched their respective projectile weapons at the dragon._

_**"Red-Eyes, devour the one known as Petrifier,"** Abyss ordered. The Metal Dragon roared as it took flight, swooping down with jaws wide open._

_"No! No! Stay away!" Petrifier demanded, "Stay the fuck away from me! "He fired his crystal shards at the dragon head coming at him, with no effect._

_The dragon snatched the cyborg up in one bite, swallowing as it growled with little satisfaction._

_**"Hydra, the other two are yours,"** Abyss offered. The ten-headed hydra growled as five of its heads dashed down to Bomber as the other five had their appetites set on Parasyte._

_Bomber tried to evade the heads with his flying skills, sloppy as his left leg was caught in the jaws of one of the heads as it clamped down like an unholy vice. "LET ME GO!" He fired his bombs and bullets to get it to release him. The other heads then made for his other limbs as they two were clamped down by the massive jaws, the heads tugging on Bomber like a piece of meat. Ruby looked ill from the sight of violence. Hana, Michiru and Misato have actually grown used to such violence. Bomber screamed before his head was bitten clean off by the fifth head, the other four heads yanking his limbs off as his stumpy torso was quickly snatched up by one of the heads. Parasyte shared the same fate as he too was devoured like Bomber, split between the other five heads like a treat of meat._

_"Whoa..." Misato breathed._

_**"May your souls burn for Eternity,"** Abyss finished as his creatures had their fill, roaring as they were engulfed in black flames and vanishing, with the sky returning to normal._

_"What about #01?" she asked._

_**"The Darkness shall claim him soon enough,"** Abyss dismissed before turning his attention to the girls who had arrived._

_"You destroyed them," Michiru awed._

_"Spark Cores and all," Hana added_

_**"We did nothing,"** Abyss denied, **"But only feed them to the Darkness."**_

* * *

><p>Moka paled. Yuji was even scarier than she first thought. Maybe even more freighting than her sisters. "S-s-so that's the end of the NUMBERS then?"<p>

"Well, Scanner managed to survive, but he's too much of a coward to be considered a threat," Shinichi answer. "But yeah, Project NUMBERS is now officially dead. It's too bad thought. Maybe they could have still been convinced to join us. But that's just me."

"For some reason, I'm not sure if that was even possible," Moka frowned. She didn't like the late remaining NUMBERS very much. They had no problems with harming innocent bystanders just to get what they wanted. She especially didn't like that arrogant jerk who thought he was better than anyone else. She also noticed the way he was leering at her during that same battle, despite the fact that his face was covered behind his helmet. After the incidents with Saizou, Junya, and Nagare, it became natural for her to tell when someone was looking at her with such ill intent. It still made her shudder.

"Maybe. But then again, it's their loss," Shinichi said. Deep down, Shinichi still felt that he could've helped them to see the light. Unfortunately, darkness was already rooted in their hearts. He shouldn't feel bad for them. They had paid for their sins and suffered the consequences.

So why did he still feel guilty?

"I'll say-!" Moka began, but then gasped as she saw someone suddenly hang over him.

"What?" Shinichi blinked at her, only to feel the weight of someone's arm draped around his neck to reach his brain. He looked and his eyes widened as he saw who it was. "Hime-chan!-?"

"Good afternoon, Shinji-kun," Hime greeted, ruffling his hair.

Moka's eyes narrowed at this girl. Who the hell was she and what was she trying to do to…wait, _Hime-chan?_ As in…Shinichi's childhood friend? _That_ Hime-chan? She finally recognized the girl but what was she doing in Youkai Academy? Unless…

Shinichi immediately got up to his feet after Hime got off of him. He inspected her to make sure he was looking at the girl whom he knew was his childhood friend. Ecstatic, he suddenly hugged her much to Moka's distress. Hime returned the hug as well. She wore the standard uniform for girls and wore black leggings. Also, she wore a regular necktie instead of the standard bowtie.

"Hime-chan, wow!" Shinichi let out. "What are you doing here? Why are you…dressed…in the uniform?" That last part was spoken slowly. "You're a student here, aren't you?"

"Transferred," she answered. "It's too bad I wasn't put in your classroom, though. I would've loved that."

"If you're here that means… you're not human," he concluded. She nodded. "Wow… that's a surprise," he responded, his wide eyes blinking. Although he shouldn't be. Those blood red eyes of her's were a dead giveaway.

"And not just me," she replied. "Reiri's here too."

"Reiri-chan too!" Now that was good. His two childhood friends, here in Youkai Academy, with him. "Same class with you?"

"Same class," said Hime, running a hand through her hair. "Now, since this is my first day I was hoping for a tour." She looped her arm around Shinichi's. "Shall we?"

"Right, but excuse me," said Shinichi. He addressed Moka. "Ano, Moka-chan, I'm sorry but I need to give Hime-chan and Reiri-chan a tour-"

"Actually, Reiri's found a young man to give her a tour," Hime corrected. "So, it'll be just you and me, Shinji-kun."

'_She gets to call him by his birth name_,' thought Moka. She thought only Shiori could do that. "It's fine. You can give your friend a tour."

"Thanks!" Shinichi smiled before kissing her on the cheek. Both he and Hime walked off. Moka just sat there, stunned, dropping her chopsticks.

* * *

><p>"If I knew there was a school for monsters I would've enrolled last term," spoke Hime. "Then I would've found you."<p>

"I still wouldn't know who you were," he replied.

Hime stopped walking along him and tugged on his arm. "Shinji-kun, be honest. I know your parents were human so that'd make you human as well, or at least you were human when we were little." She looked him in the eyes, gazing deeply into them, as she asked, "What happened after you disappeared?"

Shinichi sighed. He knew he would have to tell her eventually, he just didn't think it'd be so soon. "Alright. Since you told me your secret, it's only fair that I tell you mine." He brought out his watch and activated the com-link," Phyllis, please activate a Warp Portal to these coordinates."

_"Affirmative,"_ Phyllis responded. Instantly, a swirling and glowing green portal formed right in front of them.

"What's that?" Hime blinked.

"The portal to the Hive Queen," Shinichi answered. "I think this would be best way to explain everything to you. Careful though, you're gonna feel some tingling." He asked her, "Do you trust me?" Hime took his hand.

"Of course," she answered, nodding.

Shinichi smiled and together the two childhood friends leapt into the Warp Portal.

* * *

><p>"I knew it! I knew it!" Kurumu snarled. She had come up to the roof with some freshly baked goods for her Destined One, only to find Moka there alone. She asked where Shinichi could be and the vampire blurted out that Hime had taken him. "The childhood friend always has romantic feelings for the main character! Always!"<p>

"What are you talking about?" Moka asked.

"Oh, I've been playing this Dating Sim to teach me human dating culture," Kurumu explained. "And one of the choices for a romantic partner is the 'childhood friend' character and this Hime is playing that angle! Besides, look at Netto and Qiao! They were childhood friends too, right?"

"But…they're just friends," Moka defended. If Kurumu attacked Hime then Shinichi would hate Kurumu and her as well. "Kurumu-chan, don't attack Hime-san."

"Why not?" Kurumu demanded.

"Because she's part of his past, before GIN-SHOCKER took him," Moka explained. "A time when he was happy."

Kurumu's gaze softened as she realized that Moka was getting at. If they attacked Shinichi's friend then he might hate them. "So…what do we do?" Kurumu asked.

"We just wait and see what happens," answered Moka.

* * *

><p><em>"Recognized: Showa."<em>

Hime and Shinichi exited in the Hive Queen's control room as the Warp Portal blinked out of sight. Hime felt woozy and nearly toppled over but Shinichi caught her before she fell. "Dizzy?" he asked.

"Yes," she admitted, hand on her head. "That was a strange ride."

"It does that for first timers. You'll get used to it," he informed her. "Oh, Dr. Magi! You don't mind that I brought a guest, right?"

Dr. Magi was sitting in his chair, watching the monitors while sipping coffee. Swiveling the chair around to face the pair, he greeted warmly, "Hello."

"That's Dr. Magi. He runs this place," Shinichi informed Hime.

"And what is this place?" Hime asked.

"Look out the window," Shinichi instructed and Hime went over to see only to gasp.

"We're flying!"

"It's a hellicarrier," Shinichi told her. "And our mobile base."

"Base?" Hime looked at Shinichi. "A base for what?"

"This base is called the Hive Queen," Dr. Magi answered, getting up from his chair and walking towards the two teenagers. "I and several others stole this when we were escaping GIN-SHOCKER."

"GIN-SHOCKER?" Hime repeated.

"Remember the day I disappeared?" Shinichi asked, and the blond Youkai nodded, "It was the day before my birthday and my Kaa-chan wanted to take me to a toy store to check out the toys. Well, she was running late but this doctor came. I knew him since I went to see him for a check-up once and I thought it'd be OK if I went with him since Kaa-chan trusted him." He sighed, "I was wrong."

"Who was he?" Hime frowned.

"His name is Dr. Gebok, and he's the head scientist of GIN-SHOCKER," Dr. Magi answered as he typed on the keyboard. A video image of Gebok looking over several other scientist appeared on a holographic screen. "He is the one responsible for kidnapping Shinichi-kun and turning him into a cyborg."

"Cyborg?" Hime gasped, turning to Shinichi. "As in half-human & half-machine? Like in science fiction?"

"Only this is science fact," said Shinichi.

"Why?"

"To be used as a weapon," was Dr. Magi's answer.

Shinichi looked to Hime sadly and confessed, "Hime-chan, I've done horrible things…" He felt immense guilt for the lives he took in GIN-SHOCKER's name. He knew his friends told him it wasn't his fault but he couldn't help it. "GIN-SHOCKER is an organization that hides in the shadows, existing through only rumors. Their purpose- their goal- is world domination and in order to accomplish that goal they have created weapons that no world government can counter. They create living weapons stronger than average humans. I'm one of their most powerful creations." His bangs covered his eyes, "Ever since I was converted, I was forced to murder without any remorse. My memories are still messed up at the moment, but I still remember my victims, begging and pleading to be let go. But I couldn't comprehend empathy. I can still remember clearly how many lives I've taken away- or ruined- from what I've done."

Hime could see tears falling from her old friend's eyes. While she wasn't very emotional, she wasn't a heartless being. Also, Shinichi was one of the few people she could call a friend and she treated him in kind. Gently, she wrapped her arms around his head and pulled him down to bury his face into her shoulder. She rubbed his head in a soothing gesture, just like how his mother used to do when he was little.

"They stole you away from your life," Hime whispered, eyes closed. "They stole you away from _me_," she added firmly. She always wondered what had happened to Shinichi when he vanished that day. She had been invited to celebrate his birthday when it was suddenly cancelled due to his absence. She learnt that he'd vanished. A part of her blamed herself. She should've stayed with him until his mother arrived.

Hime was already thinking of many different ways to make GIN-SHOCKER pay for what they did to her friend. They had stripped him of his emotions and his innocence, forced him to taint his hands with blood and murder. They had no right to do such a thing to such a boy. He did not deserve such a life forced upon him.

They had taken his soul and shredded it to pieces, leaving a hollow shell. While he seemed fine now, she understood that intense trauma was something that could never fully heal. Time couldn't heal scars, emotional ones especially.

"You said you were a Kamen Rider," Hime said and she stepped back to regard him. "You took that title so that you could abandon that harsh life and make up for your sins. That takes a lot of strength in character. I have a feeling you're already starting on the right foot."

"Hime-chan..." Shinichi smiled, wiping the tears from his eyes, "Thanks. So, uh, since we're here. How about I show you around?"

"That would be nice," Hime smiled as she took Shinichi by the arm again.

Dr. Magi watched them walk deeper into the hellicarrier as he wiped his face with a napkin. "My, my. Who would have guess that our most deadliest creation would attract women like bears to honey?" he mused to himself.

* * *

><p>"Really, those two girls?" Yokoshima blinked. "They're here too?" he was with Daichi, Shogo, Chiaki and Netto in the Newspaper Club room along with Moka, Kurumu, Mizore and Yukari. The vampire and succubus had informed all of them about how one of Shinichi's old friends decided to do some catching up with him.<p>

"Aha! So she's trying to steal Shinichi-san away from us!" Yukari declared. "She must have seen how cool and manly he is so she wants to take him for herself!"

"That won't happen," Mizore growled, the room temperature dropping with her growing annoyance. "I'll turn her into an ice cube and shatter her like glass before she gets the chance."

"But we can't do that!" Moka cried.

"Why not? We get her before she get's Shinichi-san!" Yukari growled.

"Hold on, how can you be so sure?" Shogo questioned. "We can't be really sure if she does have those kind of feelings for Shinichi. For all we know, she may just miss him. Did you forget that she hasn't seen him in over a decade? It would only make sense with how she would want to spend some time with him."

"But... but..." Yukari tried to argue.

"I'm gonna have to go with the girls on this one," Daichi remarked.

"Daichi!" Yokoshima snapped.

"I call em how I see em," Daichi shrugged. "And from what I've seen, it ain't just these four that are attracted to Shinichi. We've all seen how many fangirls he's got. He's a chick magnet."

"Sure, Shinichi might be a bit of a womanizer and all, but he doesn't go and hit on every girl on campus," Netto answered.

"You're the one to talk," Daichi responded, looking at him.

"What's _that_ suppose to mean?" Netto frowned.

"That Kirishima girl. Don't tell me you forgot about her already," Daichi answered with a grin. "She really seems to like you, and from what I've heard she went a lot farther with you than she did with other guys." Netto blushed instantly, remembering how he met her this morning.

* * *

><p><em>Netto found himself walking towards the school alone. Qiao had some voluntary work to get done so he would meet up with later. It still amazed him that everywhere he looked, there was a normal high school boy or a high school girl. In truth, they were monsters in disguise. It was both amazing and terrifying at the same time. Still, after revealing himself as a Kamen Rider, he became quite popular. Boys wanted to be him, and girls wanted to be with him. It was flattering, but he was just doing his job.<em>

_"Ah! Kirishima-sempai!"_

_"She's so beautiful!"_

_"I would die for her!"_

_"I've got to find a way in- I mean to her!" _

_Looking to the commotion, he watched Kiko walking gracefully to school, her bag over her shoulder, with everyone around her stopping to stare. Looking to her left, she suddenly smiled as she saw Netto._

_"Netto dear!" she squealed as she lunged at him and buried his head into her cleavage. Everyone gawked as they all watched the popular vixen cuddle the first year._

_"H-hey, Kiko-chan," Netto stammered, looking up from her chest. "What's shaken?"_

_"Well, I was thinking," Kiko said as she brought him from her chest, "How about we have lunch together later today? You and me?" _

_"I, uh... guess I don't mind..." Netto blushed._

_"Lovely," Kiko purred, "Meet me at the entrance. You won't be disappointed." She placed her fingers underneath his chin and pulled him into a sudden kiss. Netto's eyes widened in shock, as did the eyes of everyone around them. His heart skipped a beat as he felt her tongue dancing with his. It tasted sweet. He felt his legs about to collapse underneath him at any given moment. She broke the kiss and gazed at him with husky green eyes before giving him a wink. She turned and continued her way to school as Netto watched with a daze. Everyone else watched in silence. Never before had Kiko actually been seen kissing a boy. Seeing her do it right now pretty much now meant she was unavailable._

* * *

><p>During their lunch together, he and Kiko sat underneath one of the many trees surrounding the school. She brought plenty of goods that was made by her personal butler. And it turns out she was just as perverted as Qiao too. Just thinking about it still make Netto blush to the point that blood was threatening to gush out his nose. He now had a one cute girl as a childhood sweetheart, and another hot girl as an unofficial fiancé. He partly blamed Shinichi, Leon, and Yuji for this. But now it couldn't be helped.<p>

"And this is where the Newspaper Club meets," Shinichi said as he guided Hime into the room. He was surprised to see everyone present. "Oh, you're all here too."

"Shinichi!" the girls jumped to their feet and then they all eyed Hime who had her arm around Shinichi's.

"Greetings. We met only briefly before but you may call me 'Hime-sama'," Hime introduced herself. Kurumu was about to retort but Moka squeezed her shoulder to stop her from interrupting. "Shinji-kun has told me plenty about you all; Moka Akashiya, Kurumu Kuruno, Yukari Sendou and Mizore Shirayuki."

Moka blinked, surprised that she knew their names already. "He told you about us?"

"While he was giving me a tour of his charming aerial headquarters," Hime added. This time Daichi stood up.

"You took her to the Hive Queen!-?" Daichi yelled at Shinichi.

Shinichi sighed. "I needed to tell her about what happened to me…" They understood immediately what he meant. Hime was his childhood friend and she had as much right to know about what had happened to him after he vanished for ten years.

Hime addressed the girls again, "You've all taken good care of my Shinji-kun. For that I am grateful. You've given him something precious when he had nothing at all. You were kind to him when you didn't have to."

"Well… he was the one who helped us first," Moka confessed, blushing.

"So, what are your intentions for Shinichi?" Mizore asked bluntly.

"Well, I wish to catch up with him. It has been a long time since we spent any time together," Hime answered. "Oh, and there is a matter of Reiri." She took out a whistle with a bat motif.

"What's that?" Shinichi asked.

"My 'Reiri Whistle'," Hime answered before putting it between her lips and blowing.

Suddenly, a swarm of bats flew into the room through the open window. Yokoshima, seeing the flying terrors, reacted on reflex as he screamed, "BATS!" and ran out of the room like his life depended on it. The others stood back as the bats converged together on a spot before piling up to form a humanoid shape. The bats then dispersed and flew off, leaving Reiri. She was dressed in a black sailor fuku but her skirt was the standard style for the girls.

"You called, Hime-sama?" Reiri asked, putting a hand to her chest. She then noticed Shinichi and beamed. "Oh, Shin-chan!" She jumped at him, throwing her arms around him in an embrace before kissing his cheek. This had the unfortunate effect of enraging the Newspaper Club girls. "I've missed you so much! Are you surprised to see me here?"

"Actually, Hime-chan already told me," Shinichi informed her. "Plus it was kinda obvious. You two were always inseparable when we were kids. I just guessed you'd be coming together."

"Smart boy," smiled Reiri and then she sniffed him. "You smell nice~"

Shinichi knew that look but he wasn't fast enough as Reiri gripped his shoulders and then pulled him down so that her mouth was leveled with his mouth. "Itadakimasu~" she whispered before digging he fangs into his neck.

"Another vampire!" Kurumu gasped. Moka was shocked too. Shinichi already had a vampire for a friend? She thought she was his first. Now it looked like she wasn't his first vampire friend after all. It was kind of a letdown, really. Though on the other hand, it looked like she now found another vampire that was not from her family.

Reiri removed her fangs from his neck and grinned. "Delicious." She then added, "You've had another girl drinking from you, haven't you?"

"Yeah…" Shinichi answered, rubbing the spot she'd bitten. It was opposite to the side Moka always preferred. He looked to see the girls standing frozen. "I didn't know you were a vampire."

"I hid it when we were kids," smiled Reiri. "But you should've known. I was a cute vampire princess during Halloween."

"I didn't realize that vampires still had the ability to turn into bats," Yukari spoke up.

"Oh? What do you mean, little one?" Reiri asked her.

"Well, in ancient times, every vampire had the ability to transform into bats, rats, wolves, or even fogs," Yukari explained. "But the problem is that many vampires are vain and see such creatures as beneath them. Transformation has gone out of style."

"Most of that is true, but my Clan still remembers those forgotten techniques," Reiri admitted. "A lot of vampires these days have forgotten all the benefits of transforming, especially since some of us cannot enter a home without an invitation. I, for example, specialize in infiltration."

The bell rang and Hime said, "Well, we hate to leave so soon but we don't want to be late for class. Come, Reiri."

"Coming, Hime-sama," Reiri obeyed. She then winked at Shinichi. "See you later, Shin-chan."

"Later, girls," Shinichi waved as the two girls left. He then looked back at his friends in the Newspaper Club. "Um…we better move it before we're late for class."

Netto face palmed as Daichi rolled his eyes.

"Clueless," Daichi commented.

"Yeah, really," Netto agreed.

* * *

><p>As Reiri and Hime headed to class, the latter admonished the former, "You shouldn't have displayed such behavior, especially in front of those girls."<p>

"I was just so happy to see him, plus I'm glad we don't have to hide that we're monsters from him anymore," said Reiri.

"From the looks those girls were giving us, I'm amazed World War III didn't break out."

Reiri waved off Hime's concern, "You're exaggerating. Besides, I was just playing."

Hime replied, "They don't know that. And I have the feeling those girls have romantic feelings for Shinji-kun."

"Romantic feelings for our Shin-chan?" Reiri was surprised. "I never thought he'd grow up to be popular."

"From what I heard of the environment he grew up in, I think their affection will be good for him," Hime stated.

"What did you learn?" Reiri asked, a concerned expression in his face.

Hime sighed and answered, "On the day he vanished, Shinichi was turned into a weapon. He lived a torturous life, was forced to do horrible things, and as a result he's filled with immense guilt."

"Poor Shin-chan…" whispered Reiri. "As his friends it's our duty to help him through this!"

"He's got enough help already," Hime countered. "But I do miss him."

"He was the only boy brave enough to spend time with us," Reiri remembered. "But not anymore."

"So, how was your tour guide?" Hime inquired.

"Oh, I'll spare you the sordid details of the previous night," answered Reiri, "But he was kind enough to show me around school earlier. It was too bad he couldn't spend any more time with me."

"Why?"

"Oh, apparently he's the new Captain of the Public Safety Committee and he's on a very important assignment. He didn't say what it was thought. I also heard he was looking for members." Reiri smiled thoughtfully. "Ah, Hime-sama, do you think I should join?"

"That's up to you, but don't forget to whom your loyalty comes first," reminded Hime, eyes narrowed.

"Of course, Hime-sama," Reiri replied.

* * *

><p>The Newspaper Club met at the clubroom after school was let out but only the girls and Gin were present. Gin was happy to have all the girls to himself for once but it didn't feel as good as he thought since they weren't lavishing any attention on him. The girls were thinking about Shinichi's childhood friends.<p>

Moka was thinking, 'I'm not the first vampire he befriended after all.' After discovering that Reiri was a vampire and that she had known Shinichi since they were in kindergarten, the pink-haired girl didn't feel any special now. Then she realized that they must've felt horrible when he suddenly vanished. She knew what it felt like to lose someone she cared about.

Kurumu wore a frown and her eyebrows were furrowed, thinking about how clingy Hime was and how forward Reiri was when she just kissed Shinichi (on the cheek) then went and drank his blood like Moka. It was irritating whenever Moka did it but now another vampire girl was after her Destined One's attention.

Mizore had formed an ice doll of Shinichi which she gazed at as she held it in her hands. She was a yuki-onna, and possessive of her chosen mate. Those girls were probably rivals but at the same time Mizore was thinking that Shinichi might deserve to chance to catch up with them. A decade had left a large gap in their lives and they just wanted to fill those gaps.

Yukari was scheming in her head but her conscience caught up with her. They were Shinichi's friends, a part of his past that GIN-SHOCKER stripped from him. It wouldn't be right. It was tempting, but it would still be wrong to use her magic to drive them away and Shinichi would probably hate her.

"Yo! Minna-san! Tadaima!" Shinichi greeted as he jumped into the clubroom, giving a two-fingered salute. Gin groaned and sighed. He was back.

"Shinichi!" the girls cheered and got off their seats.

"You're late," Kurumu scolded.

"Sorry, sorry," he apologized. "I just wanted to walk Reiri-chan and Hime-chan back to their dorm but I rushed back here on the Cyclone-X3." He clapped his hands together. "Anyway…let's get started on our next issue of the newspaper, shall we? I already got a lot of material from my interview with Leon."

"Yeah!" the girls cheered.

"Yeah," Mizore added, not as loudly but her intentions were clear.

Taking his seat, which was between Moka and Kurumu, Shinichi started to work on the newspaper with them. Kurumu even had a fresh batch of cookies made just for Shinichi.

* * *

><p>The club would resume work the following day before parting. Shinichi stayed behind to help clean up before leaving, which meant he would be walking back to his dorm alone. As he walked along the path he felt a presence. His twin ahoge were twitching, informing him of danger. He stopped in his walk and said, "Come out. I know you're there." He got no response. "There's no use hiding from me." He focused his hearing. He could hear steady breathing and a heartbeat among the trees.<p>

Shinichi ducked from a sucker punch aimed at the back of his head and spun around to elbow his assailant in the gut, driving him backwards. He recognized him. It was the thug he had the unfortunate luck of meeting on his first day of school last term and this term as well.

"Saizou Komiya," Shinichi identified. "You healed up from our last confrontation."

"No thanks to you!" Saizou spat.

"Look, Saizou, I'm tired and I want to go back to my dorm room, relax for a few hours, have my dinner, do my homework, and go to sleep," Shinichi said, bored. If Saizou wanted a fight then he's in for a pretty short bout. He didn't want to waste time dealing with a thug he could beat blindfolded.

"I'll show you the new power I've been given!" roared Saizou as his body expanded, ripping his clothes to shreds. Shinichi expected to see the ugly orc again, but he did not expect Saizou's entire body to now he made of steel. He had spikes covered his shoulders up to the base of his neck and moth spikes on his shoulders and shins. His hair looked stringy, like wires, and his teeth were as sharp as ever. The same could be said for his claws. Around his waist, of course, was a belt that Shinichi recognized instantly.

"You've joined GIN-SHOCKER," Shinichi stated.

"Yes!" Saizou confirmed. "They made me stronger and given me a new name! I am now **Iron Orc**!"

Shinichi held up two fingers, his middle and index, and said, "I let you live twice already, and now I know that was a mistake." He balled his fist. "Saizou, you've driven me to this."

"Driven you to what?" mocked Saizou. "To run?"

"I held myself back, but now that you've made your choice here's mine; I'm going to kill you."

"Big words," Saizou scoffed.

"It's not a boast, it's the truth," Shinichi retorted. "Let's Ride: Showa!"

Saizou watched as Shinichi's armor formed. He'd seen this before and back then he'd been caught by surprise. But it had not been Shinichi who'd defeated him, but Moka's inner self. Still, Saizou had felt the bitter taste of defeat twice now and the second time he'd been beaten by Shinichi who hadn't even bothered to transform, like he wasn't worth it. Well, now Saizou was bigger, better, stronger, and meaner, plus he had a few new tricks up his metal sleeves.

"Take this!" The spikes on Iron Orc's shoulders extended and he they shot at Showa. They were miniature missiles and they were locked on their target. Showa just stood in place and was hit by the barrage of explosive rockets which detonated as soon as they hit their mark. Saizou enjoyed the fireworks as his most hated rivaled was destroyed right before his eyes…

**POW!**

Iron Orc received a blow to the side of his head from behind, courtesy of Showa's foot. He was smashed against a tree, the force of the impact causing it to topple over along with the Cyborg Youkai. Saizou was thankful his new body was more durable and could take the pain but he was shocked nonetheless. "I blew you up!"

"I'm faster than you thought," Showa responded coolly as he hopped on the balls of his feet.

Saizou roared and lunged towards Showa who blocked his swing but then he got hit in the stomach by Saizou's other fist, causing him to stagger backwards. Saizou then shot his tongue forwards and it smacked Showa to the ground. Saizou brought up his tongue again and swung it down to crush Showa who rolled out of the way as he summoned a weapon.

Bringing up his Vulcan Shooter, he fired at Saizou and sent him stumbling back with rapid laser fire. However, Saizou recovered and continued his advance, ignoring the lasers. Showa cursed and switched to his Laser Saber and charged. Saizou was hit in the chest, the blade actually doing damage as it left its mark. This served to enrage the Iron Orc and he drew back his leg, the spikes extending, before hitting Showa's side with his shin. The spikes dug into Showa's side painfully and knocked him to the ground. Saizou then grabbed his scarf and hauled him up before throwing him to the ground. He kicked Showa in the head, forcing him onto his back and Saizou reached down to squeeze his throat. Saizou applied pressure and Showa tried to remove the Cyborg Youkai's grip from him.

Meanwhile, Saizou's free hand was close to the Rider's face, claws pointed and spinning like drills.

"You're mine! This is the day you die!" Saizou shouted as he went for the kill. That was when Showa's eyes suddenly turned red. There was a flash of crimson light and Saizou screamed as he fell backwards in shock. "MY HAND! MY HAND!" he howled, clutching his wrist. His hand had been blown clean off and what remained was a smoking, sparking stump.

Showa got back to his feet, his eyes shifting back to red. He had no idea what had happened but was relieved nonetheless. "OK, Saizou, now it's time to introduce you to some real pain. Let's Ride: Super-1!"

Assuming the form of the first Rider designed to function in deep space, Showa went into Super-1's signature pose. He then charged at Iron Orc and jumped, executing a rapid series of kicks aimed for Saizou's face. The Cyborg Youkai staggered as he put his arms out in front of him to defend himself. One last kick broke through Saizou's defenses and the sole of his boot connected with his face, sending him sliding backwards.

"Let's Ride: Amazon!"

Showa-Amazon pounced like a lion, swinging his claws across Saizou's face, damaging one of his eyes. "ARGH! MY EYE!" Saizou howled. He fired his shoulder spikes at Showa-Amazon but he reacted quickly.

Saizou looked smug at the explosion that followed but his single eye widened when Showa walked out of the smoke cloud in the form of Roborider. His movements might be slow and mechanical, but he made up for it with powerful armor, incredible strength and marksmanship.

He aimed the Voltech Shooter at Saizou and fired bursts of energy at Saizou, damaging his armored body further and causing Saizou to howl in agony.

"I think I've tortured you long enough. It's time I finished you," Showa said as he resumed his default form and snapped his fingers. The Cicadroid flew into the scene and connected to his back, changing him to Higurashi Mode.

Saizou, not one to give up despite the odds not being in his favor, lunged towards Showa only to miss as the Rider flew into the air. Looking up, he shouted, "COWARD! GET BACK DOWN HERE!" while shaking his fist in agitation.

"Why don't you come and join me?" invited Showa as his wrist blades came out. He then swung his arms down, the blades turning into whips that shot towards Saizou. He couldn't move out of the way in time and the whips ensnared his arms tightly. Saizou couldn't move and Showa pulled his arms back, tugging Saizou up into the air as he came down with both legs stretched out, his feet aimed at Saizou with energy blazing around them.

"BURST KICK!" Showa shouted as he struck, blasting through Saizou's body with a huge explosion being the result. He landed down on one knee as Saizou's flaming remains landed around him. Standing up, Showa raised his arm to the side and pointed his thumb to the ground. "Game Over." His armor vanished as he changed back to human form.

Shinichi had executed Saizou coldly, but the orc had not given him much choice. Saizou had joined GIN-SHOCKER willingly, was remodeled for them, and it was clear that his intentions with his newfound power would not be noble. Maybe it wasn't Shinichi's place to be judge, jury and executioner, but he was willing to go to any length to protect his friends. If he hadn't destroyed Saizou then the Cyborg Youkai might've gone after Moka and the Rider feared of what could've happened once Saizou got his hands on her. Even Kurumu and Mizore were at risk and Saizou would hurt them to satisfy himself and get his revenge at Shinichi.

Shinichi had given him two chances to live and Saizou had blown them. This was his punishment for pissing away his life.

But now it seemed that his worse fears have been realized: cybernetics was just as possible with Youkai as it was with humans.

* * *

><p>…<strong>RESTORATION AT 78%...<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: Well, this is bad news. Saizou's a cyborg and he's not going to be the last of them. There will be others and all have a beef with Shinichi. They'll come and they'll want revenge and each time someone will die. He gave them two chances to live and they joined GIN-SHOCKER and because of that Shinichi won't show them any mercy. Something inside him is also beginning to change. Will it be good or bad?<strong>


	35. New Term: Mark Of The Dragon

**Chapter 35: Mark of the Dragon**

_A scream was heard before the sounds of gunfire rang through the air. He could only stand there, quivering in fear as blood splashed against his face._

_"Don't let any last Mutie leave this place alive!"_

* * *

><p>Netto screamed as he shot up from his bed, the cold sweat dripping down his face, and his breath escaping from his mouth deeply. "That dream again..." he breathed. He moved his hand over his wet hair, "Damn." It was times like these that he wished Qiao were here with him in his bed right now.<p>

It was a reoccurring nightmare that happened once in a blue moon, but it was still a very emotional scar. Awhile ago when he was very young and still living in America, there was a raid. A raid that claimed the lives of many innocent people. The ones who caused the raid did not see the victims as people at all, but as freaks of nature. They all saw them as spawns of demons that needed to exterminated for the good of humanity... to keep the blood of humanity "pure".

He was one of four survivors.

* * *

><p>The Newspaper Club had just distributed their latest edition of the school newspaper and Leon was reading it in his classroom. His classmates, upon hearing how he'd become the new leader of the Student Police had originally given him a wide berth but now they were on amicable terms with him again and he could see why.<p>

Shinichi had written a very flattering article about him in the newspaper based on the interview they had. Leon gave a small smile as he read the article, on how Shinichi compared Leon to the past leader, Kuyou, and how much better off they were with a Student Police captain who was on the student's side and not a corrupt dictator. Shinichi was also wrote in his own claims and opinions on Leon and since the Newspaper Club had been gained a lot of support since Shinichi defeated Kuyou, the rest of the student body ate up the words. Shinichi did have high credibility as a reporter.

* * *

><p>It was lunch time, and Netto was up on the roof of the school with Qiao and Kiko. Having lunch with the girls was certainly an interesting experience for him. They were all sitting on a blanket and both girls had brought their own extra lunch boxes for Netto. The cyborg, not wanting to be some kind of freeloader, brought something of his own for the fox and the Night Elf.<p>

"So how is it, darling?" Kiko asked as Netto ate the shrimp dumplings that she had brought with her. Kiko was Night Elf and she had chosen Netto as her mate after he rescued her from Sting Chameleon. While Netto claimed that he was just doing his job as a Kamen Rider, it turned out that going that far for elves was a sign of affection. While he was still flustered by her appearance, he found himself enjoying her company.

"This is good," Netto smiled after swallowing the food. "Really good. I gotta learn the recipe for this."

"How's mine, Airen?" Qiao asked. She had brought along fried rice with chicken flavoring. Qiao was a Chinese fox spirit and Netto's childhood friend since the age of four. On her fourteenth birthday she confessed her feelings for him and had her first kiss with him on that same day. She had a lot of love to give for him, and so much more.

"It hit the spot," Netto grinned. "So girls, how was my Quesadilla burgers?"

"Hǎochī!" Qiao beamed.

"It was like nothing I've had before," Kiko admitted, "Quite the experience."

"Glad you enjoyed them," Netto nodded.

"You know Qiao, I'm surprised that you accepted to share him with me so quickly," Kiko remarked. "Most girls I've seen are pretty possessive when it comes to their boyfriends."

"Well to be honest, I am like most girls," Qiao said. "But you see, I kinda like having some fun too. Airen and I didn't have that many friends when we were growing up other than, Yuji, Yuki, and Fran. We also knew another girl, but an illness took her away from us. We thought coming here might let us mingle with new people…" She snickered, "Well, that and I wanted some other girls that I could share Airen with!"

"You still going on with that?" Netto asked her.

"Ah, come on," Qiao teased, poking her finger at his cheek, "I've seen how Shinichi, Yuji and Leon enjoy their company. And no matter how much he denies it, he really does enjoy the company!"

"So basically you saw three other guys with girls who like them, and decide to scope some other willing girls for your boyfriend," Kiko summarized, sweatdropping.

"That's a blunt way of putting it, but yeah."

"I wasn't too sure about it at first, but… I just like making Qiao-chan happy," Netto said, bushing.

"Happy? I'm always the one wearing the pants in this relationship," Qiao giggled as she shuffled next to him and pressed her face against his neck. "And I love it." She started kissing and licking his neck, wrapping her arms around his body, pulling herself closer. Netto stiffened instantly and shuddered from the sensations in response, like he always did whenever Qiao made her move with him. After one last lick, Qiao pulled herself out and turned to Kiko. "How about a lick? He tastes really sweet!"

Kiko tucked some of her hair behind her left ear before crawling towards the blushing Netto like a stalking wildcat. As Qiao moved to the side, Kiko sat on his legs and purred slightly while stroking his heated cheeks. She licked her lips before moving to the neck side adjacent to Qiao was and started her own series of wet kisses. Netto felt a familiar surge move through his body as his senior glided her lips and tongue against his skin. She went further by pushing him flat on the floor and lying against him to point that her breasts pushed against his chest. Qiao watched with anticipation and comforted Netto by lying next to them on her side and brushing his hair gently. He slowly relaxed and let the Night Elf continue to suck on him.

"Hmm..." Netto moaned as Kiko continued sucking on his neck, "Aw man."

Netto felt his normally powerful legs go weak again. It was like her saliva was sending simulations through his skin. It was like how Qiao would play with him sometimes, except Kiko seemed to be doing effortlessly with her mouth- and not in THAT way either.

_'Oh God, Qiao wasn't kidding,'_ Kiko thought as she moaned into his neck,_ 'It really is sweet. And it smells so good too. If I don't watch it, I think I might...' _

"Mwa!" Kiko finished, pulling back slightly. She was panting for breath and it was doing interesting things to her chest. "That was... really good."

"I'm- I'm- glad you liked it," Netto answered, looking up at the girl above him a flushed face.

Kiko smiled as she traced her finger against his throat before snuggling against his left side. She patted on Netto's chest, signaling for Qiao to join her. And she did so by cuddling up to Netto's other side. Netto was soon sandwiched by two girls who were both madly in love with him.

"You know," Kiko stated as she circled her finger against his chest, "My bed is more than large enough to fit all of us. Maybe I can invite you two over sometime so we can have some more fun."

"That sounds nice," Qiao smiled, her hand stroking Netto's stomach, "How about it, Airen?"

"Ah. I guess it could be fun," Netto smiled at them, wrapping his arms around them both.

Both girls smiled and planted kisses on both his cheeks.

* * *

><p>The last classes of the day came and went, and club hours went underway. While Shinichi was back in the Newspaper Club, and Leon was interviewing more students who wanted to join the Student Police, a few other students had yet to join a club, namely Netto, Daichi, Chiaki, Yokoshima, Qiao, Yuki and Aphrodite.<p>

"Joining clubs is mandatory?" Yokoshima said incredulously, looking at the list of clubs that was posted on one of the school's bulletin boards.

"My guess is that this is one of the ways they prepare students for the human world," Yuki commented. "To be well rounded."

"And to keep students out of trouble," Shogo added. "Found anything of interest, Daichi?"

"They have a Light Music Club," Daichi read. "I think I'll join that."

"**But would we have time? Considering we need to train**," signed Chiaki.

"Chiaki, Pops sent us here to have a normal school life. Why waste it?" said Yokoshima. "I think I'll try the Swimming Club."

"Don't," Shogo warned. "The girls in that club are man-eaters, literally." Shinichi had given him the heads up about the mermaids. It wasn't likely that they were going to try something like that again, but then again most monsters can't think straight whenever they go hungry. "You know what, I think I should join that new Student Police thing Leon's running."

Daichi commented, "Figures you'd join something military."

"**Well, if we're talking about clubs, I guess I could join Arts and Crafts**," signed Chiaki. He was good at wood carvings and could show off some of his work.

Yokoshima then decided, "Maybe I should each of the clubs as a trial member until I find the one I like."

"You could join the Newspaper Club," Yuki suggested. "Or the Literature Club."

"I doubt he'd be any good in either," Daichi spoke, "And I don't care what he says about those books Shinichi's mom writes. I don't count them as literature."

"They are well written," smiled Aphrodite fondly.

Daichi grimaced, "Not you too…"

"Considering you're a Water Manakyte, I assume you may join the Swimming Club?" Shogo inquired.

"Perhaps," Aphrodite nodded. "Maybe a Literature Club. I'm not sure yet."

"I think I'll try my hand at the Computer Club," Netto said, looking over the list. "What about you, Qiao-chan? Yuki-chan? Anything that catches your eyes?"

"I'll look around a little more," Qiao answered. "If I don't find anything of interest, I might join you."

"I think I might join the Public Safety Committee as well..." Yuki commented.

"Alright people. We got our assignments, so let's get to it," Shogo said.

"Let's go," Daichi nodded. The group went their separate ways to find the clubs that caught their interests. As they were going off, a girl watched them from a nearby wall.

"Netto Kusanagi..." she whispered to herself with an almost sinister smile.

* * *

><p>Leon looked down at the application form then up at Shogo who sat across from him. "Are you sure about this?" Leon asked. He knew about Shogo's past affiliations and knew he could be trusted, but he wanted to know why Shogo wanted to join the Student Police.<p>

Shogo answered, "I am sure, sir. I feel that I would fit in better in this new Public Safety Committee so I can use my skills to do some good and protect the student body."

Leon nodded. "Well, we do need more people." He looked at Shogo. "You got the job, Shogo."

Shogo saluted, "Thank you, sir!"

"Welcome to the Student Police," Leon nodded as he shook his hand. "Oh, and tell Yuki she's up next."

* * *

><p>The members of the Arts and Crafts club were looking for new members and were surprised when a large boy who wore a snowcap and hid his face with a scarf came into the clubroom with a log in his hand. Taking out a sign, he informed them that he was interested in joining and wanted to try out for their club.<p>

Taking his seat, he started on his work with his tools as he started carving the wooden log. He was like a man possessed as bits of wood fell at his feet as he continued to make a shape out of the log. When he was done, the log had been carved to look like a wooden statue of his Rider form.

"Wow," the female members were amazed at such workmanship. It was very well detailed.

**"So, may I join?"** Chiaki sighed.

How could they reject someone so skilled?

"You're in," the club president said and Chiaki nodded, accepting the decision.

* * *

><p>Yokoshima's list gave him the rooms where the clubs were being held and he found something at the bottom. "Cosplay Club?" he asked. He wondered what that was about. He found the room, and knocked on the door before opening it up and he grinned as he saw what the members were doing.<p>

Almost all the members were girls and they were dressed up as characters from anime and games. "Can I help you?" a girl dressed up as Ivy Valentine asked him.

"Can I join?" he asked eagerly

* * *

><p>Daichi finished playing his song on the guitar and looked up expectantly at the rest of the Light Music Club.<p>

"EXCELLENT! FANTASTIC!" Excellent Maki cheered, applauding. "You would make an excellent addition to this club!"

Daichi sweatdropped at Maki-sensei's enthusiasm but he had to ask, "Um...you're the English teacher, right? Why are you the adviser of the Light Music Club?"

"Because I love music!" admitted Maki-sensei. "And you don't have to be a music teacher to appreciate it! If you must know I used to be in a band myself when I was your age!"

"You don't say..." Daichi said as he arched an eyebrow.

* * *

><p>Netto was looking for any club that involved technology. "Engineering Club, huh? Let's check it out," he mused as he eyed the list. As he walking through to the next campus building, he didn't notice someone backing up to him before it was too late.<p>

"Ah!"

"Whoa!" Netto yelped as he fell to the floor. Shaking his head, he rolled up to see who had bumped into him.

"Oh, excusez-moi," the girl said in a fluent French accent, offering a hand to help him up, "I wasn't looking where I was going."

"That's cool," Netto answered as he took the hand. As soon as he got up, he got a full view of the girl who ran into him. The student before him was a tall and beautiful girl... even taller than him. She had fair skin and long raven hair which flowed down her back and almost touched the ground, tamed only with a simple silver band to keep it from flying in all directions. Her eyes were deep blue, and she also had a blue headband on her head. She was wearing the standard Yokai Academy uniform, but she left a few of the buttons undone to reveal a tempting amount of cleavage. Netto idly noticed that her bust rivaled Kurumu's. She also had on white shin high boots with gold accents on the toes.

"I'm still very sorry for not paying attention," she told him, "I have just transferred here from France, so I was looking around. I'm Elle Fortescue, by the way."

"I'm Netto Kusanagi," he answered, desperately not trying to stare at her cleavage. "I'm new here too."

"Oh, I know who you are, Monsieur," Elle told him.

"You do?" Netto blinked.

"Oui! Everyone does," Elle answered, folding her legs together and rubbing her nails on her jacket. "Fighting a robotic lizardman all over campus does not go noticed."

"Right. How could I forget?" Netto nodded dumbly.

The girl said nothing as she eyed him up and down. Netto was starting to feel like a piece of meat. And then she asked, "I'm looking for the list of club activities. Can you direct me to them?"

"Sure," Netto nodded. "There at the left of the main building. You can't miss it."

"Merci beaucoup!" Elle smiled as she walked over to him and placed both her hands on his shoulders, "I hope we can become good friends!"

"Y-y-y-yeah, me too," Netto nodded, blushing due to the bouncing breasts in his face.

_'And he is so shy too,'_ Elle smiled inwardly. _'I like this one.'_ "Well then, a la prochaine fois!" Elle waved as she walked off. Netto stood there and watched her go until she was out of sight from the corner of the building. Finally, he shook himself out of it.

"The girls here are something else," he sighed as he continued to find his club of choice.

* * *

><p>The next morning, a poster informing students about the upcoming Sports Festival was put up on the message board. Shinichi and his friends stopped to look.<p>

"September 26th, huh?" Shinichi questioned. That wasn't very long from today.

"Yup, Sunday, September 26th," Yukari checked. "It'll be so much fun!"

"What are Sports Festivals like?" Shinichi asked. This made the girls stare at him silently. That comment reminded them that he never had a real childhood so he wouldn't know what a Sports Festival was.

"Well, it's just a day where students and even faculty participate in sporting events," Moka explained, recalling her school days in the human world. She never really participated and had only watched on the sidelines. She was, after all, an outcast during those years.

"Oh, we had those back in GIN-SHOCKER," he answered, surprising the girls.

"An evil organization had Sports Festivals?" Kurumu questioned skeptically.

"Well, not exactly festivals, but we had Shocker Ball tournaments," Shinichi replied.

"What's Shocker Ball?" Mizore asked.

"Well, we have two teams and both teams are armed with Gravity Hammers and Laser Sabers like the ones I use. The object of the game is to score by carrying the 'Shocker Ball' over to the other team's goal," Shinichi explained. "Oh, and to add more flare to the game the Shocker Ball is also a bomb."

The girls stared at him and Mizore's lollipop nearly fell out of her gaping mouth. "And the hammers and sabers? What are they for?" Yukari asked.

"To prevent the other team from scoring, basically, but hammer and saber-wielders from both teams can also fight each other so that a member from each team can go after the ball," Shinichi answered. "Of course when you carry the Shocker Ball you can't wield weapons so you have to dodge or your teammates have to defend you."

"Were you any good at the game?" Mizore asked.

"Are you kidding, he was our MVP!" said Yokoshima as he suddenly spoke up, having overheard the entire conversation.

"How long were you standing there?" Mizore asked, surprised how sneaky he was.

"I think it was when Shinichi mentioned Shocker Ball," Yokoshima answered.

"So, you said Shinichi here was your team's MVP," Kurumu stated.

"Sure was," Yokoshima smiled. "Nobody had ever scored that many goals in Shocker Ball."

"I'm having difficulty to believe that Shinichi's former self would participate in something like that," commented Mizore.

"Dr. Magi has some footage you can watch," Yokoshima told them. He looked at the poster. "So… a Sports Festival, huh? Sounds like fun."

"But no bombs, though," Kurumu joked. "Only fireworks."

"I can live with that," Yokoshima shrugged. "By the way, the Cosplay Club is going to put on a show that day too. Well, I gotta go now. See ya!" He waved at them and went on his way.

"Cosplay Club?" Kurumu repeated. She smiled knowingly, "Ah…I see…"

"What is it, Kurumu-chan?" Shinichi inquired.

"Well, it's just that the Cosplay Club is made up of only girls and they don't get many boys because they aren't willing to put on the costumes they have," Kurumu explained.

"What kind of costumes are we talking about here?" Shinichi asked.

"Anything you can think of," Kurumu grinned.

Shinichi checked his watch and the bell rang. "We better head to class before we're late for homeroom. I don't want to be sent out of the class and forced to stand with water buckets."

* * *

><p>"Now, students, as you all know the Sports Festival is coming at the end of the month. So, I want you to do your very best when the day comes," Ms. Nekonome encouraged. "It'll be lots of fun for you."<p>

"What kind of events will there be?" Chiaki signed. The students had already gotten used to his habit of using literal form of sign language. What they couldn't figure out was how he did it.

"Oh, tons of events like relay races, the 100 meter dash, obstacles courses…" Ms. Nekonome listed the events.

"Heh, easy," Daichi smirked confidently. They were cyborg soldiers so these events would be just a breeze.

"Actually, the festival could have a tournament in the end," Shogo suggested. All eyes were on him.

"A tournament, Kuso-san?" Ms. Nekonome asked.

"Yes, to allow the best fighters from each class to show off their skills," said Shogo.

"That does sound interesting, Kuso-san," said Ms. Nekonome. "I'll see if I can suggest it to the committee."

* * *

><p>"Why did you suggest a fighting tournament, Shogo?" Shinichi asked. It was now time for lunch and the students were spending it in the classroom.<p>

"Just sounded like a good idea," Shogo shrugged. "Don't you think?"

"Well…" Shinichi thought about it. It did sound like a good idea.

"And I think that almost all the students here love to fight considering…you know."

"Now that's just stereotyping," Shinichi frowned disapprovingly. To say all monsters loved combat was untrue. Well, maybe generally they did but there had to be some peaceful ones in this school. "At least nobody suggested Shocker Ball."

"Hey, do you think we should?" Yokoshima questioned.

"No," Shinichi denied. His nose then picked up an amazing scent and he turned to look at Kurumu who smiled at him. In her hands was a box filled with cookies. "Cookies?"

"Baked them fresh last night," she said. "Thought you might like a snack."

"Hey, can I…?" Yokoshima reached over but she smacked his hand away. "Ow! Hey!"

"These aren't for you!" she snapped.

"Jerk," Yokoshima frowned, rubbing his hand.

"Ano, Shinichi-kun," said Moka, smiling at the boy she loved. "Could you accompany to the vending machine? I'm feeling a bit thirsty."

"Why don't you just suck on his neck like usual?" Daichi suggested, insensitively, receiving a foot stomp from Shinichi in response. "Ow!"

"She drinks tomato juice too," Shinichi told him. He smiled at Moka. "Sure." Moka smiled and looped her arm around Shinichi's before he escorted her out with him.

"He didn't even take one of my cookies," Kurumu pouted. She glared at Yokoshima who was about to take one without her noticing. He recoiled.

"**They seem super close,"** Chiaki observed.

"They've been friends since day one. He woke up in Youkai Academy on the first day and she was the first person he saw so they're the closest friends." Kurumu was envious. She wished she could go back in time and meet Shinichi first.

A ceiling panel was removed and Mizore's head poked out, "It almost seems unfair."

"Because you girls like him too," said Shogo. "So, about the Sports Fest, you girls have any ideas of which events you want to join?"

"The three-legged race with Shinichi," both girls answered in unison before glaring at each other.

"Saw that coming," Daichi smirked.

"How about you guys?" Kurumu asked.

"Well, I read that there's a ball rolling race," joked Daichi. "We could always roll Yokoshima."

"Oh, haha," Yokoshima sarcastically laughed. "That so funny, Dai."

"So, the standard athletic events," Shogo nodded. "I don't think any of us have that problem." They have been physically enhanced. If they could move faster than normal humans, then they could outrun monsters in human forms with no problems.

**"But isn't it unfair considering what we are?"** Chiaki signed.

"Chiaki, you gotta remember that even if everyone here looks human, they're still monsters in disguise," Daichi reminded. "It's already a bit unfair."

"Not really," said Mizore. "Since we're trying to blend into human society, the rule is that students cannot use their supernatural abilities in the Sports Festival or risk being disqualified."

Daichi snorted, "Like the rules ever stopped anyone before."

"Leon-taichou will reinforce them," said Shogo. "As will Yuki-sempai and I."

"Right, you've been accepted to the Student Police," Kurumu remembered. "So, where's your coat?"

"It'll be picking it up later after school."

* * *

><p><strong>At the vending machine…<strong>

"You must really love tomato juice," said Shinichi as he looked at the selection of drinks. '_No milk and honey…_'

"It's not blood, but it looks like it," she admitted. "But…" She reached over and caressed his neck. "I could use…" She continued with the same gleam in her eyes as she licked her fangs.

"Gonna need it for later," Shinichi said. "So, what do you think of that tourney Shogo suggested?"

"Well, if you were to participate, I'm sure our class would win," said Moka.

"That is if I went all out," Shinichi told her. "I doubt I would, unless I had to. Heck, I might end up fighting Leon."

"He is strong, like you," Moka nodded. "It would be an awesome fight."

"Yeah, I've been wanting to go one on one with him for awhile," smirked Shinichi.

"My inner self feels the same," Moka agreed.

It was nice to be with Shinichi, just the two of them, like this. They were more than friends. They weren't an official couple but people who saw them together would assume they were. They had gone on a date and kissed but they had yet to clearly define their relationship. They were between the friends and lovers status right now.

"Oh, we have that study date later, right?" Shinichi asked.

"Yes…" Moka smiled. Shinichi always made time to spend with the girls after school and club activities. Tonight he would be studying with Moka. "You want me to help you with your Kanji."

"The teachers are complaining about my 'chicken scratches'," Shinichi said in embarrassment.

"Chicken scratches? More like ink doodles," Netto remarked jokingly as he and Qiao walked by. "Sup, you two?"

"Oh hi," Moka greeted, "Where are you off too?"

"We're having another lunch date," Qiao smiled. "We're going to meet Kiko-chan."

"Kiko?" Shinichi blinked, "Oh, you mean that rich second year who has a penthouse at the top of the girls dorm. Damn Netto, you're becoming a player!"

"Shut it," Netto scolded. "I'm not sure what is that you, Yuji and Leon have, but now I've got it too."

"Yeah, yeah," Shinichi snickered. "Well, we don't want to keep you guys waiting. Have fun."

"Bet on it," Qiao smiled as she took Netto by the arm and both went on their way.

"Come on, we'd better get back too," Shinichi said. Moka nodded.

* * *

><p>"You know, something still bothers me about Shinichi," mused Daichi, hands in pockets.<p>

"You're not going to attack him again, are you?" Kurumu asked suspiciously.

"I told you, he's not the one I want revenge on," Daichi shot back. He wanted BLACK 13 to answer for his crimes and Shinichi wasn't him, at least not anymore. "He's just too…well-adjusted."

"That's it?" Kurumu questioned incredulously.

"Is that a problem?" Mizore questioned from the hole in the ceiling.

"So he can fit in," Kurumu remarked. "Is that bad?"

"He had amnesia when he woke up in Yokai Academy," Shogo theorized. "Amnesiacs are normally dazed and confused. It's one of the symptoms of amnesia."

**"Could be selective,"** Chiaki signed. **"He does remember how to fight."**

"Yeah, but he's got an entire new personality," Daichi argued.

"#13 was the best out of all of us in adapting to new situations," Yokoshima supplied.

"Combat situation, not social ones," Daichi retorted sternly. "#13 didn't have a concept of humor. Remember when you told that joke a few years back. He understood the logic, he just didn't understand the humor."

"Yeah, I was trying to make him laugh for years," Yokoshima recalled.

"So, you're saying that Shinichi's an anomaly?" Shogo questioned Daichi.

"I'm just saying there's more to Shinichi than we think," Daichi said, his hand on his chin. "It's nothing bad, but it's something we need to keep a lookout for."

"Hey, do you think something happened that made Shinichi the way he is?" Yokoshima asked. "Dr. Magi said something happened but he doesn't know the specifics. He has the files though."

"Encrypted files."

"So? He'll open then and get some answers," Yokoshima said confidently. "He did say it had something to do with why he escaped GIN-SHOCKER."

**"The year when we were still dead,"** Chiaki signed. **"Do you think something important happened during that time?"**

"Obviously, if not then how do we explain Shinichi showing up here with amnesia?" Daichi questioned.

When Shinichi and Moka returned back to class, Kurumu instantly perked up and lunged forward in a glomp.

"Oh Shinichi, I had been waiting for you!" Kurumu squeeled, ignoring Shinichi's pleas about him being suffocated. Yokoshima was watching the situation in amusement

_'Man I wish I could get that kind of attention.'_ Yokoshima thought.

Suddenly, a wash basin dropped on her head, causing her to yelp and let go of Shinichi.

"Let go of him you cow!" Yukari retaliated, marching forward with her wand in hand.

"What was that for, flat-chested brat!-?" Kurumu shot back as she went up in her face.

"You're suffocating him!" Yukari answered.

"Well I can't help that I want to express my affection!" Kurumu screeched.

"Well it won't do you any good if you get him suffocated to death from your 'affection'!" Yukari shot back.

"Now now, let's not fight." Moka pleaded. This got the girls to calm down, but the succubus and the young witch turned away from each other with a huff.

Kurumu snapped her fingers. "Oh I almost forgot." Kurumu brought up her cookies to Shinichi's face. "Here, Shinichi. Have some."

"Sure, why not?" Shinichi replied as he took a cookie and bit it into his mouth. Tears water down his face. "Umai~"

"Yahoo~!" Kurumu shouted as he gave a V for victory sign towards Shinichi's other girlfriends. Some of Shinichi's fellow cyborgs were a bit baffled.

"Wow, never saw him react like _that_ before," Daichi commented. He remembered that #13 never reacted like that whenever he are, even if some of the food did turn out OK. He only commented on their nutritional values and said the flavor was irrelevant but acceptable.

"He's not the same person anymore, remember?" Shogo analyzed and remarked.

"I know, I know, it is just strange seeing him like this. I'm still having a little trouble getting used to it." Daichi replied. He was glad to have Shinichi as a friend and not BLACK 13, but he still had some trouble differentiating BLACK 13 and Shinichi.

"Well, I like him the way he is…" Mizore said while popping out from behind Shinichi's back to cuddle him, startling Shinichi and all of his friends.

"How does she keep doing that?" Daichi yelled out. He and the others were skillful at infiltration & detecting intruders. Their hearing was meant to pick up a pin-drop from miles away. Yet this Yuki-Onna managed to get past them. It was a bit unnerving really.

"I don't know, but I would love to learn how to do that." Shogo admired.

"Shinichi, I want to give you this." Mizore spoke as she gave Shinichi a snow cone made using her powers.

"Thanks Mizore." Shinichi said as he took the snow cone and bite on it contently.

"Man, I wish I had a harem giving me attention," Yokoshima commented.

"You would," Daichi snorted.

"This totally reminds me of another one of Shiori-sensei's novels where the protagonist has to deal with a similar situation," Yokoshima reminisced.

"Smut reader," Daichi muttered.

"I heard that! They are not smut they are art!" Yokoshima snapped back at Daichi.

"Whatever," Daichi sighed.

* * *

><p>"Nice to see you two again!" Kiko smiled as the couple met her outside of the schools entrance. "We should try to get out like this more often."<p>

"We really should," Qiao smiled back, hands behind her, "How about we try and study together later? It'll be fun."

"I'm sure it will," Kiko giggled as she stepped forward to Netto, who instantly jumped slightly by her closeness. "And maybe afterwards, we can even rest together," she added with a purr as she slipped her arms around him and pressed herself against him.

"Ah, hahaha..." Netto chuckled shyly. Her body smelled very nice. He felt her hands roam over his body, causing Goosebumps to appear on his skin. Boy this girl really knew how too-

"Bonjour!" a voice next to them suddenly spoke, causing them to jump. They both turned and saw the tall form of the French transfer, Elle. "Ah, so you have girls who are already attracted to you," she said with a coy smile aimed at Netto, "You will make a fine husband one day."

"Who are you?-!" Kiko demanded as she felt her heart rate lower.

"Uh, this is Elle," Netto introduced. "I help her with some directions. She just transferred from France."

"I'm sorry to bother your moment, but there is something important I need from you," Elle said to him.

"What's that?" Netto asked with an eyebrow arched.

She pointed her finger at him. "I wish to duel you."

"A duel?" Qiao and Kiko blinked in unison.

"What for?" Netto asked.

"I saw the battle against that lizard, and you were swift, graceful, and majestic. And you were like a dragon. It was so amazing," she smiled with her hand on her chin. "I was hoping if I could fight you myself."

Netto arched an eyebrow. Was this something all Yokai did? "At least you're polite about it. If you want a spar, I guess I can humor you."

"You might as well as do it in the forest," Qiao told them. "We don't want anyone to know about this now, do we?"

"Of course," Elle nodded, "Let us go."

* * *

><p>The group of four went into the forest were lots of fights seemed to be happening lately. Not many people would know what was going on unless there was some kind intense demon power surge, like what would happen whenever Moka's rosairo was released. It was the perfect battleground.<p>

Qiao and Kiko stood safely from the distance as Netto and Elle were facing each other. Netto was in one of the classic military stances, though unlike most stances his seemed to show raw power and skill. Elle was in a different stance, which was oddly familiar. Netto could have sworn he saw it before, he just didn't know where.

"You ready?" Netto asked her.

"I should me asking you," Elle teased. "Don't blink, otherwise you'll miss this!"

Netto's eyes widened as she suddenly darted in front of him with a fist aimed at his chest. He quickly blocked the attack with his forearm to safely absorb the blow, but he was sent skidding backwards with his sneakers kicking off the dirt. '_She's fast!_' he thought to himself.

"Hup!" Elle shouted as she swung her leg in a reverse roundhouse kick. Wind pressure formed around her leg before shooting at him in a streaking blade. Acting quickly, he flipped over the air blade, allowing it to rush underneath him and explode behind him. Looking up, he saw her up in the air with her leg up high for a heel kick, consequently flashing her panties. Netto didn't have the time to stare as he rolled out of the way, the girl's impacting kick knocking up the dust and rocks as a result.

"Netto!" Kiko gapped as she witnessed Elle's power and skill.

"Don't worry," Qiao reassured her with her hand on the shoulder, "He's just getting started."

"You'll have to do better than that!" Elle shouted as she suddenly came after him with rapid fist cuffs. His Accelerated Vision was really being put to work as he somersaulted backwards from the assault. Like a teasing monkey, she leaped after him with a flying kick. He blocked it, only to get blown backwards. He rolled on his side and quickly got to his feet, only to get bombarded by a series of kicks and punches. Netto matched the attacks blow for blow, the dust kicking up from each crash. He then flipped to the side and retaliated with speedy roundhouse kicks, forcing her to retreat in back flips.

The pair got caught in a deadlock of kicks. A huge grin was plastered on Elle's face, with her blue eyes turning into reptilian slits. "You're very good! You really know how to fight!"

"I was trained by a Special Ops team who are friends of my family in military combat, and a Nine-Tailed Fox Demon who is also a family friend taught me Chinese Kenpo. I'm not one to brag, but I'm practically untouchable," Netto answered.

"We will see about that, s'il vous plait!" she answered as she jumped backwards. A sudden tornado swirled around her, causing Netto and their audience to shield his eyes before the tornado violently dispersed, the wind ripping the leaves from the tree branches. Before him stood a completely different figure. Smooth, blue-greenish scales covered her from body head to toe. Large wings were on her back, stretching slightly, and there was a thick tail that appeared out of her skirt, slamming against the dirt with a loud crunch.

"What the..." Qiao blinked. "Are you a Manakyte?"

"Close," Elle answered with a toothy grin. "But not exactly. I am a Lord of the Earth. A pure-blooded dragon!"

"A dragon, huh?" Netto frowned. "That means she might not be as strong as Yuji and Yuki. I don't think she'll be any weaker though. In that case..." he clasped his hands on the side of his hips, summoning his belt. "Henshin!"

**"DIGITIZING."**

The dragon girl watched as Netto broke apart into digital pieces and reform into the armored form of Mega. "Is this what you wanted to see?"

"Good. Now things are starting to get exciting!" she smiled, cracking her fingers. Air pressure swirled around her arms before she swing them forward in a swift strike. Mega crossed his arms together as the wind exploded around him. However, Elle appeared behind him and sent her back hand to his head, sending him tumbling along the ground. He quickly got back to his feet and faced her.

"You recovered from that!" Elle grinned as she punched her fists together as they glowed with blue sparkles, "Very good! But can you recover from this? **Tenryu no Tekken!**" a strong surge of wind erupted from her fist as she punched it forward, aiming her attack directly at Mega.

"She can use Dragon Slayer techniques too?-!" Mega gasped. Though he didn't have time to analyze more as he quickly converted himself into electricity and went around the wind surge, allowing it to blow through the trees. When he reverted back to Rider form, he saw that all of trees in the wind's path were uprooted, leaving a dirt path of holes where the trees once stood.

"Wow..." Qiao gulped. This girl seemed to have manipulated one of her mother's signature techniques.

"Who is this girl?" Kiko gaped.

"I'm sure you have figured it out by now, but my element specialty is wind," Elle told them. "I am a Sky Dragon, and my element type allows me to move and react faster than any known Youkai. If I want to, I can even break the sound barrier!"

"What! That means she can go as fast as Yusei-san!" Qiao gasped.

"And even if I can see her coming, I won't be able to get off so easily," Mega added. His Accelerated Vision was made to see attacks coming at a slower rate than normal speed, but against an opponent that actually had super speed, he needed to up his reaction time. Luckily, he had just thing for that. "Ryu Henshin!"

**"STORM DRAGON."**

**Music- "Liger Jager"**

Elle smiled eagerly as she watched the green light appear from his belt and switch Mega into his dragonic speed form, "That power again. How uncanny it is that form has the power of a dragon. This is going to be interesting."

"Try to keep up," Mega taunted. And in a blink of an eye, he vanished. Elle jumped into the air and vanished as well. Soon the battlefield erupted in streaks of green, sounds flashing and clashing about. The wind was strong as both elements bounced off one another to prove their dominance, cutting off the branches as they went. Qiao held Kiko back protectively as they watched the fight.

In the fight itself, the whole world was just a blur to them. Nothing was moving, including the leaves and branches that were descending slowly from the air. The fighters in dragon form both sent kicks and punches that connected simultaneously. Both continued to run across the ground and trees. Landing on a slowly descending branch, Elle puffed up her cheeks before sending a salvo of air bullets at Mega. Thinking fast, he transformed into green electricity, going past the air bullets and allowing them to explode on the ground. Just as he was about to get to her, she suddenly spun around in a cyclone, causing him to return to Rider form and getting blown off. He was sent flying back to a tree but quickly used a bark to swing back across the bark and to the air and came back down for a flying kick. Elle grinned as she jumped after him and directed her own leg at him. Their feet met for a thunderous strike. They landed on the ground and charged for clashing tackle that knocked each other backwards again.

"You're an amazing fighter, Monsieur!" Elle praised him.

"Thanks! So are you!" Mega replied back.

"But now it is time we put an end to this game!" she declared as her wind started to swirl around legs. **"Tenryu no... Kagitsume!"** she chanted as she charged forward at full speed. She struck both her legs against his chest and sent him flying straight into a tree. But then, just before he hit the tree, he seemed to have vanished without a trace. The attack was still true as it exploded against the bark.

"Que?-!" Elle blinked. She saw him take the hit! What happened? How could he have disappeared just like that? It would be impossible unless...

"Down here!" Before Elle had time to react, a fist met her stomach and she was sent spinning into the air. The moment she hit the ground, everything around them came into normal speed again. The branches fell and the dirt collapsed, the entire field was a mess.

**End Song**

"What happened?" Kiko asked as she tried to look forward. "Is the fight over?"

Qiao looked over and smiled as she saw Netto canceling his transformation. "Airen! He did it!" she cheered as she ran went and pulled him in a tight embrace, laughing and giggling as she did.

"Hey," Netto smiled sheepishly as he held his first girlfriend in his arms. He then went stiff as he felt to soft orbs against his back.

"That was amazing, darling," Kiko cooed in his ear, "You definitely deserve ad award for that performance. We're lucky that lunch period isn't over yet."

"S-sure," Netto trembled, his cheeks going red. His eyes widened as he remember something, "Elle-sempai!" he broke away from the girls as he went over to Elle, who was back in human form and rubbing her stomach with a groan. She looked up and saw Netto extending his hand.

"Sorry," he smiled sheepishly again, "I hope I wasn't too rough." Elle smiled as she took his hand, allowing him to pull her up.

"I see that you really are a skilled fighter. I'm impressed," Elle complimented.

"You're pretty good yourself. I can see you've trained a lot," Netto returned, sticking his hands in his pockets.

"So, you mentioned Special Ops training, and learning from a demon fox," Elle recalled, arms folded, "Care to elaborate, Monsieur?"

"It's called Public Security Section 9," Netto explained, "The operatives are trained in various methods ranging from investigations to cyberwarfare and stuff like that. My late mother was the field commander."

Elle's eyes widened slightly, as did Kiko's when she heard, "Late... mother? Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that."

"That's alright. She wouldn't want me to mope around. She was a tough lady, and was good with nearly anything."

Elle smiled, "Well, I'm sure she'd be proud of the man you've grown up to be."

"Well, Batou always did say that I took after her, but with my father's attitude," he told her with a chuckle. "And the demon fox who also taught me to fight was Qiao's mom."

"Oh really?" Elle blinked.

"There's a reason why she's called the 'Fox Deity from Heaven and Hell'," he answered.

"So is there any reason why you challenged Airen?" Qiao asked Elle. Both she and Kiko walked over and stood behind the boy they both loved.

"Ah, well it's something of a way of life where grew up," Elle explained to them. "Whenever someone in the royal family finds someone who strikes them fancy, they challenged them to a duel. And if the like what they see, the pick that someone as a mate," she smiled she brought Netto into her arms quite suddenly, "I've found mine!"

"Huh?" Netto gaped.

"What? Royal family?" Kiko blinked with her eyes widening, "You mean that you're a-!"

"Allow me to reintroduce myself," Elle grinned with a glint of longing in her eyes, "I am Elle Jacqueline de la Fortescue, Princess of the Sky Dragon Clan. And you, Netto Kusanagi, are now my prince!" She closed the gap between their lips, purring as she slipped her tongue in his mouth. Netto's eyes widened but soon found himself succumbing, while Qiao and Kiko just stood there, stunned by the revelation.

* * *

><p>…<strong>RESTORATION AT 81%...<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: Now, it looks like Netto has another new girl claiming him as her lover. Boy, coming to Youkai Academy really did open Netto up to new possibilities. Wonder how our techno-meister will handle this situation. Anyway, hope you guys enjoy this chapter as much as we did making it for you. <strong>

**TAILSMO4EVER: This was another focus chapter for Netto. Not only does he get another girl to fall for him, but it seems that we've taken a glimpse into his past. What could it be? **


	36. New Term: Peaceful Days

**Chapter 36: Peaceful Days**

"Sir!" Shogo saluted as he stood in front of Leon. Shogo still hadn't gotten the uniform but he wore the armband that made him a member of the Public Safety Committee.

"Yes, Shogo?" Leon questioned.

"Sir, will we be providing security for the Sports Festival?" Shogo asked.

"We will once we have enough members," Leon answered. "How about your recon? Did you find her yet?"

"No, sir. I've only heard reports of sightings from other students," Shogo answered.

"Dammit…" Leon muttered, annoyed. "She's hiding really well. You have anything else to report?"

"No, sir." Shogo saluted. "May I be excused?"

"Sure, and at ease soldier," said Leon.

"Thank you, sir!" Shogo marched out and Leon sighed. He heard another knock at the door. "Come in."

Yuki entered, with a sketchpad in hand. "Oh, Yuki. It's you."

"I just passed by Shogo. Did he have something to report?" Yuki asked.

"I sent him to do aerial recon," said Leon as he looked back at his paperwork.

"Still having trouble finding more members?" Yuki questioned.

"I need to build a team made up of people I can trust not to become corrupt, but besides you and Shogo I haven't found anybody else." He spotted Reiri's application form. "I still need to prepare for more interviews. So, what did you come to see me for?"

"Well, I was thinking we could redesign the uniforms for the Public Safety Committee. You're still wearing the old colors and the students have very bad memories of the old regime," she informed him.

"You have suggestions?" Leon asked.

Yuki went to his side and opened up her sketchbook. "I have a few, actually."

* * *

><p>"Are you sure about this, Moka-chan?" Shinichi asked.<p>

"It's the best way for you to practice your Kanji, Shinichi-kun," she reasoned.

"But…this is Japanese calligraphy!" He was holding an ink brush and dipping it into an ink well before writing on a sheet of paper. There was a pile of blank sheets of paper next to him, ready to be written on.

"You need to practice the order of strokes. Your problem is that you know what the characters look like but you put the strokes in the wrong order," she told him. She'd seen his handwriting and it was barely readable. He was the only one who could considering he'd written them. It was a miracle he was able to get 2nd in their entire year for last term's midterm and final exam.

"OK, OK," Shinichi sighed. He slowly put the brush onto the paper and wrote a character. Moka watched as he drew the character with each stroke but then frowned. "What?"

"You got that part wrong," she said, pointing out.

"Is it really that noticeable?" he asked. She nodded. "Kaa-chan says that Kanji wasn't her forte either but it's not a problem for her since she writes with a computer."

"Still, you'll need proper Kanji writing skills, Shinichi-kun," said Moka.

"Hai, hai, Moka-sensei," he saluted. He flicked the brush and accidentally stained Moka's cheek. "Oh, shoot!" He grabbed a paper napkin and gently rubbed the ink stain off. Moka blushed a bit at the close contact and so did Shinichi as he slowly withdrew his hand but Moka grabbed hold of his wrist. "Ah…I think we should take a break."

"Right," Moka agreed as she let go. "I'll make some tea."

"Could you pour me a glass of cold milk and honey?" he requested. She nodded and went to the kitchen. Being alone with Moka often made him a little nervous, despite the fact that they had kissed before and gone out on a date…one date…a date that got ruined by GIN-SHOCKER's meddling. He twirled the ink brush around and then dipped it into the ink well before drawing on the paper again. When Moka came back with the drinks, putting the cups on the table, she blushed as she saw what Shinichi had drawn.

It was a picture of her, drawn in ink, and it was done within the span of time she'd taken to make their drinks.

"Shinichi-kun," she said and Shinichi realized what he'd drawn.

"Did I do this?" he asked. "I wasn't really paying attention."

"It's amazing, like the painting you did," said Moka. "You've really got talent."

"I wouldn't call it that," he said modestly. He grabbed his cup and sipped the delicious beverage. "Ah…milk and honey." He swirled it a bit around. "You know, I remember how Kaa-chan persuaded me to drink milk when I was a kid. I was so stubborn so she had the idea to put honey into each glass of milk and drink it with me. Since then it's been our favorite drink."

Moka smiled after hearing that. It was so good to listen as he told her about a memory of his childhood he thought he'd lost.

He put down the cup and smiled at Moka. "Thanks, Moka-chan. You've been a great help."

"Well, you do need help with Kanji," she said.

"I was talking about the first day," he said. "The day we met. You became my friend even when I didn't know who I was or how I got here. I think the first time I ever cracked a smile was the day I met you."

Moka remembered, crashing into him, drinking his blood, and accidentally driving him away because she'd foolishly told him she hated humans. He still came back to save her from Saizou. Speaking of which, where was Saizou? He hadn't turned up again since the first day of the new term. She wonder where he'd gone. She looked to Shinichi, wondering if Saizou had confronted him and had been beaten again.

"In fact, if it weren't for you, Kamen Rider Showa would not have been born," he finished. He then leaned in and kissed her. Surprised, Moka lost her balance before falling on her back with Shinichi on top of her, still kissing her. Moka slowly kissed back, putting her arms around Shinichi as she held him close.

Breaking the kiss, he told her, "Moka-chan, I love you."

"Shinichi-kun, I love you too…" she replied, gazing into his eyes.

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Hearing the voice, Moka and Shinichi suddenly jumped apart and looked at the window to see Reiri sitting on the windowsill.

"Reiri-chan!" Shinichi yelped.

"Oh, don't mind me. Please, continue," she encouraged.

"What are you doing here, Reiri-san?" Moka asked.

"Oh, I was on my way to see Leon when I decided to just drop by and say hi." She stepped into the room and picked up a sheet of paper. "Calligraphy?"

"It's for Kanji practice," Shinichi answered. "So, you said you were going to see Leon about something."

"I applied for the Student Police job," said Reiri.

"Really? Congratulations," smiled Shinichi.

"Don't congratulate me yet, Shin-chan. I still need to pass the interview and go for a trial period before it's official. But, I think I can _persuade_ Leon." She licked her lips.

* * *

><p>The following morning, Shinichi walked to school with Moka when all of a sudden Kurumu appeared and hugged his right arm. "Shinichi!" she cheered happily. "I've missed you!"<p>

Amused, Shinichi replied, "But you saw me yesterday, Kurumu-chan."

"I know, and I hated the hours we didn't get to see each other. I wish I was the one you went to see for Kanji practice," she pouted.

"But we'll be seeing each other tonight. I'm gonna help you with math," he reminded.

"Yes!" she grinned. She looked forward to that. "Hope you come to my room then." She kissed him on the cheek and beamed at him.

Moka glowered but then let out a sigh. She knew that Shinichi loved her and that all that counted. And while she felt she should be the only one for him, insister by her inner self, she knew that all the others loved him just as much as she did.

* * *

><p><strong>AFTER SCHOOL…<strong>

"So, we're all gonna head to the Hive Queen for some training tonight," Daichi told Shinichi, Yokoshima, Shogo, and Chiaki. The group was in the empty Newspaper Club room, and it was a good hiding spot since Shinichi's admirers where not around. Shogo, Chiaki and Yokoshima nodded, but Shinichi didn't look too thrilled. "Yo," Daichi alerted, snapping his fingers at his face, "What's wrong with you?"

"Huh?" Shinichi snapped out of his funk, "I kinda have a prior engagement. Kurumu-chan needs me to help her with her math homework."

"Oh, the succubus girl?" Yokoshima grinned, "I bet she'll be so grateful she'll put out for you."

Shinichi blinked at the Pillbug Cyborg's statement, and then he blinked again, "Are you implying that my friend is a slut?" he thundered with a glared.

"I think he's implying she's a whore," Daichi remarked, his face showing no emotion.

"Shinichi, relax," Shogo continued, "Yokoshima didn't mean anything by it. He's... not all that bright. He cooks bacon with an iron."

"Is it my fault that the iron makes the bacon nice, smooth and crispy!" Yokoshima shouted defensively.

"OK, here's what's we'll do, Yokoshima," Shinichi said, his finger raised up, "I am going to turn around, close my eyes and count to ten. If you're still there when I stop counting and turn back around, I...I can't be held responsible for what I might do to you." With those words said, he closed his eyes and turned around.

"Come on, Shinichi! Relax, it was a joke! I didn't mean anything by it!" Yokoshima pleaded.

"1...2..."

Shogo said, "Yokoshima, I think he means it."

"3...4..."

Daichi warned, "Yokoshima, run."

"5...6..."

Yokoshima cried, "Amscray!" before running for his life.

* * *

><p>As promised, Shinichi showed up at Kurumu's dorm room. He knocked on the door and stepped back as the door was flung open. Amused, he asked, "Were you waiting for me at the door this whole time?" He looked at her ensemble. She wore a pink tank top with a pair of blue cut off shorts. The tank top revealed her midriff and barely contained her breasts. He, on the other hand, was wearing a yellow t-shirt with a black 'S' on it, a leather jacket, blue jeans and a red scarf.<p>

"Maybe~" she said, amused, before taking his hand to pull him into her dorm room. He sniffed the air and remarked, "You've been baking." Kurumu had her own portable oven so she could bake her cookies and cakes. She was good at sweet things, in fact, and often brought some to share with him during lunch.

"Just a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies," said Kurumu, "So we can enjoy it while you help me with my homework."

"Well, I do enjoy a snack," Shinichi said. He then put his arms around Kurumu, "And speaking of which…" He pressed his lips against hers. He had long ago realized that he cared for all the girls very much and while he could not choose one of them, he resolved to at least show each of them a fair amount of affection. The girls didn't seem to mind, at least when he was alone with one of them.

Kurumu closed her eyes and kissed back, putting her arms around her Destined One. It did frustrate her that Shinichi did this with the others but for now she could just enjoy the sensation of being in his arms and being kissed by him.

Shinichi broke the kiss and stared into Kurumu's violet eyes, her cheeks pink with a cute blush. "OK, let's do some math!"

* * *

><p>"OK, do you understand it?" Shinichi asked. Kurumu's forehead slammed down against the table.<p>

"I don't get it at all!" she whined. Shinichi put his hand on her back and rubbed it up and down.

"Just don't get too stressed about it. I mean you did well on our final last term, remember?" he told her.

Kurumu looked up and smiled at him. "Yeah, that's true."

Shinichi smiled back and looked at the clock. They had been working on the homework for half an hour. Maybe a little break would be nice. "How about a break?" he suggested.

Kurumu scooted over to him and then leaned against his shoulder. "I have the perfect idea…"

"Does it involve the both of us in bed?" he deadpanned.

"Ooh, you read my mind!" she giggled. "So…"

"Well, I wouldn't mind cuddling," Shinichi shrugged. Kurumu was actually thinking something beyond cuddling, "But I was actually thinking of something else we could do.

"Oh?"

"How about we go fly around for a bit?"

* * *

><p>"So, this is what it's like to fly for fun?" Showa-Skyrider asked as he flew alongside Kurumu, his scarf flapping in the wind.<p>

"Yeah, we succubae were built for this," she said, spinning around in midair, her wings spread.

"Must be nice to be born with wings," he remarked.

"You have wings," she pointed out.

"My Cicadroid has wings," he corrected. "I just put it on so I can fly with it, but Skyrider has his own merits."

"What are they?" she asked curiously.

"I'd race you, but I just wanna enjoy a flight with you." Showa-Skyrider reached towards her and she reached back. Their fingertips touched before they held hands, fingers intertwining. His hand may be covered in a black glove, but she could feel the warmth in his touch. She just wished that mask didn't conceal his face. She wanted to see his expression but could only imagine it from the tone of his voice.

"We're going to dive now. Ready?" Kurumu asked.

"No!" he joked, laughing, and the two shot down towards the ground. Just before hitting, the two of them shot up into the air as fast as they could, enjoying the rush.

"YA-HOO~!" Kurumu cheered.

Compared to Shinichi, Kurumu was an expert at this. Her wings were spread wide, her tail helped her to steer, and her body was so slender and light. The only thing heavy about her were her breasts but they didn't hinder her flight.

Then again, as she'd said, succubae were made for this.

"Wait…" Showa-Skyrider said. "Look, the sun's setting."

Kurumu looked to where he was pointing and just watched the beautiful sunset with him. It was just so romantic. Here they were holding hands, while in flight, and they were watching the sunset. It was a beautiful moment.

She felt so blessed.

She couldn't wait to write to her mother about _this_. But first she was going to make a stop at the campus store to buy ingredients. Next time, she was going to make muffins. Shinichi was sure to love them!

* * *

><p>Kurumu exited the campus store, which sold everything for a student's convenience like groceries, stationary and even clothing. Since students were not permitted to leave the school until the holidays or under special permission, the school made sure that there were facilities that allowed students to make their dorms feel like home.<p>

Kurumu, still dressed in tank top and shorts, skipped back towards her dorm. She was going to bake something delicious for her Destined One. Suddenly, her body felt cold.

She felt a presence behind her, a malevolent one, and picked up the pace. She felt a disgusting presence which she wanted to avoid at all cost. As she continued to run, the presence pursued, finally stopping in front of the dorms. She finally stopped running and spun around to see who it was.

"Nagare!-?" It was that slimy guy who'd tried to take advantage of her last term. "Weren't you expelled!-?"

"I was, thanks to you and your friends," Nagare said as he admired her figure. "Nice outfit. Mind if I took a few shots?"

"Yes, I do mind!" Kurumu snapped. "Now get out of here before I call Shinichi!"

"By all means, call him," Nagare chuckled. "I have a score to settle with him."

Kurumu scowled and dropped her groceries before going on the attack. Her claws lengthened and she prepared to strike him down. She went for a brutal slash but her claws simply slipped off the surface of her body. Nagare's perverse grin grew as he counterattacked, spitting a large wad of slime at Kurumu. Kurumu shrieked as she was hit and was disgusted.

"You…you're disgusting!" she cried. She then saw that her clothes were starting to melt away. "Hey, what's happening!-?"

"It's an acid that only affects fabric," he told her. "Now, can't have you running away…so…" Nagare took a deep breath before exhaling, releasing a thick gas that surrounded the two of them. Kurumu fell to her knees, coughing, as she felt herself growing weak.

"No…not again…" she uttered weakly. She was at Nagare's mercy now and he would be able to do what he wanted to her still virgin body. She wanted Shinichi to be her first, not this slimy creep.

The acid was slowly eating away at Kurumu's clothes, much to Nagare's delight, and the gas he emitted weakened her. Perfect. The bitch would submit to him and he his slave, willing or not, and he would get to have her as much as he wanted before he got tired of her. Licking his lips, he advanced on Kurumu who was trying to cover her modesty with her hands. Suddenly, Nagare was hit as a motorcycle ran into him, sending him flying.

Shinichi pulled up his visor and got off his bike to check on his friend. "Kurumu-chan!-?"

"Shinichi!" Kurumu cried out.

"Che, you again," growled Nagare as he got back to his feet. Shinichi looked at Nagare and watched as he transformed. He still resembled a slug but now his body was humanoid in appearance with greenish, brown skin and slime. His eye stalks were still as creepy as ever. He also wore leather pants and had GIN-SHOCKER's signature belt with the insignia as a belt buckle.

"You're with GIN-SHOCKER," Shinichi observed.

"That's right, and now look at me now!" boasted Nagare. "You may call me Slime Slug from now on!"

When Shinichi saw the state Kurumu was in, with the remains of her clothes hanging off her, he saw red and immediately turned his eyes towards Nagare. The slimy student who'd tried to take advantage of Kurumu had not changed his ways nor learnt his lesson from their last confrontation, and what was worse, Nagare had willingly admitted to joining GIN-SHOCKER.

"Let's Ride: Showa," Shinichi said coldly as he strode towards Slim Slug and clenched his fists. He charged and punched at Slime Slug, only for his fist to slide off once it made contact with his opponent's body. He stumbled forwards and spun around for a kick, only to meet the resistance as his foot just slipped away.

"My slimy body prevents me from taking damage, fool!" Slime Slug boasted. "I can also do this!" He inhaled, his cheeks and throat bloating up before he opened his mouth and spat, firing a ball of slime at Showa. He jumped out of the way and the slime ball struck a tree, completely melting it down. "See? I can even control the acid's intensity so it can only melt clothes like Kurumu-chan's!"

Showa glanced at Kurumu who was now only in her underwear and back at Nagare. His eyes flashed red for a second before reverting back to green. "Let's Ride…!"

"I can handle anything you got!" Slime Slug boasted.

"Super-1!" Showa's body flashed as he assumed the space Rider, Super-1. Charging forward, he called out, "Hot & Cold Hands!" The Hot Hand shot at Nagare's face and unleashed a stream of flames which caused Slime Slug to scream as he was engulfed by it. He rolled around, trying to put out the flames. Showa-Super-1 then pointed the cryogenic spray equipped to his Cold Hand and shot it at Nagare, dousing the flames but freezing his body in the process, except for his head.

Showa resumed his default form and walked towards Nagare who struggled to move but even his Cyborg Yokai body wasn't able to break out of the ice that now covered him. He trembled, both out of cold and fear as Showa formed his Gravity Hammer.

Showa gave Kurumu a look and said, "Look away."

Kurumu, understanding this, closed her eyes.

"WAIT! WAIT!" Slime Slug shouted as Showa raised up the Gravity Hammer. "I CAN TELL YOU THINGS! ANYTHING! I CAN EVEN TELL YOU WHERE THEIR HEADQUARTERS IS! JUST LET ME GO, PLEASE!"

Showa wasn't interested in talking and started to bring the hammer down. However, Slime Slug used a desperate move and shot a stream of acid which hit Showa in the face. The Rider screamed as his faceplate began to burn, the eyepieces damaged, effectively blinding him.

"Shinichi!" Kurumu screamed.

Slime Slug broke free from his icy prison and spat more slime that hit Showa in the chest, sending him reeling. He then knocked Showa to the ground with a punch and stood over him victoriously.

"Look at you now, writhing in the ground in pain," Slime Slug sneered. "Now, prepare to die." He inhaled and bloated up his cheeks and throat to unleash his killing move. Just before he spat out the acid, Showa's eyes turned red and suddenly shot laser blasts right through Slime Slug's chest.

"Gah...!" Slime Slug hacked as he slowly back way. While this was fatal to most other people, he also had regenerative properties that allowed him to heal up the hole in his chest. He snarled at his target and was about to retaliate, but then a black blur hit. It felt like a foot, burying into his side before knocking him away from Showa.

Kurumu looked and saw who the figure was. "Leon?"

Leon looked at Showa, who's eyes had reverted back to green before then. "Are you OK?"

"Just a little sore," said Showa as he got up. His chestplate had been melted and part of his helmet had melted off. "I'm fine now."

"You should go, and take Kurumu with you," Leon advised.

"But this is my fight," Showa countered.

"Now this is my fight, and I'm using my authority as the leader of the Public Safety Committee to dispense justice," Leon told him. "Now go."

Showa was hesitant then looked at the state Kurumu was in. Going to her, he helped her up and guided her to the bike. Slime Slug, seeing this, went to stop them but the tip of Leon's face in front of his face stopped him.

As the Cyclone-X3 raced away, Leon put away his sword and turned to Slime Slug, "So you're one of the three other Riders on our hit list," the Cyborg Youkai sneered.

"Charmed," Leon said sarcastically as he took out his means of transformation. "You must be Nagare. Shinichi warned me about you. So you joined GIN-SHOCKER in retaliation?"

"He ruined my life!" Slime Slug snarled. "He got me expelled!"

"No he didn't, your dick did," Leon frowned. "You couldn't attract the woman you liked so you attempted to rape her instead. And where I come from, people who do such things are scum. Now, enough talk." He pushed the key in and twisted, "Rider Change!"

"**KAMEN RIDER NECROS!"**

Standing in Leon's place was Kamen Rider Necros and he brandished his Ankh Sword proudly. Slime Slug, enraged that he couldn't have both Kurumu and his revenge, lunged at Necros who swung his blade in response. Thinking his slime barrier would protect him, Slime Slug didn't stop his charge, but he was proven wrong as the blade struck and hit him across the chest, sending him reeling. Necros strode casually towards him, swinging his sword several times, causing sparks to fly when it made contact with Nagare's cyborg body. One last swing sent Slime Slug tumbling. Putting away his sword, Necros took out the Ryuga Rider Key and activated with his Mobirider.

"**KAMEN RIDER RYUGA!"**

The armor of Kamen Rider Ryuga, Kamen Rider Ryuki's dark mirror twin, replaced Necros'. His armor was black with reinforced gauntlets, boots and torso armor. Mounted on his left forearm was a device called the Drag-Visor. His head was encased in a helmet with a dark, grilled visor that hid his eyes. He wore a belt with a hollow buckle to hold a dark grey rectangular case with a black dragon's face on the front and a slot on the side. He then drew a card from the Advent Deck slotted in his belt and put it into the black Drag-Visor mounted on his left arm. He then closed the Visor to activate the card.

"**FINAL VENT!"**

A roar was heard and a mechanical black Chinese dragon materialized. It flew around Necros-Ryuga and stood behind him as the black dragon Rider hovered up. He then went into a flying kick pose before a burst of fire from the dragon propelled him like a rocket, covered in black and blue flames. Slime Slug stood up and froze when he saw the attack coming before Necros-Ryuga's kick connected with his chest. Slime Slug was sent flying before he exploded in mid-air due to the force of the attack, his body engulfed by the black and blue flames before he blew up.

Leon reverted back to human form as he landed on the ground with a light tap and looked at the remains of his opponent. "Whether it was up to Shinichi or I to decide what to do didn't matter. The moment you harmed a friend of ours, your fate was sealed," he declared before walking to parts unknown.

* * *

><p>Shinichi took Kurumu back to her dorm room. Despite the damage his armor had taken from Nagare's acid, he wasn't visibly wounded. Still, the pain had been real. As they both went through the threshold, Kurumu keeping the jacket draped over her closed, Shinichi shut the door behind them and locked them. He slowly helped Kurumu inside her dorm room.<p>

Kurumu had nearly gotten raped tonight and if Shinichi hadn't been nearby, doing some maintenance on the Cyclone-X3…Shinichi didn't want to think of what might've happened to his friend. She was shaken. Nagare had put her into a helpless position, unable to defend herself, and perfect for him.

Shinichi and Kurumu sat on the bed together. What remained of her clothing was just her underwear and it was barely holding on. Shinichi tried to look anywhere but her. He didn't want to seem like a pervert, even if he was a little, but Kurumu needed to be comforted, not ogled.

Suddenly, the girl wrapped her arms around him and he returned the embrace as she trembled in his arms. "Thank you…" she uttered. "Thank you…you saved me…"

"Of course," he answered softly. "I'll always be there to save you. Always…"

Kurumu looked up at him, his face filled with concern just for her right now. He had that expression on his face whenever he worried for them, and it was focused on her. 'Even after finding out how messed up his life was, he still has time to care…"

Feeling impulsive, Kurumu leaned up and softly kissed his lips. Shinichi didn't protest and allowed Kurumu to do whatever she wanted to feel comforted. Of course, her kiss turned deeper, more needy, and Shinichi responded in kind, kissing her back. They held onto each other, making out, and cheeks were flushed before they parted for breath. Then, they resumed.

Kurumu's hands went to his chest, running up and down it. She felt, so very warm, and she wanted more. Breaking the kiss again, she looked into his eyes, her own violet ones glistening, as she requested softly, "Take me…make me yours…"

Shinichi was stunned by the offer and declined weakly, "I…I don't think it's the right…I mean after…" Kurumu nuzzled his neck.

"Need you…" she whispered. Her bra-clad breasts were pressed against his shirted chest. "Please…for tonight…be mine…and make me yours…"

Shinichi took a sharp intake of breath and caught Kurumu's sent. Was she exuding some kind of pheromone? His mind was in a haze. His sensible side told him to leave before anything happened but his more emotional side told him to stay to comfort her after Nagare tried to rape her.

His emotional side won.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Kurumu opened her eyes and gazed at her lover's face. Oh, she felt so happy that she was in the lead against those girls. She was the first to bag him. She definitely had something to write to her mother about. Also, he was just big enough. Maybe it was a result of his genetic enhancements. She wasn't complaining. She stretched and draped her leg and arm over Shinichi's body. Both of them were naked under the cover. She watched as he still slept, tracing a circle around his muscular chest.<p>

Her alarm clock rang, causing Shinichi's eyes slowly fluttered open as he yawned. He reached over to turn it off but Kurumu was faster. "What…?" It took him a while to process the fact that he wasn't in his bed and that he wasn't alone. "Kurumu-chan?"

"Good morning, darling," she purred sultrily as she gave him a deep kiss. She praised, "You were amazing last night. Was I your first?"

"Yeah…" he admitted. Kurumu added that to the scoreboard in her mind. Not only was she the first to sleep with Shinichi, she was the one to officially deflower him. Well, he deflowered her too and he did it so well.

Resting her head on his chest, she listened to his heartbeat. He, however, had other concerns. Mizore, Moka and Yukari would definitely become upset if they learnt about this and Kurumu did love to brag. "Um…Kurumu-chan…about us."

"Yes…?" she asked, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"How about we keep what happened between the two of us a secret?" he suggested.

"Why?" Kurumu pouted. She didn't think it was such a big deal.

"Well…if the others find out…well…they might murder us," he said, concerned.

"Worried about me, huh?" she asked.

Shinichi could already picture it in his head. Yukari would curse her, Mizore would freeze her, then Moka-sama would shatter her with one of her kicks.

"Yes, I am," he admitted honestly. "I'm worried about myself too." He imagined the same thing happening to him as well and gulped. "I mean…what am I gonna do when I see them today?"

"Well, how about you and I stay in bed and have sex today?" she suggested.

"That's…very tempting," he replied, swallowing saliva. "But I think we should get up and have breakfast before getting ready for school…" Kurumu's warm, naked body was pressed against his and her thigh was rubbing up and down his leg, stimulating him once more. Heck, he was already forming a tent with the covers which Kurumu noticed. She licked her lips. Reaching down, she grasped his shaft causing him to gasp. "Kurumu-chan! Not now!"

"Oh…you can't fool me…" she giggled. "All boys want it all the time."

"That may be true, but now's not one of those times! Now please let go of me!"

"No!"

"Kurumu-chan…!" he whined.

* * *

><p>Shinichi was able to sneak out of Kurumu's bedroom after breakfast to run over to his own dorm to switch into his own uniform after a brief shower. Last night's events were pretty vivid in his mind, and not just the sex. Kurumu had been in danger and if he hadn't arrived then she might've been…Then Leon showed up to help.<p>

"I should thank him," thought Shinichi out loud.

* * *

><p>Shinichi walked to school and met up with Moka and Mizore at the gate. Suddenly, Yukari appeared and leapt into his arms. He caught her and set her down, smiling at her as he greeted her warmly. Of course there was one last girl left.<p>

She hugged him from behind, making sure to press her soft breasts against his back. "Shinichi…why didn't you walk with me to school today?"

"I was in a hurry," he said. Kurumu pouted sadly but smiled before kissing his cheek and skipping towards the entrance. Shinichi and his friends followed after her towards the show lockers.

Daichi, Chiaki, Shogo and Yokoshima saw how happy the succubus looked.

"Does she seem happier than usual?" Yokoshima asked.

"Meh, she's always like that," Daichi dismissed.

"**I think Yokoshima's onto something**," Chiaki signed.

"Well, maybe it has something to do with the fact that Shinichi spent the night at her place," said Shogo. The other cyborgs looked at him. "I was doing aerial recon this morning and I saw Shinichi leave her dorm room."

"Wow…he spent a night with a girl," Yokoshima said, impressed.

"Maybe nothing happened," signed Chiaki.

"Dude, come on! When a guy and a girl spend the night together, something always happens!" said Yokoshima.

"Is this from one of those Shiori books too?" Daichi asked.

"Yeah, and call it common sense. Man, Shinichi got laid! Lucky bastard!"

"Keep your voice down," Daichi warned. "We don't wanna cause a rumor to spread."

"Right, right. Gotcha, Dai."

"Now, come on before we're late."

"It's only because you wanna see Nekonome-sensei…" teased Yokoshima. Daichi had a love for animals and because Nekonome-sensei was a Bakeneko Onna, the Pillbug Cyborg would tease his friend about having a crush on her.

"Oh, shut up!" Daichi huffed, adjusting the strap of his guitar case before heading inside.

"**You shouldn't rile him up like that**," Chiaki advised.

"Hey, he makes it so easy. Now come on, guys! Race ya to class!" Yokoshima dashed off.

"He's such a child…" sighed Shogo as he shook his head.

"**At least he knows how to have fun**," Chiaki commented with his sign.

* * *

><p>…<strong>RESTORATION AT 86%...<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER DATABASE<strong>

"Hello again, and welcome to the Kamen Rider Database segment. Today we will be reviewing another Dark Rider," said Leon as he held up his Mobirider and the Ryuga Rider Key. Folding the figure into key form, he flipped his phone open and called, "Rider Change!" before slotting the key into the phone and giving it a twist.

"**KAMEN RIDER RYUGA!"**

Leon had transformed into Kamen Rider Ryuga.

"Kamen Rider Ryuga is the dark Mirror World twin of Kamen Rider Ryuki. As such, Ryuga resembles Ryuki in all but color and personality. Kamen Rider Ryuga utilizes these items." He put his hand down to the rectangular case lodged in the centre of his belt and drew out a card. He flipped it around, revealing its face. "This is an Advent card, one of many that Ryuga possesses in his Advent Deck. Advent Cards are what allow Ryuga to access his arsenal and activate his final attack." The screen behind him showed Kamen Rider Ryuga performing the Dragon Rider Kick. "By using the Final Vent Card, Ryuga can summon his Contract Beast Dragblacker to execute his signature Rider Kick, the Dragon Rider Kick." He then deactivated the armor which shattered off his body and vanished. "And that's Kamen Rider Ryuga. Tune in next time for another installment of the Kamen Rider Database."

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: OK, so what do we have here? OK, So, Shinichi has two study sessions but the one with Kurumu ends with him getting lucky. How phat is that? Anyway, the next chap is gonna be a little bit darker. Just be prepared for it.<strong>


	37. New Term: Necessary Evil

**Chapter 37: Necessary Evil**

Shinichi and Moka walked by the sports field to see students training. With the Sports Festival coming right around the corner, everyone was working their hardest so they could win.

"Everyone's pretty pumped," Shinichi admired.

"Yes, and I can't believe that they agreed to add a Martial Arts Tournament as the final event," said Moka. The suggestion that Shogo had given had been delivered to the Sports Festival Committee by Nekonome-sensei. It was approved afterwards and announced in their classroom earlier that day.

It was the day after Shinichi slept with Kurumu and he'd made Kurumu promise not to brag about it. He really hoped she kept that promise. He didn't feel like dealing with any repercussion. While he hated himself for hiding this from the other girls, he just didn't feel like it was a good time to tell them that he'd made love to Kurumu and lost his virginity as a result. Though, Mizore had been staring at him intently all day. She couldn't possible suspect, could she?

Also, last night, Kurumu had nearly been rape and had been so frightened. He just stayed to comfort her. He never intended for things to go that far. He'd wanted to finish off Nagare for what he attempted to do to Kurumu but Leon beat him to it.

Speaking of Leon, he'd gone to the Public Safety Committee's office to thank him for his help only to find him missing.

He then spotted Reiri and Hime. "Reiri-chan! Hime-chan!"

"Ah, Shin-chan!" Reiri smiled, waving at him. He walked over to them with Moka following. She no longer had any problems with Shinichi associating with these girls, and her inner self agreed. They were just childhood friends who wanted to catch up and rekindle their friendship after over a decade of separation.

Shinichi saw that on Reiri's left arm was an armband which identified her as a member of the Public Safety Committee. "You got in," he stated.

"Yeah, I was really persuasive during the interview," Reiri grinned. "Of course I was going to be accepted. I did make a _good_ first impression."

"Hey, about Leon, have you seen him?" Shinichi asked. "I want to talk to him about something but he wasn't in his office."

"I can take you to him," Hime offered. "Follow me."

"OK," nodded Shinichi. "Moka-chan, you can go back without me."

"Can I come?" she requested.

"Sorry," he apologized, "But this is something private and it's between me and Leon." Seeing her look dejected, he sighed. "Here," he said as he offered his neck to her.

Moka smiled and went towards. However, she didn't aim for his neck. She gently caressed his face and turned him towards her before placing her lips against his. Boys nearby who'd been watching Moka immediately felt their hearts shatter as they saw the display of affection. Moka pulled back, smiling, before going for Shinichi's neck. Her teeth sunk into his neck, draining a bit of his blood. Now the boys watching felt like life wasn't worth living as Moka was kissing Shinichi's neck. However, they knew his reputation and if they tried to fight him it would just end up being entirely one-sided with them being sent to the hospital. He was the guy who singlehandedly beat Kuyou, after all.

Shinichi smiled at Moka, gently caressing her face, before he went with Hime. As the pinkette watched them leave, Reiri said, "So, Shin-chan's blood is really delicious huh?"

"Ah!" Moka jumped. She blushed. "Well…he's my first."

"First blood donor," Reiri concluded. "I see where you're coming from. I remember the first time I tasted his blood. We were in kindergarten making paper airplanes and he got a paper cut. He sure was crying, but I offered to make it all better so I sucked on the blood. His blood was sweet, like honey. Still is, too."

Moka couldn't help but frown inwardly. Not only was Reiri Shinichi's first vampire friend, she was also the first to suck his blood. Well, not on the neck anyway, but she did taste it.

"And I'm guessing that Shin-chan's blood isn't the only thing you like about him?" Reiri continued.

"H-hai," Moka blushed.

"I'm glad," Reiri smiled as she brought her into a hug, "I'm happy Shin-chan met girls like you. After Hime-sama told me about what he went through, I was upset. But thanks to you, he can look past it without problems. Please continue to watch over Shin-chan for me."

"Thank you, Reiri-san. I will," Moka whispered as she returned the hug.

* * *

><p>Leon had a private training spot in the forest, a clearing he'd claimed for his own. It was peaceful and he didn't need distractions. As much as he loved Aphrodite, and now Reiri, they could be a bit too noisy and Leon needed his privacy and space sometimes. It wasn't that he wanted to avoid them, but there were times he needed to be alone.<p>

Holding a bokken, Leon took practice swings on a tree. Leon had been trained to use a sword since he could walk, which attributed to his current skill with his Zanpakuto and the Ankh Sword. The way of the sword was something he practiced since he was young and also the purpose of a sword.

His uncle once told him a sword was a weapon that could be used both for protection and destruction, depending on the purpose of the person holding it. Leon had considered the latter for a long time now but before then he'd considered the former.

Banishing such thought, Leon continued to practice and then he performed a complex sword kate with the wooden blade. As soon as he was finished he heard the sound of applause and turned to see who it was.

Standing against a tree was Hime. He'd been introduced to her by Reiri but he'd originally met her that day in Shinichi's hometown.

"Enjoy the show?" asked Leon as he shouldered his bokken.

"Indeed, and it was quite a remarkable show of swordsmanship," said Hime, smiling. "I wouldn't mind going against you."

"But you don't have a weapon," said Leon. Hime rolled her eyes and reached up to her right ear and tugged off an earring. The stone on it shone and in a flash it transformed into a chainsaw. "I stand corrected. Why a chainsaw, though?"

"I like it," said Hime before she made return to the form of an earring, "But I'm not in the mood now." She gestured, "He, on the other hand, is."

"Hime-chan, why did you run so fast?" Shinichi asked as he finally caught up with her. "Oh, hey Leon."

Leon cocked an eyebrow. "You brought him along?"

"He was asking Reiri about where you were since you weren't in your office," Hime said. "Says he has something important to talk with you about."

"OK, go ahead," prompted Leon.

"Leon, I want to thank you for your help yesterday," said Shinichi.

"No need," Leon replied. "I was in the area and it's not in my nature to ignore my friends when they need help." He asked, "How's Kurumu?"

"She's…fine," Shinichi answered, blushing a bit. Leon noted the blush and knew what had taken place afterwards. He was no fool. He didn't comment on it though.

"Well, that's good," Leon said.

"There's more. Leon, I want to spar with you," said Shinichi as he drew out the handle of his laser saber before the blade shot out.

"Then I think a wooden sword wouldn't be appropriate," Leon reasoned.

"Oh, it's OK. I set the intensity down so it doesn't cut or burn. It's like a blunt weapon," Shinichi assured.

"Well, get to it, boys," said Hime. "I came for a show. Don't keep me waiting."

"She's very impatient," Leon remarked.

"Hime-chan's used to having things go her way," Shinichi remarked. "Back when we were kids she always forced me to play tea party with her and Reiri-chan. She even made me dress up."

"You were the only one who didn't run away or get upset when we put you in a dress," Hime told him.

"Blame my mother for my cross-dressing tendencies back then," Shincihi remarked with a shrug. "So, shall we, Leon?"

"Yes," said Leon as he put his goggles over his eyes.

"OK, I've been meaning to ask this for awhile, but what's with the goggles?" Shinichi asked.

"My uncle gave them to me when I was a kid," Leon said. "I've kept them ever since."

"They must mean a lot to you."

"Good, because I'd be upset if they were broken."

"Your uncle must mean a lot to you too."

"All I know about being a Rider I learnt from him."

"I think I'd like to meet him."

"Are we going to spar or are you just going to talk?"

"Right, let's spar."

As Hime watched, so was another pair of eyes. Ryoko wasn't very far and had been watching Leon from the start, concealing her Yoki to keep anyone from detecting her. Since their first confrontation, she'd been watching him. Leon had been looking for her everywhere, and never thought to look under his nose.

Shinichi was the first to attack as he thrust forward at Leon but the Shinigami sidestepped the attack before swinging his bokken down on Shinichi's arm to disarm him. However, Shinichi quickly withdrew his arm so Leon struck only thin air. The Shinigami received a kick in the side and was sent staggering. Shinichi then jumped and aimed a kick at him but Leon blocked the attack with the flat side of his bokken, the force of the kick driving him back. Shinichi's cybernetic and genetic enhancements definitely made him strong even without transforming.

Too bad for him, Leon had the gift of speed. Shinichi went and charged, swinging his Laser Saber only for Leon to blur out of sight. Shinichi's eyes widened and he spun around just in time to be struck in the shoulder. He gritted his teeth as he stepped back. He massaged his sore shoulder and remarked mentally that he might get a bruise from that.

The two started exchanging blows as their swords clashed. Hime smiled as she admired them and Ryoko was impressed. While Shinichi's strikes were more power-oriented, Leon used his speed to counter him. The two seemed evenly matched but since this was a spar they weren't even close to using their full strength.

Shinichi ducked and the bokken hit a tree, causing the bark to explode on impact along with some of the trunk, leaving a gaping mark on the tree. Grimacing, Shinichi decided to take this spar more seriously as he blocked the next series of swings. His eyes glowed red as he analyzed Leon's fighting style before formulating a plan in a matter of seconds.

Shinichi was considered the best of the NUMBERS but only because he'd grown up and trained with them. He already knew all their moves but even that wasn't enough. He'd been trained, programmed and conditioned for battle and even in this spar he needed to win. It was just who he was. He hated to lose.

Leon swung down as Shinichi performed a barrel roll, dodging the strike. He then got up to his feet and charged at Leon. This time he was going to use his own speed as well as he unleashed a furious flurry of strikes upon the Shinigami. The strikes were parried blow for blow.

Shinichi used a reverse roundhouse that Leon blocked with his forearm and then he twisted his body around to elbow the back of Shinichi's head. He was knocked down but not out as he recovered spun back and jumped. His feet touched a tree and he launched himself at Leon. He then executed a series of bicycle kicks that crashed against Leon's bokken, nearly breaking it, but the Shinigami had infused the wooden blade with his own energy, making it virtually indestructible in spite of the punishment it was taking. One last kick drove Leon back and Shinichi lunged with a downward slash that Leon swatted away. Expecting this, Shinichi quickly followed up with a punch and buried his fist into Leon's stomach, knocking the wind out of him. But Leon recovered quickly and slammed his head into Shinichi's face, knocking him backwards and in pain.

"Ow…ow…my face…" groaned Shinichi as he put his hand to his face.

"Ouch…" Leon rubbed his head. "Mental note: no more head-butts."

Hime covered her mouth and let out a light snicker as she saw both boys trying to soothe their individual pains. What she was watching were not two boys in a spar, but two young men who've had years of combat experience testing their skills against each other. She'd learnt from Shinichi that Leon was a Rider too. Were all Kamen Riders like this?

"I think we should stop before we do any permanent damage," suggested Shinichi.

"Agreed," said Leon as he pulled his goggles down from his face to hang around his neck.

"Where did you learn to fight like that?" Shinichi asked.

"That's classified," Leon answered curtly.

"Old school?" Shinichi prodded. Leon glared back. "Fine…keep your secrets. Anyway, I have to go. I got things to do." He waved, "Later, Leon." He turned and addressed Hime, "You coming, Hime-chan?"

"I want to talk with Leon, Shinji-kun. You go on ahead," Hime said. Shinichi nodded and walked off, leaving his childhood friend and comrade alone together.

"He's got a good soul, but it's clouded in darkness," Leon remarked.

"Come again?" Hime asked.

"I read people when I fight and Shinichi's like an open book. I can just tell what people are really like through the way they fight," Leon explained.

"So, you assess people's personalities by their unique fighting styles," Hime concluded. "Quite a gift."

"Some would consider it that."

Leon suddenly pushed Hime out of the way as he was hit by a white blur, knocking him into the woods. Hime let out a gasp at the beast that stood before her. It was a tall creature, nearly 7 feet tall. It wore a pair of tattered blue jeans. The creature was shirtless, revealing itself covered in white fur. It was a werewolf. "Wildman…you bare your fangs at your Master?" sneered Hime. "Or did one of my siblings get to you?" Wildman snarled at her in response. Hime touched her earring, creating her chainsaw. "I'm disappointed in you, Wildman…Giving up your honor like that…you're nothing more than a beast!"

"Even if you are a Princess…such insults…I cannot let them pass!" roared Wildman. Faster than Hime could blink, he knocked the chainsaw out of her hands and sliced open the front of her shirt with his claws, revealing her black bra. Wildman then forced Hime up against a tree. "I apologize, Hime-sama…" His claw then shot forward but didn't connect. Standing between her and Wildman was Leon, the beast's claw caught in his hand.

"If you think I'll allow you to lay a hand on her, you're sorely mistaken," said Leon. Leon then kicked Wildman back. Leon removed his jacket before handing it to Hime. "Here, I'll deal with this." Leon drew his sword before he shot forward and struck, but the blow was parried by Wildman's claws.

As a werewolf, Wildman used his speed to his advantage, trying to overwhelm the Shinigami. However, the werewolf had severely underestimated the Shinigami. Leon managed to land a slash on Wildman's chest. The two jumped away from each other. Wildman crossed his arms over his chest in an 'X'. "My name is Lobo Wildman, son of the great warrior Volg Wildman!"

Leon actually smiled, which was a rather unnerving sight. "So, you're one of those kinds of werewolves then…" Leon got into a sword stance, prepared for combat. "I am Leon Smith, Fifth Seat of Squad 10 of the Gotei 13." The two charged, each trying to overwhelm the other with increasing speed. Wildman managed to slice open Leon's shirt with his claws, showing the massive scar on his chest. However, Leon used the close distance between them to force his sword into Wildman's chest.

The warrior fell as Leon removed the blade, blood pooling beneath him. "Hime-sama…" gasped Wildman. "My transgressions…"

"Hmph," sighed Hime as she walked up to the two. "Don't underestimate me, Wildman. Your family was taken hostage…isn't that what happened?"

Wildman coughed, "Smith…Thank you. Dying like this, in combat…I couldn't hope for a better way to die."

"Rest easy, Lobo Wildman…If I ever find your sister Riza, I swear, I will protect her for you," promised Leon. He'd read his opponent's mind and there was one constant thought…his sister, Riza Wildman.

"Then I leave her in your hands…" smiled Wildman as he turned human and quietly passed on.

"Hime…" began Leon. "You said my ability to read people was a gift but at times like this…it's nothing more than a curse."

Hime grabbed Leon by the tie and pulled him close, claiming his lips with her own. She pulled back breathlessly. "Consider that my way of saying thanks. I'll be seeing you around…Leon Smith."

* * *

><p>It was late at night when Leon returned to his dorm room. The day had been long and he'd done so much. Killing Wildman had not filled him with joy and he just wanted to sleep.<p>

He still needed to look for Ryoko and he hadn't been successful in finding her. As brutish and powerful as she was, she was also apparently good at hiding herself. Still, he needed to find her before she decided to become impatient. He carelessly dropped his body onto the bed. But then he hit something. He felt that something squirm under his sheets. His eyes narrowed as he felt fleshy orbs underneath his hand. He was expecting Aphrodite, or even Reiri, had managed to sneak into his room again for another erotic night. He pulled over the bed sheets, only for his eyes to widened upon who was in his bed.

Ryoko moaned softly as she woke up. Noticing Leon, she gave him a sultry gaze as she whispered, "Welcome home, Leon."

"What are you doing here?" he demanded. "You do realize you're a fugitive, right? Did you come to give yourself up?"

"Not at all," smirked Ryoko. "I just came to talk. I saw that fight. It was odd. You didn't seem to enjoy that fight at all."

"Why would I enjoy it? His soul wasn't in the fight at all. He was fighting because he needed to. He couldn't enjoy it, so why would I?" countered Leon.

"Well, I guess that's true. I'm impressed though." She vanished. She suddenly appeared behind Leon, pushing him onto the bed. She got on top of him, straddling the Shinigami. "Maybe I should just have some fun with you here and now…But I'd rather fight you first. One on one. And THEN you and I can have some fun!" She leaned forward and kissed Leon deeply, forcing her tongue into his mouth. She reached down and felt his member through his pants. "Ooh…looks like I'm gonna have a lot of fun with you." Ryoko then vanished from the room.

Leon laid alone in his room in silence. "Why do I always attract crazy people…?"

* * *

><p>Shinichi was training out in the forest one Saturday afternoon. Despite having a body modified for combat, he still needed to train. After all, the tournament which would be held on the Sports Festival would draw in a lot of competitors and some of the best fighters in the school. It was a competition, and everyone wanted to win for either bragging rights, medals, trophies or just to impress the girls.<p>

Shinichi spun his body around and fired, hitting the trees but not his intended target. _'Fast!'_ he thought and then he felt their presence and stopped to bring his arm up, his forearm taking the brunt of the attack as he was sent skidding backwards. "Itai…" he groaned, shaking his sore arm. His opponent stood before him, confident with an incredibly deadly and dangerous presence. Her crimson eyes stared into his own, attempting to paralyze him, but he wasn't as weak as to be intimidated by such a glare.

"You did well to guard against my kick," said Moka-sama. She was wearing her gym clothes which comprised of a white t-shirt and maroon bloomers. The t-shirt was tight, showing off her curves and the bloomers really showed off her strong and slender legs.

"And you're fast as well," said Shinichi as he twirled his stun gun before putting it in his holster. He wore a black jacket with matching pants and boots with a red scarf hanging from his neck. "Now, shall we dance?"

"Gladly, and if it helps I'll hold back," Moka-sama said, smirking.

"Don't patronize me, Moka-sama," he retorted and he shot towards her, closing the gap between them in the blink of an eye. He punched, aiming for her head but she dodged to the side and the tree behind her exploded when his fist met. Withdrawing, he followed up with left hook which she caught and then she tossed him to the ground. He landed with his feet and kicked up at her face only for her to lean from the attack. He tore his hand from her grip and performed a sweep kick which hit her ankles and knocked her to the ground.

"You…" Moka-sama growled as he stood over her and offered his hand. She took it but he yelped as she suddenly swung her leg at his, making him lose balance and fall on his ass. Moka-sama took the opportunity of payback to quickly straddle his hips and pin him to the ground.

"Ano…" he let out, blushing as he stared at her face. He always thought regular Moka was cute but her inner self was on a whole different level. She was way more mature, both mentally and physically, and approved of his own violent tendencies whereas regular Moka wanted him to be gentle and kind.

But her inner self knew him for what he truly was. She understood that he was a warrior who'd been forced into a Spartan lifestyle. While she hated Gebok for forcing Shinichi to commit atrocities, she had to admit that Shinichi was definitely a strong specimen due to the treatment he received.

Moka-sama, with strange gentleness, caressed his face. _'So human…'_ she thought with some disdain. _'And yet…not all human…_' Shinichi was human, at least genetically, but he's had his body modified that he wasn't 100 percent human. She knew he had metal-plated bones and reinforced muscle tissue that made him durable. She knew because she once kicked him and he got up without much difficulty later. He was made of tougher stuff than squishy humans.

And unlike her, he was not a monster either. He labeled himself as a weapon.

Well, a weapon wouldn't be blushing and have trouble to breathe now, would he. Smiling, she moved down on Shinichi's face to claim his lips.

* * *

><p>One make-out session later, Shinichi and Moka-sama sat back to back.<p>

"Say, Moka-sama," he said respectfully. "You don't like humans, right?"

"Humans are just a food source for vampires," she answered curtly. "But within this short time I've learnt that not all humans are bad. Just the ones I grew up while going to school in the human world."

"But you and I can agree there are bad humans."

"Like the ones who turned you into a Kaizo Ningin, yes. To be honest, I wasn't sure what to make of you. You're human, and at the same time you're not."

"Human? That term can used very loosely when describing me," he retorted. "GIN-SHOCKER took my humanity and identity away from me since I was 6 years old. I was only a number and a weapon to them."

"And now you have your humanity back, and your name," said Moka-sama.

"A name I made up."

"So, why don't you go back to using your birth name?" Moka-sama inquired.

"Because I'd be using the name of a dead boy," he told her. "_Shinji_ Banabara died a long time ago. I'm Shinichi now." He didn't want to go any further into the subject and fished Moka-sama rosario seal out of his pocket. "Here." Moka-sama took the cross-shaped seal and snapped it back to the chain. In seconds she reverted back to her pink-haired and green-eyed persona.

Smiling at him, despite being troubled by his words, Moka told him to rest in her lap.

* * *

><p>An observer found the beautiful Moka sitting against a tree with him resting his head on her lap as he lay on the ground. She was stroking her hair as he took a nap. The observer scowled as he saw this. Moka was meant to be his! He'd claimed her since he first saw her! And nobody else, not even the one sleeping on Moka's lap would have her!<p>

* * *

><p>'<em>He looks so peaceful<em>,' thought Moka as she stared at Shinichi's sleeping face. However, she knew about Shinichi's inner conflict. Fortunately it'd been resolved. He knew who he was, even if it was upsetting to hear him claim that he could not take up his birth name since he'd died with the name dying with him. He accepted who he was in this school like he'd accepted both sides of her. '_So why do I feel like something bad is up ahead?_' she thought. She heard someone coming and looked up before gasping. Shinichi's eyes snapped open when he heard this and sat up as well to see what was wrong. He then saw it was him.

It was Junya Inui, a second year student. Last term he'd tried to make Moka his by pretending to be a vampire. Oh, he knew their laws which were pretty outdated but the truth was he was simply a phony, an Onimodoki, who tried to intimidate other races by pretending to be a stronger one.

"You're back for some more?" Shinichi asked. He looked down at Junya's belt buckle and identified the insignia. "Not you too…" Oh, why did they have to join GIN-SHOCKER? If they hadn't he would've just left them alone.

"Shinichi-kun, what's wrong?" Moka asked.

"Look at his belt buckle," Shinichi pointed. "He's part of GIN-SHOCKER now."

"That's right," Junya smirked. "And they've given me power, true power."

"In exchange for your soul," Shinichi argued.

"Any price is worth such power!" Junya claimed and he transformed right in front of Moka and Shinichi. They watched the transformation as Junya lost his human form and became something monstrous. Junya Inui had transformed himself into a humanoid bat in black armor, sporting leathery wings and curved blades jutting out of his wrists. He also wore leather pants and wore GIN-SHOCKER's insignia as a belt buckle. "In this form…call me **Blood Myotis!**" he screeched. Spreading his wings, he shot towards Moka and Shinichi.

"Get down!" Shinichi shouted as he pulled Moka to the ground as Blood Myotis slashed, his blade slicing through the trunk of the tree in half. Shinichi saw Blood Myotis continue his flight path and do a U-turn to attack them once more. Shinichi scowled and got ready as his Spark Core appeared. As soon as Blood Myotis came within range, Shinichi leaned his body back and used partial transformation to cover his legs in armor before striking the Cyborg Yokai's jaw, sending him flying high into the air. Shinichi stood straight up and called, "Let's Ride: Showa! Let's Ride: Skyrider!" In a flash he was changed into Kamen Rider Showa before switching to the flying Skyrider. Dust kicked up as he leapt up and soared after Blood Myotis.

Blood Myotis stopped himself in midair and massaged his chin. He caught sight of Showa-Skyrider coming at him and dodged when the Rider shot at him with a punch. Skyrider stopped and turned around, red eyes focused on the Cyborg Yokai. "I gave you a chance to live, Inui, twice but you come back and show me you've joined GIN-SHOCKER."

"Do you know it's like to be an Onimodoki? I don't have any real power like those other Yokai. All I can do is mimic them and pretend I'm strong to protect myself. I'm worse than a doppelganger!" argued Blood Myotis. "But now GIN-SHOCKER has given me power rivaling a vampire's!"

"Rivaling a vampire's?" Showa-Skyrider repeated mockingly. "A fake will always be a fake, Inui and you're nothing but a phony now like you were months ago."

"WELL! TAKE THIS THEN!" A stream of blood-like substance shot towards Showa-Skyrider and he flew up to avoid it. Blood Myotis continued to fire the stream and Showa-Skyrider had to pick up speed in order to avoid from getting hit. Meanwhile, back on the forest floor, Moka saw the red substance hit the trees. The leaves and branches hissed as they melted and the substance hit the ground as well, causing the ground to sizzle, hiss and smoke.

Showa-Skyrider's used his HUD to do an analysis on the energized substance. "It's corrosive!" Moka was down there too. He needed to get Blood Myotis to stop. Spinning to dodge another stream, he changed in midair, "Let's Ride: Super-1! Hot & Cold Hands!" He fired the cryogenic spray straight into Blood Myotis' face when he stopped to inhale and froze his mouth shut. Blood Myotis tried to get the ice off as Showa changed again. "Let's Ride: Riderman!" He threw the Hook Arm at Blood Myotis, the cable wrapping around his neck tight before pulling him down to the ground with him. Showa-Riderman landed on his feet and retracted the cable, sending Blood Myotis crashing through the foliage and down to the ground.

Changing back to his default form, Showa summoned the Gravity Hammer and dragged it along behind him as he strode towards Blood Myotis. Blood Myotis got back and was thrown through the air when the Gravity Hammer's head smashed into his head. Showa shouldered the Gravity Hammer and waited for Blood Myotis to get back up. Snarling, Blood Myotis struck with his claws but Showa parried with the shaft of his hammer. Digging his heels into the ground, he drove Blood Myotis back and drew the hammer backwards and performed a wide swing, knocking the wind out of him as the hammer buried into Blood Myotis' gut. Blood Myotis doubled over in pain as Showa stepped back from the Cyborg Youkai, waiting for him to recover.

Moka watched the fight and while she was cheering Shinichi on a part of her was thinking that her friend was just taunting and playing around with his opponent. Back to the battle, Showa was having a sort of dilemma.

"Should I use Ichigo-sempai's skill or Nigo-sempai's power? Ichigo…? Nigo…? I can't decide!" He ducked and rolled away as Blood Myotis struck, slicing a tree in half. "Ah! I give up! I'm just going to do both!" He called out, "Let's Ride: Ichigo & Nigo!"

There was a blinding flash of light which forced both Moka and Blood Myotis to shield their eyes. When the light faded, Showa had once again changed into a new Rider. Well, not exactly new.

He'd changed using the powers of Kamen Rider Ichigo and Nigo simultaneously. The overall armor was the same with the same red scarf and green chest but his helmet sported Ichigo's light green color on the left while sporting the black color on the right. He wore Ichigo's silver glove and boot on the left and Nigo's red glove and boot on the right. The new armor also came with additions, though, like black kneepads and shoulderpads with #1 written in green on the left shoulder and #2 written in red on the right shoulder. His suit also sported an upturned collar.

"I'm Ichigo-sempai and Nigo-sempai at the same time…?" Showa inspected himself. "I guess…to call this…" He crossed his arms, mumbling as he tried to think of a name, ignoring Blood Myotis. "AHA! I got it!" He posed. "Ore wa Kamen Rider…**HOPPER!**"

"SHUT UP!" Blood Myotis fired his corrosive plasma attack and Showa-Hopper leapt high into the air before coming down at him with a drop kick that slammed him in the face, sending him reeling. Landing on his feet, Showa-Hopper delivered a flurry of powerful punches into Blood Myotis' gut and stomach, denting his armor before nailing him in the jaw with a powerful uppercut that tossed his head back. He then spun on his right heel and delivered a powerful back kick, burying his foot into Blood Myotis' gut and blasting him through the forest, knocking down several trees along the way.

"Shinichi-kun!" Moka cried out.

"Moka, get back!" he shouted at her as he saw Blood Myotis flying at him with his blades aimed at him. Crossing his arms, Showa-Hopper caught the blades and spun his arms around, snapping the blades before hitting Blood Myotis with a brutal head-butt, knocking him to the ground. "Ow…" Showa-Hopper groaned, holding his head. Despite his helmet protecting his skull, he still felt the impact.

Blood Myotis stumbled on his feet and looked down at his broken blades. He glared up at Showa-Hopper and went to punch him only for Showa-Hopper to jump back and perform several back flips to gain some distance. "It's Game Over for you now!" said Showa-Hopper as he performed Ichigo's signature pose then Nigo's before jumping high into the air. His body glowed before, much to Moka and Blood Myotis' surprise, he split himself into Ichigo and Nigo.

"**RIDER…DOUBLE…KICK!-!-!**" both Riders called as they executed their flying kicks, slamming straight into Blood Myotis with explosive force. The Cyborg Youkai went tumbling as he crashed into several trees, knocking them all down before stopping far away.

Both Riders became one again and reverted back to Showa's default form before his armor shattered and Shinichi stood up. Moka looked at him and saw him staring intently at where Junya had ended up. He followed the path Junya's tumble had made with Moka following. She felt like something was wrong with her friend.

They found Junya, reverted to his human form, with black and blue bruises all over his body, more prominent on his face. He groaned as he tried to sit up, supporting himself on his forearms as he glared at Shinichi through his one good eye.

"So, came to finish the job?" Junya sneered and he got his answer as Shinichi drew his Vulcan Shooter and aimed it at his head. Junya's eyes widened as he stared at the four barrels with Moka gasping. "Wait! I was just kidding!" Junya shouted.

"You came at me and Moka with the intent to kill," said Shinichi coldly, "But what's worse was that you willingly joined GIN-SHOCKER. Who's to say you won't come after us again if I let you go."

"I had no choice!" Junya shouted. "They forced me!"

"You always had a choice, and you chose wrong," said Shinichi, not believing him. "Also, you didn't seem like you were forced. You look like someone who enjoyed the power and wanted to use it for revenge." His index finger curled around the trigger. "That's why you have to die!"

"Wait! Shin-kun!" Moka shouted. "You don't have to kill him! We can just report him to Leon! He'll do something about this!"

Shinichi regarded Moka's words and looked at Junya. The Cyborg Youkai looked pathetic now and he scowled in disgust. He turned his back to Junya and said to Moka, "Alright."

Moka smiled but then her eyes turned to horror as Junya got up and tried to attack Shinichi from behind. "Shinichi-kun, look out!"

**BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!**

Shinichi had spun around and shot Junya several times in the chest, blowing a holes right through him. The Cyborg Youkai's eyes widened as the color drained from his face. He looked down dumbly at the holes in the centre of his chest before falling down on his back. Blood started to pool under him.

"No more chances," Shinichi said coldly as he turned his back before dismissing his Vulcan Shooter.

Moka just stood there, stunned, as Shinichi coldly executed a fellow student. Sure, Junya had become a Cyborg Youkai and tried to kill them but he was already defeated. Did Shinichi really have to kill him?

Then she thought about Saizou, how he had not turned up against after the first day of the new term. She assumed that Saizou had confronted Shinichi out of revenge and lost which was why he'd been absent at school but Shinichi had just killed Junya for wasting the chance Shinichi had given him.

She didn't want to believe it, but she had to know…she didn't want to ask, but she felt like she had to.

"Shinichi-kun, did you kill Saizou too?" she asked. Shinichi's eyes locked with hers and she recoiled. His irises had turned pitch black and his gaze held no emotion. He didn't answer with words but gave a nod. Moka reeled from the revelation.

"Moka," he spoke. "I'm a weapon and a weapon kills. That's all I'm good for." Suddenly, his eyes slid close as he passed out, dropping face first into the ground.

Moka had just witnessed him killing someone, but Junya had tried to attack Shinichi when his back was turned. However, there had not been a need to kill him, right? He had his stun gun, didn't he? Deciding to not think of such dreadful things, she went to help Shinichi and get into contact with Leon. She looked down at Junya's corpse and grimaced.

* * *

><p>Shinichi was put in the infirmary. As for Junya, his body was recovered and put in the campus' hospital's morgue. Leon filled out the report according to Moka's testimony and according to her, Shinichi's eyes had been filled with no emotion.<p>

Moka had yet to tell the girls since she wanted to be alone with him. As she sat by Shinichi's bedside, staring at his sleeping face, she began to think. She'd seen him defeat GIN-SHOCKER's Cyborg Mutants and soldiers but when one of them turned out to be a student here well it just seemed so different. She'd known Junya, had dated him for a bit when he'd pretended to be a vampire, and even if he turned out to be a scumbag in the end, he didn't deserve to die. But Shinichi saw it fit to execute him.

His words still haunted her: "_I'm a weapon and a weapon kills. That's all I'm good for._"

"No, that's not true," she denied. "You're more than just a weapon." Tears fell from her eyes. Shinichi had been trained and conditioned to be the perfect killer and this was the result of it. She saw his expression. He didn't feel anything when he killed Junya, and that was the scariest thing she'd ever seen. To not feel anything…GIN-SHOCKER had corrupted Shinichi and despite all this time that corruption still remained.

'_He killed that phony to protect you_,' Moka-sama said from the rosario, the eye flashing with every syllable spoken.

"I know he did," said Moka. "But that's not the problem. It's his eyes. There was no emotion in them."

'_He didn't enjoy it nor did he feel disgusted by what he did_,' Moka-sama had observed. '_A weapon feels nothing. It only kills. It's no different to the way we were raised after all.'_

"And that's what frightens me most of all," Moka answered. Shinichi wasn't a vampire after all. Vampires were natural born warriors who fought not only to win, but to kill as well. But at least they were still regarded as people at the end of the day. At least they weren't tools of destruction.

Hearing a knock at the door, she looked and saw Leon come in. "Ah, it's you, Leon."

"How is he?" he asked as he walked over.

"He hasn't woken up," she said. He saw her expression. She was distraught and had just wiped the tears from her eyes.

"You do realize he killed the guy to protect you, right?" Leon stated.

"I know…but his eyes were so empty," said Moka. She'd only seen those eyes a few times before but this time there was something more malevolent about them, something dark. "It was like it wasn't Shinichi-kun at all."

"Well, you can blame that on his programming and conditioning," Leon replied with a matter-of-fact tone. "GIN-SHOCKER really messed him up so he reacts to things the way he thought he was supposed to and he was trained to kill in battle. You know that."

"Yes…we do," Moka confessed. She was just afraid of losing Shinichi. She'd heard about #13, Shinichi's former self, and how he'd ruthlessly killed his comrades. The day they met he had not remembered anything about his past and his memories were returning to him bit by bit and not all of them good. She remembered the video footage of what Gebok did to Shinichi as a child. It still made her stomach turn.

Earlier, Shinichi claimed that 'Shinji' had died a long time ago which was why he didn't change his name back to his birth name. He did take up his original surname, though, but he no longer considered himself that boy again. Moka, on the other hand, didn't think 'Shinji' had died. He had just been forced to grow up in a horrible environment.

"You know, last night there was an attack," Leon told her. "Your friend Kurumu was assaulted and nearly raped, but Shinichi came to her rescue. I was passing through and when I saw them in trouble, so I helped and killed that son of a bitch for what he tried to do. I've looked up this Junya guy and he seemed like the type who would want to hurt you. Shinichi responded to that the only way he knew how and he didn't think Junya was irredeemable anymore so he killed him."

"I just don't want Shinichi-kun to turn into a heartless killer," Moka said, her eyes covering by her bangs.

"Then stand by him and he won't," Leon urged. "Oh, and call your friends. They have a right to know what happened and offer some comfort too. He may not say it, but he needs you girls to hold onto that little shred of humanity he has left." He turned towards the door and went to exit. He stopped at the threshold and added, "Oh, and make sure he gets plenty of rest." He then exited, leaving Moka and Shinichi alone.

Once Leon was gone, Shinichi's eyes popped open as he said, "So, he's gone,' startling poor Moka.

"How long were you awake?" Moka asked.

"I think it was when you said that something frightened you, right before Leon came in," he answered as he sat up. "Are you OK?"

"I am," Moka lied. She was the farthest thing from OK. "How about you? Are you OK?"

"Define 'OK'," he replied. There was an awkward silence shared between them before he said, "You've got questions, ask away."

"Why did you kill Junya Inui?" she asked. Shinichi sighed. He knew she would ask that.

"Well, my stun gun ran out of ammo," he answered. Moka frowned.

"Be serious."

"OK, that was one of the practical reasons I did it," Shinichi answered. "The other reason was that he wouldn't have stopped if I didn't."

"How can you be sure?" Moka asked.

"Remember the first day when Saizou showed up again after being absent the for the entirety of last term?" Shinichi asked. "I was walking home and he was waiting for me and he wasn't alone. He'd set an ambush, calling on the other guys I beat last term like the lizard guy, our old gym teacher and that troll guy."

"Then what happened?" Moka asked.

"They attacked, I defended myself, and I let them live," he answered. "Then Saizou came back and showed that he'd joined GIN-SHOCKER for power, allowed his body to be modified just so he could kill me. I showed him why he'd made a bad decision."

"So you really did kill him," Moka concluded.

"Because he's like Inui, he wouldn't have stopped if I hadn't stopped him myself," said Shinichi. "He wanted to kill me and afterwards he was going to go after you and the other girls and…do horrible things." His fists clenched. "I wasn't going to give him that chance. I've given him too many chances already."

"And Inui deserved that fate as well?" Moka asked.

"Yes," Shinichi answered without hesitation. "I'm not going to say I didn't have a choice when I killed them because that'd be a lie. I did choose and I chose to kill them."

Now Moka had seen his eyes when he'd gunned down Junya earlier but seeing him now, his eyes were downcast and sad. It seemed like his actions were affecting him now after he had time to think about it. "You're not a weapon, you know. And you're not someone replacing a dead boy. You're you, Shinichi Sanban Banabara-kun, my best friend…and I love you."

Shinichi looked to Moka who smiled warmly at him and he sighed, "I love you too, Moka-chan, and that scares the hell out of me."

"Love scares you?" Moka asked.

"I had nothing when we met, but then you and I became friends. I liked you then and my feelings for you just grew. A lot of things have been happening and I started to love you more and more, which means I have to protect you and make sure you're safe. It scares me because my love for you drives me to do what I have to do, anything to protect you…even perform drastic measures like killing my opponents. My love for you drives to be stronger, to show my best and my worst." He let out an amused snort, "Love…so much power in just a simple yet complex emotion." Moka grasped his hands tightly in hers. "Moka-chan?"

"You've been burdened about this for awhile now, haven't you?" she asked.

"Hai, since my memories started coming back, since GIN-SHOCKER started coming after me," he answered.

"You know you don't have to shoulder this burden on your own," she told him. "Kurumu-chan, Mizore-chan, Yukari-chan and I, we all love you too. If you're willing to fight for us then we should do the same and fight for you…"

"You don't…there's no need…" he tried to protest.

"You're not alone, you've stopped being alone for a long time now," she continued. "And you're not the only Kamen Rider in the world now. There's Yuji, Leon and Netto, and then there's also your old comrades. Even if it's said that a Kamen Rider walks the path of justice alone, that doesn't mean they have to. They can still count on others to shoulder the burden with them. Let us share that burden, OK?"

"Are you sure?" Shinichi asked.

"I'm still here, aren't I?"

Shinichi couldn't help but smile as Moka smiled back.

* * *

><p>…<strong>RESTORATION AT 92%...<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER DATABASE<strong>

"Hi guys! Man, this chapter was crazy! I think I went a little nuts but I'm OK now. Just ignore that little percentage counter on top. It's nothing to be worried about," said Shinichi. "Now, onto today's entry for the Kamen Rider Database!" He snapped his fingers, showing his transformation into Kamen Rider Hopper. "Now, Hopper is a completely new Rider and at the same time he isn't. I couldn't decide so I just summoned forth Ichigo-sempai and Nigo-sempai's powers at the same time. As a result, I became a Rider who has Ichigo-sempai's skill and Nigo-sempai's power. As you can see I'm wearing half of Ichigo-sempai's armor on the left and half of Nigo-sempai's armor on the left. Now, it's special because I get to be two Riders at the same time oh and let's not forget the finisher." The screen showed Kamen Rider Hopper perform the Rider Double Kick. "See? I can split myself into Ichigo-sempai and Nigo-sempai to perform the Rider Double Kick, which means I can become both of them to finish off my enemies."

Shinichi concluded, "Well, hope you guys are having fun reading this story. Sorry for the wait, really. Well, be seeing you again!" He waved, "Bye!"


	38. New Term: Ice Breaker

**Chapter 38: Ice Breaker**

The cybernetic lizardman lunged at Shinichi with his jaws open. The cyborg dodged to the side before his head was bitten off and glared at his opponents. He was surrounded by lizardmen cyborgs and they all looked hungry. Actually, there was only just one but it had the power to duplicate itself. He called himself Clone Tokagero but his true identity was…

Shinichi didn't really recall his name, to be honest, but he was the leader of the lizard-men who'd bullied Yukari and tried to eat her due to their hatred for witches. Now, his lizardman form had not changed, except that he had metal arms with sharper claws. He also had a trident-head at the tip of his tail and his razor sharp teeth were made of metal. His eyes were also cybernetic and he had a chest unit with blinking lights on it. From the waist down he wore leather pants with matching boots that had spikes on the toes and he wore GIN-SHOCKER's belt, identifying himself as one of their members.

As if the claws and teeth didn't make him bad enough, but his ability to clone himself made him an even bigger threat.

"Not so hot now, are ya Sanban?" one of the clones sneered.

"Now you're finally gonna get what's coming to ya!" another laughed.

"You always did like to gang up on others in groups," Shinichi commented , frowning, "Looks like some things will never change. I guess you'll always be coward who hides behind his lackeys."

"We'll make you eat those words!" another one of the clones yelled.

They all lunged for him but all of a sudden a blast of sound knocked them all violently aside. Then, a large ball came rolling over, crushing a few while needles rained down, hitting some in the head before they violently exploded.

Shinichi blinked and saw Sonix and Zero arrive to stand at his side. Armadillo rolled over to them and unrolled out of his Ball Mode to stand with them.

"Need help?" Sonix asked.

"I had it under control," Shinichi remarked.

"Sure you did," Sonix rolled his eyes, not really believing him. "So, what's the deal here? GIN-SHOCKER decided to use a new set of foot-soldiers or something?"

"Only one of them is real," Shinichi informed, "The rest are just copies. Fakes."

"A duplicator, huh?" Zero questioned as he scanned the cyborg lizardmen. "It'll be hard to find the real one among them, but he should be around to coordinate them."

"So? Let's just take them all down!" said Armadillo.

"Where's Chiaki?" Shinichi asked.

"He has this art project he's been working on," said Sonix as he brandished his Cricket Fork. "Now, it's time to make some handbags."

"Speaking my language," Shinichi grinned as he summoned his belt. "Let's Ride: Showa!" The light from his belt flashed, signaling his transformation. "Let's clear them out!" he commanded as he brandished his Gravity Hammer. He slammed it down to the ground, the gravitational discharge sending all of them flying.

"It's scramble time! Whoever gets the most kills wins!" Armadillo cheered as he leap into the air and curled into Ball Mode. He collided with his targets, sending them flying farther into the air before they exploded.

"Oh, no you don't!" Sonix shouted as he swung his Cricket Fork to shoot out a sound blade. The intense vibrations sliced through all the clones, cutting then into halves before they also exploded. He slammed the fork to the ground, the vibrating force pushing him up like a rocket. While in the air, he slashed at each lizard he passed, leaving an explosion with each blow behind him.

Zero flew around the airborne targets, shooting his Stinger Needles at everything in sight. Each lizard that was hit with needles exploded in flaming blasts.

Meanwhile, Mizore was watching the fight from one of her many hiding spots. This time it was from under the bleachers near the school field and her eyes were focused on Showa. She blushed as she admired the simultaneous grace and brutality he showed while fighting the lizardman cyborgs.

The first time she'd fallen in love, the boy ran off after learning what she was and threw her feelings in her face. The second time she'd fallen in love, the man had tried to take advantage of her when she wasn't even ready. Now, they say that third time's the charm and they were right.

"So, you see something you like?" Mizore jumped, startled, and looked to see Leon standing next to her. He was sneakier than she was. He was watching the fight.

"Shouldn't you be performing your duty as the leader of the Student Police?" Mizore asked.

"They seem to be handling things," answered Leon. "Besides, do you really think they need help with this?" Mizore watched as Showa elbowed two lizardman cyborgs coming at him from behind in the face before backhanding them.

"No, they won't need help," answered Mizore. She watched as several lizardman cyborgs lunged at Showa from all directions before they were violently swatted out of the air by his Gravity Hammer. She gave a sigh.

When Showa noticed one of the lizardmen trying to retreat for some breathing space, he took the opportunity, closed the space between them and slashed deeply into the reptile's shoulder with his Laser Saber, making him bleed a purple blood-like substance. He let off a roar as his arm dropped to the floor. Instantly, the other clones stiffened before the all exploded. It looked like Showa had found the needle in the hay stack.

Showa watched as Clone Tokagero stumbled backwards and grip the stump. "Looks like GIN-SHOCKER doesn't make kaijin like they used to anymore," he mocked as he rested his sword over his shoulder.

"Heh, I guess they don't," Clone Tokagero chuckled. Removing his hand from his stump, Showa was shocked to see the gash quickly grow into a new arm.

"And that's not all!" Clone Tokagero laughed, pointing to his old arm.

The Riders all looked to the detached body part and felt queasy at seeing it move on its own. What was more disturbing was the face that the cut end was bulging. At first, they all thought that they would be the first Kamen Riders to be sick in their helmets but it quickly subsided when he saw the arm grow a new body. Instead of one Clone Tokagero, there were now two! But it didn't stop there as the clone suddenly glowed and split into two. And then four. And eight. Soon, they Riders found themselves facing an army of cyborg lizardmen once more.

"You just had to open your big mouth," Sonix muttered at Showa.

"This is the new power I was given!" Clone Tokagero mocked, though it was now hard to tell which was which. "I don't just clone myself on my own, but I can make clones out of severed limbs! Each time you cut me, I'll just make more clones!"

"Do you take time to check the words coming out of your mouth?" Showa questioned. "Get behind me everyone." His teammates nodded and did as they were told. Spreading out his legs, Showa summoned his Vulcan Shooter, aiming it at Clone Tokagero and his army, and concentrated his energy into his weapon, making it glow ominous green.

"What's he doing?" Armadillo asked as he watched.

"Don't know," Zero answered.

"Take this! **Rider Shooting!" **Showa roared as the gun's rotating barrels spun, unleashing the attack at the Clone Tokagero army as swarming beams of energy burst from his weapon. None of them stood a chance as they were bombarded with the energy blasts. Their screams were drowned out by explosion after explosion. The blasts sounded off until none of the Clone Tokageros could be seen through the smoke and flames.

"New finisher, huh?" Sonix said. "That's cool."

"I've been working on it for some time now. This is the first time I actually used it," Showa answered as he twirled the Vulcan Shooter in his hand. "Gotta be ready for whatever comes our way."

"True," Zero nodded. "Time I go off. I'll have to report to Smith-taichou about what happened."

"Yeah, time to go," Shinichi nodded as everyone undid their transformations and walked out of the school field. Mizore silently followed after him as Leon watched her with a dry smile.

* * *

><p>In the Art Club's room, Chiaki dabbed his paintbrush left and right, making his painting come to life. It was always a show to watch the giant create his art pieces. Compared to the rest of them, he was an art master. It was like he had been doing this since he was a baby.<p>

Watching him was his senior. She was of average height, tomboyish looking, was of Italian decent, and had short, spiky brown hair and orange eyes. She appeared to be masculine compared to most of the girls in school.

Gemma Ishikawa looked intently at the painting, which was a picture of a waterfall with mountain in the background. "This is incredible," she said finally. "You've got good taste, you know that? To do art like this must have years of experience."

**"You should thank my dad for that,"** Chiaki signed, **"He was a famous artist."**

"Really?" Gemma asked, understanding the term "was", "He must have been have been quite the influence."

**"He was,"** Chiaki signed, **"There's still much I could learn from him."**

"I'm sure he would be really proud," Gemma said, "Now, think you can help me with a project?"

**"What kind?"**

"Just some artwork I'm helping to prepare as decorations for the Sports Festival," Gemma answered, "I think I could use your expertise if you don't mind. What do you say?"

**"Don't see why not,"** Chiaki nodded.

* * *

><p>The Sports Festival was only a week away and students were really working hard in their preparations to bring glory to their classes. The teachers encouraged them to win, but also to remember to use teamwork on the field. Students had already sent notices to their parents to come attend but Shinichi couldn't. How could he. There was still the rule about humans trespassing into Youkai Academy and he didn't want his mom to be put in such danger. Not everyone in this school believed in human-youkai relations.<p>

"Man, that sure was a workout," commented Shinichi as he exited his bathroom with only a towel wrapped around his waist. The Sports Festival was coming and he was still training for the martial arts tournament. He didn't think the Sports Festival Committee would've approved but they had and now students were training their butts off.

Suddenly, Shinichi felt a presence and immediately reacted. He spun around, grabbing the intruder by the arms and pinning them against the wall. He then gasped as he realized who it was. "Mizore-chan?" She was blushing, and not just because of the close proximity, but because his towel had just fallen from his waist. He followed her eyes and gasped as he realized that he was naked. "CRAP!"

* * *

><p>Netto heard a guitar being played and investigated. Peering inside the empty music room, he spotted Daichi strumming on his guitar. Sliding the door open, he greeted, "Hey."<p>

"Oh, it's you, Kusanagi," said Daichi.

"That was an interesting song," said Netto, hands his pockets. "I sensed a lot of anger."

"It was about my sister," Daichi frowned. "That bitch is the one I hate the most."

"What exactly did she do?" Netto asked.

"Take a seat," Daichi said and Netto did. "Well…where do I begin? Let's see, after our parents died it was up to her to take care of me but she'd always despised me and always reminded me. Never cared for me even a little. She didn't want to care for me and when the chance to get rid of me and make a little cash came, she sold me to GIN-SHOCKER."

"Man, what a bitch," said Netto.

"She was, and I couldn't understand why she did it. Over the years, I grew to hate her more and more as I realized that she'd sold me to make her life easier. I then decided to find her and make her pay but I found out GIN-SHOCKER got to her first," said Daichi.

"Didn't they pay her off to be silent?" Netto asked.

"GIN-SHOCKER doesn't like leaving witnesses. The briefcase was rigged to blow up as soon as she opened it up. She was blown up on the same night. I'm just pissed I never got my chance to get back at her." Daichi was holding the neck of his guitar tightly, causing the wood to creak. "I kinda envy the others because of that."

"You mean Shinichi and his girls," Netto supplied.

"Him especially. I mean his mom waited for him, actually waited, hoping he was alive and now they're reunited. To be fair, she's not what I pictured his mom was like but she's a good woman. Weird, perverted, and a bit eccentric but she's a good woman." He strummed the strings once more. "So, what about you? How did you end up becoming a cyborg if you weren't made by GIN-SHOCKER?"

"I got in a car accident when I was six, and the guys at Smart Brain remodeled my body since it was so roughed up," Netto answered.

"An accident?" Daichi blinked, "What happened?"

"We were passing by an intersection when something went wrong with the traffic lights," Netto explained, "We crashed into a cement truck and it poured cement into our car. My father suffocated, and my mother and I suffered critical injuries. My mom died on the hospital table."

"F... for real?" Daichi gaped with wide eyes, "So your parents are dead too."

"Yeah, that's right," Netto nodded. "Qiao's mom took me in as her son after that happened, even though I live alone now. She's loves having a good time, but when she's serious, man does she get serious."

"She must be nice," Daichi said.

"She is," Netto nodded. The door opened and Kiko walked inside.

"So this is where you were hiding out," Kiko smiled as she walked over to the two boys, "Come on, you promised that you take me to see the preparations for the Sports Fest being done."

"Oh, sure," Netto said.

"And who's your friend?" Kiko asked, looking at Daichi.

"Daichi Takashima," he answered.

"Well, if you aren't doing anything, maybe you would like to come with us?"

"Don't see why not."

* * *

><p>After getting dressed, Shinichi stared down at his lap in embarrassment. Of course Mizore wasn't embarrassed at all. In fact she'd been impressed with what she'd seen and liked it. Still, she knew commenting on it wouldn't exactly fix the mood and one of them had to start speaking now.<p>

"I should get dinner ready," Shinichi said as he stood up. "Mizore-chan, would you like to have some?"

"Sure," she answered. Shinichi was going to cook for the both of them. Smiling, Shinichi went to the kitchen and put on an apron as Mizore watched. She then looked around his room. She frowned a bit at the poster of Kurumu and then looked away from it. Standing up, she looked around his room. On his deck was a stack of his mother novels. He also had a laptop on top of his desk, something his mother had given to him.

She noticed something under his bed and peeked to see what it was. Reaching underneath, she pulled out a box and stared at it. "What's this?" It was an Eroge. It was another one of his mother's gifts. She put it back under the bed and went back to the stack of novels. Taking one at random, she flipped through the pages. The books also had illustration to complement the sexual content and as she stared at a picture of a woman, nude, on her back, with a very enjoyable expression on her face as she was covered in sweat, Mizore smiled as she read the text written next to the image.

* * *

><p>Dinner was simple enough. Just slices of pickled cucumbers, rice and a serving of tempura prawns. They sat together at the low table. Mizore picked up a tempura prawn and bit into it. "Delicious…" she uttered.<p>

"It's just something simple for dinner," he told her.

"Where did you learn to cook?" she asked.

"I just picked up a book and studied it," he told her.

"That's all?" He'd learnt by only reading.

"Well…" Shinichi scratched his head. "I would be embarrassed if I asked anybody how to cook, but the instructions were simple enough. I started with boiling water. After that I just went and continued with the simple recipes. Once I cleared those I went to make more advanced dishes," he explained.

"So what is your favorite food?" Mizore asked.

"Curry," he answered simply. He smiled fondly as he remembered his mother's curry. "Kaa-chan's curry was always the best."

Mizore smiled, glad that he could remember more of his fond childhood memories. That home video had been fun to watch.

"I'll make you curry then, one day," Mizore offered.

"Really? That would be nice," said Shinichi. It was rare for them to be alone like this. Heck, the first time they met they had gone off alone and he'd nearly gotten frozen. However, that was then and this was now and he didn't feel threatened by Mizore. He trusted her. "Hey, Mizore-chan, can you tell me about the place you grew up in?"

"My home village? I don't see why not."

Mizore then began to tell him of her home village where all the snow people lived. It was a canyon of ice and all the buildings were made of ice. Shinichi pictured it in his mind but when he imagined the buildings, he could only think of igloos. She then told him about the High Priestess who was an oracle who ruled over her people. She even told him about how her race was slowly dying out. Apparently, Yuki-Onna were only fertile for a limited time, from ages 17 to 25. With low birthrates, it wouldn't be long until they were instinct. Yuki-Otoko (the male equivalent of her race) were also quite rare so Yuki-Onna needed males from other races to procreate with. Sometimes it was humans, which of course was the origin to the stories of Yuki-Onna kidnapping men who got lost in snow-covered mountains.

Shinichi had studied up on the legends of various monster species while they had stayed in the human world and found them all to be quite inaccurate. His own experience with monsters disproved all the stuff he read.

"So, your population is threatened," Shinichi concluded.

"Yes, and if we ourselves can't find suitable mates then someone would be found for us," she told him. "I'm not excluded either."

He remembered that when they first met she'd been a cute yet misunderstood girl who desperately wanted a friend. She thought he was the same and in a way he was. He had felt alone due to his incomplete memories. Not anymore, though. He'd found his mother and his past. He had friends and comrades.

He was no longer alone.

"You know, I want to introduce you to my mother," said Mizore. "She would love to meet you."

"I'd like to meet your mother too," said Shinichi. "She's coming to the Sports Festival, right?"

"I sent her a notice."

"Well, it's too bad I can't have Kaa-chan come, for her own safety," he answered, sighing.

"Oh…" Mizore frowned. She was going to have to cheer him up then. "You know, you might make a good ranger in my village."

"A ranger?" he questioned.

"Basically, you protect the village from yetis," she explained. "My father was one."

"Really? What's he like?" Shinichi asked.

"I don't know," Mizore sighed, "I was told he vanished a few days after I was born. No one's heard from him since then. A lot of the Yuki-Onna's think that the yetis got him."

"Oh," Shinichi frowned. "Sorry to hear that."

"That's alright. I heard he was a great man," Mizore answered.

"I'll bet he was," Shinichi smiled.

Mizore smiled back, and then asked, "Hey Shinichi, did you notice something weird about Kobe-sensei?"

"The biology teacher?" Shinichi replied. "Now that you've mentioned it, I've noticed him snooping around the hallways during club hours, like he was looking for something important."

"I also saw him asking some of the other students about their races, even jotting down notes as he got his answers," she put in. "Maybe he's researching Japanese monsters?"

"Not sure," Shinichi sighed as he rubbed his nose. "The last time we were in his class, we had to dissect Gremlins. I heard they were nasty little things."

"Gremlins are pranksters that love to cause trouble," Mizore pointed out. "Though they have a weakness for a woman's breasts. I remember how Yukari was crying about how she didn't want to cut up a cute little animal."

"She was always an innocent girl at heart," Shinichi noted. Mizore scooted closer to Shinichi before reaching up to caress his face. Her cold fingers caressed his cheek but he did not recoil. Mizore took her lollipop out of her mouth, licked her lips, and rose up to press her lips against his in a kiss.

The first thing Shinichi noticed about the kiss was that her lips were cold but were starting to get warm. The second thing was that her lips tasted a bit like strawberries. '_Must be the lollipop_.' Analysis complete, he responded in kind and kissed her back. Slowly, his arms went around her, holding the Yuki-Onna close. She didn't protest and deepened the kiss as he did the same.

'_He's so warm…so kind_…' Despite the things that had happened to him in the past he still held onto that kindness. She had felt guilty about trying to freeze him before, a feeling which had intensified after she'd learnt what had happened to him. She'd tried to take him prisoner like GIN-SHOCKER had years ago. He had no reason to help her and yet he came to her rescue.

Breaking the kiss, Shinichi asked, "So, why do you need to suck on a lollipop?"

"It's to maintain our temperatures," she answered huskily, cheeks pink.

"So it's for insulation. Makes sense and your lips tasted sweet too," he said. "Maybe I should buy you some so you can have them whenever you come over."

"That would be nice." Shinichi claimed her lips again, pushing her onto the carpeted floor with him on top. "Sorry," he apologized. Mizore looped her arms around him and pulled him close.

"I want to have your babies," she said abruptly. Before he could respond to her words she pulled him back down to a deep and passionate kiss which now included tongue.

* * *

><p>Leon sat in his chair in his office. Now the Public Safety Committee had enough members to help with security during the Sports Festival. The uniforms had also been completely redesigned by Yuki. His new uniform was a black dress shirt with matching slacks. He also wore a silver waistcoat which just happened to be armored plated. Since he was the captain, he was also given a long black coat with silver trim that hung from the backrest of his chair. The gloves he wore on his hands were also armored plated on the back.<p>

Speaking of Yuki, the female Manakyte entered the office. "Working late again, Leon?" she asked. She was wearing a white blouse. Over this she wore a black, silver-trimmed, vest with a matching black skirt that was quite short. The black vest had buttoned pockets and it was armor-plated and worn closed. Worn on her slender legs were thigh-high, fishnet stockings that were held up by garters, and black boots.

"Just looking at some last minute paperwork," he told her. "Shinichi and his team took out another GIN-SHOCKER agent so I'm just writing the report on it. So, have you told your brother about the Sports Festival?"

"I will be sending him a letter," Yuki told Leon. "Hey, don't you ever take a break?"

Leon, without even looking up, responded, "I can rest when I'm dead. Though as a Shinigami, I probably won't rest then either. As of now, there are too many problems for me to rest. Ryoko is still on the loose. There's the GIN-SHOCKER appearances on school grounds. Old enemies of Shinichi are showing up, much more powerful than before. I've taken care of three more assassins that have come for Hime's head in the past four days. And to top it all off, there's this group called ANTI-THESIS that seems to be on the rise that the Headmaster wants me to look into."

"Sounds like you have your work cut out for you," she said sympathetically.

"I can handle it," said Leon. The phone rang and he quickly picked it up. "Hello? Yes. I understand, Headmaster. I'll be right there." He put the phone down and rubbed his eyes with his index finger and thumb.

"The Headmaster summoned you again," Yuki stated.

"Yes, I have to go," said Leon.

"You look tired. Maybe I should go," volunteered Yuki.

"No, no, he personally summoned me," said Leon as he stood up. He patted Yuki on the shoulder as he headed out with Yuki watching him worriedly. She feared that he just might burn out on her.

* * *

><p>Mizore and Shinichi lay together in bed, his right arm around her. They were under the covers as they cuddled. Mizore enjoyed his warmth, inside and out, and couldn't help but want more. She did, however, notice something during the entire thing and decided to voice it out, "I wasn't your first, was I?"<p>

That question took him immediately by surprise, "Wha-WHAT!-?"

"I wasn't your first," she repeated. "Am I right?"

He stammered, "Ah…w-w-well! You see…what happened was…" Staring into her piercing blue eyes, he knew he couldn't lie. He took a deep breath into his artificial lungs and exhaled to calm himself down before admitting, "You weren't my first."

"I thought so," she smiled proudly that her guess was right. "Your movements weren't as awkward as a virgin's. You knew exactly what to do."

"And how would you know that?" asked Shinichi.

"Yuki-Onna prepare themselves to be the best lovers for their husbands, who sometimes turn out to be virgins," she said. "My mother trained me for this."

Shinichi imagined how Mizore's mother would've trained her daughter and shook his head to get the image out of his head. He didn't need to think dirty thoughts right now.

"Plus, I'm very observant," she finished. She asked, "So, was it Kurumu or Moka?"

"Kurumu," he answered. He couldn't get out of this so he might as well tell the truth.

"Really?" Mizore blinked. "That's a surprise. I mean she hasn't bragged about it."

"I asked her to be discrete," Shinichi answered. "I didn't want to cause strife between you girls so I had her keep it a secret."

"You wanted to hide it from us," she frowned disapprovingly.

"Makes me sound like a dirty cheater, doesn't it?" he asked rhetorically. "I just didn't know what else to do. I didn't mean to but I just wanted to spare your feelings…OK, I'm trying to justify my reasons. Look, I'm sorry for keeping this from you but I'm not sorry about what I did with Kurumu. She…needed me at the time and I was just happy to oblige."

"And happy to finish," she added.

"Now, don't put words in my mouth," he frowned.

"Well, how was she?" Mizore asked. "As a lover, how was she?"

Shinichi recalled that night vividly and shuddered in pleasure at the memory. Mizore noticed this too.

"I see. So, I should try better then." She rolled over on top of him. "Do you still have enough energy for another round?"

"Is that a challenge?" he asked. She smiled coyly and he didn't deny her request.

* * *

><p>Gebok was sitting in his quarters, watching the fight between Ligar Torrent and Skull Kraken. He had to admit that it was something he did not see coming. While they had a water combat division, equipment like that was worthy of study. Luckily, he had asked General Nagazawa to retrieve the boy's belt for such the occasion. As he was finding himself lost in the footage, the door slid open, revealing Dr. Kyofu walking in. Gebok, hearing him, turned his swivel chair around to face Kyofu with an arrogant grin.<p>

"Ah, Kyofu, what brings you to my quarters?" asked the insane scientist.

"I thought would be the one to tell you this in case no one else did," Kyofu said in polite arrogance. "Several of your Cyborg Youkai have failed in their missions and have been destroyed." He was hoping to see a reaction from Gebok, only to see that the blonde scientist is still smiling.

"And…?"

"And?" Kyofu repeated with a twitching eyebrow. "You creations failed. They were defeated."

"Is that all? I'm sorry to say this but the Cyborg Youkai were not sent by me. That was Blazing Fox's doing. He is the one in charge of sending them out on missions," Gebok answered, pressing his fingertips together. "Don't think you are winning, Kyofu. The bet is still on and you are not succeeding well in demoralizing me with failures that I don't even have control over."

"We'll see, Dr. Gebok. At least I can keep a tight leash on my creation while you failed to keep one on yours," Kyofu retorted.

"A small setback in a little experiment I was conducting," Gebok countered. _'Or not.'_

"I don't see having BLACK 13 go rogue, having him destroy our forces, gaining allies, including the renegades, resulting in the crippling of our organization as a setback, Gebok," Kyofu retorted.

"Well don't worry about it, Kyofu. I will eventually have BLACK 13 returned. And I have the perfect solution for that," Gebok told him. The door hissed opened, and he grinned. "And here comes the solution right now."

Kyofu turned around to look at the incoming newcomer, only to gawk, "That's-!"

"War Hunter Initiative Terminal Executioner 14," Gebok interrupted. "I modified her based on BLACK 13's old plans. She has all of his abilities plus some of her own. She's the perfect countermeasure. She will be leading the Jager Unit in their campaign against the renegades."

"Sir, General Nagazawa has requested for #15, #16, and #17 to accompany him on an assignment," the female reported.

"Excellent, my dear," Gebok nodded. "Tell him that they are ready for dispatch."

"We will see how excellent she is once my Weapon D obliterates BLACK 13," Kyofu shot back. "Good day, Gebok." Kyofu turned tailed and stormed out the door, unaware that the female was glaring at him with blue eyes of fury.

"Don't worry, my dear," Gebok said mock soothingly as he got up from his chair and walked toward the girl. "Weapon D is powerful, I'll give her that much, but she's nothing compared to you or BLACK 13. If she indeed does get sent after him, it will be a suicide mission."

"I know," she nodded.

"So tell me, what have you learnt from satellite cams?" he asked.

"Kuro-kun seems happy with his new life," she frowned, "And those girls are always flocking around him."

"And you're feeling left out, am I right? Are you sad because he's happy without you?"

"Well... yeah."

"Don't worry, that will all change as soon as he see you again," Gebok nodded as he patted her head. "Now, you'll be going off soon as well. Report to the General and prepare for your first mission."

"Roger."

* * *

><p>…<strong>RESTORATION AT 95.5%...<strong>

* * *

><p>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: And another chapter with another lemon. Mizore and Shinichi this time. Well, if you're all waiting for Moka and Shinichi, just give me a call and suggest a scenario and I'll try my best to write it up. Until then, please enjoy, OK?<p> 


	39. New Term: Elegance of Snow

**Chapter 39: Elegance of Snow**

Yuki had awoken, rising from her sleep and dressed in a set of dark blue pajamas with snowflakes. Her hair was loose and draped down her back past her shoulders. It had been several weeks since she started school again in Youkai Academy. It was more or less the same as back in Duel Academy. Everything was pretty easy and for Yuki, easy was boring. She strode over to her desk and got a paper and pen together as she began to write...

_"Onii-sama, how goes your trip with everyone? I hope that your journey has been successful so far. If you return home, tell Otou-sama and Okaa-sama that I'm fine and I love them. To be honest, things are rather easy here and thus I am bored. I know this was my decision, but I guess no one is perfect. Anyway, I am part of the Public Safety Committee and I even designed the new outfits. We've also gotten a few new members like Shogo and Reiri. However, Leon is very picky about who he accepts and despite the many applicants he'd received, he only accepts those who are truly worthy and not sympathizers of the previous regime. By the way, there is a sports festival occurring this 26th September and I wish that you and the others were able to attend. I will write again when I am able._

_Until next time - Yuki"_

She had finished writing and sighed. It had seemed that she was still bored. She disrobed and redressed, changing into her school uniform. Instead of the standard student uniform, she wore the new Public Safety Committee (Student Police) uniform she'd designed. She wore a white blouse with a short black skirt, a vest over her white blouse, fishnet stockings with visible garters and finally black boots. She slid on the armband marking her as one of the Student Police and checked her appearance in the mirror.

* * *

><p>"Ohayo, Fudo-san!"<p>

"It's a beautiful day, isn't it, Fudo-san?"

"See you in class, Fudo-san!"

Yuki was headed towards the school and along the way students greeted her. "Good morning to you all," Yuki returned as she ventured. Like some female members of the student populace, Yuki was seen as an elegant figure by many; even portrayed as unapproachable.

If she had been one of the previous members of the Student Police she would've been met with both scorn and fear, but Yuki was part of the new generation. Reaching the gate, she saw a crowd forming. Curious, she went to investigate.

"Excuse me, what's going on here?" Yuki asked one of the students. A girl, seeing her and her uniform, gasped.

"Ah…ano…" she stuttered.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you," Yuki reassured her calmly.

"It's the Wrestling Club," said the girl. "They're all confronting Banabara-san about their missing captain."

"Their captain went missing?" Yuki asked.

"Yes, ever since the start of the term," the girl confirmed. "They think Banabara-san had something to do with it since their captain had confronted him at the end of last term and lost."

Yuki nodded and pushed and shoved her way through the crowd and once she was in the front of the crowd she saw Shinichi standing up to a bunch of large and muscular students. She wished that Leon was here but he'd been sent on a secret mission by the Headmaster to the outside world the night before. It didn't seem like anyone had tried to intervene and there were no other members of the Public Safety Committee in sight, not even Shogo. "Guess they're late," she mumbled and so she decided to deal with this herself.

"Whatever is going on here, it will stop," Yuki declared with her stoic poker face in play.

"Ah, Yuki!" Shinichi noticed. She noticed some bags under his eyes. Was he still having nightmares? "Ohayo!"

"And good morning to you too, Shinichi," Yuki greeted back.

One of the Wrestling Club members pointed at Shinichi accusingly, "Our captain has been gone for weeks! He has to have had something to do with it! We just want to know what he did to him!"

"And I told you that I didn't do anything except defend myself!" snapped Shinichi. "If he didn't come back then that has nothing to do with me!" He was grimacing, though. He hoped Chopper Rikishi hadn't started hanging out with the 'wrong crowd' (GIN-SHOCKER).

"Whatever the case, you are all causing a scene and inconveniencing the other students," Yuki pointed out, "Now head inside for class, or I will have to make you." The girl's eyes began to glow as they were narrowed dangerously.

The Wrestling Club was intimidated and since she was a member of the Public Safety Committee who had to be made up from some of the strongest monsters in the student body, they reluctantly left. However, they still gave Shinichi dirty looks.

"Thanks, Yuki," Shinichi said. "I didn't feel like fighting this morning."

"I'm sure you didn't," she acknowledged, "Those boys were probably weak anyway. This only strengthens my boredom even more," she sighed.

Shogo ran over to Yuki and saluted, "Shogo Kuso, reporting for duty!" He was dressed in the new Public Safety Committee uniform, sans the long coat.

"You're late," scolded Yuki.

"Ah, don't blame him," said Reiri, who was also dressed like Yuki. "He just slept late from aerial patrol." She greeted, "Good morning, Shin-chan."

"Ah, good morning, Reiri-chan."

Yuki frowned. She then ordered, "Gather all the members of the Public Safety Committee during lunch break. We're having a meeting about tardiness."

"Since when were you put in charge?" Reiri demanded.

"Since last night after Leon left for a secret mission," Yuki retorted.

"A mission?" Shinichi asked. "He didn't tell me about it."

"Hence _'secret',_" she emphasized. "Now, if you'll all please head for class before the bell rings."

* * *

><p>Yuki came into class and smiled at all her classmates. She had become quite popular despite her cold personality. Her classmates all thought she was cool and since she came wearing her new uniform, their admiration for her seem to grow. She was aloof, but they couldn't help but just admire her for her cool personality. Also, she wasn't unapproachable either. Female students came to her for help on their studies and asked her for help. Hell, after two weeks into the new term, they had wanted her to be their new Class Rep. She'd declined, however, but she was happy enough to help whenever she could.<p>

"It's amazing how everyone looks up to you, Ms. Yuki," Aphrodite marveled.

"That's just how Yuki is," Qiao chimed, "She's always had that air about her ever since she started middle school!"

"Yeah, even I was impressed with her back in the day," Netto added.

The bluenette giggled, "People are even trying to figure out what kind of Youkai you are! By the way, do you know what happened to Leon? I was hoping to see him this morning, but he's not here again..."

"The Headmaster had given him another assignment, but that's all I can say," Yuki apologized, "He did ensure me that he would return."

"But when?" Aphrodite asked.

"Before the Sports Festival," Yuki assured.

"Oh, that's good," smiled Aphrodite. She had signed up for the swimming event and wanted to show off the swimwear she'd chosen for it and also her skill and speed.

"By the way, Yuki. What event did you sign up for?" Netto asked. "I mean I know you'll be helping with security but you have to at least participate in one event."

"The 100 meter dash, the hurdles, the tournament," Yuki listed before smirking at Aphrodite, "And swimming. I wish to test myself against a Main Elemental."

Aphrodite smiled, "I gladly accept your challenge!"

* * *

><p>Shinichi was drinking from the water fountain when Moka came up to him. "Shinichi-kun, are you OK?"<p>

"I'm fine," he lied but he didn't look at her when he said this.

"Shinichi-kun, are you sure? If you're not you can always talk to me," she said. Shinichi looked to her when all of a sudden his vision blurred and then it became like static on a television before he saw someone else's face.

"_You can always talk to me, Kuro-kun."_

Shinichi screamed and backed away from Moka, startling her. He blinked a few times and rubbed his eyes before looking at her again. "Ah…Moka-chan…"

* * *

><p>It was lunchtime and Yuki was headed towards the Public Safety Committee's HQ for a meeting. She had assigned Reiri and Shogo to summon all the members for an important meeting. As she walked down the stairs, someone called her, "Fudo-san! Fudo-san!" Stopping, Yuki turned her attention to the girl who'd called her.<p>

"I'm a little busy, so make it quick," she said curtly. She didn't mean to be rude, she just had work to do.

"I'm Gemma Ishikawa from the Arts and Craft Club," she said jumpily. "I was hoping if you would model for us?"

"I should be free after school," said Yuki, smiling, and the girl beamed before giving Yuki a bow. Yuki bowed back before continuing towards HQ.

* * *

><p>"I've called you all here for an important meeting," said Yuki.<p>

"Where's Smith-taichou?" a male member asked.

"The Headmaster has assigned him on an important, top-secret mission. Until he returns I'm in charge," said Yuki. "He personally put me in charge if you think I appointed myself." Nobody dared to accuse her. "Now, there's something I'd like to say and I want you all to listen. Earlier today there was an incident in the schoolyard and yet none of you intervened. I suppose you all came afterwards." She frowned, "From now on all Public Safety Committee members will come to school an hour early." She heard groans of protest. "Look, because of the reputation of the last committee, there are doubts about us so we need to set an example and show them we're serious about keeping safe instead of oppressing them."

"I agree," said Reiri, smiling with arms crossed and a leg over the other. "We should come early. It's just one hour. We just need to sleep earlier."

"And I don't see a problem," said Shogo. It would instill discipline among them.

"Any protests?" Yuki asked. There were none. "Alright, now let's talk about security for the Sports Festival…"

* * *

><p>Hours passed, and so did class periods, and it was the end of the school day once the bell rang. Yuki was stretching, and remembered she had an appointment. She did say she would be a model for the Arts and Crafts club. As she made her way toward the clubrooms, she bumped into Ginei Morioka.<p>

"Hey, sorry about that," Gin apologized. Yuki noted his camera. Shinichi had told her about Gin's reputation.

"Are you planning to take pictures of unsuspecting females?" she asked suspiciously.

"No, of course not," he apologized but then pictures slipped out of his jacket pocket. Yuki picked them up faster than he could and she saw what was on them.

"These are changing room pictures," said Yuki frowning disapprovingly. On the photos were images of girls in various states of undress. She glared at Gin who gulped and he tried to run only to trip as the floor became slippery. Yuki had used her powers to cover the floor with a thin and slippery layer of ice. Skating over to Gin, she picked up his camera and removed the memory card.

"Wait! Wait! That's my undeveloped collection!" he shouted. She also took the rest of his photo collection.

"I'll be taking these," said Yuki as she confiscated the photographs. "Oh, find a better hobby and use your photography for something less lecherous," she advised.

* * *

><p><strong>"Yuki-san, what are you doing here?"<strong> Chiaki asked when he saw Yuki enter the room.

"I was asked to model for your club by Ishikawa-san," said Yuki.

**"She did say she had a model coming. Come inside."**

Yuki nodded and walked into the Arts and Craft Club's clubroom and all the members were already seated in front of blank canvasses, ready to paint.

**"As you can see they've been looking forward to this,"** signed Chiaki.

"Well, I'll try to be the best model I can be," assured Yuki. She said to the Arts and Crafts Club, "Please, take good care of me."

There was a platform for her to stand on and she got on. She was told to pose confidently, which she did and they started painting.

About 45 minutes into the whole painting session, Yuki's ears picked up a disturbance. "I'm sorry, but there's something I need to take care of."

* * *

><p>Shinichi and his friends were just training for the Sports Festival when the Wrestling Club showed up to confront them again. Of course now they were led by Chopper Rikishi.<p>

"Hello again," Shinichi greeted neutrally. "How was your stay in the hospital?"

"Who says I ever went to the hospital?" Chopper Rikishi grinned sadistically. There was something in that grin he did not like.

"OK, big guy," said Yokoshima as he approached Rikishi. "Look, if you want to settle this, we can all do it during the big Sports Festival and-" He was backhanded by Rikishi and sent crashing into the bleachers.

"You didn't have to do that!" Netto snapped.

"It's OK," Daichi assured him. "Yokoshima's made of tougher stuff. He'll be fine."

"I'M OKAY!" Yokoshima cried out.

"See?"

"I don't have time to wait," said Chopper Rikishi as he cracked his knuckles. "I'm on a mission and that mission is to crush you, Shinichi Banabara!" He brought his hand down to chop Shinichi but the cyborg avoided Rikishi's attack by jumping back, the blow hitting the ground and making it crack as Rikishi's hand was buried inside. The rest of the Wrestling Club cheered, praising their leader's strength.

"Look, you're going to lose like last time," said Shinichi. "So here's a bit of advice: if you value your life don't try to fight me and don't push me too far," he warned. Shinichi was not in the mood for this. He just wanted to enjoy the rest of his school days in peace with his friends. Was that too much to ask?

Rikishi was about to retort rudely when Yuki came onto the scene with Shogo and Reiri.

"Is there a problem here?" she asked, arms crossed.

"Who the hell are you?" Rikishi demanded.

"Yuki Fudo, acting captain for the Public Safety Committee," Yuki said. "You must be Chopper Rikishi, President of the Wrestling Club. I heard you haven't been to school for weeks due to injuries."

"Yeah, and I saw experts that fixed me right up," grinned Chopper.

"Experts?" Yuki asked and Chopper roared as he pounded his fists together. His entire body changed as he assumed his troll form which was huge and rippling with muscle, but then there was something different about him, like the large mechanical arms which were as thick as tree trunks and the smoke stacks on his back. He also had his lower jaw replaced with a metal one with tusks. His feet also look like tank treads and finally GIN-SHOCKER's belt appeared on his waist with the insignia at the buckle.

Just the sight of him made Shinichi boil with rage.

"Now I'm a real chopper!" said Axe Troll as his right hand turned into an axe blade with a glowing edge. The Wrestling Club had also transformed. They were all trolls like Rikishi but their eyes were glowing blue while their veins were visible, also glowing blue.

"What are they?" Daichi asked.

"Trolls," Yukari grimaced, "But something's off about them."

"Oh, I gave them performance enhancers from my new bosses and it works wonders," Rikishi boasted. "Now, time to die!"

"Shogo, Reiri, subdue the club members," Yuki ordered, "Rikishi is mine."

"Yes, ma'am!" Shogo saluted.

"Alright," Reiri replied.

The two of them dashed to help their friends handle the Wrestling Club.

"Let's Ride: Showa!" Shinichi called out as he transformed to engage Chopper Rikishi.

Meanwhile, Kurumu and Mizore were slashed at the trolls with their claws but their skin was much tougher than they thought. Yukari waved her wand to make random items like wash basins, kitchen sinks and anvils fall from the sky and while the objects knocked the trolls down, they weren't able to knock them down. Qiao was shooting at the trolls with her solar blasts, but even they were bouncing of them like nothing.

"This is stupid," she frowned before slugging an incoming troll in the face.

Daichi had transformed the instant the trolls had and knew that something was wrong. He sent them all flying backwards with a sonic blast and muttered, "I've seen this kind of thing before." The trolls were foaming in the mouth like they were rabid.

Yokoshima had also transformed and was rolling towards the trolls but one caught his round form and tossed him high into the air before he came crashing down. He unrolled himself and groaned and then did what he did best and charged at the trolls. He used a football tackle move to bash through their numbers in order to stand next to Sonix and Mega.

"So, what's the plan?" Armadillo asked.

"We subdue them like Yuki just said," Mega said as he backhanded another troll away from him. "Somehow."

Trolls surrounded Yukari and she screamed but then the trolls were knocked away from her by Slasher. "Chiaki-san?"

Slasher gave a nod to her and turned his attention back to the trolls, his hands turning into chainsaws. He slashed his chainsaws at them but due to their now tougher skin he only tore into their wrestling clothes and not their skin. Of course he still had another weapon as he spat streams of glue at their faces, blinding them as it hit their eye before he backhanded them both.

Showa had to dodge Rikishi's swings as the cybernetic troll yelled, "STOP JUMPING AROUND AND FIGHT ME!"

"I'm not as retarded as you look!" Showa retorted as he threw his fist and smashed it into Rikishi's face, knocking him backwards. Rikishi cracked his neck and advanced only to stop on the spot. Looking down, he learnt that his legs were covered in ice.

"This one's mine," said Yuki. "You help your friends."

Showa was about to argue but he knew Moka and the others needed him. Giving Yuki a nod, he went to help the pink-haired vampire girl. Kurumu and Mizore were protecting her from trolls at the moment and the trolls' backs were facing him. Leaping up, he performed a scissor kick that hit them in the back of the head, knocking them down. He stood in front of the girls, smiled under his helmet and reached over to grab the rosario seal hanging from Moka's choker.

"We're going to need the other you for this, Moka-chan," said Showa as he tugged the cross off and the entire area was exposed to Moka's unsealed might. The two trolls Showa had knocked down were getting up but then they were sent flying as Moka-sama kicked them both in the faces simultaneously. Landing with both feet on the ground, Moka-sama flipped her hair.

"We really should stop meeting like this," Moka-sama joked, smiling at Showa. She then watched as Yuki was battling Axe Troll, aka Chopper Rikishi. "Aren't you going to fight?"

"I am," said Showa as he summoned his Gravity Hammer and swung backwards to hit a troll in the face. "But Yuki doesn't look like she needs any help, does she?"

"No, she doesn't," admitted Moka-sama as she watched the female Manakyte in action.

"You think I won't hit a little girl?" Axe Troll sneered. "Don't make me laugh!" He swung down his huge hand and made impact, kicking up dust as he discovered that Yuki wasn't in his sight. "What...?"

"Where are you looking?"

Axe Troll froze as he glanced to the corner of his eye and Yuki was behind him.

"You think you can catch me with your pathetic attacks," Yuki remarked, "Don't make _me_ laugh."

"SHUT UP, YOU BITCH!" Axe Troll roared as he turned for a back hand maneuver and gawked when he saw Yuki catch his arm with only one hand.

"Name calling is so immature," she frowned. Axe Troll roll then gasped as his entire forearm was flash-frozen. The Manakyte tightened her grip and the arm shattered like glass as Axe Troll backed away.

"What are you?-!" Axe Troll roared as he threw a left punch, which Yuki palmed to the side with her right hand as she spun counterclockwise and elbowed him in the chest, making him skid back as she came running at him.

She then got in close and pulled out her Desert Eagles and aimed it at his arm, pulling the trigger as the arm was bombarded by bullets as the arm started to freeze. She then crouched quickly and shot back up, driving her hand up to make contact with Axe Troll's chin as the metal jaw had broken and the Youkai was propelled into the air. Axe Troll came crashing down as he landed on his back, his other arm shattered and his metallic jaw dislocated as he was unconscious.

"I'm the girl who just defeated you," Yuki introduced coldly, "And you are under arrest." She saw Showa approached Axe Troll with his hammer in hand. She knew she what he was going to do and quickly stood between them. "Shinichi, stop."

"He's with GIN-SHOCKER," Showa growled. "He must die."

"He's worth more to us alive," Yuki pleaded. "We'll lock him up and interrogate him. You don't have to do anything more. Just…let me do my job."

Showa gazed at Yuki and sighed, calming down as his armor shattered off him. "Fine…but if he gets out and comes after me and my friends I'll decide his punishment."

Yuki frowned. Something was definitely wrong with Shinichi and she knew from listening to that dark tone of his. The rest of the Wrestling Club that had been defeated seemed to have reverted to human form and they looked weak as they shivered on the ground. Maybe Dr. Magi had answers for this.

* * *

><p>"So do you have an idea of what that blue stuff that Wrestling Club was on?" Shinichi asked. The Public Safety Committee had raided the Wrestling Club's locker room and found packets of blue pills, drugs. Shinichi had taken a packet as a sample for Dr. Magi to analyze in the Hive Queen.<p>

"After careful analysis, I've concluded that drugs the team used are a solidified version of the augmentation serum used on you all," said Dr. Magi.

Shinichi eyes widened, "You mean the blue stuff that the Wrestling Club used is the same stuff they pumped into us?"

"Yes, the 'blue stuff' as you call it prevented your bodies from rejecting your cybernetic modifications during the earlier stages," Dr. Magi explained. He held up a packet, "And it seems that GIN-SHOCKER has solidified them into pills so that it could be taken like drugs."

"So how would this effect Youkai?" Shinichi asked.

"From what I have analyzed, it works as a performance enhancer," Dr. Magi told him, "The drugs give the user more strength and speed that they can ever imagine. But like any drug there are side-effects. They become addicted to it and take more than the body can handle."

"So they're like steroids," Shinichi nodded. "Does anyone else know about the serum?"

"Well, some of the scientists and a good portion of the executives knew how to make the serum," said Dr. Magi. "But there is someone who knows a great deal about it. The creator of the serum, Dr. Gebok."

"Gebok huh?" Shinichi frowned. "Why am I not surprised?"

* * *

><p>Chopper Rikishi and the rest of his teammates were going to be facing their punishment soon. Shinichi would've preferred the now cybernetic troll to be executed but it was out of his hands now. The Public Safety Committee would be the one dishing out the punishment and Shinichi hoped they got the punishment they deserved.<p>

That night as Shinichi was headed back to his dorm room, he noticed Leon was heading towards the building as well.

"Hey, Leon! I haven't seen you all day! Where were you?" Shinichi asked Leon. He then noticed that the other Rider was not alone. Holding his hand was a little girl with blonde hair in pigtails wearing an orange kimono with a red sash around her waist and sandals. She was really small and her height was barely past Leon's knee. She looked to be around 4 years old. "Aw, who's this little cutie?" he asked as he squatted down and the little girl immediately hid behind Leon's legs. "Don't be scared," he said softly. He looked up at Leon. "So, who's this? Your little sister or something?"

"She's my daughter," Leon answered.

"Aw~, she's such a cute…" Shinichi paused as what Leon said finally registered. "Wait, what?"

"Papa, who's this?" the little girl asked, her voice very soft.

"This is Shinichi," Leon told her. "Shinichi, meet my daughter, Tamao."

* * *

><p>"I found her in Osaka," Leon explained as he sat on a bench outside the dormitories with Shinichi, Tamao in the former's lap.<p>

"What were you doing in Osaka?" Shinichi asked.

"The Headmaster sent me on a mission," Leon answered. "And don't bother asking for details. They're classified."

"I'm guessing Tamao-chan was involved somehow," Shinichi guessed.

"_Classified_," Leon repeated with emphasis. "All I can tell you is that Tamao here is special." Suddenly, fox ears popped out from the top of Tamao's head as a fox's tail appeared on her rear. "She's a kitsune," Leon added, stating the obvious.

"That's cool," said Shinichi. He had experience with kitsune. The first kitsune he'd ever met was a psychotic one with a superiority complex and a corrupt sense of justice but that was Kuyou. Then there was Qiao, who enjoyed lighting up moods. He wouldn't be surprised if this kid was somehow related to her.

"When I found her she didn't know who she was or how to talk, so I've been teaching her and she learns pretty fast," said Leon. Tamao yawned. "Look, it's late and Tamao needs her sleep. Good night." He picked Tamao up as the little girl wrapped her small arms around his neck as she was carried to Leon's dorm room with Shinichi watching.

"Man, Leon's a dad," Shinichi said, smiling. "I sure hope he knows what he's doing. Of course he knows. He's a Kamen Rider." He then added, musing, "Hm…maybe I should try to be a dad after I graduate?"

* * *

><p>…<strong>RESTORATION AT 96.25%...<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: Well, if you're looking forward to the Sports Festival, it'll be coming soon.<strong>


	40. New Term: The Cicada Matures

**Chapter 40: The Cicada Matures**

_#13 called on his com-link, "Dr. Gebok, we have witnesses."_

"_You know what to do, #13. Terminate them."_

_#13 nodded, "Understood," and turned his eyes towards the family who were cowering on the floor. He took out his gun and aimed it at them._

_**BANG!**_

* * *

><p>Shinichi Banabara wasn't known to lie to his friends without a good reason, but he had a bad habit of hiding things from them. For instance, since the first day of the new term, Shinichi had been suffering from periodic headaches whenever he was alone. They never triggered whenever he was with company, which was pretty lucky considering how painful they were. Nobody knew, and he never told them. He thought they would pass.<p>

But they never did. Sure, between several days he never suffered any headaches at all but then, especially after battle, he would suddenly feel a massive migraine threatening to break his head in two.

That wasn't the only thing. Every time these headaches occurred, Shinichi would have visions from his past. They were vivid images coming from the memories he'd repressed since his escape from GIN-SHOCKER and attending Youkai Academy. Those memories made him loathe himself since he witnessed his own horrible actions as BLACK 13.

He did find comfort in Mizore and Kurumu's arms, though. Being with them made him forget the nightmares but all alone he would be assaulted by those memories of his and they became even more intense with each attack.

He told nobody. It was foolish but he didn't want to worry them about what was happening.

Shinichi struggled to stand up at his dorm room's door as he clutched the door knob. Tomorrow was the start of the Sports Festival so today was the final day to prepare for it. He took in a sharp intake of breath and relaxed. Seconds later the headache just stopped.

"Let's not worry them," said Shinichi as he fixed his tie. "Off to school."

* * *

><p>"Yo, Leon!" Shinichi called as he walked down the stairs to see Leon who had Tamao riding on top of his shoulders.<p>

"Nii-nii!" Tamao called back when she heard his voice and Shinichi smiled.

"Oh, good morning, Shinichi," Leon greeted. Shinichi noticed the Shinigami had rings under his eyes.

"Rough night?" he asked.

"Tamao had a bad dream and couldn't fall asleep so I had to stay awake with her until she fell back a sleep," answered Leon, yawning.

"Tamao-chan, are you behaving well for your Papa?" Shinichi asked.

"Tamao's a good girl!" beamed Tamao.

Leon had returned from a secret mission several days ago with Tamao and the little girl had stayed with Leon since. Leon had even introduced her to his girlfriends.

* * *

><p>"<em>She's so adorable! I could just take her home!" Aphrodite squealed. Tamao hid behind Leon, afraid of the female Manakyte<em>

_"Sorry," Yuki apologized, "Aphrodite can be like that a lot. She means no harm..."_

_"Of course not," Aphrodite assured, "I would never dare hurt a child!"_

_"I can't believe she was your 'secret' mission," Reiri giggled. Reiri purred in Leon's ear, "If you wanted a baby you could have just talked to me~..."_

_"And I as well!" Aphrodite declared, "I would have graciously bore your children after what you did for me, Leon!"_

_Tamao timidly peered out from behind Leon's legs._

_Yuki smiled and cupped her hands before opening them again to reveal a lotus bulb made of ice. "For you," she offered._

_"Pretty..." Tamao awed as she took the sculpture. It was cool in her hand, making her giggle, "Thank you Nee-nee!"_

_Yuki smiled in return, "It will never melt, nor break, so it's yours forever, Tamao."_

_Aphrodite looked at Tamao before finally breaking down and pulling the little girl into a hug. Oh, such an adorable child~~! I've never seen one so adorable!" Tamao was waving her arms around wildly, her head trapped in Aphrodite's chest._

_Yuki said, "Aphrodite, let the girl breathe."_

_Aphrodite then pulled her out of her cleavage and rubbed cheeks with Tamao, "Don't worry, sweetheart, we are going to take good care of you."_

_Tamao looked at Leon cutely, "Papa, who's mama?"_

_The three girls looked at each other, as if deciding who would be the little girl's mother._

_"I nominate myself as Tamao's mother!" the Water Manakyte volunteered._

_Reiri cocked a brow at her, "Why you?"_

_"My mother ran an orphanage while raising me as well," she explained with a pat on her chest, "Therefore, I am well versed in child care!"_

_Yuki nodded, "That does sound logical... I don't know much about raising children anyway..."_

_Reiri sighed, "Guess I lose then..."_

_Aphrodite beamed and held her arms out, "Give Mama a hug, Tamao~!"_

_"Mama!" the kitsune beamed as she jumped into Aphrodite's arms._

_The bluenette was even crying, "My little girl~!"_

* * *

><p>Shinichi had told his friends and they hadn't believed him until they met Tamao for themselves. Kurumu was instantly smitten with the little kitsune. Qiao, being the bouncy girl she was, also found the girl to be adorable, though for some reason Tamao seemed to be afraid of her for some reason. Maybe she still wasn't used to being around other kitsunes? Who knows?<p>

Now, since Leon needed to go to school, he also needed to make sure Tamao was cared for. Fortunately, the Headmaster knew a place where Tamao could be taken care of while Leon was at school. Of course, being an overprotective parent now, Leon was reluctant to leave Tamao for any extended amount of time.

During classes, Leon was forced to leave Tamao at a special place at the School for younger children, used as a sort of primary school for Youkai that were too powerful to be left alone in the human world. However, given Tamao's young age, the place would act as a daycare center for her. After classes though, Leon would pick her up and she'd stay in his office at the headquarters of the Public Safety Committee.

* * *

><p>"Crap! I'm late! I'm so late! Where's my damn tie!-?" Netto panicked as he slipped on his jacket while looking around frantically. His hair was a mess and his shirt was not tucked in and wrinkly. "Oh, found it!" said Netto in relief. He then stared at the clock. "No time for the stairs!" He moved to the window and opened it up. He got onto the ledge and prepared to jump off, when a sudden sound of static entered his ears. "Huh?" Netto blinked. The static was loud, like white noise loud. And then, as quickly as it came, it vanished.<p>

"What... was that?" Netto blinked, looking around his room. His eyes widened as he remembered, "Forget it, I'm gonna be late!" Without another thought, he jumped out the window and landed with a heavy thud and the dust kicking off. In an instant, he made a mad dash for the school, "Oh man, oh man, Ririko-sensei's gonna get me for this!"

"Bonjour, l'amour!" Netto turned to his right to find Elle running right next to him. She didn't seem worried that the bell was going to ring soon. "Good thing I ran into today, yes?"

"Yeah," Netto nodded. "I'm running really late, and I don't wanna even know what my teacher will do to me."

"Oh dear, is that all?" Elle smiled, "Well for me, that's only a jog away. Need a hand?"

"Any help would be gre-WHHHHHOOOOOOAAAA!" Netto screamed as Elle suddenly took him by the arm and used her wind-manipulation abilities to run at neck-breaking speed.

Meanwhile in Netto's dorm room, one if his laptops flashed before static and electricity sparked around it.

* * *

><p>As soon as Shinichi was at the shoe lockers, all the girls surrounded Shinichi with accusing looks. Well, all of them except for Kurumu who looked apologetic and Mizore who just watched in interest.<p>

"OK, what is this about?" Shinichi asked.

"Did you sleep with Kurumu-chan?" Moka said and his eyes widened.

Kurumu had accidentally blabbed. Of course, he should've expected this. The girl didn't have tact whenever she was overpowered by emotion. Instead of denial, he chose to confess.

"OK, look, Kurumu-chan was…assaulted and she needed comforting and I was there to…comfort her," he confessed.

"By sleeping with her," Moka concluded correctly.

"Well…we only slept right after…" he muttered. The glares intensified.

"And you made Kurumu-chan keep it a secret from us," added Moka.

"To prevent _this_!" he said, waving his hands wildly. "I feel like I'm in the middle of an inquisition here!"

"So what exactly happened?" Yukari asked.

"I can't say," said Shinichi. "But Kurumu was terrified and I protected her."

"He did, and he got hurt too," Kurumu added.

"I was there for her, and one thing led to another," Shinichi shifted uncomfortably. "Look, I'm sorry that I kept this from you girls, but I'm not sorry about what I did with Kurumu. She needed me and…I guess I…needed to be there for her too."

Moka, Mizore and Yukari shared similar looks before nodding in understanding. They were still a little upset that Kurumu had gotten ahead but considering the circumstances they thought that Kurumu may have deserved to spend the night in bed with Shinichi.

"So, is Moka next?" Mizore asked bluntly

"Eh?" Shinichi let out.

"Since Kurumu and I already got in bed with you, who else?" Mizore asked. The girls all looked at Mizore in shock as Shinichi slapped his hand over his face. "Shinichi and I shared a night of passion not too long ago. Since his night with Kurumu has been revealed, I didn't think I should keep mine a secret."

"Mizore-chan too…?" Moka paled and she glared at Shinichi, looking upset.

"I was overcome with emotion," Shinichi defended himself but that didn't work as she looked ready to kill him and this was the sweet Outer Moka. Who knew what her Inner Self would do.

"If Moka-san and Shinichi-san are gonna do it then I can join in too, desu!" cheered Yukari.

"No/When you're older," Moka and Shinichi respectfully answered simultaneously.

"What?" Moka asked, giving Shinichi a look.

"The idea of a threesome isn't really unappealing, but I draw the line at jailbait," he admitted.

"So…in a few years then we can…?" Yukari giggled as Shinichi caressed her cheek.

"Yukari-chan, you're going to be gorgeous in a couple of years, I just know it," he said.

"I…need to be alone!" said Moka before she turned and ran. Shinichi wanted to reach out to her but he knew that she needed time for herself to sort her thoughts. He blamed himself. He should've kept his hormones in check. Now Moka was hurt because of him.

"Another screw up to add to the pile of them," he murmured.

"Shinichi…?" Kurumu asked.

"Kurumu-chan, I trusted you not to blab," he chided the succubus who looked downcast. He sighed, "But I guess I can understand why you did it, even if it was an accident. A girl like you, you'd want to shout to the sky and tell everyone that I returned your feelings."

"Shinichi…" she uttered, happy that he understood. It wasn't her intention, but she just couldn't contain herself and she had trouble controlling her emotions. He gently caressed her face and she sighed happily.

"Just try to be a little more discrete next time, OK?" Shinichi requested.

"Next time…" she repeated. "So, does that mean we'll do it again?" She was looking forward to that.

"I'll check my schedule," he told her. Just then, a huge gust of wind blew around them, causing the girls to hold down their skirts.

"What was that?-!" Yukari shouted as she held her hat close.

"Oh my," a tall (even taller than Shinichi) girl before them said. "I'm sorry, we were in a hurry!" Clenched in her arm was Netto's, and the boy looked very dazed.

"Huh? Netto?" Mizore blinked.

"Wha?" Netto uttered as he regained his senses. "Oh, what's up guys?"

"So who's your new friend?" Shinichi asked with a grin. He knew where this was going.

"This is Elle Fortescue," Netto answered. "She came here from France. She's also..." he continued with a blush, "Attracted to me."

"Already another girl taking a liking to you, huh?" Kurumu grinned. "Not bad, not bad at all." Her eyes traveled up and down at Elle's form, _'Mou... her boobs are as big as mine.'_

"Netto is someone that my mother would call an epitome of manliness," Elle said, not really minding how Kurumu was eyeing her. "And so I had to talk him as my own." She wrapped her arms from behind him and played with his hair with one hand and stroked his stomach with the other. This, of course, caused him to stiffen. "He's such an amazing combat artist, I bet his just as amazing in bed!" she finished before planting a kiss on his cheek.

Gin, who was watching the whole thing nearby, was grinding his teeth in envy. '_Dammit!_' Shinichi was a smoother operator than he was! And these three other guys have more than one girl with them too! Is this how all Kamen Riders were like? It just wasn't fair!

* * *

><p>"So, this is where they go to school," said Misato as she admired the place. "Nice place. Really festive." There were decorations hung up for the Sports Festival which would take place the following day.<p>

"I like it," said Hana as she admired the main school building, "We should definitely go to school here too."

"And I was hoping you girls were going to enroll in Duel Academy," Yuji sighed. On his hands were the Vongola Gear; the X-Gloves and Vongola Ring that had been given him by Bianca. The gloves were white, encased in red metal plating that covered his hands, wrists, and even his knuckles. The crystals on the back of his gloves had an orange, metal X over them that read "Vongola Familigia" in a cross manner. On his right leg was a bangle that was connected to his belt, that had an X-shaped buckle, via a chain. The Vongola Ring was on his right middle finger was a silver ring that had a small crystal below a silver lion face ornament. On his ring finger was a smaller ring that was connected to the main ring via chain.

Speaking of Bianca, the hitman (woman) was out of sight once again. She said she had been able to get them in due to her connections, so he was thankful for her. She was probably connected to the principal of the school since he received the visitation letter before they had left.

"Let's just find the cafeteria, already," Riza groaned, "I'm starving...!"

"Do we really have permission to go in?" Michiru asked uncertainly, carrying Mia in her hands.

"As long as we inform them why we're here I don't see a problem," Yuji smiled as he held the letter, "The principal did give us this visitation letter."

"Excuse me," said a Public Safety Committee member. He had seen them coming so he came over to investigate. "But are you students here? If you're not you aren't permitted here until tomorrow."

"We have a letter giving us permission to visit today," said Yuji as he handed the letter for the Student Police officer to check. His eyes widened as he saw that it was legitimate and returned it.

"I didn't know you were Lieutenant Fudo's brother! I'm sorry!" he apologized.

Yuji blinked, "Lieutenant? Oh, this I have got to see," he grinned.

"What do you mean Lieutenant? Michiru asked.

The Student Police member said, "Well, she's second in command of the Public Safety Committee, also known as the Student Police. She was elected by Captain Smith himself."

"Captain? Sounds more like a military school, if you ask me," Riza joked.

"He did say they were the 'Student Police," replied Ruby.

"Hey, where is my sister anyway?" Yuji asked.

* * *

><p>It was lunchtime and Yuki was having lunch with Leon. Sitting in Leon's lap was Tamao. Aphrodite sat next to Leon with Yuki sitting across from the pair.<p>

"Security preparations have been completed," Yuki reported. "The members all know what they need to do and what they have to do in case of emergencies like when students break the rules or…if we get attacked."

"Well, let's just hope there aren't any problems tomorrow." The Sports Festival, which would take place tomorrow (Saturday) would have the students' families attending to watch. Leon looked at the door and saw a familiar group enter. "Yuki, look behind you."

Yuki turned in her seat and gasped. "Onii-sama!"

"My wonderful sister!" Yuji laughed as they hugged.

"You actually came," Yuki smiled.

"Of course, that's what family's for," he smiled.

"Hi, Yuki-chan!" Michiru greeted.

"It's nice to see you all again as well," Yuki returned. She then blinked when she noticed Yuji's gloves, "Those gloves..."

"I'll explain later," Yuji whispered. "Yo, Leon, Aphrodite! What's up?"

"Welcome to Youkai Academy," greeted Leon. "I hope you have documents that allow you to be here."

"A special invite sent by your school's principal," Yuji boasted.

"Headmaster," Leon corrected. "I'd stand up to shake your hand but I'm a little preoccupied at the moment."

"Oh, and who's this little cutie?" Michiru asked. Tamao stared back at Michiru then looked down at Mia who hopped out of Michiru's arms to land on the table. Mia hopped over to face Tamao and then she licked Tamao's nose.

"Kitty!" Tamao gently patted Mia on the head.

"This is Tamao," said Leon. "And she's my adopted daughter."

"Adopted daughter, huh?" Yuji grinned. "Never thought you'd be the kind to be a dad at your age. So, how did you adopt her?"

"That's classified," Yuki and Leon answered in unison.

"OK, that's creepy," Yuji blinked. "So, where the heck are Netto and Shinichi?"

"Netto's a little busy with some new friends of his," said Yuki, putting the emphasis on "friends". "As for Shinichi, he has…relationship issues."

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Shinichi and Moka were alone on the roof. They needed to talk about their current relationship. He just hoped there was something to salvage. Moka was special to him. He was his first friend when he first awoke in Youkai Academy, the first person he ever protected with his power, and the one who held a special place in his heart. Of course the other girls filled up other places in his heart as well.<p>

"So, you did it with Mizore-chan and Kurumu-chan," said Moka.

"Yes, and to be honest it wasn't planned," said Shinichi. "It was a heat of the moment kind of thing and things just…happened."

"Just happened," she repeated. She was hurt and he could tell. He'd kept this a secret from her and she felt betrayed and cheated.

"Moka-chan, you know how I feel about you," he said.

"Do I? Sometimes I'm not even sure," she replied. "I know I'm not the only one in your heart and I don't even know how precious I am to you."

"You're precious to me!"

"But I'm not the only one, am I?" she asked.

"…No, you're not," he said. "I wish I could just love you Moka-chan, but my heart…the others are in it too. I can't choose, and I don't know if I want to. Maybe I'm just indecisive."

"Or maybe your heart is too big," she suggested.

"My heart is made out of a titanium alloy. It's strong, but not big," he said.

"But you still have a heart," said Moka. "Shinichi, I'm not upset about you sleeping with Kurumu-chan and Mizore-chan…OK, that's a lie. I'm upset but I'm even more upset that you kept it a secret."

"Wasn't my intention, but I just wasn't sure how to tell you," he admitted. "Now the cat's out of the bag anyway. Stupid me."

"This is a first for you, isn't it?" she asked.

"This whole situation? Yeah, pretty much," he groaned. "Relationships aren't easy, are they?"

"Have you asked your mother for advice?" Moka questioned.

"If I did, she'd suggest I make a harem and then she'd use the whole thing as an idea for a new novel," Shinichi deadpanned.

"Right, because that's how she is," Moka giggled. Shinichi smiled. "What?"

"You smiled," he pointed.

"No…I…" Shinichi slowly looped his arms around Moka and pulled her close.

"I'm sorry. I promise I won't hide things from you again," he swore. But could he keep this promise from her? He gazed into her eyes and dipped his head to gently capture her lips in a kiss. It was soft, but still filled with love. Moka slowly returned the kiss as she closed her eyes and held Shinichi in his arms.

Behind the roof entrance/exit door, Kurumu, Mizore and Yukari were looking through the crack, spying on the pair.

"Yes my Moka-Shinichi love plan is still a go!" Yukari cheered in a hushed tone.

"Looks like Moka will join the club," Mizore observed.

"What club?" Kurumu questioned.

"The 'We Have Been Deflowered By Shinichi' Club," Mizore answered.

"I wanna join!" chirped Yukari.

"When you're older," the two older girls told her. If they had been paying attention, they would've heard someone walking up the stairs.

"There's one of my favorite dudes!" Yuji called as he threw the door open and exited the staircase, startling Mizore and the others along with Moka and Shinichi.

"Yuji?" Shinichi asked, surprised. Yuji then put Shinichi into a headlock, rubbing his knuckles against the younger boy's head. "Yuji! Yuji! Leggo!" Yuji released Shinichi who fixed his hair. "What are you doing in Youkai Academy?" He spotted Mizore, Kurumu and Yukari. "Oh, hi girls." They waved sheepishly. He repeated his question, "What are you doing in Youkai Academy?"

"For the Sports Festival."

"You're a day early coz it's tomorrow."

Yuji shrugged, "Decided to come early to see my sister."

A few other people came onto the roof. "Misato? Michiru? Hana? Ruby-san? And…who are you?"

"I'm Riza Wildman! Nice to meet ya!" Riza smiled.

"Nice school you got here, Shinichi," admitted Misato. "Now I understand why you wanted to come back."

Yuji said, "Anyway, your mom wanted me to say hi and wanted to know why you didn't tell her about the Sports Festival?"

"Oh…well…" Shinichi's eyes darted about. He inhaled and let out his breath before answering, "Yuji, this is a school for monsters."

"I know that," Yuji nodded.

"And some monsters still consider humans food," Shinichi told Yuji sternly. "If my mother came here and they find out she's human she'll be eaten. I can't risk that."

"Well, then they're gay," he shrugged. He then handed him a holo-projector, "Here ya go."

"Hey, what's that?" Kurumu asked.

"A 3D holo-projector," Shinichi examined. "New model too."

"Your mom has one. She says that if she can't be here in person, she'll be here in spirit watching you do your best," said Yuji.

"Thanks, Yuji," Shinichi smiled appreciatively.

"Hey, anything for family," Yuji grinned.

"What?" Shinichi asked.

"You both are family," said Bianca, surprising everyone as she suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

"Holy crap!" Shinichi yelled loudly. "OK, who are you and where did you come from!-?"

"Oh, this is Bianca," Yuji introduced, "She's a hitman."

"OK…" Shinichi said slowly. "And what did she mean when she said we were family?" He finally noticed Yuji's new gloves. "Hey, cool gloves."

Yuji grinned as he showed them off, "I know, right? Bianca gave them to me before we came here. Anyway, I'm about to blow your fucking minds."

**One explanation later...**

"And in conclusion; I have been chosen by Grand-Dad to become the 20th generation Boss of the Vongola Familgia," Yuji finished. "Damn, I need me some H2O."

"That…is one…wow…" said Kurumu.

"So…you are Shinichi-san's cousin and the new head of a mafia family?" Yukari asked.

"That's…amazing," said Mizore, also stunned.

"And Shinichi-kun's part of it all," Moka said.

"OK, Shinichi, you've been awfully quiet. You got anything to say?" Yuji asked. He received no response. "Shinichi?"

Mizore waved her hand in front of Shinichi's face. His eyes and mouth were wide open. She then poked his chest and he fell backwards with a loud thud.

He'd fainted while standing up.

"Ah! Shinichi-kun!" Moka and Michiru cried.

"I think the shock was too much for him," said Bianca, amused.

"Guess he does take after his mother," Yuji observed. "Maybe I should've asked him to sit down first."

"You did promise to blow his mind," Bianca reminded.

"Well, true there," Yuji admitted.

"I hope Shinichi-san will be alright," Ruby worried.

"I almost feel bad for him," Misato snickered. "Almost."

"Be nice," Hana chided.

* * *

><p>When he first heard that they were holding a Sports Festival without him, he let out a scoff of disgust. His termination was unjust and the girl deserved it for being a tease. If only that boy hadn't interfered. Well, they would pay, they all would pay, and he would get his revenge. The power he had would allow him to get what he deserved.<p>

* * *

><p>Shinichi suddenly woke up and sat up from the bed. "What happened?"<p>

"You passed out after Yuji told us about his trip," Mizore pointed out bluntly, sitting on the side of his bed. After his shock, everyone present brought Shinichi to the infirmary so he could recover.

"Yeah... now I remember," Shinichi nodded. "Yuji said that we were cousins, and that he's the heir of a Mafia family." He blinked. "Hold on, I'm being punk'd, aren't I?"

"Jezz, that's the same thing Auntie said," Yuji muttered, shaking his head. "No, this ain't a prank. What I'm telling you is 100% the real f-ing deal."

"So if you and Yuki are my cousins, how come I'm not a Manakyte?" Shinichi asked pointedly.

"Remember when I told you about how my parents were two of the five chosen of the Crimson Dragon?" Yuji asked.

"Yeah," Shinichi nodded.

"Before all of that, they were originally humans. When the Crimson Dragon found them worthy, he gave them the Signer Marks, along with the Manakyte heritage. This in turn made them Artificial Manakytes," he explained. "Our grandmother, Saya, gave up her Manakyte powers and became human when she was younger, which is why Aunt Shiori isn't a Manakyte either."

Shinichi looked thoughtful as he considered his revelation. Then slowly, he smiled. "Hahaha! So there are other members of my lost family and they were under my nose the whole time!" he laughed. "Man what a day this is turning out to be!"

"Come here bro!" Yuji grinned as he took Shinichi in a bro-hug. The two young men laughed as the girls watched.

"Well, ain't that sweet," Misato grinned.

"This is great, Shinichi-kun!" beamed Moka. Shinichi had a family, and apparently a huge from what Yuji said. The whole Mafia thing was just as shocking but what was even more shocking was that he and Yuji were cousins.

"It's fate, it has to be," said Yukari.

"That's what I said," Ruby smiled.

"So, does Shinichi get a huge inheritance or something?" Kurumu asked. It wasn't like she was interested in the money. She was more interested in Shinichi. Of course, money was a bonus.

"They look happy," Mizore admired.

"Yeah, and it still freaks me out to see him smile," said Hana, referring to Shinichi. It was still something she needed to get used to.

"Sorry I reacted like I did the first time," Shinichi said as they let go, "Things have been, you know, really nuts the past few weeks."

"I think I can imagine," Yuji grinned, "So, you guys don't have any classes right now, right? Let's check out the work you've put in for the Sports Festival."

"Sounds like a plan," Kurumu smiled.

And then a bench crashed through the windows, narrowly missing them, and crashed into a wall.

"What?-!" Yukari cried.

* * *

><p><strong>MOMENTS EARLIER…<strong>

"Looks like things are almost set for tomorrow," Netto noted as he watched everything being put together for the Sports Festival. He and his girlfriends were at the sports field to see the Sports Committee doing some last minute preparations to make everything complete.

"My, my, looks like everyone's getting excited for this," Kiko mused as she played with her hair. "Looks like the Sports Fest won't be a bore. At least we don't have to worry about Kuyou anymore. Last year was no fun thanks to him."

"Yeah, you don't have to worry about him anymore," Netto nodded with a smile, "He's gone and he ain't coming back." Although he couldn't say for sure. With all these old enemies of Shinichi's coming back, and even stronger than before, what's not to say that Kuyou became a cyborg as well? He could lurking anywhere, waiting for the chance to strike back.

"So, what events have you all decided to participate in?" Elle asked.

"For me, I've signed up for the ball toss, the scavenger hunt, the hurdles, and the tournament," Qiao listed before looking at Netto. "I hope you aren't rusty in your training, or I'm gonna have to be dominate you again," she added with a smirk.

"What? Me? No way," Netto denied with a wave his hands and a blush, though you can tell he was clearly playing along. At that moment, someone bumped into him. "Hey!"

"Oh! Sorry!" Karin said apologetically.

"Huh? Oh, I remember you," Netto blinked.

"Oh, Karin!" Kiko beamed as she came up to the girl, "Long time no see!"

"Oh, Netto! Kiko-sempai!" Karin smiled. "It's been a while."

"Yeah, no one's been giving you any trouble so far, have they?" Netto asked, hands in his pockets. "How's your health?"'

"Fine. No nosebleeds so far," Karin answered.

"Who is this cutie?" Elle asked, a smile creeping on her lips. Her bust was plentiful and firm. Was she attracted to Netto too?

"This is Karin Maaka," Netto introduced, "Kiko-chan and I helped her out. So what's up Karin-chan?"

"I'm part of the Sports Committee," Karin smiled. "I'm here to make sure that everything is safe and ready for tomorrow." She then asked, "Oh, one other thing. I wanted to thank Leon-san for taking me to the nurse's office that day, but I haven't been able to find him. You know where he is?"

"I'm sure he's... around..." Netto began, but the frowned as he felt a presence of malevolence. Qiao, Kiko and Elle seemed to tense. They felt it too. Karin was the only one oblivious as she was looking at them in confusion. Quickly, he stood in front of the girls as he brought out his Photon Debugger and held it in a reverse grip. His hunch was correct as he saw someone approach them.

"You know," Kotsubo smirked as he held his hands in his pockets, "I came back here so I could get to get back at Sanban and Shirayuki, but I guys you guys will do."

"Kotsubo," Netto growled. He heard about this guy from Shinichi and recognized him from a picture. He was once the gym teacher of Youkai Academy, but when Mizore showed interest in him, he tried to get between her legs. After she attacked him in self defense, he did whatever he could to ruin her reputation. It was thanks to Shinichi that jerk got fired. "Let me guess: you joined GIN-SHOCKER."

"You got it kid," Kotsubo grinned, pointing at his belt buckle. "After I lost my job, I got a second chance. A chance for some payback! I'm gonna make those big shots wish they never fired me!"

"You lost your job because you committed sexual harassment," Netto retorted, "If I remember right, it's illegal even in the Youkai World!"

"If you wanna blame someone then blame that cunt!" Kotsubo spat. "It's all her fault! She was the one make the moves on me!"

"She was just damaged and you took advantage of that!" Netto shouted.

Qiao putted in her own two cents, "Yeah, you got some nerve to call Mizore-chan that! Guys like you suck!"

Kotsubo gritted his teeth, "Looks like this joke of a school still have whores that need to realize their place."

"Call Qiao-chan that again and I'll turn you into takoyaki," Netto thundered dangerously. His bladed crackled with electricity.

"Just try it kid!" Kotsubo roared as he grabbed a bench and lifted over his head. With a enraged yell, he threw it at them with great force.

"Duck!" Kiko shouted as they all ducked. The bench flew over their heads, and right into a window before a loud crash was heard. All the students screamed at what just occurred and rushed to leave the field as fast as they could.

"Girls, take Karin-chan out of here, now," Netto ordered as he stood up and stared down the Cyborg Youkai.

"But, Netto-" Elle began.

"Never mind, he can take him," Qiao interrupted. "We need to get Karin-chan out of here. She can't defend herself."

She sighed, "Alright." The three other girls ushered Karin away from the impending fight, with the anti-vampire looking at Netto with concern.

"You've made me a happy man, kiddo," Kotsubo grinned.

"Next, I'll make you a dead one," Netto declared as he took a stance.

"Netto!" Shinichi called over as he ran over to join him.

"Shinichi!" Netto greeted. He blinked as he noticed his company joining him. "Yuji? Guys?"

"We came here for the Sports Fest, and then a bench flew through the infirmary window," Hana answered.

"Who's this?" Misato asked, "Another GIN-SHOCKER goon?"

"Unfortunately," Shinichi frowned. "Long story short, this asshole tried to rape Mizore-chan during my first term here." This made Yuji and his girls gasp as they first stared at Mizore, who was trembling at the sight of Kotsubo, and then glared angrily at the former gym teacher.

"It's that bitch's fault, not mine! She was being a tease!" Kotsubo snarled. "Alright, I needed to let out some steam anyway. Guys you all will be my punching bags!" He roared as he shredded his clothes and changed with scales and metal appearing all over his body.

Kotsubo had transformed himself into a nightmarish form. His body was covered in a leather suit with buckles straps on his arms and legs. His head resembled an octopus' with an exposed brain encased inside a transparent dome. He had tentacles hanging from his face. Finally, flailing around on his back were four metal tentacles.

"You may call me Killer Tako in this form!" the newly transformed Cyborg Youkai identified himself. "Now…DIE!" He shot his tentacles towards Shinichi and Netto, but then Daichi came out of nowhere and jumped in and summoned his Cricket Staff. He slammed it on the ground before thrusting it forward, creating a barrier of sound waves to deflect Killer Tako's attack.

"You can let us handle this," Daichi said to Shinichi. He called, "Hey guys, you all ready to kick butt?"

"Let's make some takoyaki!" said Yokoshima as he darted towards Killer Tako and jumped up to kick at him. The tentacles caught him and he screamed, "KYAA! I'M GONNA BE TENTACLE RAPED!"

Chiaki smashed his signboard into Killer Tako's face, disoriented him, before he changed his hands into chainsaws and cut Yokoshima free. Hime slashed at Killer Tako with her own chainsaws while Yuki and Reiri gave him double whammies with double drop kicks. Shogo was standing in the distance, down on one knee with the sniper rifle in hand. Taking aim, he fired a bullet that pierced Killer Tako's body, causing him to scream.

"Why aren't you guys transformed?" Shinichi asked.

"Well, we thought we might soften him up for you," said Daichi. "Plus I heard it was against the rules to transform. Don't wanna get in trouble with the Student Police, right?"

"It is," Leon said as he stood next to Daichi as if he was always there, "Unless there are emergencies."

"Besides, we can handle this guy even without armor. We've got the power of teamwork," said Yokoshima.

"Try not to scream like a little girl again," Daichi taunted.

"Oi!" Yokoshima snapped. He dug into his bag. "Now…where are those grenades?"

"Shouldn't we help them?" Michiru asked.

"Naw, they've got it under control for now," Yuji declined, "Let's enjoy the show."

Killer Tako was sent reeling with each shot he took from Shogo's sniper rifle. Meanwhile, Chiaki had picked up a huge rock and holding it above his head. He then chucked it at Killer Tako and watched as he was knocked upside the head by it. Yuki shot armor-piercing rounds with her guns before Killer Tako threw his tentacles at her, to which she jumped away from. Killer Tako growled as he prepared to make his next move, but a swarm of bats swirled around him, causing him to be disorient. Daichi and Hime nodded at each other before they came charging in, striking at him with their weapons. As for Yokoshima, he was holding up a grenade.

"Guys, move!" he shouted, trying to ignore the winged terrors before him. As Daichi, Hime, and Reiri's bats moved out of the way, he pulled the pin before chucking the grenade. "Fire in the hole!" The grenade fell at Killer Tako's feet and he couldn't curse in time before it exploded, sending him flying.

Shinichi watched and took out his stun gun before exchanging the ammo clip with another one loaded with live, armor-piercing rounds. He then took aim at Killer Tako as he staggered forward and fired, letting the bullets pierce his armored body. Killer Tako cried out as he was hit. Ceasing fire, he watched as Daichi and Chiaki attacked from both sides, slashing at the Cyborg Youkai with their respective weapons. Roaring, Killer Tako lashed out with his tentacles and struck them all down.

"You…I'LL KILL YOU ALL!" The tips of his tentacles opened to become snapping claws. He then shot one at Reiri and it grabbed her by the throat. The tentacle started to squeeze the life out of her and she desperately tried to pry it off.

"Hey! Let her go!" Shinichi shouted as his eyes glowed. He then fired lasers from his eyes, hitting Killer Tako in the chest, forcing him to drop Reiri. The others looked at him in shock.

"Laser eyes…" Daichi murmured.

"Time for me to intervene," said Leon. "Rider Change!"

"Henshin!" Netto called.

* * *

><p>…<strong>RESTORATION AT 97.57%...<strong>

* * *

><p>"Let's Ride: Showa!" Charging at Killer Tako, he transformed into Rider form. His eyes flashed red before the green bled in, but the others had noticed this. His fist shot forward and smashed into Killer Tako's face, sending him tumbling. The Cyborg Youkai roared and shot his clawed tentacles at Showa, only for Sonix and Slasher to catch them in their hands.<p>

Mega jumped on to the tentacle and raced along it before slashing at Killer Tako with his sword. Necros joined by sending a downward slash at the beast and then using Shakkaho to knock him backwards.

Kamen Rider Zero was in the air, aiming his stingers at Killer Tako before firing his explosive needles at the Cyborg Youkai. They stuck to his body and with a snap of Zero's fingers they exploded, causing Killer Tako to howl in pain.

* * *

><p>…<strong>.RESTORATION AT 98.74%...<strong>

* * *

><p>Armadillo rolled over to Showa and stood right up. "Shinichi, remember the morning star move?" Showa tried to recall and understood. He summoned the Cicadroid and it attached to his back, allowing him to access his energy whips. He let Armadillo take hold of one before he rolled into a ball.<p>

Killer Tako staggered on his feet and then looked as Showa spun around and around, spinning a large ball by a rope of energy. He then swung the massive sphere into Killer Tako, bashing it into him, and sending him flying. Armadillo unrolled himself from Ball Mode and released the whip, landing on his feet. The Riders quickly surrounded the downed monster. Yuji, Michiru, Hana and Misato had even transformed.

"Kotsubo, you're outnumbered," said Showa coldly as Killer Tako dragged himself back to his feet. "And you're outmatched. If you want to live to see tomorrow, surrender." He was actually going to show mercy to Kotsubo.

Killer Tako snarled and eyed the spectators. He spotted Mizore among them and grinned. "Suck on this!" he roared as he sent a tentacle flying. It was speeding towards Mizore but Moka pushed her out of the way and was struck in the shoulder instead. She shrieked as blood came out of the wound.

"Get him!" Seras shouted. The other Riders lunged and held Killer Tako down in a dog pile.

* * *

><p>…<strong>.RESTORATION AT 99.99%...<strong>

* * *

><p>"Moka-chan!" Showa rushed towards Moka. He knelt down and put his hand against the wound. He summoned up his time power, reversing the damage before standing up.<p>

"Why?" Showa asked. His voice raised as he asked again, "Why?"

"It's all her fault," snarled Killer Tako, still trying to break free from the other Rider's grips. "It's all because of her."

"Hey, Shin," Liger said in a strained voice. "What do you want us to do to him?"

"Let him go, he's mine," Showa said as he turned to glare at Killer Tako. His fellow Riders did as told, releasing Killer Tako to face Showa's wrath on his own as they deactivated their suits of armor.

In the blink of an eye, Showa had closed the gap between them and a fist slammed into Killer Tako's stomach. He then head-butted the Cyborg Youkai in the face with enough force to send him flying. He lashed out with his whips, the weapons slashing at Killer Tako in mid-air, before grabbing him by his legs, lifting him up, and violently slamming him to the ground.

The Cicadroid's eyes flashed as it sensed something wrong before detaching from Showa. At the same time, Showa's eyes were blinking, flashing between the colors red and green. His Spark Core was doing the same.

Suddenly, he fell to his knees and started to scream whilst clutching his head.

* * *

><p>…<strong>RESTORATION AT 100%...COMPLETE.<strong>

* * *

><p>As soon as Showa started screaming in agony, Moka immediately reacted to help him.<p>

"Shinichi-kun!" Moka ran towards him.

"STAY AWAY!" he shouted, halting her.

"Shinichi-kun, what's wrong?" she asked, worried.

"Everyone…get back…GET BACK!" Showa shouted to his friends as the red glow of his body intensified. Glowing red cracks slowly appeared over his armor and started to spread all over. He slowly got up to stand on his own two feet.

Showa howled as his armor shattered off him, but the fragments did not vanish into thin air. Instead they orbited around him before converging on him once more. However, the armor that formed was not that of Kamen Rider Showa. From head to toe he was clad in a black suit of armor and the eyes on his helmet were blood red. Hanging from his neck was a black tattered scarf. The symbol on his left shoulder was not '13' but the roman equivalent, XIII.

Everyone froze as they witnessed this.

"Shinichi-kun?" Moka gasped.

"Oh fuck," Sonix swore.

"AH!" Michiru screeched as she hid behind Yuji.

"OH SHIT! HE'S BACK! WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!" Yokoshima screamed.

BLACK 13 had returned.

Killer Tako charged towards BLACK 13 from behind in an attempt to destroy him. He'd seen Showa change before so he didn't think this was something to be concerned about.

He was wrong.

BLACK 13 raised his hand and conjured up multiple spheres of light which hovered above him. He then flicked his wrist backwards and the energy spheres shot towards Killer Tako, hitting him and causing a series of explosions to erupt on his body. Killer Tako screamed as he was bombarded. BLACK 13 turned, red eyes focused on Killer Tako. His target had been sufficiently weakened.

It was time to end this.

Bending his knees, BLACK 13 jumped and leapt high into the air. His Spark Core glowed, energy arching from his belt as it reached towards his boot which glowed with sparking, electrical power. Without a shout, he performed a drop kick aimed at Killer Tako. Still recovering, the former gym teacher was unable to evade and was hit with the attack violently, causing him to explode instantly.

Standing up straight, BLACK 13 stood in a ring of fire as he stared at his audience before his armor shattered and fell away.

"HE'S BACK! HE'S GOING TO KILL US ALL! WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!" Yokoshima continued to scream.

"I am not going to kill you," #13 said.

It didn't help. Yokoshima still continued to scream as he ran around with his arms flaying.

"Could someone silence #06?" #13 requested, his neutral face twitching in annoyance.

"YOKOSHIMA, SHUT UP!" Daichi snapped, slugging Yokoshima in the face.

"Ouch, Dai! You didn't have to hit me!" the Pillbug Cyborg shouted, rubbing his face.

Reiri looked at #13 with uncertainty. "Shin-chan…?" He looked like him, but his face was devoid of any emotions. He stood straight and tall, with his hands folded behind his back, and his eyes were as black as coal. He was the complete opposite of the cute boy she knew from childhood.

"That's not Shinichi anymore, Reiri," the artificial vampire told the pureblood vampire, "It's #13."

"You are correct, #04," #13 answered. His voice was cold and emotionless. Just like a robot's.

"But why hasn't he tried to kill us again?" Michiru asked, poking her head out from behind Yuji.

"Well, at least now I get to have a few words with him," Daichi spoke, cracking his knuckles, "#13, why did you kill us?"

"I never wanted to."

That answered stunned them.

"Say what?" Daichi blinked.

"I never wanted to kill you," the Ultimate Weapon repeated. "You were my comrades. What sort of logic would drive me to do something like that? You all elected me as your leader. Thus I was given the responsibility to lead you in battle and guide you while also protecting you."

"But if you didn't wish to kill us, why did you?" Shogo asked.

#13 neutral expression shifted to a hint of anger as his eyebrows furrowed, "Because at that time I was being controlled by Gebok. I was his puppet and he was the one controlling me."

"Is that true, Hana?" Yuji asked, as he turned to her.

"#13 can't lie. It's not in his programming. He can never lie, ever," Hana answered.

"So…you never wanted to kill us," Daichi frowned, his muscles relaxing slightly. He was expecting retribution, but now unsure of what to do.

"Are any of you aware of what happened after I was lucid again?" #13 asked.

"We were kinda busy being dead, #13," Yokoshima said, still rather shaky.

"I had my first psychotic breakdown and had to be subdued. The trauma of killing you all deactivated my emotional inhibitor," #13 told them.

"What?" Riza asked, not knowing what he just said.

"He went crazy because he was forced to kill us," Michiru translated.

"We all grew up together, and fought alongside one another," #13 continued, "I may not have expressed it but I had grown an attachment to all of you. You were my comrades…and…I think the more appropriate word would be…"

"Friends," Moka answered for him with a smile. "They were your friends and it broke you heart when you realized what you did."

#13 considered her words. "That is correct," he nodded.

"But Pops said you stayed with GIN-SHOCKER after that," Yokoshima pointed out.

"My memory was wiped. I couldn't remember any of you or what I did. I was led to believe that from the beginning I was the only one."

"And once again GIN-SHOCKER screws you over," Yuki said with her eyes rolling. That figures.

**"So, what made you leave GIN-SHOCKER?"** Chiaki signed.

#13 frowned, "I do not remember. The only bits of data I can recall since the massacre are encrypted. However, there is one thing I can remember."

"What's that?" Hime asked.

"A name," #13 answered. "Lina."

"Lina?" Mizore frowned. That's a girl's name.

"That is all I can remember. I cannot recall anything else," #13 said.

"So you still can't remember how you ended up in Youkai Academy?" Leon asked.

"My memory isn't perfect, unfortunately."

"OK, so you didn't want to kill them," Yuji said, folding his arms, "What about when you tried to kill me? And then Leon?"

"That was the Anti-Rider programming, not me," #13 said. "It's similar to instincts. It wasn't ruled by logic and its only drive was to destroy other Riders, like yourselves, Yuji Fudo and Leon Smith. I wasn't in control at that time. It was Kurumu Kurono's Charm ability which fried the chip that was responsible for the programming, which is why you two were the only ones it targeted."

"I did that?" Kurumu blinked, pointing to herself.

"Yes you did," #13 nodded.

"What happens to Shinichi-san then?" Ruby asked.

"Shinichi?" #13 blinked, "You must mean the virus protection program. His purpose was to keep this body safe until my restoration is complete. Since I am completely restored he is no longer necessary."

"Wait, what does that mean?" Moka gasped. "Are you saying that he's gone?"

"He exists as part of me. He was just a fragment of myself, a shadow," #13 answered.

"WHAT?-!" most of the girls cried.

"DON'T CALL HIM THAT!" Moka snapped, suddenly blurring in front of #13 and grabbing him by the collar. "Shinichi-kun's not a shadow or a fragment! He was a person and you killed him! You took him away!"

"Akashiya, calm down!" Daichi persuaded.

"He said Shinichi-kun was a program! He said Shinichi-kun was a shadow! He said Shinichi-kun isn't necessary!" Moka cried hysterically. "It's not true! It's all a lie!" She pressed her head against his chest and began to sob, "Give him back! Please, give him back!"

Shinichi was the first real friend that Moka ever made. They helped each other to open up to more people and create new friends. Even after learning what he was made to do didn't make her fear him. It was his heroic resolve that made her love him even more. She feared being put back into her old world of isolation and loneliness like when she was in junior high. She just couldn't bear to back to that. Likewise, her inner self refused to let one whom she claimed get away so easily.

Kurumu felt like her world shattered. Shinichi was gone, and he may not come back? No way, not true. For the teenage succubus, just being at school and spending time with Shinichi was like a dream. Well, if the other girls would go away then it would be a dream.

Mizore would have paled further if she could. Shinichi might be lost forever? How can that be? She wanted to pretend that she didn't hear such things, but the cold and logical #13 had said it himself. She just wanted to cry.

Yukari was on the verge of tears. At first, she had a crush on Moka, but was jealous of the attention she was given Shinichi so she tried to split them apart. After Shinichi had saved her from the lizardmen, she realized how stupid she was for trying to do such a thing and fell in love with him. Now to here that he could have been deleted... she just wished this was a bad dream.

Hime may not have had any romantic feelings for Shinichi, but she still cared a great deal about him. He was like the younger brother she never had. She already lost ten years with him, but now to hear that he may be gone forever... it couldn't be true. She was going to have Gebok's head for this.

Reiri's already red eyes began to turn puffy from her tears. Those... horrible people who discarded their humanity took her Shin-chan from her. And they performed experiments on him, turning him into a weapon of death and destruction. She lost him once before. She couldn't lose him again.

"That is not possible," #13 said, his eyes closing.

"What do you mean 'that is not possible'?" Hime asked.

"As I said before he exists as part of me," #13 replied.

"Then you can bring him back!" Reiri demanded. "Please, Hime-sama and I already lost a decade to grow up with him. I don't want to lose him again!"

"Then what happens to me?" #13 asked, his eyes opening.

"Time out. Let's think about this logically," Netto interrupted. "Shinichi's been doing a pretty good job taking care of your body and unlike you he can act like an actual human being and express emotions. Also, wouldn't it help you if you allowed him to keep on protecting your body?"

"So I would still be a prisoner."

"How about you handle that between you and Shinichi. He should still be in your head, right? I'm sure you can figure out a logical arrangement," Netto told him.

#13 nodded, "That is logical. I will consider your suggestion."

"You better. I want my cousin back," Yuji glared.

#13 gently took Moka off his chest and she went to join her friends. And then he closed his eyes...

* * *

><p><em>Shinichi found himself walking in the infinite mindscape again. "This place again?" he mused to himself. This was where he met the Legendary Riders. It was a long time since he was last here.<em>

_"Greeting, Shinichi," a voice somewhat like his own said behind him. He turned around to the source. There, standing before him, was an image of himself. But his choice of clothing was a black leather coat that reached down to his knees that was worn over a turtleneck with XIII inscribed in gold on the front, a belt with GIN-SHOCKER's emblem in the buckle, and black pants tucked into black boots that had straps and buckles on them. He also wore red shades with slim rectangular lenses over his eyes._

_"You're…you're BLACK 13!" Shinichi realized._

_"That is correct," the doppelganger nodded. "However, I do not wish to be called by that designation any longer. You may designate me as Kuro Juusan."_

_"Right," Shinichi nodded, "So, where am I?"_

_"My…" Kuro soon corrected himself, "Our mind. I've been restored."_

_Shinichi frowned sadly, "I see…so guess that means I'm a goner then. This is your body after all."_

_Kuro shook his head, "Not exactly. Your friends persuaded me to allow you to have control."_

_"Wait, what?" Shinichi blinked_

_"It was a logical suggestion," Kuro continued, "You have kept this body safe, even if you needed my assistance on occasion."_

_"Yeah…sorry…" Shinichi blushed as he scratched his head._

_"You are not perfect, and neither am I. I doubt I would be able to adapt to your lifestyle once I took over. I would just focus on destroying GIN-SHOCKER," Kuro shrugged._

_"You hate GIN-SHOCKER too?" Shinichi blinked._

_"Hate…yes, I do," Kuro answered with a hint of strain in his voice. "I hate them more than anything. They took someone away from me…from us…"_

_"Someone we both loved very much," Shinichi added._

_"I still don't understand emotions…" Kuro sighed_

_"You don't have to understand. You just have to experience them," Shinichi said to him._

_"Then we are different. I seek to understand but you experience them," Kuro noted._

_"So, what do we do?" Shinichi asked._

_Kuro, strangely enough, smiled, "I believe that the most agreeable arrangement would be this." The light intensified around them as he backed away._

* * *

><p>His eyes opened and everyone watched in anticipation.<p>

Shinichi smiled, "Hi, guys. Miss me?"

Moka, Kurumu, Mizore, and Yukari squealed instantly and glomped him. Hime and Reiri simply sighed in relief.

"You're back!" Moka cried.

"Darling, you scared me!" exclaimed Kurumu.

"Shinichu-san, I missed you!" yelled Yukari.

"Shinichi…" murmured Mizore softly.

"So, what's the deal?" Yuji asked.

Shinichi answered, "Kuro and I have reached an agreement. He's going to be guiding me in combat and will only take over when I'm in danger. He says that it's the only logical choice since the destruction of this body would be counterproductive to his goals. He hates GS as much as I do."

Yuji asked, "Are you sure you can trust him?"

Shinichi shrugged, "I don't see why not. He's me, after all. But he did suggest we switch places once in a while so he can experience life. An actual life outside of GIN-SHOCKER. He never had that. He doesn't even have a hobby."

"I think training was his only hobby," scoffed Daichi.

"So he's like your dark side now," Yuji nodded. "I guess that's cool. I can relate to that."

"Yeah, but if what #13 said is true, that means Gebok has been toying with us since day one! He planned everything that was going to happen to us!" Misato said angrily as she punched her palm, "Damn him! What's he trying to do?"

"I don't know, but I'm going to ask him personally myself," Leon frowned.

* * *

><p>Later that night, Shinichi and Moka were both lying on his bed, on their sides and in each other's arms. The two were locked in a tight embrace and kissing passionately. While Moka had been perturbed when she learnt about how Shinichi had already performed sexual intercourse with Mizore and Kurumu, she couldn't really fault him, at least not so much considering that he also had feelings for them. He had feelings for all of them in fact. Considering how he was brought up he really didn't know what to do when he had feelings for more than one girl. So, instead of choosing just one and risk hurting the others, he opened his heart up to all of them.<p>

Her inner self was a little more selfish and possessive due to her vampire pride, but Moka-sama understood. She didn't approve, but she understood.

The couple broke the kiss and the Cicada Cyborg caressed the vampire's cheek.

"I thought I was going to lose you," Moka said.

"I'm not going anywhere," said Shinichi. "Hey, you know what? This makes us the same. I got dark side now, just like you."

"Yes, we're quite the pair," giggled Moka.

Shinichi's expression turned solemn. "I'm sorry I hid things from you," Shinichi apologized, "And not just when I had sex with Kurumu-chan and Mizore-chan, but about what was going on with me."

"We could've helped," said Moka.

"My old self was reasserting himself, Moka-chan. He didn't want me to go find help as he reconstituted himself inside me so he prevented me from getting help," Shinichi said. "He knows it was wrong and I can understand since this was his body for the past ten years."

"But it's your body too," she argued.

"_Our_ body now," Shinichi corrected. "He knows he can't exactly do the whole school life thing but in fights I think I'll give him the reins while I sit back. He's a way better fighter than me, and knows my powers better than I do."

"Well, if it's like that…" Moka murmured. Shinichi's hand moved down her side to rest on her thigh. "Shinichi-kun?"

"Can I have you tonight?" he requested. "I mean…I don't want you to feel left out. Of course I'm not doing this for myself. I want you to want it too," he babbled, blushing. He was asking Moka to have sex with him, but he didn't want to sound like a heartless player who was in it for the pleasure. He really wanted to show Moka how much he loved her.

"Shinichi-kun…" Moka kissed him again. She smiled lovingly at him. Though her family would not approve of her giving herself to another creature besides a vampire, Shinichi had proven himself time and again. He shouldered a huge burden and came out of his suffering stronger than ever. He had a strong heart and soul, but his soul was also kind and gentle despite being rough around the edges due to his Spartan upbringing.

Sitting up, Moka removed her jacket and dropped it to the flower. Shinichi watched as she undid the buttons of her white blouse to show him the bra she was wearing. It was red lace.

"I…like the color," he grinned. "I _really_ like the color."

"My inner self suggested it," said Moka, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She looked back at Shinichi and saw that he was stripped down to his boxers. "How did you undress so quickly?"

"Oh, I have my ways," grinned Shinichi, wiggling his eyebrows, "But I doubt you'd want to waste time with a long and lengthy explanation. I left my boxers on, though."

Moka giggled at his boxers. They were yellow, with black cicadas on them. "Nice undies."

"Yours are nice too," Shinichi returned, "But I'd like to see you take them off too." Shinichi looked at the windows. "But first…" He went to the windows and pulled the curtains over them so that nobody would spy on them. Some students could fly, and he knew Kurumu might just watch. He returned to the bed and pulled Moka into his arms. "Now, where were we?"

Moka leaned in, taking in his scent, and sunk her fangs into his neck. Shinichi shuddered, first in pain from the penetration of her fangs but then it became pleasurable. "Oh…Moka-chan…" he moaned.

Moka didn't take too much. She loved the taste of his blood but he needed it more than she did. She pulled her mouth away and licked her lips. Suddenly, Shinichi buried his face into her neck. "Ah, Shinichi-kun!"

"You know, you leave bite marks on me," he whispered. "I think it's fair I did the same." He pulled down her blouse, sliding the white shirt down her shoulders. He kissed her neck, her shoulders, and then he kissed her lips once more. He put one hand on the small of her back and the other on her thigh, feeling the warm flesh under his fingers. Vampires, in myth, were said to be undead beings with cold bodies. Well, Moka certainly wasn't cold from where he was sitting.

Moka's body was pressed against his. His body was made of hard muscle, the result of years of military training as well as genetic and cybernetic augmentation. In other words, Shinichi was ripped. He hid it well under his clothed but he was quite muscular, yet still quite slender. He didn't have a bulky build like the members of the Wrestling Club. It was a form that balanced power and strength, with speed and agility. The term 'athletic' would be accurate but her hands wandered to his abs and she felt his six-pack. Touching his arm, she could feel his bicep. She gave it a squeeze.

"Reinforced muscle tissue," he whispered. "Our muscle tissue is so dense that normal bullets won't even penetrate."

"What about needles?" Moka breathed as he sucked on her neck.

"Well…special needles can penetrate," he said as he returned to kissing her lips. Her lips were so sweet, although a little coppery from her feeding on his blood earlier, but still sweet nonetheless.

"Hey, Moka-chan?" he asked.

"Um…yes?" she responded.

"Are you sure, are you absolutely sure you want to do this?" he asked.

"…I've never been more sure in my life," she told him softly.

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: And so BLACK 13 has returned completely and he really isn't that bad. We also learn that it was Gebok's fault the whole time (well, duh!). So, we have the Sports Festival the following day. How ill thing go? Oh, and not forgetting, Shinichi got laid with Moka, both of them. He'll be sore but damn is it going to be good! So, please remember to review after reading and we'll keep on writing. <strong>

**TAILSMO4EVER: Shinichi's inner struggle has been resolved, and with varying results. But everything turned out fine for him. Looks like the gang is given another reason to hate Gebok, and soon they will learn that he's done something very unforgivable.**


	41. Sports Fest: Day One

**Chapter 41: Day One**

The rays of sunshine came through the window, cutting through the gaps of the blinds. On the single bed in room lay Shinichi Banabara and Moka Akashiya. The former was awake with his arm around the still sleeping latter. She was back in her pink-haired form and sleeping soundly, lying against him with a smile. She was obviously having good dreams. Slowly, she began to awake and her eyes opened slightly to gaze at Shinichi.

"Good morning," said Shinichi and he kissed her good morning. He'd woken up earlier and just watched her sleep peacefully.

She blushed as she lay her head on his chest. "Last night was wonderful."

Shinichi remembered the details vividly; the feeling of Moka's soft skin, the warmth of her body, and most of all the build up towards a slow yet powerful climax with her. Then her Inner Self took control and Shinichi remembered how she nearly broke his hips. It was just fortunate that he had bones reinforced by steel.

"We should get up and get ready before we're late," suggested Moka.

"Um…Moka-chan?" he prompted and he put a hand on his throat. "Would you like…?"

"Oh…" Moka licked her lips and put her hands on his shoulders. She then went and bit into his neck to drink his delicious blood. After taking some, she pulled back, a blush on her cheeks and gasped when he kissed her.

"Come on, we better have breakfast quickly or we'll be late," Shinichi said to Moka.

* * *

><p>Fireworks exploded in the air as today was September 26th. Today was Youkai Academy's Sports Festival. Students were arriving in their gym clothes, eager to perform their best and play to win.<p>

In Shinichi's classroom, Nekonome-sensei was giving her students a motivational speech. She was wearing a track suit and smiling brightly. Daichi blushed as he watched her smile. He did like the teacher and Yokoshima teased him about his alleged crush on her.

Nekonome-sensei explained that the rule about not transforming into their true forms still applied today. It was for the sake of fair play between students and sportsmanship.

"Just remember to do your best out there and to show proper sportsmanship," she finished. "And show them why our class is the best!"

The students all cheered and applauded.

"Now, let's give them hell, kids! Meow!"

* * *

><p>Students all lined up later in the schoolyard as the Vice-Principal gave a speech to the students. After his speech, which nearly put the students to sleep, he fired a starter pistol to start the Sports Festival.<p>

Bianca was watching from the roof, having a good angle as Chamille was perched on her shoulder.

"Now then, let's see what the cousin of the future Vongola leader can do," she mused.

She herself was interested in Shinichi's abilities. Because of his 'service' with GIN-SHOCKER, the hitman had not watched the boy progress in growth; though records of his first six years of life, up until he was kidnapped, was in the Vongolas' files. He looked exactly like his mother. He was youthful, friendly, and kind to others. She had watched the battle yesterday and witnessed the power he possessed. He was like an uncontrollable storm that didn't let up in his attacks, always moving, and that made her think. And since he had the current Vongola's blood flowing through him, then maybe...

Bianca smirked, "He could be of great help to the Family; as the Vongola head's right hand."

Shinichi had put the 3D holo-projector down on a chair and it projected an image of his mother. The projector also had a camera that could track his movements, allowing Shiori to see her son from where she was at home.

"Well, it looks like the first event is about to start," Shinichi said to his mother.

"_Good luck, Shinji_," Shiori smiled.

The first event was the 100 meter dash for the boys.

"Hey," Shinichi said to Netto at the starting line. "Ready to neat my dust, Netto?"

"I'll let you know what it tastes like when you meet me at the finish line," Netto mocked.

"Let me know what my backside looks like, losers!" Daichi yelled over from the other end.

The boys got into their starting positions.

"On your mark…get set…Go!" The starter gun was fired and the boy ran from one end to the other with cheers encouraging them.

Kurumu was even waving pompoms around like a cheerleader, shouting out, "Go, Shinichi!" She bounced and her breasts bounced too which was kind of distracting.

And in the end, after the finish line was crossed, Netto was the one who got first place, followed by Shinichi who got second place and Daichi who got third place.

"Guess you're faster than me," said Shinichi as he bumped fists with Netto.

* * *

><p>"Just don't get in my way."<p>

"I was going to say the same thing."

Mizore and Kurumu had their ankles tied together and were at the starting line with other pairs. This was the three-legged race. The two girls had chosen each other as partners because despite their rivalry for Shinichi's affection, they also trusted each other.

"Good luck, girls!" Shinichi called.

"Do your best!" encouraged Moka.

Kurumu and Mizore shared a look and nodded before they waited for the time to run.

At the time of the event, Gin had his camera out and taking pictures. Of course his pictures were of all the girls in tight t-shirts and bloomers. "This is why I wake up in the morning…" he said happily.

* * *

><p>"Ow, my ankle…" Kurumu hissed as she sat under a canopy and massaged her sprained ankle. Mizore was in the same boat as well but was able to hide her pain better.<p>

"Just relax," said Shinichi as he knelt down. He put his hands over their ankles and concentrated. He slowly undid their injuries.

"Thank you, Shinichi," said Mizore as she felt the pain go away.

"No problem," Shinichi smiled. "And you girls got first place. Congratulations."

"Yeah, but we tripped at the finish line," Kurumu glared at Mizore.

"It's not my fault you threw me off balance with your cow tits," Mizore retorted icily.

"Girls, girls, don't fight," said Shinichi. "Now, we have to see what's next."

* * *

><p>"Wow, he's really crashing into them," said Yukari as she watched Yokoshima in the hurdle race. The objective was to jump over the hurdles when one ran but it seemed that Yokoshima couldn't get his timing right.<p>

"He's not exactly bright," Shogo said as Yokoshima was running through the hurdles without even trying to jump over them. He sent hurdles crashing into the other competitors too, knocking them off the track as a result.

Yokoshima was disqualified from the event and the other students who were wounded by his actions were taken to the infirmary.

"What happened to the instructions I gave you?" Shinichi asked Yokoshima who walked over, rubbing his head in embarrassment.

"Bad timing?" Yokoshima asked uncertainly and Shinichi palmed his face.

"You were supposed to jump _over_ them. Why would you want to crash into them in the first place?"

"I'm a cyborg designed for crashing, not jumping," Yokoshima replied lamely.

Yuji was laughing uncontrollably, "I can't believe what I just saw!"

"Hey, if there's anything Yokoshima is good at it's crashing into things," stated Misato. That was no lie.

* * *

><p>Moka was at the long jump event as she leapt before landing in the sand.<p>

"OK, and she's got 3.4 meters!" one of the officials measured with a measuring tape.

"That was great, Moka-chan!" Shinichi congratulated.

"Thank you, Shinichi-kun," smiled Moka, blushing at the praise she was receiving.

* * *

><p>Next it was the Tug-O-War, one of the few team events that would require one entire class to go up against another class.<p>

Right now it was between Shinichi's class and Leon's class.

"We should be able to win," said Yokoshima confidently, "I mean we've got like 5 super-powered cyborgs. How many do they got?"

"Don't underestimate Netto, Yokoshima," advised Shinichi. "Chiaki, are you OK with being at the end of the rope?"

"**I will be fine**," signed Chiaki.

"Netto, we don't want any slipups," Leon advised.

"I got you," Netto nodded.

Meanwhile, while her classmates were getting in position and taking hold of the rope, Mizore was looking around for someone.

"Who are you looking for, Mizore-chan?" Shinichi asked.

"My mother," said Mizore. "I wrote to her about the Sports Festival and she said she'd be here."

"Maybe she's just running late," Shinichi supplied.

"She should already be here," she insisted.

Shinichi scanned the area. If Mizore's mother was around he'd find her. His irises glowed red as his pupils shrunk and grew while he focused his vision. He then spotted, not too far away, hiding behind a tree a woman who shared a resemblance with Mizore but with hair a lighter shade of purple than Mizore's and wearing a kimono. Her hair was done up in a bun tied by a green ribbon and she also had a lollipop in her mouth.

"Mizore-chan, does your mom have hair a lighter shade than yours and wears a kimono?" Shinichi asked carefully.

"Do you see her?" Mizore asked, smiling.

"Yes, so let's go say hi after we win this," said Shinichi as he grabbed hold of the rope. As the Class Rep he was at the front and facing Leon the Captain of the Student Police on the other side. "So, my arch-nemesis, we meet again."

"What are you talking about?" Leon asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Oh, nothing at all," Shinichi flashed a grin. "Just being a bit dramatic. Oh, be prepared to lose."

They then both heard a loud, "Papa, do your best!" They both spotted Tamao who was standing with Reiri, waving at them.

"And prepare to be humiliated in front of your cute daughter," Shinichi added.

"We'll see," Leon shot back.

* * *

><p>"I can't believe it ended in a tie," Shinichi remarked.<p>

"Stupid rope," grumbled Daichi.

After all the stress and effort being put in all the pulling and tugging, the rope had snapped when both classes had pulled so they all fell.

Mizore was leading Shinichi over to her mother. "Mother, this is the boy I was telling you about."

"Greetings," said the woman. "I'm Tsurara Shirayuki, Mizore's mother."

"I can tell from the resemblance," Shinichi said as he bowed to her. "I'm Shinichi Banabara. I must say I can see where Mizore-chan got her good looks from." Both mother and daughter Yuki-Onna blushed at the honest compliment.

Suddenly, Kurumu glomped Shinichi from behind. "Darling!" He nearly toppled over but was able to maintain her balance. She detached from him and said, "My mom just arrived so I wanted to introduce you to her."

Shinichi smiled and gaped at the beauty who was Kurumu's mother. She had wavy blue hair and was wearing a short red dress which complimented her figure, especially her bust-line. Over this she wore a black coat with a furry collar. The word 'MILF' could be used to completely describe her as she turned a lot of heads, both male and female. Of course, what else could one expect from a succubus?

"I'm so glad to finally meet the man my daughter has claimed as her Destined One," she smiled warmly. "I'm Ageha Kurono."

"Wow…" Shinichi looked back and forth at Kurumu and Ageha. "It's like looking at the future." Now he knew what Kurumu might look like when she was older and he liked it. "A pleasure to meet you, Kurono-san."

"He's a nice boy," Ageha praised her daughter for her choice. She looked to Tsurara and Mizore. "Oh, hello, Tsurara," said Ageha with an edge in her voice.

"Hello to you too, Ageha," replied Tsurara icily. "So, you came to see your daughter compete, am I right?"

"And I see you've come to do the same," retorted Ageha.

"You both know each other?" Shinichi asked. This was a new development.

"We were classmates," said Ageha.

"Yes, we were," said Tsurara. "I think graduation was the best day of my life because I didn't have to look at her face any longer."

"Same for me."

"Which was a surprise that she even made it to graduation in the first place."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know what I mean."

Shinichi defused the situation immediately, "Kurono-san, Shirayuki-san, let's not fight about the past and just enjoy the festivities. I think the next event is about to come up and I need to borrow Mizore-chan and Kurumu-chan for a second." He took the girls by their hands and dragged them away to a safe distance.

"OK, why didn't you tell me your mothers knew each other?" Shinichi asked.

"This is news to me too, Shinichi," said Kurumu.

"Actually, my mother once told me that she used to share the same class with a big-boobed tramp and skank who spread her legs so she could get passing marks," Mizore remarked.

Shinichi sighed. "And so the rivalry gets passed on to the daughters," he mumbled. Ageha and Tsurara suddenly appeared behind him.

"As you can see, Ageha, my daughter has chosen a fine man to be her future husband," said Tsurara.

"Oh, you must be blind, Tsurara," retorted Ageha. "Shinichi here is definitely my daughter's Destined One."

"Oh, you must be as delusional as you were back when we were in school!" Tsurara shot back.

"OK, this is enough," said Shinichi and he whistled, catching both mothers' attention. "OK, I'm gonna be clear. I love Kurumu-chan-"

"Hah!" Ageha laughed in triumph.

"-And I love Mizore-chan," he added, surprising them both. "I know you must've had some kind of rivalry and well you both hold grudges. But don't ruin this day for your daughters. Could you put aside your difference for just one day and maybe have a truce?"

Ageha and Tsurara glared at each other and then at Shinichi.

"How can you love both of them?" Tsurara asked pointedly.

"Yeah, what she said," Ageha added.

Shinichi wasn't about to expose his secrets to these two women, but he was going to tell them something anyway, "For a long time I've been alone. I guess you can say that Youkai Academy was the best thing to ever happen to me. This is where I met your daughters and while the way they tried to get my attention was less than… appropriate, it was only because they were lonely just like me. I guess you can say our loneliness drew us together." He smiled fondly at Kurumu and Mizore. "And it's not just them." He looked over to see Moka and he waved at her. "These girls, they've become my closest friends and it's because of them I have direction in my life and a purpose." He looked to Tsurara and Ageha again, and warned, "So, please behave. If you ruin this and make them unhappy then I won't be happy."

There was something about Shinichi's stance and presence which affected the two mothers. It was like he'd matured too fast, faster than any child should. It was in his eyes in fact. They were stern like he'd only experienced happiness in a short amount of time and most of his life had been filled with nothing but misery and darkness. He was far older in terms of experience in fact, like he'd experienced too much already.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to participate in the high jump next." He turned and walked away.

"Mizore, who is that boy really?" Tsurara asked her daughter.

"He's a super cyborg," Mizore said bluntly.

"Mizore!" Kurumu hissed.

"It's not like they won't find out eventually, so it's best to tell them now," Mizore shrugged.

"Really? A cyborg?" Ageha blinked. "Like that one from the movies that can turn into liquid metal?"

"Uh, no," Kurumu told them, "But he can turn into liquid energy. See, back when he was turning six…"

* * *

><p>"Congrats on getting a high score on the ball toss," Kiko praised as Netto gulped down on his energy drink. He, Qiao, Kiko and Elle were sitting on the bleachers, waiting for their events to be called.<p>

"Thanks. It was pretty easy," Qiao smiled as she drank up her drink. "By the way Kiko-chan, are your parents coming?"

"My… parents?" Kiko muttered, slowly frowning, "They aren't coming. They hardly ever come to support me in events like this."

"Oh…" Netto said slowly, "Why's that?"

"Because of their jobs," Kiko sighed, "They are always traveling the world in things like that. They hardly have time for me, so I'm always left with Sebastian. Don't even get me started on my sisters."

"Uh… sure…" Qiao nodded. It would be best if she didn't press any longer. "What about you, Elle-chan?"

"My parents cannot come. They are in a meeting," the Dragon Princess answered. "Is your mother coming?"

"Yoo-hoo! Over here!"

Everyone turned to the voice and saw a tall and attractive woman approach them. She had a long brown ponytail that reached her knees with fox ear-like bangs on her head and her blue eyes were behind rectangular glasses that gave her a sensual look. She was also wearing a brown turtleneck and tight black pants. And she has bigger… well… she was bigger than Elle at least.

"Mama!" Qiao squealed as she ran to the woman.

"Oh, my little girl," Qiao's mother swept her daughter into her arms so tightly that their breasts were crushed together. "It's been so long! I've missed you."

"I missed you too, mama!" Qiao returned the hug. She always loved being hugged by her mother. The two fox demons let go and the woman turned her attention to Netto, "Netto, aren't you going to give Mama Xianglian a hug?"

"It's been a while… Kaa-san," Netto smiled slightly. Xianglian became Netto's surrogate mother after the death of his parents. The woman always did want a son.

"Oh, there's no need to be shy, dear," Xianglian cooed as she pressed Netto's face against her chest. She then noticed Kiko and Elle, "And who are these lovely young girls?"

Kiko blinked twice before she finally remembered her manners. "A pleasure to meet you, Xang-san. My name is Kiko Kirishima."

"And my name is Elle Fortescue. It's a pleasure to meet you," Elle would have curtseyed, but she was in her bloomers. She settled for a bow instead.

"How do you do? I'm Xianglian Xang, Qiao's mother," she smiled. "So... you both have your sights set on my dear Netto like my daughter does, hm?"

"Wh... what?" Elle blinked. Did Qiao tell her?

"I'm an Empath, dear. I can feel the emotions of other people," Xianglian answered. "Good job, Netto! I always knew you would get a harem of your own!" she praised as she rubbed him on the head.

"Really?" Netto gawked.

"I did," Xianglian nodded, "So, what do you think about him?"

"He's... wonderful," Kiko admitted, "He isn't like other boys I've dated up to this point. He's brave and thoughtful, and quite easy on the eyes."

"He is the epitome of manliness," Elle grinned shamelessly, "The way he moves in battle truly something. And he's so nice to hold against."

"That's wonderful to here," Xianglian smiled, "You know, when he was young, he went through many things that children shouldn't have to go through. In my opinion, having as much TLC as possible would do good for him."

"What kind of things?" Kiko asked.

"That would be telling," Xianglian tic'ed as she waved her finger. "But you should know that I'm behind all of you 100%!" Her eyes grew hazy as she licked her lips, "Oh my... this reminds me of one of the books I read..."

"And there she goes again..." Qiao sighed, rolling her eyes.

* * *

><p>"And now it's time for the bread eating contest for the boys," announced Karin. She was sitting under the announcer's canopy. "Would all participants please go over to the starting line?"<p>

"Bread eating content, huh?" Daichi asked. "Didn't you say you signed up for this one, Yokoshima?"

"That's right," grinned Yokoshima. "Though, I'm not sure how it's supposed to be done."

"Traditionally, a bun is hung from a string and participants need to finish eating it before they can continue with the race," Shogo explained. "But I guess they're doing something different here. Take a look."

At the starting, in each lane, was a table with a tray of ten buns on each. The objective was for the participants to finish eating all the buns before they could start running. They had to actually swallow before they could continue. If not they were disqualified.

"Wish me luck," said Yokoshima as he went to the starting line.

"Do you think he might bomb this?" Daichi asked Shinichi.

"I doubt even Yokoshima could," said Shinichi. "All he has to do is eat and run."

Yokoshima was at the starting position and getting ready to chow down. When the starter gun was fired he started stuffing his mouth with buns. He made sure to take huge bites, chew, and swallow before going for the next one and in a matter of seconds he'd cleaned his tray, leaving it empty of buns. He then began to run, still chewing what remained of the buns in his mouth which he swallowed before he reached the finish line, the others following after only a few seconds.

"Yes! I did it!" Yokoshima cheered. He clenched his stomach, "Ooh…I don't feel too good…"

* * *

><p>"I can't believe you threw up on the finish line," Daichi snickered.<p>

"Hey, do you know how hard it is to run with a full stomach of buns?" Yokoshima asked before chugging down some water. The track was being cleaned up after Yokoshima had thrown up.

"At least you actually made it to the finish line," said Shogo.

The ball rolling race was next and both Chiaki and Shinichi were representing their class. The two ran, pushing the large ball along the track towards the finish line. They finished first.

"And next is the girls' swimming competition," Karin called. "Would all participants please move to the pool?"

* * *

><p>Next was the swimming competition, with the girls lined up as everyone watched. All the girls had swimsuits on, with male students cheering and whistling. Yuki's swimsuit was a white two-piece. Boys were cheering and whistling like dogs as they checked out her body.<p>

"LEON!" Aphrodite waved. Her 'swimsuit' was just seashells attached to strings that covered her essentials, making boys pass out from major blood loss after checking her out. Leon palmed his face out of embarrassment.

At the whistle, the girls jumped in and began swimming, Aphrodite passing the other girls and even some of the mermaids as she made first place, with Yuki making third to the Swim Club's president.

"Hm, her speed in water is excellent, but Rain may be too redundant for her," Bianca mused as she jotted notes.

Yuki, after drying herself, put on a track suit. While drying her hair, she was approached by her brother. "Good job out there, Yuki," he said.

"I still lost," she frowned.

"You only got third," Yuji said reassuringly. "Besides, Aphrodite is at home in the water. I mean if they had winter sports here, I think you'd be No. 1."

"I guess she's a Water Manakyte for a reason," she nodded.

"Alright, everyone. It's twelve o'clock which means we can all take a one hour break for lunch," Karin informed.

* * *

><p>A huge group was sitting together on a blanket in the schoolyard for lunch. Shinichi had actually prepared a pretty huge bento for everyone to share. Yokoshima snagged some food and gave it a try.<p>

"You know, Shinichi. I'm impressed. You're a way better cook than #13," said Yokoshima.

"How so?" Shinichi asked.

"He didn't care about flavor. Only nutrients mattered. It could've tasted like total crap and he wouldn't have cared since it gave us the nutrients we needed. In a way, he was the worst cook ever. Of all time," said Yokoshima.

"He was too logical, but he meant well," added Shogo. "Until the very end. We all thought he'd betrayed us."

"If I were in your shoes I would've thought the same," said Shinichi.

"Hey guys, can we join?" Netto called over as he, Qiao, Kiko, Elle and Xianglian approached.

"Sure. There's plenty for everybody," Leon nodded. "And who's that?" he asked as he noticed Xianglian.

"My name is Xianglian," she answered, "Qiao's mother."

"Oh, nice to me you," Shinichi said politely.

"Ah, you must be one of the guys that Qiao told me about," Xianglian said as she eyed Shinichi. "You must be Shinichi Banabara, correct?"

"Yeah, that's me," Shinichi nodded.

"Well," Xianglian began before licking her lips. Shinichi jumped slightly as Xianglian suddenly swerved behind him, "If you have any questions for me, there's no need to be shy," she said flirtingly in his ear as she rubbed his chest, much to the shock of everyone around them. "Ask whatever you want. Let's deepen our relationship~."

"Wh-what-?" Shinichi gaped, his face turning red.

"Holy cow!" Michiru gawked.

"Mama! Not again!" Qiao cried. "You can't be always hitting on my male friends like that! It's not right!"

"Oh, don't be such a prude," Qiao declined as she continued to stroke Shinichi's chest, much to Moka's distress and Michiru, Hana and Misato's astonishment. "He's grown up to be a fine young man. There's nothing to be ashamed about."

"You should act like your own age, you old fart," Qiao muttered under her breath.

"Toh!"

"Ow!" Qiao shouted as Xianglian landed a perfectly aimed karate chop into the middle of her head. "Mama!"

"Suck it up, girl!" Xianglian huffed.

"Is she… always like that?" Kiko asked Netto.

"She is," Netto sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Kaa-san is someone that you would call a 'Cougar'."

"Cougar?" Misato blinked. "You mean she's attracted to younger men?"

"You got it," Yuji nodded. "She's even hit on me on several occasions."

"Wow," Hana muttered, watching the two foxes argue. "What a shameless woman."

"Well, she's not completely shameless, she just likes younger and good looking men," Yuji responded.

"May we join you?" Ageha asked as she came over with Tsurara, Mizore and Kurumu.

"Will you both behave?" Shinichi asked. He didn't want these two to argue on this important day. Especially not after someone's mother just tried to hit on him.

"Did you cook all this?" Tsurara asked as she admired the spread. Shinichi nodded.

"Hai, Shinichi-kun's always been a great cook," Moka complimented.

"Come on, Moka-chan," Shinichi blushed. "I'm not _that_ great."

"You were able to pull together a delicious bento from scratch by reading a book," Moka pointed out. "That takes talent."

"Or a really good photographic memory," added Daichi. "If you gave this guy a map, he could memorize every single bit of detail and it would not be lost at all. So instructions in a cook book wouldn't be too hard for him to remember."

"Shinichi, here's some cookies to help with your blood sugar level. You're going to need energy too for the second half of the Sports Festival," Kurumu offered. She slapped Yokoshima's hand away when he tried to take a cookie.

"Or a bowl of shaved ice to help you cool down," offered Mizore as she held up a bowl. "I made with love." It had red strawberry syrup all over it.

"I made you an energy drink!" beamed Yukari as she held up a bottle with some kind of greenish-purplish, bubbling concoction inside.

"That's… great…" Shinichi smiled nervously, a sweatdrop on his head, "But I'll pass." At least the girls were acting normal again.

Yesterday had been frightening for the four girls who'd befriended and fallen in love with Shinichi. Yesterday had been the day they had nearly lost him. When BLACK 13 had returned and told them of Shinichi's fate, it had devastated them. Fortunately, Shinichi came back after BLACK 13 and he had negotiated a deal which would benefit the both of them.

Ageha and Tsurara were watching as the girls argued over who would give Shinichi what. They were remembering what their daughters had told them about Shinichi. To think a boy who'd been through so much could smile and laugh right now.

"Maybe it's best if we put aside our rivalry," Ageha suggested, "I mean, it's for the girls after all."

"Agreed," Tsurara nodded.

"Oh, Shirayuki-san, Kurono-san, and Xiang-san," said Shinichi as he gestured to the holographic projection of his mother. "I'd like you to meet my mother, Shiori Banabara."

Hearing that name made all three mothers' eyes widen. Guess they knew about Shiori and that the novelist's name and works were famous amongst monsters after all.

"_So, you're Qiao-chan, Kurumu-chan and Mizore-chan's mothers,"_ said Shiori. "_It's nice to meet you. I see where the girls got their beauty from."_

"Is she real?" Ageha asked.

"Oh, she's just someplace else right now and she couldn't make it," said Shinichi. "That's why she and I are using 3D holo-projectors to communicate."

"_Why didn't you tell me about the Sports Festival, Shinji?_" Shiori asked and Shinichi frowned.

"I thought I did," Shinichi lied. He hadn't sent her a notice for her own safety. "Maybe it got lost in the mail."

"Are you... really Shiori Banabara, the novelist?" Tsurara asked slowly.

_"The one and only!" _Shiori stated proudly. All three mothers squealed with stars appeared in their eyes as they huddled in front of the screen. Actually, only Xianglian and Ageha squealed. Tsurara just grinned from ear to ear.

"I'm such a big fan!" Xianglian began. "I never lost track of anyone of your novels! They never disappoint!"

"Wow, I can't believe my little girl is in love with the son of THE Shiori Banabara," Ageha grinned. "Your novels are always amazing and steamy. As expected from Banabara-sensei!"

"It's... an honor to meet you, Banabara-sensei," Tsurara said as calmly as she could. Calmly being the keyword as she was trying to stop herself from jumping in her seat. "Can I ask what your next novel is?"

"_It's called 'Embrace of the Vampire Queen_'," she answered.

"I knew it," Shinichi sighed. Moka blushed instantly, also realizing where she got the idea.

"_If you want, I can get you three copies with my signature. It's the least I can do_," Shiori said.

"That would be great," Ageha nodded quickly.

Tamao looked up at Shiori's hologram, sucking on her thumb. Mia was atop the kitsune's head. "Nii-nii, who's this?"

Shinichi smiled down at the little girl, "This is my mother."

Shiori's hologram cooed at the tiny kit, "_Now, who is this little cutie?_"

Tamao beamed, "Tamao!"

"Leon adopted her, but won't divulge information," clarified Shinichi.

"It was classified," warned Leon. "Leave it alone."

Shinichi snickered, "You know I will find out sooner or later. I'll even ask Tamao…" Leon glared and gave off some of his killing intent as a warning. "Or not!"

"Papa saved me from a scary man!" said Tamao, waving her tiny arms up and down for emphasis. "Papa's really nice!"

Yokoshima leaned towards Daichi, "If he's so nice, how come I feel like I'm gonna shit myself every time he looks at me?"

Daichi let out a sigh, "Maybe if you stopped being an idiot he wouldn't have to give you the look."

"What look?" asked Leon as he was suddenly behind them, causing them both to jump.

Tamao began laughing as she pointed at them, "Papa's funny!"

Yukari spotted a couple coming their way and beamed, waving as she called them over, "Mama! Papa!" The older gentleman had grey hair and a moustache with glasses. He wore a green sweater over a white shirt and brown pants. His wife, Yukari's mother, was a beautiful woman with short brown hair and was dressed in a witch's hat with a cape. She wore a maroon, long-sleeved, dress that reached her knees.

Upon seeing them, Yukari gave her parents a hug. "Papa, Mama, I'd like you to meet all my friends." She introduced them all by name but then when she came upon Shinichi, she hugged his arm and declared, "And this is my boyfriend!"

Shinichi swiftly denied, "It's not what you think! It's just, well…"

"I told them how you rescued me," Yukari said to Shinichi.

"You have our deepest thanks," said Mr. Sendou.

"You helped our little girl," added Mrs. Sendou.

"Well, I couldn't leave her alone like that," Shinichi said. He could empathize with Yukari. He knew and understood what it was like to be different. Under his skin were cybernetic organs, metal-plated bones, wires and circuitry.

Yokoshima checked the time on his watch and gasped. "Oops! I gotta go! Excuse me!" He quickly dashed off.

"Where is he off to in such a hurry?" Misato asked.

Chiaki signed, "He told me that the Cosplay Club was doing something for the Sports Festival."

"He's in the Cosplay Club?" Misato laughed. "No way! How did he get in?"

"Desperation," Hana said simply, but she didn't elaborate on who the desperate party might be.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot," Netto realized. "Karin wanted to speak to you the other day, Leon."

"Thanks," Leon nodded.

* * *

><p>"Before we start today's second half of the Sports Festival, the Cosplay Club would like to put on a performance," announced Karin. "And here they are!"<p>

The Cosplay Club members, made up of attractive girls, were all dressed in matching cheerleader uniforms in the school colors. They wore short pleated skirts that were green with yellow trim and midriff bearing tops with the school insignia on the chest. They each held a pair of pompoms.

As for Yokoshima, he was wearing a white t-shirt with a long black coat and black pants and a white headband tied around his forehead.

"Cheerleader," Daichi muttered in disbelief as he watched. "Yokoshima's a cheerleader."

"Yup," Shinichi nodded in agreement.

"Hey, Shinichi," Kurumu flirted. "I bet I'd look great in that outfit. Wouldn't you agree?"

"With all that jumping, your milk jugs will just get in the way," Mizore said.

"What was that? You want to fight?" Kurumu hissed.

To defuse the situation, Shinichi pulled them both each into a one-armed hug and held them close. This got his envious stares from the male population of the student body.

"Girls, I believe you'd both look lovely as cheerleaders," Shinichi said.

They watched as the cheerleaders performed their routine and showed off that their costumes were not just for show. In fact the girls had practiced hard for this and as the music played they performed their dance. It had to be the most beautiful thing ever as the girls were in sync, able to match their movements to follow the rhythm. It wasn't just mindless jumping and pompom waving.

And Gin was nearby taking pictures of the cheerleaders. Shinichi would've stopped him but Yuki beat him to it and dragged Gin away for disciplinary actions.

Back with the cheerleaders, the Cosplay Club had actually been practicing for months just so they could be ready. The cheerleader costumes were also their own design to show their school spirit. They performed somersaults and splits, and feats of gymnastics and acrobatics one would expect from professionals. Then again, these girls were really monsters so they were superior to humans physically.

And then it came for Yokoshima to perform. He didn't jump around but he did show off that he had talent for the drums.

And it wasn't half-assed either. Hanging from straps on his shoulders in front of him was a drum and he twirled the drumsticks around as he started beating it, and not in a clumsy way, but with actual skill and talent, with passion as he vigorously beat the drum to follow the rhythm of the song blasting from the speakers.

"I don't believe it…" Daichi uttered, his jaw dropping. He was acting like he'd never seen Yokoshima actually being good at anything.

"Believe it, because I'm seeing it too," said Shogo, also not believing his eyes but unable to deny the sight.

Shinichi was watching too and remarked, "You know, this is pretty unbelievable."

"I know," said Daichi. "Yokoshima's actually good at something."

"I'm talking about our situation," Shinichi clarified. "Look at us. We're cyborg super soldiers and former agents of a terrorist organization that now attend a high school built for monsters. The most unbelievable thing is that we actually like it here and are enjoying semi-normal school days. We attend classes, have lunch with friends, and even participate in club activities. I mean when was the last time any of us had anything like this?"

"Never," was Shogo's instant reply.

"Yeah, and even if this is a school for monsters, it doesn't seem different from a human one," said Daichi as he looked around. Everyone was a monster disguised in a human form. Anyone would think this was just a regular high school if they didn't know any better.

"That Yokoshima really is something," Yuji observed, "He's really sick with that drum."

Yuki nodded, "I've watched him at some points of time before the festival. I've never seen anyone practice so hard."

The performance stopped with Yokoshima and Cosplay Club cheerleaders striking poses. The crowd roared with applause instantly.

"They like me…" murmured Yokoshima, beaming brightly. "They _really_ like me."

"Bringing about smiles that are as bright as the sun," Bianca mused before smirking, "I believe I've found the first..."

* * *

><p>"Thank you for being patient, ladies and gentlemen. Now, if you would all turn your attention to the big screen, the next event is about to begin," Karin begin.<p>

The next event was an obstacle course marathon.

"The race starts at the front of the school gate. A route has been plotted for the competitors with signs to follow and various checkpoints placed. In each checkpoint is a member of the Public Safety Committee member who's volunteered in giving out these stars." Karin held up a star-shaped badge. "There are a total of five checkpoints. Oh, and we can't forget about the obstacles along the way, can we? Don't worry, though. Anyone injured will be instantly taken to a medical canopy within the area. Oh, and to keep track of all the action, these lovely robotic cameras will be following our competitors the whole way."

Competitors were standing at the front gate, ready to go. They were doing stretches and tightening their headbands. Shinichi was jogging in place and flicking his wrists.

"Shinichi-kun," said Moka as she stood next to Shinichi. "Good luck."

"You too," Shinichi smiled at his best friend. He addressed Kurumu, Mizore and Yukari too, "Good luck to you girls too."

"Oh, I won't need luck since I got you," beamed Kurumu.

The starter gun was fired and they were off.

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME:<strong> So ends the first chapter of the Sports Festival Arc. Well, there will be obstacles waiting for them along the route, which just happens to cut through into the forest. What sort of obstacles will be waiting for them? Hopefully, nothing bad would happen.


	42. Sports Fest: The Elimination Race

**Chapter 42: The Elimination Race**

"Thank you for being patient, ladies and gentlemen. Now, if you would all turn your attention to the big screen, the next event is about to begin," Karin begin.

The next event was an obstacle course marathon.

"The race starts at the front of the school gate. A route has been plotted for the competitors with signs to follow and various checkpoints placed. In each checkpoint is a member of the Public Safety Committee member who's volunteered in giving out these stars." Karin held up a star-shaped badge. "There are a total of five checkpoints. Oh, and we can't forget about the obstacles along the way, can we? Anyone injured will be instantly taken to a medical canopy within the area. Oh, and to keep track of all the action, these lovely robotic cameras will be following our competitors the whole way."

Competitors were standing at the front gate, ready to go. They were doing stretches and tightening their headbands. Shinichi was jogging in place and flicking his wrists.

"Shinichi-kun," said Moka as she stood next to Shinichi. "Good luck."

"You too," Shinichi smiled at his best friend. He addressed Kurumu, Mizore and Yukari too, "Good luck to you girls too."

"Oh, I won't need luck since I got you," beamed Kurumu.

The starter gun was fired and they were off.

The competitors ran out of the gate en masse. Signs shaped like arrows pointed the students in the right direction as they followed the path which would lead them towards the first of the five checkpoints and one of the obstacles in their way.

* * *

><p>Moka went pale when she learnt what the first obstacle was. Running across their path was a river. She clung onto Shinichi's arm. On the other side of the river was Reiri. She explained to them via a megaphone. First a shrill noise came when she turned it on, causing the competitors to cover their ears in pain. Once she got it working right, she apologized, "OK! Now, as you can see there's a river running between you and me. Right now I'm holding all the badges which would mark you as having cleared this obstacle. As you can see there are ropes hanging in front of you. Use the rope to swing yourself across. However, if you were to fall into the river, you are immediately disqualified!"<p>

"So, this obstacle course marathon is also an elimination race, huh, Reiri-chan?" Shinichi called back.

"You got it! Now, since there is only one rope, you will need to take turns!" Reiri instructed.

* * *

><p>As expected, a few got across while a many fell into the river either by slipping off the rope or by losing their balance when they did swing across only to fall backwards into the river. "Shinichi-kun, I can't," said Moka.<p>

"Well, we can't have you fall in now, can we?" he asked. "So, climb on my back and hang on tight."

"Shinichi-kun…" Moka was touched.

"Hey, Reiri-chan, does it say we aren't allowed to help each other out?" Shinichi asked.

"No, there's nothing in the rules about that!" Reiri confirmed.

Shinichi smiled and turned his back to Moka. She looped her arms around his neck and locked her slender legs around his waist. He took hold of the rope, stepped back and then he swung. Moka shrieked, gripping Shinichi so tightly that she could've broken his bones. They made it across as he landed on dry land.

"And you've cleared the first obstacle!" said Reiri as she handed both Shinichi and Moka their badges. Well, Moka was still clinging onto Shinichi for dear life as she had her eyes screwed shut.

"Moka-chan, we made it across," he told her.

"Oh," Moka blinked and let Shinichi go so he could give her a star badge which she pinned to her shirt.

"Now, you go on ahead," Shinichi told her. She looked unsure.

"What about you?"

"I'll catch up," Shincihi gestured to the other girls on the other side. "I promise."

Moka smiled and nodded before she took off towards the next obstacle and checkpoint.

Yukari was next and she gulped. Looking ahead, she saw Shinichi waiting for her. "I'll catch you! Don't worry!"

"Hai!" Yukari swung on the rope to the other side and let go. Shinichi caught her and gently planted her on her feet. She received her star badge.

"OK, Kurumu-chan and Mizore-chan next," said Shinichi. The two girls went across next. Kurumu first and she landed on Shinichi, straddling him. This made boys on the other side glare in envy. After receiving her star badge, Shinichi told her and Yukari to go on ahead.

"I could just freeze the river," said Mizore.

"That'll be cheating!" Reiri told her.

Mizore took hold of the rope and looked to Shinichi on the other side. He nodded to her and she swung along the rope towards him. He caught her around the waist and she embraced him as well. After Mizore accepted her star badge, he took hold of her hand and said, "Now, we run!" Mizore smiled as she held Shinichi's hand as they ran together towards the next obstacle and checkpoint as the rest of the competitors behind them were either eliminated or able to clear the obstacle.

* * *

><p>On the schoolyard, the action was displayed on the screen and Shiori said proudly, "That's my boy! He never abandons his friends!"<p>

"I can attest to that," Netto grinned.

"That's right, it's never in his nature to leave people behind," Hana nodded. That was a fact. #13 was the same as well, always watching after them and making sure that they all made it home safely. And all it took to betray them all was a mind control chip in his brain.

* * *

><p>There was a tall wall in their way and it stretched all the way from one end of the forest to the other end almost endlessly. The wall was also 10 feet tall. There were hand and foot holds for the competitors to climb on.<p>

"Looks simple enough," said Shinichi. He spoke too soon, though as one of the competitors reached for a grip to pull himself up when the grips for his hands and feet suddenly vanished and he fell.

"You fell, you are eliminated!" a Public Safety Committee member said. "Go stand over there!"

Shinichi looked at the wall. "So, the grips can appear and disappear at random, huh?"

"It's a Nurikabe," said Yukari.

Shinichi looked to the wall and noticed a pattern. He counted and when he finished counting the grips changed positions. "13 seconds," he concluded. "The grips change positions every 13 seconds."

"Well we can't make it!" huffed Mizore.

"Elle-chan just went over the wall," said Moka.

"Well, she's just fast," shrugged Shinichi. He spotted Daichi and Chiaki at the wall too. Chiaki was facing away from the wall and putting his hands together. Daichi put his foot in Chiaki's hands and was given a boost as he was thrown up against the wall. Daichi took hold of the grips and pulled himself up and over the wall.

"See you at the finish line, Shinichi!" called Daichi as he got over to the other side to receive his star badge. Chiaki followed after Daichi, taking hold of the grips and pulling himself up. For a big guy he was surprisingly fast as he was able to take hold of the hand and foot grips before they switched positions. Once at the top he pulled himself over and jumped onto the other side.

Shinichi scanned the wall and nodded. "I'll go first." He could clear this. It was just like basic training. He stepped back several feet away to get a running start before he ran towards the wall. The grips shifted and Shinichi acted. He took hold of a couple of grips and pulled himself up to climb up the wall. He then reached for the next set of grips before the ones he was on vanished. He noticed that the grips rearranged themselves after a certain amount of time. Shelving that for later, he continued to pull himself further and further up, noting the grips which rearranged themselves. At the top, one of the hand grips vanished and Shinichi nearly fell only to pull himself up onto the top. He hauled himself up and sat down on top of the wall, waving at his friends.

"It takes 13 seconds for the grips to rearrange themselves!" he told them. That meant they needed to be quick. The wall shook. "OK, what is with this wall?" Was the wall enchanted by magic or something?

Moka ran towards the wall and jumped, taking hold of the grips and climbed up. She continued upwards, Shinichi cheering her on. Once she was within reach, he pulled her up with him. Kurumu and Mizore climbed the wall next, together. They scaled the surface quickly. They were not going to lose and made to look bad in front of Shinichi. As they were close to the top, the grips vanished and the girls started to fall. However, Shinichi and Moka grabbed their arms and pulled them up.

"Yukari-chan, come on!" Shinichi called. The little witch gulped.

"OK! Here I come!" Yukari said as she started climbing. She took hold of the grips and pulled herself up with Shinichi telling her to hurry. He was counting the seconds before the grips vanished. If she fell, she'd be automatically eliminated, and Shinichi wanted to finish this race with all of them. She was within reach and she held a hand out towards him, which he took hold of. He pulled her up and she smiled up at him.

"OK, to the next obstacle," said Shinichi as he and the girls all jumped onto the other side. They were given their star badges as they had cleared this obstacle.

* * *

><p>"Shinji-kun should've just left them," said Hime. "They are just slowing him down."<p>

"You must not know him all that well then," said Misato. Hime looked at her. "On missions he would always make sure we all got home safely. That's just how it was with him."

* * *

><p>The path before them had boulders swinging back and forth in front of them like deadly pendulums. Being hit by large boulders like that could be fatal. Of course the Sports Festival Committee and Public Safety Committee would never allow that to happen. Competitors who got hit by the swinging boulders were hurt, but they would live. Still, the pendulums were swinging fast and it looked impossible without their supernatural powers. Unfortunately, the competitors couldn't access their true forms.<p>

Shinichi's eyes looked left and right, following the boulders' motions. He tapped his foot. He lowered his body to the ground, palms flat, and then he dashed towards the swinging Pendulums of Dooms.

"Shinichi-kun!" Moka cried but they all watched as Shinichi dodged, ducked and weaved around the swinging boulders. He even stopped in the middle as two boulders swung past his front and back, the wind blowing past his hair. He continued on, leaning backwards like Neo from the Matrix as a boulder came dangerously close. He even leapt over a boulder and rolled under another before sliding towards the other end of the path.

"Safe!" a Public Safety Committee member declared before handing Shinichi his star badge for clearing the obstacle.

* * *

><p>"Now that's impressive," said Xianglian.<p>

"It's the result of the training he took," said Netto. He didn't say more.

"So, why is he just standing there at the end?"

* * *

><p>Shinichi frowned as he saw the girls on the other side of the obstacle. Could they make it? He couldn't just leave them. He saw Yukari attempted to cross and he looked at the stone pendulums. She could get hurt, really hurt. He narrowed his eyes, scanning the obstacle and calculating how Yukari could cross safely. He measures the distance of each pendulum from the ground and got an idea.<p>

"Yukari-chan, how low can you go?" he called to her.

Yukari blinked, confused, but then she saw him doing a gesture with his hand. "He…wants me to crawl?" She looked at how the boulders didn't reach quite low to the ground. She looked back at Shinichi and nodded before lying herself flat on the ground and crawling slowly under the pendulums.

"That's it, just keep your head and body as low as possible," said Shinichi as she watched her crawl under the boulders which swung back and forth above her. She was coming closer, slow, but getting closer nonetheless. Once she reached him, he pulled her up to her feet.

"You made it," said Shinchi as the PSC member handed her a star badge for clearing the obstacle.

"Thanks for the hint," Yukari said.

"Well, you are small and it worked to your advantage," he said. He looked at the others. "Won't help with the others though.

And he was right. Those who tried what Yukari did were eliminated as they weren't able to keep their bodies as flat to the ground as possible, getting knocked aside by the boulders as a result. Mizore went next and looked to Shinichi and Yukari.

Mizore looked determined, biting into her lollipop as she decided to just run for it which made Shinichi gasp. She saw a boulder coming at her and what she did next was just too shocking for words.

She jumped, and landed on the boulder. She gripped the rope and let the boulder swing until it lined up with another one before she jumped, gripping the other rope. Meanwhile, the PSC member was reading the rules.

"The rules said she had to get across," said Shinichi. "Didn't say she couldn't use the pendulums." That was smart thinking on Mizore's part.

Her eyes moved left and right, following the pendulums' motions before she took another leap. She had to time this right. Her attempt to make it across was quite risky but it was working for her. Finally, at the last pendulum, she jumped off and Shinichi caught her.

"Two more to go," he murmured.

Moka went next and made sure to time her steps so she wouldn't be hit. Not only was Shinichi encouraging her, but the rest of the boys were cheering her on.

Those were the perks of popularity. She didn't run too fast or walk too slow. LikeLime Mizore she'd timed the swings and was concentrating so she could make it across safely. Finally, she made it to the end and hugged Shinichi.

Kurumu stared in envy and rolled up her short sleeves and tightened her headband. She was going to make it. She ran through the obstacle course, faster than the boulders could hit her. As a flier, she learnt how to dodge oncoming obstructions and was zipping around the pendulums. She was like Shinichi, weaving around and ducking from the boulders. She was quite agile, and had good reflexes, something Shinichi could not miss but note. Finally, she made it to the end.

Shinichi applauded, "Sugei, Kurumu-chan!"

Beaming happily, Kurumu ran her hand through her ponytail.

* * *

><p>"And that's why my daughter is the best choice," boasted Ageha.<p>

"Mizore didn't do too badly either," Tsurara argued.

"Oh, please! She just jumped on the boulders," Ageha snorted.

"She used her brains," Tsurara countered.

"_Ladies, please_," Shiori chided.

* * *

><p>The next obstacle was a quiz. Competitors would take marbles out from a box and be given questions corresponding to the color on the marbles. This was a test of knowledge, something that not everyone was good at.<p>

"OK, she's so going to bomb this," Yukari said as she watched Kurumu approach the table and stick her hand into the box to pick her category. She pulled out a red marble.

"The category is cooking," said the Public Safety Committee member. "How do you make a soufflé?"

Yukari gaped. Out of all the questions to ask it had to be something about baking. How lucky could Kurumu get?

"That's an easy one!" Kurumu beamed and so she proceeded to explain the process in great detail. She didn't miss anything and when she finished the PSC member gave a nod.

"Correct," he said as he handed her a star badge for clearing this obstacle. "You may proceed!"

"Thank you!" Kurumu smiled and she waved the badge to the others with Shinichi smiling proudly.

"She actually made it," Yukari said in disbelief.

"Of course she'd know. It's her hobby," said Mizore.

"Considering what the question was it's just lucky it was something she knew to do," said Shinichi. He walked to the box and picked up a marble. It was colored black. "What's this then?"

The PSC member read from a card, "Write the Kanji for 'Friendship'."

Shinichi asked, "I'm sorry, what?"

"Write the Kanji for 'Friendship," the PSC member repeated.

"…That's what I thought you said," said Shinichi. The PSC member provided Shinichi with a sheet of paper, an ink well, and a brush. '_Damn it, it just had to be something I'm bad at_.'

"You can do it, Shinichi-kun," Moka encouraged. She'd seen him practice.

"Has he gotten any good?" Mizore asked.

Moka chose not to answer.

Shinichi dipped the brush into the ink well and stared at the paper. He took in a deep breath, staring at the blank sheet with concentration. He wiped the brush against the rim of the ink well to rid it of excess ink before applying it to the sheet. The girls took a deep breath as Shinichi performed the strokes. His tongue was sticking out with deep concentration.

"OK, done!" said Shinichi. He hoped he'd done it right.

The PSC member inspected Shinichi's work. He cocked an eyebrow. It was a bit of a mess but from what he'd seen Shinichi had done the strokes correctly and the character was readable. Shinichi seemed to become increasingly uncomfortable with the silence. The PSC member took out a star badge and handed it to Shinichi.

"You pass," said the PSC member and Shinichi smiled. "Although, you might want to keep practicing."

* * *

><p>"He can fight monsters, face incredible odds, and yet he can't write Kanji," said Misato in amusement. "Looks like he isn't perfect after all."<p>

"Told you so," said Yuji. "Even he has faults, Misato."

"But he managed to clear this obstacle," beamed Michiru. "Gambarre, Shinichi-tachi!"

* * *

><p>After passing the 4th obstacle, Shinichi and his group arrived at the location of 5th obstacle, which was a cave.<p>

"Hey, Shogo," Shinichi greeted as he saw the Wasp Cyborg standing at the cave entrance. "The fifth obstacle, right?"

"Roger," Shogo confirmed. "As you can see there are just a handful of competitors left and-"

A loud scream was heard from inside the cave, causing them to jump.

"Wha-what was that?" Yukari asked.

"Hm, they must've sprung one of the traps," said Shogo.

"Aren't you going to go in and get them out?" Shinichi asked.

"We will," said Shogo. "So, it's lucky that we still have flashlights for you. Oh, and here are your maps. You're going to need them." He gave each of them the items needed.

"Basically, we have to navigate our way through the cave and find our way out," Shinichi summarized, "While avoiding traps."

Moka looked at the map and noticed writing on it. She read, "Beware…of…Minotaur." She gasped. "MINOTAUR!-?"

"It's called the 'Cave of Sorrows' and the 'Labyrinth of Doom' for a reason," said Shogo. "Best of luck to you all."

"Right, no pressure," Shinichi muttered. "Girls, hold on to each other's hands. I think it's the best we can do."

The girls hesitantly nodded, and held one another's hands, forming a… well, non-human chain. Shinichi was the first to move into the cave, followed by Moka, Yukari, Kurumu, and Mizore.

The cave was dark and only a few flashlights to keep them along the path. Everyone was silent and only the sounds of their footsteps echoed along the path. Moka clutched Shinichi's arm protectively as her eyes darted back and forth. Yukari whimpered as she squeezed Moka's hand. Kurumu was trying to keep her heart rate low and Mizore was looking behind her from time to time.

It wasn't long before they came across the entrances to five tunnels. "Get a load of that," Shinichi observed.

"Now what do we do?" Yukari whined.

"Check the maps, I guess," said Shinichi as he took out his map. "OK, any five of these paths could lead us to the exit, but…"

"I hate it when there's a 'but'," mumbled Kurumu.

"They're all possibly booby-trapped," he finished. "OK, seriously, who was the genius who came up with this whole thing?"

* * *

><p>Yuki sneezed.<p>

"Bless you," said Yuji.

"Arigato," Yuki said.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Daichi was walking through the cave with a flashlight in hand. He'd gotten separated from Chiaki earlier but he wasn't concerned. This was just a big game after all. However, he chanted a mantra repeatedly under his breath, "There are no snakes, there are no snakes, there are no snakes…" His foot stepped on a stone and it sunk into the ground.<p>

"Oh, that's not good," Daichi frowned as a hole over him opened up and the most horrifying things in his life fell from above.

* * *

><p>"OK, I think we should-" began Shinichi before he was rudely interrupted by a loud scream.<p>

"SNAAAAAAAKES!-!-!-!" Daichi came rushing out one of the tunnels, screaming his head off. He ran past them, not giving them a second look.

"Well, at least we now know which tunnel not to take," remarked Shinichi.

* * *

><p>"I'm so glad I didn't sign up for this event," said a relieved Yokoshima.<p>

"Because cave has bats?" Netto asked.

"Exactly," Yokoshima said, shivering at the mention of the wretched, winged rodents.

"Well, there's one over your shoulder right there," he pointed.

"Wha-?" Yokoshima gaped and turned. Sure enough, there was a bat hovering right over his shoulder. "YAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!-!-!" screamed as he quickly disappeared from the bleachers.

Netto looked at the seat behind him, where Hime was holding the rubber bat on a string, "Did you really have to do that?"

"I need some form of entertainment, now and then," Hime shrugged.

* * *

><p>"So that leaves four more tunnels, which might have worse traps than snakes," Shinichi counted.<p>

"That doesn't make me feel any better," Kurumu frowned. Her flashlight was blinking. She smacked it.

"And your flashlight is about to die," he frowned. The worst thing that could happen to them now was to be lost in a cave without light. He had built-in night vision but he wasn't sure about the other girls.

"I'll use these to tell us which path we should go," said Yukari as she took out her deck of tarot cards.

"Are you sure that will work?" Moka asked as Yukari shuffled the deck and started arranging the cards in front of her, facedown.

"Just trust me, Moka-san," said Yukari. She flipped the cards over and read the message. "We should take the middle tunnel."

"OK, the middle one it is," said Shinichi. "Now, hold hands, don't let go, and whatever you do don't let your flashlights go out. It's time we cleared this thing."

* * *

><p>"OH MY GOD! NO! NO! NOOOOOOOO!-!-!"<p>

* * *

><p>"Hey, did you hear that?" Kurumu asked.<p>

"Must be your imagination," remarked Mizore.

"Maybe it's the Minotaur," gulped Moka.

"Are there really Minotaurs in the school?" Shinichi asked. The closest he'd ever seen to a Minotaur was a Cyborg Mutant which resembled one.

"Who knows what anyone is in this school?" Moka questioned back. So far they had not stepped into any booby traps. Of course that didn't make them feel any better.

Suddenly, from a hole in the ceiling, caterpillars fell on top of them. Kurumu shrieked and tried to get the creatures off. "Get them off me! Get them off me!" She didn't like creepy crawlies. Shinichi immediately went to help her by removing the caterpillars. "Thank you."

"I guess the traps are made to scare us," Shinichi muttered. He just hoped _his_ phobia didn't appear.

"Don't scream like that or you'll attract the Minotaur," scolded Mizore.

"Yeah, that's right desu!" Yukari agreed. "We can't lose because of you!"

They then came upon a body of water. It was a pool with stepping stones in it. "OK, guess we need to use the stepping stones to get across." Of course the stepping stones were moving back and forth, slowly. "Are those even stepping stones?" He scanned them. "Oh, they're just turtles."

"I don't think I can get across," Moka grimaced.

"You can, and I'll make sure of it," Shinichi assured her. "I'll carry you over."

"You don't have to."

"We're finishing this race together. I'm not abandoning any of you. Not now, not ever," he promised firmly.

* * *

><p>"<em>My son, such a manly man like his father<em>," said Shiori proudly as they witnessed his speech.

"He must be proud," Tsurara remarked.

"_I'm sure he is_," Shiori nodded before sighing sadly. "_I just wish he were still alive to see it_."

* * *

><p>Shinichi carried Moka bridal style and hopped from one turtle to another, amazed of how docile the creatures were. They just swam back and forth without a card in the world. Of course it was still dangerous. Their shells were slippery and they could fall into the water. Shinichi could handle water fine. It was Moka whom he was more worried for. Kurumu and Mizore just glared at Moka in envy. She always seemed to get the most attention from Shinichi but they shouldn't have to complain as Shinichi tried his best to give them enough of his attention. Yukari wasn't bothered. She was just happy to see them together. Shinichi and Moka eventually made it across and the cyborg set her down. "OK, Kurumu-chan, Mizore-chan, Yukari-chan! Get over here!"<p>

Kurumu frowned. She wanted Shinichi to help her across but maybe if she was able to impress him she'd get praised. She started by jumping onto the first turtle, almost losing her balane. She righted herself and waited for the next turtle to cross her path before jumping onto its shell. She continued to do this until she was close to the other end. But then at the last turtle, she slipped and screamed as she fell only to feel a pair of arms wrap around her to pull her onto fry land.

"Got you," Shinichi said. Kurumu smiled as she was held in his arms and nuzzled his neck.

Yukari went next, nervously, but she was lighter than the rest of the girls. She made it to the other end. Finally, it was Mizore's turn. She was very cool when she did it, calm and collected as she stepped onto the turtles, one at a time, to make it across. She had timed it perfectly as she strode over to Shinichi. He pulled her onto dry land. His hands were so warm and so was he.

Shinichi said, "Come on, we should get moving-"

They suddenly heard a loud, monstrous roar.

It was the Minotaur!

"Like I said, we should get moving before whatever that made that sound gets us and eliminates us from the race!" Shinichi finished quickly. He scanned the map again, following the path of the fourth tunnel. "OK, according to this map we just need to go straight on and we'll reach the exit." He smiled at the girls and asked, "Ready to finish this thing?" The girls punched the air, cheering, and Shinichi was determined.

* * *

><p>"I'm surprised they haven't run into the Minotaur yet," said Yuji. He saw Yuki smile. "Yuki?"<p>

"The Minotaur is waiting for them, Onii-sama," she said.

"OK, who's the Minotaur?"

"Just someone who owes me a favor."

* * *

><p>Gemma had just finished eliminating another one of the competitors by knocking him out. She sighed. She actually was a Minotaur, a female one to be exact. She had grown to a whopping height of six and a half feet, and hard muscles plumped out of her arms and legs and a six pack could be seen under her shirt, which was on the verge of being torn apart<strong>.<strong> A set of horns and bull ears where on her head a bull's tail swished from her rear.

She then received a call on her walkie-talkie. "This is me. Ah, Fudo-san. So, they're getting close to the exit and you want me to stop them? Don't hold back?" She shrugged. "No problem."

* * *

><p>"I see a light up ahead!" Yukari cried.<p>

"Yeah, we're gonna clear this one!" Kurumu cheered.

Suddenly, a large figure dropped before them with a loud crash, blocking their exit and unleashing a loud, snarling roar.

"IT'S THE MINOTAUR!" the girls shrieked.

"So we have to get pass this guy?" Shinichi grimaced. The Minotaur went on the attack, coming at them with a loud bellow. Reacting quickly, Shinichi jumped and kicked the Minotaur right between the eyes, sending it staggering backwards. Shinichi smirked. Bigger didn't always mean better and Shinichi had been fighting large enemies for years. He didn't have to beat the Minotaur. He just had to distract it so the girls could get to the exit. "I'll hold him off," said Shinichi. "You girls head to the exit." He leapt back to dodge a crushing punch that hit the ground where he stood. He yelled, "Well? Get going!"

"No, we're helping you!" protested Moka. The girls went on the attack. Kurumu suddenly tackled into the Minotaur, causing it to grunt. It made a grab for Kurumu but Mizore pulled the succubus out of the way. Shinichi jumped again, hitting the Minotaur in the chest with a punch. He noticed his fist connecting with something soft. The Minotaur rose back to its feet as Shinichi shone his flashlight at the beast.

"It's a girl!" Yukari shouted.

"Wait! Is that you, Gemma-sempai?" Shinichi blinked.

"Who?" Mizore asked.

"Chiaki's sempai from his Art Club," he explained. "So you're the Minotaur that's stalking these caves?"

"Yeah, that's me," Gemma nodded. "It's a little favor that I owe to Fudo-san. Sorry Banabara-kun, but to get to the exit, you and your friends have to get pass me!" she declared, pounding her chest.

"They already did," Shinichi pointed. Gemma turned around and gawked as she saw the girls running to the exit.

"W-wait!" she shouted as she chased after them. Shinichi had taken the opportunity to jump on her shoulders as a springboard and then jumped to meet his friends. "Damn it!"

* * *

><p>"It appears that another group has gotten pass the Minotaur!" Karin announced as Shinichi's group was seen exiting the cave together. They received their badges and ran the rest of the way straight for the finish line.<p>

"_Yatta, Shinji!_" Shiori cheered.

"Do you think they'll make it?" Yokoshima asked.

"It's not like there are anymore obstacles," said Michiru. She asked Yuki, "Right?"

"I'm not telling," said Yuki, smirking.

* * *

><p>"OK, we're almost there!" said Shinichi as he saw the finish line up ahead.<p>

"Once we win this, we can all have a hot and sweaty victory orgy!" Yukari declared.

Moka blushed as Shinichi palmed his face. The finish line hung in front of the school gate and it was just several feet away.

Of course, knowing Yuki, she wasn't going to make this easy for them. There had to be one last surprise waiting for them at the finish line.

Several PSC members jumped in their path, blocking their way, and declared, "If you want to cross you need to get pass-" They were unable to finish as Shinichi and the girls sent them all flying by plowing into them. It was like a bowling pin had just knocked down several bowling pins.

The crowd cheered as they came closer. Together, they crossed the finish line.

"And we have our winners!" Karin declared over the cheers, "Shinichi Banabara, Moka Akashiya, Yukari Sendou, Kurumu Kurono & Mizore Shirayuki are the first to cross the finish line! Congratulations!"

* * *

><p>"Wait, so we're the only ones who made it past the whole thing?" Shinichi asked as he took a drink of water.<p>

"Yes," Yuki nodded, "Because you all were using teamwork. None of the other competitors did."

"That's great," Moka smiled, hugging Shinichi's arm. "We made first place."

"I just hope everyone else made it out," Shinichi said.

"I'm sure they are, but I better go check," said Yuki. She gave the two a bow and walked away.

Shinichi saw Mizore and Kurumu talking to their mothers and smiled. He turned his attention to Moka and put an arm around her shoulder. He whispered, "You know, Mizore-chan and Kurumu-chan will be busy entertaining their mothers tonight. How about we entertain each other while they're busy?"

Moka blush at what he was implying. He then let out a horrified gasp and released her. "What's wrong?" she asked, worried

"I can't believe I just said that," he said in disbelief and disgust. "I sounded like an adulterer who's about to cheat on his wife." He shuddered. Moka caressed his face.

"You're not like that," she said.

"I slept with you, Kurumu-chan and Mizore-chan," he countered.

"Because you love us and want to make us happy," said Moka.

"You sure?" Shinichi asked.

"Definitely," she smiled.

"So, yes or no? My place or yours?"

"Can I join you?" Yukari asked.

"No way," both teens said to the little witch, shooting her hopes for a threesome down.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Chiaki was still trying to find his way out of the cave. Since he was mute he couldn't call for help and so he lifted a sign that read, "<strong>Where the hell is everybody?<strong>"

"You lost, Yukinojou-kun?" Gemma asked as she stomped out from one of the tunnels.

**"Oh, Gemma-sempai,"** Chiaki signed, eyeing her true form. **"So you're the Minotaur?"**

"Yeah, but the race is already over. Time's up," Gemma pointed out.

**"I was afraid of that,"** Chiaki nodded.

"Need help getting out of this cave?" she offered.

**"Please and thank you."**

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: That's the end of the first day of the Sports Festival. Stay tune for much, much more, OK?<strong>


	43. Sports Fest: The Second Day

**Chapter 43: The Second Day**

Karin announced, "And that marks the end of the first day of the Sports Festival. Come back tomorrow to enjoy the remaining events." With that the students and their parents began to make their leave for the remainder of the day so as to spend some quality time with each other. Shinichi knew that Kurumu, Mizore and Yukari would be spending time with their parents so he would spend the evening with Moka so that she wouldn't feel lonely. In fact, he was looking forward to being able to spend the evening alone with her. Dividing his time and attention between four girls was somewhat of a challenge but they were worth it. But there were times he just wanted to give one of them his undivided attention and, at the moment, Moka needed it.

"So, how about I fix us dinner, just for the two of us?" Shinichi asked Moka. He felt a tap on his shoulder. "Excuse me." He turned, seeing Ageha and Tsurara. "Yes?"

"Our daughters told us a lot about you," said Ageha. "Is it true?"

"Is what true?" Shinichi asked. He really had no idea what Kurumu and Mizore told their mothers in their letters home and prayed that some things were never mentioned.

"That you're a cyborg," Tsurara answered.

Shinichi sighed, "So, they told you, did they?" He knew he should have expected this. With as much goading that the two girls got from their families to find a suitable husband it would only seem natural that they would tell them everything. "I guess they should. I mean you're their mothers. You have every right to know about the man they've fallen in love with."

"So everything that happened to you was no exaggeration?" Tsurara asked. "It was all true?"

"It depends on what they told you," said Shinichi.

"They told us that you were kidnapped, and tortured, and that you had your body rebuilt with mechanical parts," said Ageha. She could not imagine what kind of horror Shinichi must've gone through. "How did you cope?"

"I just did," said Shinichi. "For ten years I just coped with it."

"And your mother?"

"She always hoped, and waited for ten years that she could find me. She had her own way of coping," said Shinichi. He could see the sad and hurt expressions on their faces and he also noticed a bit of rage fire up in their eyes for a moment as well. They must have detested the idea of what GIN-SHOCKER had done to him, robbing him of his innocence and childhood. "Is that all?"

"Yes, thank you," said Tsurara.

"How do you feel about my daughter?" Ageha asked. She had once asked her daughter if she'd used Charm on Shinichi but the reaction had been of pain and agony, not a lovesick slave.

"She's one of my dearest friends, and I love her." He addressed Tsurara, "It's how I feel for Mizore-chan too." He murmured, "But…"

"…But?" the two women prompted.

"It's nothing," he lied. He was thinking, 'They deserve way better than me." He added, "Anyway, I need to get myself cleaned up, make dinner, do some studying, and rest for tomorrow." He bowed to them. "See you both tomorrow."

* * *

><p>Shinichi and Moka were in his room, just sitting together at the low table as they enjoyed some tea and each other's company.<p>

"Is it weird that I feel more at home in Youkai Academy than I do in the human world?" Shinichi asked.

"Shinichi?" Moka questioned. "What do you mean?"

"Well, if I wanted I could stay my whole life here. I could graduate, and then go to some college and then come back and be a teacher," said Shinichi.

"You really like it here," Moka stated.

"It's where I met you," Shinichi smiled, making her blush. He always loved it when she blushed. It just made her look even cuter, so cute that he wanted to just take her in his arms and never let go.

Looking around, Moka saw a picture hanging on the wall. Getting up, she took it into her hands. Shinichi stood behind her and said, "That was an old group picture of the NUMBERS, all fourteen of us. Daichi gave it to me to remember our old times."

The NUMBERS had been one of GIN-SHOCKER's attempts to create a team of super cyborg soldiers but it had been ended when Gebok had taken control of Shinichi and made him slaughter his team. And weeks ago, Shinichi had learnt that what remained of the NUMBERS that had not defected had been killed by Yuji, with Scanner being the only survivor. However, he recently learnt that a new group of NUMBERS called the Jager Unit had been formed to hunt down the ex-NUMBERS. So far Yuji, Michiru, Misato, Hana, Riza and Ruby had been confronted by three of them and General Nagazawa.

"Why would you want to keep this?" Moka asked.

"To remember old times," he answered. "It wasn't all bad, Moka-chan. We had good times. Well, most of it was bad but there were some good times. Look, there's #06. Sometimes he would go on treasure hunts and invite me to come along. Oh, and you remember #12? He wasn't always crazy. He was pretty sane. Tried to help me during a training session."

"You sound like you miss them," said Moka.

"We were a team, and we were close. They may have tried to kill me but they were still my comrades. Now they're gone."

"And…your cousin killed them, again," finished Moka.

"Yeah, he did. And he had every right to. It's just…"

"You wish you could've saved them." Moka noticed the sad look in his eyes and she could easily feel his pain just by looking at him.

"All we really had was each other, Moka-chan. I was responsible for them. I still am."

"You shouldn't have to feel that way. You gave them a chance and they spat it back at you."

"I could've tried harder! I could've!" He sighed, "But I guess it's no use crying over spilt milk, is there?"

Moka put down the picture and pulled Shinichi into a hug. He'd experienced far too much in ten years. He felt anger, hatred, sadness, but most of all guilt. He felt the guilt of #13's actions and the blood on his hands.

There was something else that bothered him. This Lina person. Who was she? Why did his heart hurt every time he thought about it?

"Stay with me tonight," he requested, holding her close. "I…I don't feel like…being alone tonight."

* * *

><p>"Thanks for letting me crash here, Netto," said Yuji.<p>

"Hey, it's no problem," said Netto. "So, how have you been?"

"Kicking ass, getting sexy with the girls, the new usual," Yuji listed.

"OK, have there been any new developments in your life? Any new surprises? And I don't mean GIN-SHOCKER," said Netto. Exposing themselves as Riders had labeled them as enemies to the terrorist organization.

"Turns out I'm in the mafia," Yuji added. It was news to him too when he first found out but he had gotten used to it pretty quick as did the girls.

Netto spent a few seconds staring at him, "...what?"

"Yup, the mafia," Yuji nodded, "Not the Yakuza, the Italian Mafia; the mafia that actually matters."

"You seriously expect me to believe that?" He just gave Yuji a suspicious look while cocking an eyebrow. Yuji had pulled his leg plenty of times before so what was to stop him from doing it again.

"Nope, but I thought I'd tell you so then you wouldn't be surprised by more awesomeness I pull out of my ass later," he explained. He took a sip of some soda out of a can that he was holding and then remembered something else. "Oh, and apparently Shinichi's my cousin."

"You're kidding me," Netto retorted.

"No, I'm not. Shiori's my aunt. She's my dad's twin sister. They were separated during the Zero Reverse incident," said Yuji.

"Fate sure works in mysterious ways…" Now he had a migraine. It was bad enough that he had been somehow cursed with their harem luck and that both of them were somewhat perverted but to find out that those two were actually related had been one big and unexpected surprise. He was going to need to take a serious nap after this just so he could sleep off the oncoming migraine but he doubted it would be gone anytime soon.

* * *

><p>"So we found my grandma, we found Hana-chan's brother, we found Dr. Washam, and you and Yuji-kun are in the mafia," Michiru listed. She and Hana were staying over in Yuki's dorm room.<p>

Yuki started at them, not blinking at all, "Really."

"It's hard to believe, I know," Hana acknowledged, "However, Bianca did provide proof."

"And Onii-sama met Lava Queen in person and they had sex," Yuki added. She was not in the least bit surprised. Her onii-sama could be just as bad, if not worse, than Shinichi and some of the other perverted men she knew in the school when it came to meeting a very attractive woman. It was even worse if said woman really wanted to have a go at you as well. But it just proved that Yuji was moving on with his life and was willing to take whatever destiny threw in his face.

"Yup, you should've seen her face!" Michiru beamed.

* * *

><p>"And then Yuji ripped the guy's fucking arms off!" Riza finished the story. Riza, Misato and Ruby were staying at Qiao's tonight.<p>

"I've never seen anything so hot," said Misato.

"I was so aroused. So much power and passion. I wish he would've just done me right then and there!" said Ruby excitedly. She had a very happy and aroused look on her face as he cheeks became flushed from recalling the memory. She then looked at her friends and noticed the looks that they were giving her.

"Uh, you do realize the kind of words that are coming out of your mouth right now, do you?" Misato sweat dropped.

After a few seconds they all started to laugh at what had just happened. After a moment of uncontrollable laughter, they all let out a set of content sighs as Qiao wiped a tear from her eye due having laughed so hard. It took them a moment, but they all caught their breaths and continued on with the story.

"So, Yuji evolved-" began Qiao.

"Transcended," Misato corrected.

"Right, he Transcended and then beat that Nagazawa asshole up and chased him away. So, what happened to that Gajeel guy?" Qiao asked.

"We don't know. He just went out the door and we never saw him again," said Riza.

"He was very kind to help us though," Ruby added.

"Yeah, but he probably had his reasons," Misato shrugged. She couldn't shake the feeling that Gajeel was up to something. He was highly suspicious for being there when they needed him. It was just too convenient.

* * *

><p>Shinichi and Moka were eating dinner together. He'd made ramen for the two of them. It was just the two of them, or so they believed.<p>

There was a slurping sound and Bianca said, "This is really good ramen. May I have the recipe?"

Moka and Shinichi jumped in shock and he cried, "Where did you come from!-?"

After gulping down some more noodles she jutted her thumb and pointed behind her. "The window," answered Bianca. She finished the rest of the noodles in her bowl and chugged down any of the remaining broth before setting the bowl down, placing the chop sticks on top of the bow, and wiped her mouth clean with the napkin.

"Ano, Bianca-san, what are you doing here?" Moka asked.

"As you both know I serve under the 19th Boss of the Vongola Famiglia and I am currently grooming Yuji to be the 20th Boss," said Bianca. "And Shinji-"

"Shinichi," he corrected. He didn't allow anyone besides his mother and a select few to refer to him by that name. It was the name of his past which he considered now dead. But he kept it for his mother's sake so that she could still retain a little piece of their past lives together.

"Oh right, sorry 'bout that. Anyway, Shinichi Banabara is Yuji's cousin, which also makes him a possible successor. However, Yuji has already begun to accept his role so there's no need for you to become a successor lest there be a war," Bianca informed him.

"So, if that's settled then what do you want from me?" Shinichi asked. He could care less about becoming a boss. The idea just didn't interest him any.

"Yuji needs a right-hand man. Someone loyal, who he can trust, and someone who will do everything in their power to back him up," explained Bianca.

"Can't you do it?" Shinichi asked.

"I have other duties, like grooming Yuji to become the next Boss. I was actually thinking his right-hand man should be you."

"Me?" Shinichi pointed to himself.

"Shinichi-kun?" Moka gasped.

"Is this because I'm his cousin?" Shinichi asked.

"Blood is thicker than water, but I've been observing you and you're a very loyal person. You could've won the race on your own judging by your skills but you chose to help your friends so you could all finish the race together. That's the type of loyalty Yuji needs," Bianca told him. "So, I am asking you if you would join the Vongola Famiglia as Yuji's, the 20th Boss', right-hand man."

Moka looked at both Bianca and Shinichi. Shinichi didn't even need to think about the offer. He simply frowned and answered, "No."

"No?" Moka and Bianca let out in unison.

"Why?" Bianca asked.

"You're asking me to join the mafia, which means organized crime," said Shinichi.

"But Yuji will be the boss," Bianca argued. It didn't occur to her that Shinichi would turn down the offer without even thinking about it.

"Yes, which is good, but I don't want to serve another organization. I got out of one half a year ago and I'm not going back to it."

"We're not GIN-SHOCKER," Bianca countered. "Mafias don't automatically mean organized crime, just an influential family. In fact, no one in the Vongola has ever committed a crime since the 9th Boss came into power."

"I know…but I just don't feel like serving any organization right now. Look, if Yuji needs my help then I'll help him but you've got the wrong guy. I can't be his right-hand," Shinichi said. He then got up and opened the door to his room and looked back at Bianca, "Please leave."

Bianca understood very well. Shinichi was still shell-shocked with what GIN-SHOCKER did to him, so it made sense for him that he didn't want to join any other organization. Getting up, she tipped her hat. "Very well. But please tell me if you ever change your mind." Bianca got up and left, walking out the door.

"Shinichi…?" Moka looked to Shinichi who had his head bowed.

"I know it seems selfish of me but… I don't want to be recruited by anyone right now," Shinichi said slowly.

* * *

><p>"So, he denied your request?" Yuji asked. "And you just gave up like that?"<p>

"Yes, and I knew that I couldn't convince him right then due to his…experience," Bianca finished. Bianca had gone to Yuji to report her attempt at recruiting Shinichi, which had met with failure.

"And me being next in line as the 20th Boss didn't make him consider?" Yuji asked. He was a little hurt that Shinichi would turn down his offer like that.

"It didn't seem to matter who was in charge to him. He wasn't interested."

"Considering what GIN-SHOCKER did to him, it makes sense that he wouldn't want to join the mafia," said Netto. "Mafia is always synonymous to organized crime."

"Not the Vongola's," Bianca countered with her hands on her hips. "The Vongola Famiglia hasn't been involved in organized crime since the time of the 9th. And the 10th has already changed the way the family has functioned."

"Did you tell Shinichi that?" Yuji asked.

"I did, but he still refused," she frowned

"Shinichi's a stubborn one," Netto nodded. "But give him time, he might accept once he knows more about the Vongolas."

"You're probably right," Yuji agreed. Shinichi just needed to take some time to get to know his extended family a little more and to learn about their history.

Bianca nodded. What GIN-SHOCKER did to Shinichi had traumatized the boy. He might seem fine, but deep down, psychologically and emotionally, Shinichi was still a little fragile. He had a strong will too. Even if he did not want to join the Vongola Famiglia, he did swear he would help Yuji if he was ever needed. Bianca could use that to her advantage.

* * *

><p>Shinichi and Moka lay in bed together, both clothed. His arm was draped around the pink-haired girl as she snuggled up against him. Shinichi couldn't sleep. He was still thinking about Bianca's offer.<p>

'_Being in the mafia…_' thought Shinichi. Could he do that? Could he really join another organization? Well, he was a renegade cyborg and had decided to team up with the other former NUMBERS to fight GIN-SHOCKER so, in a way; they had already started to form their own little organization. However, they were few and GIN-SHOCKER had an army. '_Did I make a mistake_?'

Yuji was going to be the next boss of this Vongola Famiglia so maybe it wasn't all bad. However, Shinichi couldn't decide right away. He needed more time. Maybe if he asked Bianca for more details about the family then he could make a more well thought out reply.

* * *

><p>The following morning, the school bus stopped in front of the bus stop near the scary old scarecrow. Stepping off the vehicle was a girl who was dressed in a black tank top which exposed her midriff. She wore a white jacket and tight blue jeans with white sneakers. She also wore stylish sunglasses. Her hair was chin-length and colored deep brown.<p>

"So, this is where he's at," she said as she dipped her sunglasses slightly, looking at everything critically with her deep emerald eyes. "Not much to look at."

"Youkai Academy is just up ahead," said the bus driver. "Just take the path along the forest."

"Thanks," she said.

"Oh, and be careful. Youkai Academy is a scary place," warned the bus driver.

The girl looked to the bus driver and said, "Oh, believe me. I know what scary really is." She then went towards the path with the bus driver staring at her back, and noticed the XIV that was on the back of her jacket.

"Hey, wait up!" another girl stepped out of the bus. She was wearing jean shorts with brown boots and a brown vest. She had green hair that was pulled into a ponytail at the base of her skull. Her ponytail was wavy and she had wavy bangs hanging in front of her face. She had slanted, blue eyes and also carried a backpack.

"Oh, almost forgot you there," the girl in the white jacket said.

"I fell asleep on the bus," the backpack girl said, annoyed, "And you were just going to leave me. Aren't we partners?"

The white jacket girl rolled her eyes and said, "We were sent to look at this place, at the same time. That doesn't make us partners so I don't have an obligation to help you out. Besides, I work better alone. You'd just slow me down."

"I think you're just afraid I might show you up," the backpack girl taunted.

"You wish," the white jacket girl snorted. "Now, don't get in my way." The backpack girl just gave her an evil glare while staring at her backside but had an idea of why her 'partner' was in such a hurry.

"You want to see him, don't you?" the backpack girl asked, but white jacket girl didn't respond and went on ahead.

* * *

><p>As the morning light peered through the window, Moka began to slightly stir around in the bed. Moving her hand around and patting it on the mattress, as if trying to find someone or something that was supposed to be there, she quickly woke up. She half-expected to be in her own bed but it seemed she was not in her bed. It was Shinichi's bed. She had been awoken by the smell of breakfast being cooked. Yawning, Moka stretched and got out of bed and began to head towards the source of the delightful aroma that made her mouth water. She poked her head into the kitchen to see Shinichi at the stove.<p>

"Oh," he uttered, noticing her presence behind him, "Breakfast will be ready soon, Moka-chan," Shinichi said to his girlfriend. "Just take a shower and get ready. We have a busy day ahead of us."

Moka sniffed the aroma. It was something delicious and something she wanted to sink her teeth into. Of course there was something else she wanted to have a taste of as well. Coming up behind Shinichi, she whispered, "Could I have a drink, please?"

Shinichi chuckled and turned around to face her. "Sure," he said as he gave her access to his neck. Stepping up on the tips of her toes, she sank her fang into his neck to drink his blood. Shinichi groaned, but not in pain, as he allowed Moka to have her drink. When she was satisfied she gave him a kiss on the cheek and went to the bathroom to get herself cleaned.

Shinichi massaged his neck and returned to cooking. When Moka was done, she was dressed in her gym clothes but with track pants on instead of bloomers. After the looks that she and the rest of the girls got from the boys at the sports festival the other day, she decided to dress in a bit more conservative fashion. The breakfast Shinichi had prepared was French toast with a side of bacon and hash browns. Also, he had prepared bento for lunch later.

"Eat up," Shinichi said. "We're carbo-loading since we're going to need all that energy for today."

"Yes, today we have the relay race, among other things," said Moka.

"Well, because of yesterday's elimination race we didn't have time to have the relay race, but today would be a good day for it. I hope we win," Shinichi said.

"I do too." She then asked, "So, about Bianca-san's offer last night, are you sure you don't wish to accept?"

"I'm…not so sure anymore," said Shinichi. "On one hand I'll be working with Yuji, but then on the other hand if I do join I won't have my freedom anymore."

"But Yuji said the current Boss was your great-grandfather, right?" Moka pointed out. "Maybe he wants to meet you and Yuji more than just recruit you."

Shinichi thought about Moka's words. When he first woke up in Youkai Academy he had nothing but the clothes on his back and his backpack. He used to believe he was alone in the world with no family or home to call his own. Then, he was reunited with his mother after over a decade of separation and recently he'd just learnt that he and Yuji were related as cousins as well and members of the Vongola line.

He'd been given a chance to be reunited with his family. It was only fair that he gave them a chance as well. Maybe during their next out of school vacation he would go visit them.

"Yeah, maybe I should go and meet our great-grandfather," said Shinichi.

Moka smiled. She always knew how to get through to him when he was being stubborn at times.

"I think I should tell Yuji what I want to do next and apologize to Bianca for being rude," he added. "I mean she was being all polite about it and I threw her offer right back at her face."

"She did say that the Vongola's were not involved in organized crime," Moka recalled.

"Yes, but I wasn't listening. I was too caught up with my own issues," Shinichi realized.

Moka sat behind Shinichi and started playing with his ears. "Then you need to open up these elephant ears of yours and listen good next time," she instructed childishly.

Shinichi turned his head to smile at her. She was his best friend, his confidant, and also his lover. "What would I do without you?"

"Go insane with grief and guilt, I suppose," Moka shrugged. "Now, let's finish up and meet everyone at school. We're going to play hard and win the gold."

Shinichi nodded in agreement. They were going to do their best to win today. That was for sure.

* * *

><p>Tamao jumped on top of her sleeping father and patted his cheeks. "Papa, wake up! Papa! Papa, wake up!" Leon's eyes slowly opened and he was staring at his beaming daughter. "Ohayo!"<p>

"And good morning to you too," said Leon as he slowly sat and up and pulled Tamao into a hug. "You're up early, aren't you?"

"Rise with the sun, all the time," Tamao said with a smile and a rosy blush on her cheeks. "It's morning. You said today there were going to be more games."

"Yeah," said Leon as he checked the calendar. "It's the second day of the Sports Festival." '_And thank god that it's almost over with_,' he thought as well.

"Yesterday was fun," said Tamao, "And Nii-nii was nice, that's why he won."

"Yeah, he really is a nice guy," said Leon. '_He's__ been screwed up for years and yet he can still be a nice guy. __That's__ amnesia for you.__ It creates a blank slate for a whole__ new __personality_.' Of course Shinichi had his memories back but he had not regressed into his former personality, at least not permanently. BLACK 13 still existed and Leon was going to keep his eye on his friend's dark side. He noticed that Tamao's fox features were out, exposing her fox ears and tail. As adorable as they made her, she was basically breaking the rules by exposing her true form. But, since it was early morning and since she was still a child that was not attending the school, he would let it slide as long as she stayed in human form while out in public.

* * *

><p>"I MISSED YOU ALL!" Yuji cried as he was on his knees, hugging the girls around the waist.<p>

"Myah," Mia sighed while being held in Michiru's arms.

"It's been just a night, Yuji," Misato commented. "No need for the melodrama."

"Misato's right. It was just one night," Hana agreed.

"Did Spiky-kun get lonely?" Michiru teased while ruffling his hair with a free hand.

"Of course I was lonely," Yuji teared, "There's only so much grease smell one man can take!"

"Hey, I took a shower last night!" Netto fumed.

"Wish you could say the same for your room!" Yuji retorted.

"Anyway, shouldn't we be going?" Riza asked. "Another day of sports and games for us to see!"

"Right, right," nodded Yuji. He didn't want to miss seeing Shinichi and the girls in action. Though, for some reason, he had a feeling that the day was going to have a very rough ending.

* * *

><p>"Welcome, everyone to the second day of Youkai Academy's Sports Festival," announced Karin. "Since we had such an exciting day yesterday, I should tell you that it's only going to get better because later this evening the martial arts tournament will take place so I hope you're ready for the action-packed matches! Now, let us begin with our first event of the day: the scavenger hunt race!"<p>

All the students and their families cheered as they pumped their fists into the air in excitement. Many of them were preparing to win their events but a few of them knew that, against a select few students, it would possibly be pointless.

* * *

><p>The scavenger hunt race (also known as borrowing race) was simple. Each competitor was given a sheet of paper with an item written on it. The competitors would need to grab what was written on the list and run towards the finish line.<p>

Yukari waved at her parents and blew a kiss to Shinichi, which made him blush. When the starter gun was fired, she ran towards the desk where the sheet of paper lay. She unfolded the sheet of paper, read it and smiled.

Her paper had read: someone you admire.

"I know this!" She ran towards the spectators and looked around. Finding him after a few seconds, she grabbed Shinichi's hand and led him towards the finish line.

Qiao randomly picked another sheet of paper from the desk. Unfolding the paper, she read what it said.

The paper read: someone you know with lots of skill.

"Easy," she smiled. She ran to the where the spectators where and quickly spotted Yuki. "Yuki-chan, come with me please?" she requested as she took the girl by the hand. Yuki nodded and both went to the finish line, Qiao smiling all the way there.

* * *

><p>The piggy-back battle was next and Shinichi and Kurumu were partnered. He carried her on his back with his hands under her legs to support her. The objective of this event was to grab as many headbands from the opposing players.<p>

It was a free-for-all match.

"Alright, Shinichi! This is war! Let's grab those headbands and win!" Kurumu cheered.

"You got it!" Shinichi agreed, looking stern. Of course, he had a hard time trying to keep ecchi thoughts out of his head due to his head being placed between Kurumu's soft and delicate thighs. Oh, how he just wanted to run her back to his dorm and please her all— '_Ah! Dirty thoughts! Don't think dirty thoughts_!'

"OK, Chiaki. You know what to do, right?" Yokoshima asked as he rode on Chiaki. Chiaki nodded. "Alright! Time to make up for my failure at the hurdles!"

The whistle was blown and all the pairs on the field went to battle.

"Yay, Nii-nii!" Tamao cheered while sitting on Leon's shoulder

"_Give them hell, Shinji!_" Shiori's holographic image cheered loudly. "_Woohoo! That's my boy! Look at him go!_"

Yuji was holding the projector. "I've never been good at these games. A fight is where I shine! And with my new powers, I'm feeling pumped for another fight!"

"Can't you just relax and enjoy being a spectator?" Misato asked.

"Tried it. Didn't quite like it," shrugged Yuji.

"Looks like Yokoshima is doing better," said Daichi. "He hasn't bombed this event, yet."

"Shinichi-kun! Kurumu-chan!" Moka cheered. "Gambare!"

"Yeah, that's my little girl!" Ageha cheered. "See that, Tsurara? Wish it was your girl out there, huh?"

Shinichi had to keep Kurumu balanced as she grappled against another girl for headbands. Kurumu grabbed the headband and stuck her tongue out at the loser. Shinichi smiled as Kurumu laughed. She had a lovely laugh. "Ya-hoo~!" And that sound she made whenever she felt victorious made Shinichi smile wider.

Meanwhile, Chiaki was charging like a bull and Yokoshima grabbed headbands with ease. It didn't take long for the numbers to be thinned as more and more competitors fell as headbands were removed.

Soon only two pairs were left. It was Kurumu & Shinichi VS Yokoshima & Chiaki.

"Mwuhahaha! The headband is ours," Yokoshima boasted.

A sign hanging from Chiaki's neck read, **"Lame laugh, dude. Lame laugh..."**

"Well excuse me for having weak evil laughs." Yokoshima said annoyed.

Kurumu began to ask, "How did he get that signboard on?"

"Don't try to figure it out. Just try to accept it," said Shinichi. They had all finally given up and eventually accepted the fact that they may never learn how he did it.

"CHARGE!" Yokoshima roared and Chiaki ran towards Kurumu and Shinichi.

"Get ready for anything…" said Shinichi and Kurumu prepared for Yokoshima's attack. He went to grab her headband when Yokoshima's hand missed and his hand landed on a soft and pillowy object.

"Ah?"

Yokoshima's hand was on Kurumu's chest.

…

"KYAAA…!-!-!" she screamed as she gave Yokoshima a hard slap and knocked him right off Chiaki's back. "HENTAI! BAKA! Only my Destined One can touch me like that!"

The whistle was blown.

"The winners are Kurumu Kurono and Shinichi Banabara!" announced Karin.

Yuji sweat dropped, "He has no hand-eye coordination, does he?"

"You mean Yokoshima? He's taken so many blows to the head it's a miracle he can still function properly," said Misato.

"But what about Dr. Magi? Isn't he supposed to fix whatever problems Yokoshima has?" Yuji asked.

"He's a scientist, not a miracle worker. There's only so much he can do," said Misato. "And Yokoshima's only good for being a wrecking ball. He's strong, but not too fast, and not too bright either."

"However, he can still be useful," Bianca mused. She had taken a seat behind Yuji at the bleachers.

He turned back to her, puzzled by her statement. "What do you mean, Bianca?"

"You'll see soon enough," she answered cryptically. She was still jotting down some more notes and she knew that the 19th Boss would want to see what she had learned once they returned.

* * *

><p>Karin announced, "Now, we're going to have the relay race. Will all the runners please stand in position at the track?"<p>

This was a 4x100 meters relay race. Moka was at the starting line as she tightened her headband. She looked head. There was Shogo up ahead, followed by Daichi and finally their anchor Shinichi. She gripped the baton tightly.

"On your mark, get set…" The starter gun was fired. "GO!"

Moka ran and quickly made it to first place. She was coming close towards Shogo. However, Qiao soon appeared next to her, grinning, and said, "No hard feelings!" She dashed ahead to pass her baton to the next runner, which was Netto, seconds before Moka made it to Shogo. He gave her a salute and ran the next 100 meters to reach Daichi.

"Hm, both have impressive speed," observed Bianca, "But I need to know their Flames."

Netto was running fast with Shogo catching up to him quickly. Netto saw Shogo about to run alongside him. Of course, Shogo had to be fast. He was a Wasp Cyborg after all.

But Netto was a firefly, and a shocking one at that.

Shogo was a quarter of a distance away from Daichi when he called out, "Daichi, get ready!"

At the same time, Aphrodite was waiting for the second runner of their relay team to come towards her. "Come on, hurry up!" she called.

Netto nodded and with a sudden burst of speed ran past Shogo and reached Aphrodite, handing her the baton which allowed her to start and run. Shogo reached Daichi just seconds later and without wasting any time Daichi made a dash towards Shinichi.

Meanwhile, Shinichi was looking at Yuki. She seemed so cool and confident. She didn't seem nervous at all. Among the spectators were Yuki's fanclub and members of his fanclub with the three founding members all waving fans and flags in his honor. Ignoring them, he concentrated on the final 100 meter of the race.

Daichi passed Aphrodite, giving her a taunting smile, before shouting, "Shinichi, get ready! Here it comes!"

Shinichi tightened the laces of his shoes and his headbands before opening his hand to accept the baton.

"Take it!" Daichi passed it to him and Shinichi ran as fast as humanly possible (it was against the rules to go beyond human parameters). Yuki saw him go and turned to see Aphrodite coming towards her. She gripped the baton and raced after Shinichi, closing the gap between them as they both ran for the finish line.

"You may be fast, cousin," Yuki muttered, "But I am faster..." She pulled ahead, extending the gap.

"Out of the two of us, Yuki is the fastest," Yuji explained, "You can thank Dad's genes and training for that."

"Yes, but out of all of the NUMBERS, the fastest one of us was #13," said Misato.

"Well, it's a good thing _he_ isn't here right now, is he?" Yuji countered. Misato didn't answer. It was as if Yuji didn't like being reminded of BLACK 13 all the time.

"_Shinji, don't lose!_" Shiori cheered.

"Come on, Shinichi, catch up! You can do it!" Kurumu cheered, waving pompoms. She had changed into a cheerleader uniform earlier just for this, having borrowed it from the Cosplay Club.

"I can't lose!" Shinichi's eyes flashed. "I WON'T LOSE!" He picked up speed, accelerating to catch up to Yuki. The finish line was right within their sights. They had passed the other runners and were reaching towards the goal.

Yuki cast Shinichi a smug look and ran faster. The finish line was coming closer towards them until finally they crossed it.

Gin took a picture of them crossing the finish line. Looking at the preview, he grinned as he saw the conclusion. "We have a draw!" Both runners had their feet just over the finish line.

Shinichi put his hands to his knees, exhaling and then stood up to smile at Yuki. He held his hand out to her and she took it as they shook hands.

"Congrats," said Shinichi.

"You too. Too bad it was a draw," said Yuki.

Shinichi shrugged, "We still get points."

Of course the moment was ruined as a loud yell was heard, "THIS ISN'T FAIR!" All eyes were drawn towards one of the runners who'd just thrown his baton and cap to the ground. The baton had been squeezed so tight that there were dents in it caused by the runner's fingers. His eyes and veins were glowing blue, which were a clear sign of substance abuse and a certain substance in particular.

"G-Shock," Shinichi whispered as he clenched his fists tightly at his sides. The runner roared as he transformed into his true form. His clothes became torn, leaving him only in his shorts as he became a 7 foot tall, muscle-bound, humanoid turtle. He had sharp teeth and a circle of spiky head around his head which seemed to be bowl-like on the top and filled with water. Picking up his cap, he put it on his head.

He'd turned into a kappa, a really pissed off, eyes glowing blue, G-Shock using, berserk kappa.

Roaring, the kappa lunged for both Yuki and Shinichi, prompting them to separate as the kappa ran right between them.

Yuki ordered, "You're in violation of Youkai Academy rules. Surrender."

The kappa didn't obey and roared as it shot its arm out to claw at Yuki only for the attack to be blocked by a wall of ice. Shinichi then attacked, jumping up to hit the kappa in the side of the face with a punch, sending him staggering.

"Hey, chill you!" Shinichi said and looked to Yuki, giving her a nod. She nodded back and her eyes glowed with ice energy which she shot at the kappa, freezing him from the waist down. He struggled and the ice cracked before shattering. He charged at Shinichi who waited for him to get in range before hitting the kappa's belly with a volley of punches and then hitting him in the chin with a heel kick.

"Shinichi, in legend the water in a kappa's head is what allows it to keep moving," said Yuki. "That cap must be waterproof."

"Take off the cap then," said Shinichi as he cracked his knuckles. "OK, then." He rushed towards the kappa who saw him coming. The G-Shock user slashed at Shinichi who jumped and grabbed the cap, pulling it off and landing behind the kappa. The drug-using student spun around and then was hit by a blast of frost from Yuki. He turned and Yuki jumped and grabbed his reptilian face.

"As cliché as this sounds," she said coolly, "Freeze."

That was the last thing the student heard as he was frozen, starting from the water in his bowl-like head and then his entire body.

Shinichi put the cap on his head and dusted his hands off. "And another win for the Public Safety Committee," said Shinichi. "Thanks, cuz."

"Just doing my job," Yuki smiled back as she fist-bumped Shinichi.

Meanwhile, the girl in the white jacket stood among the crowd and watched the exchange. "So, this is what you've become, Kuro-kun." She smiled in approval. Of course she had a mission to complete. But she vowed to make Shinichi hers when the time came. She would show him that he belonged with her and no one else.

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: OK, this is the end of this chapter. Don't worry, there's still more in the future and this is just the second day of the sports festival. BTW, I'd like to thank Toku Warrior for his hard work and thorough editing. Anyway, please wait for the next installment. You'll definitely enjoy it.<strong>


	44. Sports Fest: 2nd Day Midday Break

**Chapter 44: 2nd Day Midday Break  
><strong>

As it hit midday during the 2nd day of the sports fest, all the students were taking a break to have lunch with their parents. As the rogue members of the former GIN-SHOCKER affiliated group known as the NUMBERS walked over to meet with Yuji, Netto and the girls, Daichi was paying close attention to how Moka and the rest of the girls that were in love with Shinichi. He watched how they flocked around him, each one taking a turn at performing some type of lovey-dovey motion with him whether it be glomping his arms or back or jumping onto him for a piggyback ride.

He also noticed how much Shinichi was enjoying the attention but he also remembered a talk that he and Shinichi had a few days prior to the start of the sports festival back when they were training on the helicarrier. As he continued to watch them he soon noticed Shinichi set Kurumu, who had jumped onto his back for her own piggyback ride, down onto the ground before heading over to Netto and Yuji.

"I'll be back in a few moments' girls. We're just going to get some stuff for lunch," Shinichi called out to them and they just smiled and waved back at him in return.

"We understand Shinichi-kun," Moka said happily.

"But don't take too long!" Kurumu shouted out as she cupped her hands around her mouth.

Once Shinichi was away, Daichi thought it was the perfect time to talk with his girlfriends. '_Well, as much as this is going to hurt them, it has to be done_,' he thought to himself as he headed over to them. Coming up behind Moka and the others, "Hey, girls…," Moka and the others turned around at being called out to, only to see Daichi standing there.

"Oh, hey there, Daichi," Moka said politely. "Is something the matter?" She noticed the serious look on his face and grew a bit concerned.

"Yeah, can we talk for a moment? It's about Shinichi." The girls looked at him and then looked at one another before following him a small ways away from the group.

* * *

><p>"Do you girls even know what you're getting yourselves into?" He questioned. Daichi wasn't even going to bother beating around the bush and just got straight to the point.<p>

"What do you mean? If you're talking about us helping you guys fight GIN-SHOCKER then of course we do," Kurumu said as she puffed out her chest a bit to make herself look a bit more intimidating. Unfortunately, it didn't work with Daichi.

"Baka! That's not what I'm talking about!" Daishi snapped. "Listen, what are your future plans for Shinichi? Do you love him? Do you plan to settle down with him or just act like some big harem for him?"

"What's it to you? It's not like it concerns you or anyone else," Yukari said with a glare.

"Wanna bet, half-pint?" This earned him a heated glare from the young witch before he continued on, "Think about it. What kind of lives do you think you'll all have if you want to marry someone like Shinichi?"

The girls thought about it for a second until Mizore stepped forward and spoke, "It would be a happy life. Even if it means sharing him between us, we can still bear it as long as he's happy."

"She's right!" Kurumu added in, agreeing with Mizore. "And besides, why do you care? What, are you trying to break us apart so you can have one of us for yourself?"

"What would I want with a cow?-!" Daichi shot back. "Do you idiots even realize how it might be impossible to get married to Shinichi?" They just didn't understand. That's why he really wanted to test their resolve. Shinichi was one of his best friends and was walking the path of a hero. But he also had women that loved him but he wanted to see just how deep that love ran.

"What do you mean impossible, Daichi?" Moka asked as she started to really become concerned.

"Look at it from our perspective. We Riders, we fight the lonely fight against an opponent that has more forces than we can even begin to imagine. And some of us, we become so focused on that goal that we lose all sight of everything else around us!" Daichi was being completely serious. These girls needed to understand. No, they were going to understand even if they didn't want to. If he had to play the asshole just so he could get it through those thick heads of theirs then so be it.

"I'm…not following you," Kurumu said as she developed a confused look on her face.

"Get a clue. We Riders normally only have two options available to us when it comes to romance and that includes Shinichi as well," Daichi said as he lifted his hand in the air, preparing to make number quotes to help get his point across. "Option number one is that Shinichi will become so obsessed with wanting to get revenge against GIN-SHOCKER that he'll possibly forget about having any romantic feelings with any of you. He'll put the mission ahead of everyone else in his life."

The girls developed looks of comprehension on their faces. They had seen how focused Shinichi could get when it came to his enemies. They would possibly never be able to move forward if Shinichi just abandoned them for the sake of the mission. Then Daichi held up his second finger.

"And then there's option number two and the one that's a highly possible factor to those in our line of work…is death in the heat of battle." The girls all went wide eyed with shock and fear at this revelation. They all remembered the times where Shinichi came close to dying when he fought an opponent that was naturally stronger than he was. Kuyou, the NUMBERS and so many more. It was highly possible that one day and one day soon, his next fight could be his last. "Look, I know that this isn't something that you should have to hear right now as this should be a time of peace during this sports festival, but he's my friend and I need to make sure that you girls are in it for the long haul and won't jump ship the moment he goes all mission on us or get all depressed and soulless if he bites the proverbial bullet."

Within the confines of her rosario, Moka-sama understood what Daichi was trying to do. He was testing them and he didn't want them to get hurt in case one of those two options did happen in the near future. '_Now that's something that I can admire in a friend. He's willing to hurt their feelings if it means to protect them from any possible future heartache. Including myself_.' Daichi just earned himself one more notch on Moka-sama's respect chart but he still had a long ways to go.

The girls took a few moments to process this bit of information and Daichi gave them the time they needed. After taking their time to think about it, Moka finally spoke up, "I don't care." The other girls and Daichi looked at her. "I don't care if he does go all gung-ho about his mission. And if he does die then, of course, I'll be sad and heartbroken…but I won't ever stop loving him!" The rest of the girls smiled, sharing that exact same feeling. "If he's sad, we'll cheer him up. If he's lonely, then we'll stay by his side to keep him company."

"If he's hurt, then we'll heal him right up," Kurumu added.

"If he's crying, then we'll dry his tears and if he's hungry then we'll nourish him," Mizore added in as well.

"And if he puts romance aside to focus on taking down GIN-SHOCKER…then we'll support him 100% until he kicks their asses all the way to hell, desu!" Yukari shouted, pumping her fists up and down with serious excitement.

And then, for a brief moment, the single eye within Moka'srosario glowed and her own eyes took on a crimson color. "And if he does die while in battle, then we shall mourn our loss and remember what a great man Shinichi was. We will support him for as long as we live and no one else will say otherwise," Moka-sama said haughtily, exerting her own will through the rosario and into Outer Moka for that one brief moment before letting her outer self take control once more.

Daichi just stared at them dumbly for a moment. Were they really that committed to Shinichi? He would find out with his final question, "But, would you all go as far as to marry him even if those are both highly possible outcomes?"

"What are you saying? He's my Destined One so of course I'm going to marry him. Even if he wasn't I still would because I love him," Kurumu said proudly.

"I am the same. I would marry him without a second thought, even with the knowledge that I could lose him one day," Mizore said as well with a bit of a determined tone in her usually quiet voice.

"That's right; we'll all marry him and then have one big orgy!" Yukari shouted, causing the others to look at her confusingly for a moment.

"No matter what happens in the future, we won't run away from him. I too plan to marry Shinichi-kun after we graduate and to possibly start a family with him one day. The other me feels tha exact same way," Moka added in as well while holding a determined and serious look on her face.

Daichi took a few seconds to let it all sink in. He had gotten the answers that he wanted. Sure, he had to go about it by being an asshole but he got the desired results nonetheless. Folding his arms behind his head while walking away from them, "Man, whoever said that love is for idiots really must have meant you four ladies." As he continued to walk away he then stopped and turned around. "Hey, come on. Let's go eat so you can sit by your…_fiancé_." Daichi said that last part with an arrogant smirk which irritated the girls to no end. But Moka soon realized why Daichi did what he did.

'_You're really strong, Daichi. Shinichi-kun is lucky to have a friend like you watching out for him._' Moka thought to herself as she ran to catch up. She would of course have to tell the girls not to say anything to the others and knew it would be hard to keep Kurumu quiet.

* * *

><p>Leon was chasing after his daughter as she held an ice cream cone in hand, laughing all the way as she did. She was an energetic girl, sometimes to energetic. It made it difficult to look after her sometimes.<p>

"Tamao, don't run or you'll-" Leon began and Tamao fell. "Fall."

Tamao got up and saw that her ice cream had fallen. Tears welled up in her eyes before she began to cry, her fiery aura beginning to flare up as she did. A teenage girl with jean shorts and a brown vest noticed Tamao crying and went over to her. "Are you OK?" She saw the ruined ice cream. "Oh, you dropped your ice cream cone." She took something out of her pocket. It was a piece of candy. Tamao looked at it. "Here, take it." Tamao reached out to take the piece of candy. She took small bites and beamed at the sweet taste, making the girl smile.

Leon went and picked Tamao up and checked her. "You're not hurt, are you?" he asked.

"I'm fine," Tamao smiled. "The nice lady gave me this." Looking at the girl before them, Leon smiled softly.

"Thank you," Leon said to the girl. "You're not a student," he said, seeing her attire.

"Oh, I just came to watch," the girl said. "I'm Celeste, by the way. Celeste Warner."

"Leon Smith," said Leon. "And this is Tamao."

"Is she your little sister?" Celeste asked. They didn't look related, so she could be a foster sister.

"Tamao belongs to Papa!" Tamao hugged her adopted father tightly.

"Papa?" Celeste repeated with wide eyes.

"You can say I adopted her," Leon answered.

"Oh. That's nice of you," Celeste smiled slightly. "But aren't you a little too young to be thinking about fatherhood?" How did that happen? This guy didn't look that much older than her, but he has a daughter for some reason!

"You wouldn't believe the circumstances I had to go through," Leon shrugged.

"Uh... right. I'll take your word for it," she nodded dumbly. Her eyes suddenly widened as Leon's name finally sunk in. '_The target!_' Celeste did her best to put on a smile while laughing a bit dumbly. "Well, it's nice to meet you. I'll be seeing you around!" She walked off quickly and Tamao blinked.

"Where is Nee-chan going?" Tamao asked.

"I guess she was just surprised," Leon shrugged. Tamao did call him 'Papa' in front of a stranger and he was still in school. Someone would've freaked out anyway. Leon looked lovingly at his adopted daughter, "Do you want another scoop of ice cream Tamao?"

"OK!" Tamao smiled as she hugged him tightly.

"And this time no running, OK?" he advised as he carried her to the ice cream vendor. His mind, of course, was also focused on other things. One of the students was using G-Shock so it was possible that some more of the students were using G-Shock as well. He should cancel the Sports Festival but that would just alert the perpetrators. The best way to do this is to investigate behind the scenes and catch the users red-handed. The kappa had already been taken in for questioning and he suspected that more would be joining him.

As he bought Tamao another ice cream cone and watched her eat it happily, he thought back to the day he'd first met Tamao and decided to adopt her, days ago…

* * *

><p><em>And he saw it, in blazing glory; the immense figure of the Kyuubi no Youko, one of the most powerful youkai of legend. He prepared to fight this wretched fiend the cult had summoned, his hand gripping his Zanpakuto. The flaming beast let loose a howl and then suddenly the flames shrunk right before his eyes.<em>

Leon inspected the circle of fire and lying naked in the centre was a little girl with fox ears and a tail.

_The little girl gave out a cute yawn as she woke up. She blinked before looking around the area, noticing all the other Kitsune and Leon. The little girl began sniffling before she burst out crying._

_Leon walked into the ring of fire and took off his jacket to drape it over the little girl. She looked up at him, eyes filled with tears. His normally stoic expression softened as he gently lifted her up._

"It's alright. You're safe now," he said.

This was a new development for him. How was he supposed to explain this?

The kitsune all glared at Leon, with one of them demanding, "Release our queen!"

"_She's a little girl!" Leon shouted angrily. "What right do you have to hold her against her will?"_

_"Release her!" another kitsune shouted. They all started to flare up in elements, varying from fire, solar, water, electricity, and sprit energy. "Or we shall take her from you!"_

_Leon used his jacket to cover the little girl's face so she would not see what was coming. He then began unleashing his spiritual pressure. It began taking shape behind him in the form of a gigantic black dragon. It let out a terrifying roar, sending the other kitsune flying. Leon heard the bundle in his arms beginning to cry again, but he quickly put the little girl at ease. _

* * *

><p><em>Leon had taken the little girl back to the hotel he was staying for the night. Since his assignment was over, he would be returning to Youkai Academy. Of course right now he needed to take care of the little girl.<em>

_She needed a bath, and clothes of her own, and food too. She had just been summoned so she probably had an empty stomach. _

_He'd initially believed that the Kitsune Cult had botched the summoning, but he was starting to doubt that idea. They had tried to revive the Kyuubi no Youko and succeeded. However, she had been reincarnated in the form of a young child._

_A young child who'd clung onto Leon the whole time, never letting go. Of course, clinging to him was something that Leon didn't find surprising. The little girl had no one except him in the world. He was her whole world now. He decided she should have a bath first. Then he would take her out to get new clothes and food. He left her sitting on the bed as he went to the bathroom to prepare the bath. She began fusing at him being gone, but he returned quickly, before carrying her into the bathroom._

_Giving her a bath hadn't been easy as she resisted. But Leon was firm and cleaned her up before soaking in the bathtub with her to put her at ease. The little girl smiled at him as she rested herself against his body, almost falling asleep in the tub._

'_I am so glad that Aphrodite isn't here to see this right now,' Leon thought as he relaxed. Looking down at the child that was now resting against him in the tub, he remembered that she had never really expressed any form of happiness after he saved her._

_It worried him because she had not said a word since she first woke up. But right now Leon needed to sleep. _

_After the bath, Leon had given the little fox girl one of his t-shirts. It was big for her but he didn't have any other clothes. When he heard her stomach growl, he knew she was hungry._

_And boy was she hungry. In the restaurant they had went to, everyone around them looked in astonishment as the four-year old wolfed down on her food. Leon looked at his wallet and then at the stack of plates which were the result of the meal he'd ordered. For a little girl, she could eat a lot._

* * *

><p>"<em>Papa! Papa! Papa!" the little fox girl beamed brightly as she bounced up and down on top of Leon.<em>

_Leon's eyes slowly opened and he looked up to see the little fox girl beaming at him while sitting on his body._

"_Papa!" she hugged him tightly._

'_Papa?' he thought. Then he realized that she'd finally spoken. He looked to the clock. It was 45 minutes past 9 o'clock. It was later than he usually awoke. Leon sat up with the little fox girl still holding onto him._

"_So, you can talk now," said Leon. She nodded. "So, what's your name?"_

_The girl looked down, putting a finger to her mouth. She then opened her mouth to answer, only to shut it when she didn't have anything to say._

_Now, Leon knew the legends about the Kyuubi no Youko which included the name the fox had taken as a human. _

_Tamamo no Mae._

_He looked at the little fox girl whose tail wagged back and forth as she stared up at him with big eyes. Her eyes had a warm and innocent look to them but they also had a deep and reeling look as well. The little girl just used her own variant of the 'puppy dog eyes' look while waiting there, expectantly._

"_Tamao," he said. "Your name is Tamao." Tamao smiled brightly as she hugged her Papa._

* * *

><p><em>"Next time, I'm taking you to an all you can eat buffet..." he muttered. He'd paid the bill before scooping the little girl up in his arms. "Now, it's time to get you some clothes."<em>

_"Papa..." Tamao muttered in a near purring tone as she rubbed her head against Leon's chest._

_After a huge breakfast, Leon took Tamao to the nearest clothing store to get proper clothes for her. After looking around an outlet mall, he found a department store that seemed to cater to all women, young and old. Shrugging, he just picked up Tamao and went in. _

_He was going to learn that buying clothes for a little girl wasn't going to be easy. She didn't just need clothes either. She needed footwear and underwear as well._

_This was going to burn a hole into his wallet but he didn't care. Right now he cared about Tamao's welfare._

_This meant she was going to need a proper medical examination. He took out his cellphone and scrolled through his list of contacts. It was a good thing he had speed dial._

* * *

><p><em>After taking her measurements, one of the store's workers helped Leon to pick out Tamao's clothes. She even offered to help Tamao try them on but the little girl refused and wanted her 'Papa' to do it for her.<em>

_Leon had trouble getting Tamao to get the clothes on. At one point she even ran through the store with only pants on. And they were on her head. With Leon chasing her, the tiny Kitsune thought it was just a game. He caught her and brought her back to the changing room, the little girl giggling the whole way._

* * *

><p><em>Leon walked out of the changing room with Tamao now wearing a pink shirt with a flower print and blue overalls. He bought all the clothes for her. The saleswoman smiled at Leon, "Your daughter is so adorable!" She wrote something on the back of the receipt before handing it to him. When he was out of the store, Leon looked at the receipt. The saleswoman had written "Call Me" on the back of the receipt with her phone number.<em>

_"You're not gonna make my woman troubles any easier, are you?" questioned Leon as he looked down at a now smiling and fully clothed Tamao._

_"Papa!" Tamao cheered happily._

_Hearing those words made Leon smile slightly. This little girl depended on him now. He was her parent and caretaker now and she needed someone in this world. He couldn't abandon her._

* * *

><p><em><strong>SOUL SOCIETY<strong>_

"_And nobody commented on her ears or tail?" Unohana asked._

"_Either they didn't notice because she has some kind of perception filter, or they think they were cute accessories," said Leon. Tamao was sitting on Leon's lap as they sat across from Unohana. She was the one Leon had called to give Tamao a medical examination._

_Leon knew he could trust Retsu Unohana. She had looked after him since he was a little kid. And since he he'd been in the combat division as a young boy, he was a "repeat customer". She was a mature woman with a gentle face and long black hair tied in braids. She was dressed in her white shitagi (under clothing), a black kosode (standard robe), a black hakama (pants), white tabi (traditional Japanese socks), and waraji (foot sandals) with her white haori (coat) over her outfit and with her obi sash wrapped around her waist instead of the traditional hakama-himo (cloth belt)._

_Tamao pointed at Unohana, "Pretty!"_

_Unohana smiled, "She's adorable Leon. And she's learning to talk very quickly."_

"_Yes," Leon agreed._

"_And she's apparently imprinted on you," Unohana added. "You seem to have your father's talents in picking up stray children."_

"_And unfortunately women as well..." he added with a sigh._

_"Oh, now there's a familiar voice!" said a cheerful voice in the hall. Coming from the door was a beautiful red head. She was in black robes with a white sash, and her large cleavage was shown underneath. "Hi Leon! When'd you get back?" asked Rangiku._

_"A little bit ago, Lieutenant. I need to get Tamao here a check-up," answered Leon._

_Tamao looked at Rangiku with a finger in her mouth, "Moo-moo?" she said, tilting her head to the side._

_Rangiku frowned, "Huh...?"_

_Unohana covered her mouth to resist from laughing. Tamao was obviously referring to Rangiku's large breasts and was comparing her to a cow. Leon was trying to keep a straight face, but the corners of his lips were twitching as well._

_A vein appeared on Rangiku's head. "I saw that you little jerk!" shouted Rangiku as she began smothering Leon with her chest, a punishment she used to give him back when he was a little boy._

* * *

><p><em>Tamao was getting odd looks as people passed her by, but Leon was getting his fair share as well since the little girl was holding his hand while skipping alone next to him and humming cheerfully. In Seireitei, everyone was spiritually aware, and they all noticed her ears and tail.<em>

"_Oh, good afternoon, Leon-kun," said Captain Komamura as he came across the pair. He was just out taking a walk. He was a brown wolf-man with a large body mass. He was dressed in his basic uniform._

_"Good afternoon, Taichou," said Leon, bowing politely. Tamao was hiding behind Leon at the sight of the giant canine-human._

_Komamura sniffed the air and remarked, "I smell the scent of a fox." He eyed the little girl trying to hide behind Leon. "She's a fox."_

_Leon turned around and picked up Tamao, who tried to bury her head into Leon's chest. "Taichou, this is my daughter, Tamao. Tamao, say hello," said Leon._

_Tamao timidly turned her head to look at the Captain, before immediately burying her head back in Leon's chest._

_Komamura frowned. She was obviously frightened by his appearance. He couldn't blame her, really._

_Leon bowed, "I apologize, Taichou. Tamao has had some...bad experiences with big dogs and it seems to have had a lasting effect on her."_

_Komamura's expression softened. He reached out and gently patted Tamao's head. The fox girl looked up at Komamura's eyes wide with wonder._

"_I won't ever hurt a child," he swore. He would never. Tamao reached out and gently grasped Komamura's index finger before smiling at him._

_"Doggy!" said Tamao happily, grasping his giant hand with her two tiny ones._

* * *

><p><em>Leon came to the Squad 11 to see a regular sight. There was Captain Kenpachi Zaraki and standing across from him was Tatsu. <em>

_Tatsu was a young Shinigami who looked to be in his twenties. He wore a black kimono top with matching hakama and a belt with a blue buckle that resembled jaws. He had long and braided black hair with neatly combed bangs and intense blue eyes. The kimono was sleeveless and his right sleeve was replaced by black and blue armor that covered his entire arm and shoulder with a badge on the shoulder that looked like buttercup. He also wore black boots with steel toes. On the right side of his face was a tattoo that resembled a dragon._

_The rest of the Squad 11 members were cheering for both of them to start fighting. That was when a little, pink-haired girl bounced over to Leon._

"_Oh, Lele-chan! Welcome back!" she greeted._

"_Hello, Lieutenant," Leon greeted politely._

"_Mou, I thought I told you to call me Yachiru-chan!" she frowned, puffing up her cheeks as she crossed her arms. She then noticed clinging to Leon's hakama was Tamao. "Who's this?"_

"_This is Tamao," introduced Leon._

"_Tama-chan then!" Yachiru beamed. Tamao smiled back._

"_So, what's going on right now?" Leon asked. 'As if I didn't know…'_

"_Oh, Ryu-chan (Tatsu) is challenging Ken-chan again in a fight to become Captain," said Yachiru._

"_Again?"_

"_Alright, Zaraki-taichou," said Tatsu. "I'm going to kill you and become the Captain of the 11th Division. Then I'll revive you so you can serve me as my subordinate."_

"_You've made that claim so many times, brat," Kenpachi shot back, grinning widely. "But you're still 1,000,000 years too early to take this position away from me."_

"_We'll see about that," Tatsu punched his hand._

_Leon smiled as he recalled fond memories. Squad 11 was a surrogate family to him when he used to be younger, and being back in the training room was like being back home._

_Tatsu was the same, but he'd grown up with Unohana as a mother figure and Kenpachi as a father figure. Basically, Tatsu was a child of two rivalling divisions and thus had the combat prowess of Squad 11 and the healing capabilities of Squad 4, which made him valuable to the former since they had a lot of injuries due to brawls erupting frequently._

_Both Kenpachi and Tatsu charged at each other without drawing their swords. They were going to fight and decide everything with their fists._

_Unfortunately, everyone knew what Kenpachi was saying was true. He was considered the most fearsome fighter in the entire Gotei 13._

"_Are you going to stay, Lele-chan?" Yachiru asked._

"_I think we should go," said Leon. He didn't want to expose Tamao to too much violence and he knew this fight was going to turn into something bigger. He expected to see Tatsu in Squad 4's infirmary being treated and scolded by his surrogate mother._

* * *

><p>"Ah, here they are," said Shinichi as he took out a stack of bento boxes from his locker in the classroom. He closed his locker, and found Yuji and Netto looking at him. "Yeah?"<p>

"So, Bianca told me she asked you to join the Vongola Famiglia and you said no," said Yuji, his arms crossed while leaning against the lockers. "This is about…that time when you were…"

"Yes," Shinichi answered.

"But you do realize Yuji here is gonna be the next Boss, right?" Netto pointed. "So what's the problem?"

"I needed time to think," Shinichi said as he set the bento boxes down. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and took calming breaths in order to organize his thoughts. "And well considering I spent 10 years of my life as a prisoner and a slave to GIN-SHOCKER, I have a bad impression of organized groups."

"Well, you guys are organized," Netto pointed. "You're fighting against GIN-SHOCKER.'

"It was formed on my terms," Shinichi countered. "And Bianca told me it was the mafia."

"Then you tuned her out and refused to listen anymore," Yuji added.

"Pretty much," Shinichi confessed. "I should apologize to her, shouldn't I? I was being quite rude."

"Yes, you were," said Bianca from behind Shinichi.

"WARGH!" he shouted, jumping from her in shock. "The hell!-?"

"She does that a lot," Yuji said. "You'll get used to it."

"She nearly gave me a heart attack!" Shinichi exclaimed.

"Highly unlikely since you've got a metal heart," Netto commented.

"That's not the point!" Shinichi snapped. He looked back to address Bianca. "Bianca-san, I'm sorry for being rude to you last night. You were just performing your duty, and I apologize for my behaviour." He gave her a bow.

"Apology accepted," said Bianca. "So, have you thought about it?"

Shinichi answered, "I still have doubts, but I trust Yuji. He's had my back since we met, tolerated me even after I nearly killed him that one time, and he and Netto made my ride." He turned to them both, "And she's still awesome as hell."

"Hey, with our minds put together, we can come up with anything," Yuji smiled back.

Shinichi turned back to Bianca, "So, I want to know what I have to do and why you need me to join Yuji."

"Yuji needs a right hand man he can trust, and I see no one better than his own cousin," said Bianca. "And I've seen you during the Elimination Race. You never abandoned your friends even if it meant you could win on your own."

"What was the point if I did win? It would mean they didn't?" said Shinichi. Back in GIN-SHOCKER they had team-building exercises. If not every member crossed the finish line together, then none of them won. It was all as one, or none at all.

"An admirable trait for the right-hand of the Vongola Boss," Bianca commended.

"It is, isn't it?" Shinichi said.

"So, I guess you didn't know that the Vongola isn't literally a mafia anymore," Yuji guessed.

Shinichi stared at him, "Huh?"

"Well, it is and it isn't at the same time," Bianca continued.

"So you're like the anti-mob?" Shinichi asked.

"You see, when your ancestor, Giotto, formed the Vongola, its original purpose was a vigilante group with the goal of serving their own justice when the local authorities could not. As time went on, the family became more organized and gained power." The hitman sighed, "You have Ricardo to thank for corrupting Vongola's purpose."

"So, they were the ones who protected the innocent by taking the law into their own hands," Shinichi summarized, "That sounds like something I would do."

Bianca frowned as her fist clenched, "Then Giotto's successor came into the picture. He was only concerned with power and dominating others, and corrupted the Vongola...!"

Shinichi flinched. Bianca looked pissed. Really pissed. Her seemingly fine futures were curled up in an ugly snarl. Whoever the Second was, he must have been a real asshole. "But the Vongola's were restored to their former purpose sometime after Glotto's time as the Boss, right?"

Bianca calmed down and smiled fondly, "All thanks to Tsunayoshi-san..."

"Who's Tsunayoshi?"

"He was the tenth Boss, the Decimo."

"I'm sensing he was different from his predecessors somehow," Shinichi guessed.

"He was kind, funny, brilliant, and a great fighter," Bianca listed. She pointed at the gloves Yuji was wearing, "Those are his X-Gloves, and he entrusted me to safeguard them until I found someone worthy of using them.

Yuji stared at his X-Gloves, "The Tenth's X-Gloves..."

"So he accepted his role immediately?" Shinichi asked.

"From his stories, he was deemed as an outcast and a loser before his life with the Vongola's," Bianca explained, "He was weak willed, had horrible luck with women, and everyone expected that he would amount to nothing, including his own mother. Eventually, people gave him the nickname 'Worthless Tsuna'."

"Damn, that's harsh," Yuji frowned.

"Yeah, what a jip," Shinichi added.

"That's rude," Netto nodded.

"When he eventually learned about his heritage, Tsuna outright rejected the Vongola. He wanted nothing to do with the mafia at all! But...he only fought to protect his friends. He was the one person I truly admired."

"So, he joined for the sake of his friends..." Shinichi concluded, "I see..."

"If he were here today, Tsunayoshi-san would be proud of you, his descendants, and what you have made of yourselves," she grinned.

"Sounds like you really look up to the guy," Yuji said.

"He was like a father to me, and even adopted me as his own daughter," Bianca answered, a blush on her cheeks.

Shinichi caught on to those words, "Wait, if Yuji's the 20th and Tsunayoshi-san was the 10th, how old are you exactly, Bianca-san?"

Bianca blinked and tried to count with her fingers before shrugging, "I lost count after 200."

"Wow, and you look no younger than 20-something," Shinichi said with wide eyes, "Kaa-chan would love to know your secret."

"I'm immortal and have eternal youth," she boasted, flicking her hat.

"Any specific process...?" Shinichi continued.

"Focus," Yuji interrupted.

"Oh, sorry," Shinichi apologised. "So, Bianca-san, how much do you know about me then?"

Bianca removed her fedora and ran her fingers through her hair, "Well, only what was in your records before you were kidnapped and while you reappeared in the human world."

"Is that all?" Shinichi asked. "Guess that's no surprise. Let me fill in the blanks." He then looked back at Yuji and Netto and gave them a stern look, "Yuji, Netto, don't interrupt." The Fire Manakyte and technopath nodded. "I was an agent of GIN-SHOCKER, although not a willing one. I was their weapon, their puppet, and the blood of hundreds, maybe thousands, are on my hands. Would the Vongola's accept me, someone with such a bloody history?"

"One of the things that the Vongola never does is turn down family," Bianca reassured him.

"OK, next question, will joining the Vongola's help me get back at GIN-SHOCKER?"

Bianca grinned, "Oh, most definitely. GIN-SHOCKER doesn't stand a chance against the most powerful mafia in the world. They fucked with one of us, so they fucked with all of us. That's one of the major rules of the Vongola's."

Another point. "OK then. Will I meet the current Boss?"

"Oh, certainly. Katsu's probably burning with excitement to meet his two great-grandsons."

"One last question. Will my loved ones' protection be guaranteed? Can you promise that they'll be safe and protected?"

"It can be done, as they'll be accepted into the family as well. But if they offer their help willingly, then we can only facilitate them the best way possible for them. Everyone does their part and everyone puts in effort to maintain the peace of the wonderful world."

"Alright, that's good enough for me," Shinichi smiled. "Where do I sign?"

"Shinichi, does this mean you'll join?" Yuji asked.

"I'm not stupid, Yuji." Shinichi answered, "I could fight GIN-SHOCKER on my own, but it makes more sense to fight an army with an army. If the Vongola family is as big and powerful as Bianca-san claims, then why not?"

Bianca smiled, "Then I've found Yuji's second Guardian."

Yuji blinked, "Guardian?"

Bianca lobbed a ring to Shinichi as he caught it. It had a ruby gemstone in it. "OK, Shinichi, for your first test I want you to put that ring on and focus your resolve."

"My resolve?" Shinichi repeated.

"Yes, focus on your resolve; your drive, and pour it into that ring," Bianca instructed.

Shinichi slipped the ring onto his right middle finger and took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He found himself in his subconscious with the Legendary Riders standing before him. They nodded to him and he nodded back. He concentrated. One by one the Legendary Riders burst into flames which shrunk into tennis ball-sized spheres of fire. They flew around Shinichi as he continued to focus. He focused on his resolve for vengeance, to avenge himself and his mother. He also focused on his resolve for justice, to defend the innocent against the machinations of GIN-SHOCKER's evil. He focused on his love for the girls who'd given back his humanity. The fire spheres then flew towards him, entering his heart. In the real world, the ring began to shine and a flame erupted from the gem. The flame was red, with a soft white core in the center as it flickered wildly.

Shinichi opened his eyes and stared at the ring. "What is this?"

Yuji gaped, "That's...!"

Bianca smiled, "As I suspected. You were born to be Yuji's right-hand. Just like all the others, your resolve has awakened the Flame of the Storm."

"Flame of the Storm? What does that mean?" Shinichi questioned.

"The Storm Flame is one of the Dying Will Flames of the Sky and it can be deadly when handled by a skilled expert," she elaborated.

"Define 'deadly'. What does it do exactly?" Shinichi asked.

Yuji took a turn to explain, "The Dying Will Flames all have their own characteristics." He lit his ring as he conjured his Sky Flame. My Flame is Sky, and its characteristic is called Harmony. What it does is allow the user (me) to synchronize with my surroundings. It can also petrify materials that harness Dying Will Flames."

"Wow," Netto admired, "That's pretty cool."

"Then there's the Storm Flame and its Disintegration characteristic. It's mainly offensive, as its power can decay a target and ultimately break it apart," Yuji continued.

"De...decay?" Shinichi frowned. "So, I hold the power of destruction in my hands?" As if he didn't hold that power already. He's got Gebok to thank for that.

"Basically, yes," Bianca nodded, "So I advise you not to use your Flame in actual combat yet. And also..." She pointed to Shinichi's ring and the flame blew out.

Shinichi suddenly began to laugh, "This is awesome! GIN-SHOCKER won't be able to stop me now!"

"Keep in mind that if your resolve is shaken then your flame will weaken and blow out as it did just now. You'll need training to control your Storm Flame."

"Hai, I understand," Shinichi nodded, "I just have one more question."

"And what's that?"

"Do I have to kneel and kiss Yuji's ring like they do on the Godfather?" Netto and Yuji stared at him.

Bianca gave a short laugh, "No, there won't be any of that."

"Thank the Crimson Dragon!" Yuji added.

"OK, well, you can count on me to be the best right-hand man for Yuji," Shinichi saluted.

"Glad to hear it!" Bianca smiled, "Mind giving me the ring back? It's only a C-Grade and if you light it one more time the stone's gonna pop."

Shinichi took off the ring and handed it back to Bianca. "The girls are probably waiting for us anyway and the food's not gonna eat itself."

"All this talking is making me hungry," Netto nodded as he patted his stomach.

"And I still need to continue my research into candidates for the other Guardians. So far, I've chosen 3," Bianca said.

"Anybody we know?" Shinichi asked.

Bianca smirked, "I think I'll keep that to myself for now. It'll make seeing the looks on your faces that much more priceless when you find out."

Shinichi nodded before addressing Yuji and Netto, "Well, shall we be off?"

"Yeah, let's eat, dammit!" Yuji cheered

* * *

><p>The trio returned to the picnic area where the girls were sitting around. They were setting up their lunches and whatnots while waiting for the boys to return.<p>

"Darling!" Kurumu ran towards Shinichi only to be stopped as Mizore froze her feet in place. "Dammit, stalker!"

Mizore gave her a mocking smile before gliding towards Shinichi, wrapping her arms around his left arm and beaming at him.

"Mizore-chan, please unfreeze Kurumu-chan," said Shinichi.

Mizore pouted but obeyed as she did as told. Kurumu didn't attack Mizore, no matter how tempting it was, and sat down with them for lunch. Shinichi's mother, via 3D holo-projector, had been telling the girls stories from Shinichi's past. Hime and Reiri were also joining them for lunch, also sharing stories.

"So, Shinichi-kun, is it true?" Moka asked.

"You'll have to be clear about it," said Shinichi. There's a lot of stuff from his past, both good and bad.

"I was telling Akashiya-san here about that one time in kindergarten when you tried to eat a crayon," said Hime.

* * *

><p><em>Shinji, Hime and Reiri sat together at a table, drawing. Shinji was drawing a big red apple.<em>

"_That looks nice," said Hime._

"_Um, it's a big and tasty apple!" Shinji nodded. He then stared at the drawing, then at the red crayon in his hand. Hime and Reiri watched as he brought the crayon to his mouth._

"_Shin-chan, no!" Reiri shouted as she stopped him from eating the crayon._

* * *

><p>"Hime-chan!" Shinichi cried, blushing.<p>

"We had to keep him out of trouble a lot," said Hime.

"A lot," Reiri added. "Like that time he almost poked a beehive on the ground."

"Or that time you wanted to play with a dead rat," Hime added, her face twitching in disgust.

"And we also had to stop him from picking his nose and eating whatever he found," Reiri continued, laughing.

"OK, OK, I get it," Shinichi frowned as everyone laughed. "Oh, like none of you have any embarrassing childhood memories."

"At least none of us were put in mismatching dresses, Darling," blurted out Kurumu. She slapped her mouth as she realized what she just said. This got those who did not know about it to stare at Shinichi.

"Oi! It's hard to tell boys from girls at age four you know!" he cried out defensively, his twin ahoge twitching from his embarrassment.

"You sure?" Hana grinned foxily, "Because right now I'm picturing you with pigtails and a pretty red dress."

"Urusei!" he snapped.

Shiori explained, "_Oh, he was so adorable, wasn't he? If his hair had been longer I really would've given him pigtails!_"

"Kaa-chan!" Shinichi exclaimed, his twin ahoge straightening upwards.

"She's right," said Mizore. "I bet our children will be just as cute."

Ageha and Tsurara watched the exchange, amused. Shinichi seemed to get along with their daughters and everyone around him. Despite his past, or maybe because of it, he was kind to everyone. Also, their daughters had told them that Shinichi had already gone all the way with them. They couldn't be prouder for their daughters who'd lost their virginities to the man they loved. They preferred it, however, if Shinichi had just chosen one, though.

"So, are you signed up for the tournament, Shinichi-kun?" Moka asked.

"Sure am!" Shinichi pounded his chest. "And I will be attaining victory!"

"Hah, fat chance!" Gin yelled as he came over. He grabbed some food and popped it into his mouth. "You're not the only one in it! I'm in it too!"

"Oh, hey Ero-sempai," Shinichi greeted casually, causing Gin to face-fault.

"Don't call me that!" Gin snapped.

"Stop acting like an Ero-sempai and I will," Shinichi retorted.

Gin cleared his throat. "As I was saying, I'm in the tournament too."

"What's the point?" Yukari asked. "You're just going to get your butt kicked by Shinichi-san, again."

Mr. Sendou admonished his daughter, "Now, Yukari. Be nice. Even if that were true you need to spare the feelings of others."

"Hai, Papa," Yukari nodded.

Gin glowered and glared at Shinichi who offered him, "Rice ball?"

Grumbling, Gin accepted the offered treat and took a bite from it. "By the way," he grunted as he chewed, "A friend of mine is also in the tournament."

"Really?" Shinichi asked. "Is it someone we know?"

"Naw, but you'll see him soon," Gin told him. "He's been talking about how he's been really looking forward to fighting the man who dethroned Kuyou off his high horse."

"Kuyou?" Michiru blinked. Mia sat in her lap, eating a carrot.

"Oh, that's right," Shinichi realized, "I never told you yet. Kuyou is a fox demon like Qiao. He's also Leon's predecessor as the Student Police captain. He practically ruled over Youkai Academy with an iron fist, intimidation, and fear. Everyone who he saw as a threat to his law was sent into a set of dungeons underneath the school for a very long time. Sometimes he would even have them burnt at the stake, especially if they were human." He watched the expressions of those who were unfamiliar of Kuyou twist with horror, anger, and disgust.

"Say what?" Misato gawked, crushing her soda can but to shocked to notice the drink soaking her hand, "Are you shitting us? He actually did that?"

"Better believe it," Gin continued. "Back when I was a freshman, we, the old Newspaper Club, tried to expose the crimes that the old Student Police where committing. We thought we could rally up the other students to rise up against them. Unfortunately, Kuyou didn't like that at all."

"What did he do?" Yokoshima asked.

"A close friend of mine, the former Newspaper Club president, was infamous as the school's strongest and undefeated Youkai, able to beat down everyone else with one blow. So the instant she graduated from the school, Kuyou saw the moment to take action," Gin heaved a heavy sigh. "He sent his men to attack my friends... and forced us to shut down. All the members aside from me were expelled."

"Oh Gin," Hana frowned sadly, "I'm sorry."

"Yeah well that's okay," Gin smiled, "Not to steal someone else's line, but Shinichi showed the dick-biscuit his place! Kicked his ass real hard! We freed everyone the Student Police kept prisoner and soon after that Kuyou and his cronies finally got chased out of the school. Man you all should have seen it! The whole student body carried Shinichi as their hero! Whoever was the one to drop him here, I'll be the first to shake his hand!"

Daichi whistled, "No wonder people think so highly of him here. He's practically their savour." With the kind of fan club he has, it all now made sense.

"Hm hm. As suspected from Shinji-kun," Hime smiled, amused. At least he was putting his destructive powers to good use.

"Freeing people from their dictators will make them think that way," Shogo stated, "Kuyou seems like the kind of guy who would get along well with General Nagazawa."

"And that's why we have to make sure we don't end up following in their footsteps," Reiri pointed out. She was very glad that Shinichi taught the old Student Police a lesson they won't soon forget. "As the new Student Police, we have to show everyone that authority doesn't have to be corrupted."

**"Do you know what happened to Kuyou after he was expelled?"** Chiaki asked

"Probably somewhere still licking the wounds of defeat and still stewing that someone had the balls to actually stand up to him," Gin scoffed, "Wherever that fox is, I'll be satisfied if I never see him again."

"Seconded," Mizore nodded.

"One of the few things I can agree with you on," Yukari added.

Shinichi asked his fellow Riders, "How about you guys?"

"I'm in it," said Shogo.

"**Me too**," signed Chiaki.

"You do know that Shinichi is gonna cream you guys again like every single training session, right?" Misato asked.

"There's a chance of that," Shogo shrugged. "We can always try."

"Your funeral," Daichi quipped.

"He'll just kick your butts all over the floor," stated Michiru. They had seen it happen, repeatedly. None of them had ever beaten Shinichi at hand-to-hand. Actually, none of them had ever beaten Kuro at hand-to-hand. Shinichi was a different matter entirely. He still had the same amount of skill, maybe even more, as Kuro did.

"Qiao-chan's gonna be in it too. So is Leon," said Netto. This made Shogo pale. "You didn't know?"

"Uh…no," Shogo replied. He wondered if it was too late to withdraw but then he shook his head. '_No, I'm no quitter! Scared as I might be I will not quit! I might die, but I've faced death before! I can do this!_' He gulped. '_I wonder if it's not too late to write my last will and testimony_.'

"_If you'll be fighting in a tournament, Shinji, you're going to need to wear something besides your gym clothes_," said Shiori.

"Already have that taken care of," said Shinichi, smiling.

Karin, while carrying her bento over to the announcer table, said, "Now, if you'll all please look at the screen, you will see the names of the tournament's participants, all 32 of them!"

"Dammit..." Yuji growled as his fists ignited, "I wanna fight! I wanna cut loose so bad, dammit!" He was sounding like a little kid. His battle aura was itching. He didn't want to sit on the sidelines. He wanted in on the action!

"You'll just beat up everyone and it'll be no fun," Shinichi told him. "You know as well as I do that you're too strong for the students here."

"Then I'll tie my arms behind my back!" Yuji whined. "That'll even the odds!"

"Unfortunately, the tournament is for students only," said Reiri. "So there's no chance for you to participate, unless of course you're representing a student who cannot participate due to injury. You can fight on their behalf if that occurs."

"There's a rule like that?" Shinichi asked.

Reiri pulled out the rule book and flipped the pages to the passage. "See, right here."

"So I don't have to fight?" Shogo asked hopefully, and making a bad job at hiding it. "I mean, that's very convenient," he corrected.

"If you have an excuse for it then yes," Hime answered.

"Hey, if you're not too keen in fighting Leon, I'll be more than happy to take your place," Daichi said with a grin.

"Really? That's much obliged Daichi-" Shogo said before realizing what that sounded like. "HEY!"

"You chicken!" Daichi mocked. Daichi had signed up for the tournament too. He wanted a chance to have a rematch with Shinichi.

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: OK, so this is just a talking chapter, but it provides an insight on how Leon adopted Tamao and how in a short time she changed his life. Oh, and I know you're all just waiting for the tournament. Well, you need not worry! It's coming to your screen soon!<strong>


	45. Sports Fest: The Tournament

**Chapter 45: The Tournament **

"Well, it's time," said Shinichi as he got up.

"Where are you going?" Moka asked.

"I need to get changed," he told her.

"Well, be quick about it," Reiri warned. "If you're five minutes late for your match you're disqualified."

"I'm never late," he said confidently before leaving the group. Shinichi took his gym bag to the locker room. If he needed to fight in this tournament, then he would need to be appropriately dressed.

* * *

><p>The stage for the tournament was a wresting ring which had to be carried out to the middle of the sports field. The competitors would fight in the ring and the rules for the tournament were simple. There would be a referee to reinforce the rules and disqualify competitors who violated them. The first to be thrown out of the ring with both feet touching the ground, loses.<p>

**SHINICHI BANABARA**

**VS**

**GINEI MORIOKA**

"Alright, this is what you've all been waiting for," said Karin. "Youkai Academy's sports festival's first fighting tournament! Our first match will be between 2nd year student Ginei Morioka, President of the Newspaper Club!"

Gin climbed into the ring and waved to his adoring fans. Well, not all were cheering of course. There were some who were bitter about his perverted nature and how he took photos of them in the locker room.

"And his opponent, Shinichi Banabara!" The cheers were deafening for Shinichi but he hadn't shown up. "I said, Shinichi Banabara!"

"_Where is he?"_ Shiori asked as her projector was held by Yuji. _"He shouldn't be this late."_

"He'll be here, Aunt Shiori," said Yuji.

The girls were wondering too but then they heard his voice. "Excuse me! Pardon me! Coming through!" Shinichi was pushing and shoving his way through the crowd while trying to get to the ring. "Ow, hey, who pinched my butt?-!" he asked aloud as a hand groped his rear before he reached the ring. He climbed into the ring and said, "Sorry I'm late! I needed to slip into something more comfortable."

Shinichi went into the ring in his new clothes. He wore a green leather jacket that was zipped all the way. The jacket had black pads on the elbows and shoulders and was also black on the sides under his arms. A leather belt was wrapped around his waist, secured by a silver buckle with XIII on it. He wore baggy black pants and on his feet were green boots while, on his hands, he wore black gloves.

"You went to change your clothes?" questioned Gin. He only wore his gym uniform.

"I thought this might be appropriate," said Shinichi. "Now, shall we begin,_ Ero-sempai_?"

Gin growled at the nickname that Shinichi had stuck him with since his perverted ways had been revealed during the first semester. "I told you to stop calling me that!" Gin roared as his eyes glowed neon blue.

Standing in the sidelines among the spectators was Leon. He was in a sleeveless black fighting gi with an Ankh symbol on the back, black plants and dark blue boots. He looked intently with a small smile as both Gin and Shinichi got into stances. He was also looking forward to fighting Shinichi again. He was strong and fast on his feet. Also, he was able to adapt to his speed, a feat that not many could claim. Goes to show that you really have adapt to anything when you were raised to be the perfect killer for the past ten years of your life.

"Alright Shinichi, let's see what you got," Leon muttered.

Stepping into the ring was a girl from Shogo's math class. Katsumi Korin was another PSC member and was dressed in the slandered female uniform created by Yuki. She was going to serve as the referee for the tournament.

"Ready? FIGHT!" the female referee permitted.

(**Insert Song: Keep Alive - KR Kiva OST**)

"Alright, Sempai, time to get your ass pounded!" Shinichi declared. He then realized how that sounded and grimaced. _'Not again!'_

"…What?" Gin questioned, thinking he didn't hear it right.

Shinichi snapped his fingers and amended, "No homo. Game Start!"

Gin charged at Shinichi for a punch but as soon as he threw his fist Shinichi jumped up and over him, landing on the ropes. He then catapulted himself at Gin, performing a series of bicycle kicks that hit Gin in the chest repeatedly, sending him staggering.

"OK, that was just a warm up," grunted Gin as he rubbed his chest which was sore from the blows. He watched as Shinichi was bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"Whatever you say, _Ero-sempai_," Shinichi smirked. Gin just grounded his teeth together while letting out a low growl. He really hated that nickname.

Outside the ring, Daichi grumbled, "Che, Shinichi's not taking this fight seriously."

"Tell me about it," Misato agreed. "The first blow in the right spot would've taken that guy out."

"This is just a game, guys," Yokoshima told them both.

"Game or not he always took fighting seriously," complained Daichi. "Remember back in basic training?"

"How can I not?" Yokoshima rubbed his head. He still had bumps and bruises from basic training.

Gin threw punch after punch at Shinichi who dodged each strike with ease. In human form, Gin could still move a great speeds due to being a werewolf but in his true form he would've been incredibly fast, especially under the light of the full moon. However, back when he'd fought Shinichi, he'd not been able to defeat him and back then he had no access to his GIN-SHOCKER memories. Now that he fully remembered his training and was able to use his cybernetic enhancements to their fullest, he didn't need to transform to take on the monsters in the school.

Gin was growing frustrated as he tried to hit Shinichi but kept missing each time. It was just like that night months ago. Also, he was frustrated because none of the girls were cheering for him. They were all cheering for the cyborg!

"_Shinji, gambatte!"_ Shiori cheered for her son.

"Kick his ass, Shinichi!" cheered Kurumu. She had grabbed a change of clothes and was dressed as a cheerleader, causing some boys to pay more attention to her than the match.

"Stop dodging and fight!" Gin shouted. He got his wish as Shinichi ducked under a punch and buried his right fist into Gin's stomach, causing him to gasp.

"You want me to fight back?" Shinichi whispered. "Don't regret what you just said." Withdrawing his right fist, he backhanded Gin with the left, knocking him to the side. Gin got up and leapt to the side before Shinichi could land a drop kick. The cyborg turned to face his werewolf opponent and lashed out with a series of kicks that Gin was able to dodge, until Shinichi planted his foot in Gin's chest. He drove Gin back against the ropes with incredible force and the werewolf bounced back to end up being clothes-lined by Shinichi.

"God damn it, just finish the fight already!" shouted Daichi impatiently.

"What's your problem?" Yuji asked. "This is just for sport and it seems evenly paced considering his opponent is a werewolf."

"Look, I've watched Shinichi beat the crap out of things for ten years," Daichi told him. "After a while it just gets a little boring. I just have better things to do than stand around while listening to people screaming."

Shinichi was now holding Gin in a headlock and punching him in the head repeatedly. "It's been fun, sempai. But this is where things must end." He released Gin and stepped back as the werewolf rubbed his sore head.

Shinichi put one foot in front of the other and spread his arms to the side. He tapped the front foot on the canvas before running towards Gin. Gin prepared himself for Shinichi's attack and crossed his arms in front of him as Shinichi launched a kick at him. His foot connected with Gin's arms, propelling him out of the ring to land on a female spectator, his face landing between her breasts.

"HENTAI!" the girl screeched before punching him into a table of refreshments. Gin eyes swirled as drinks spilled all over him. From the look of things, he wasn't going to get up for awhile.

"Ring out!" Katsumi declared. "Shinichi Banabara is the winner!"

(**End Song**)

"Game over!" Shinichi declared. He waved as the crowd cheered at his victory. Looking below, he watched as Gin was taken on a stretcher and to the infirmary. Shinichi sighed slightly, feeling sorry for his sempai. He was a pervert, but not a total one. He walked to the ropes and stepped out to make room for the next competitors.

"Good grief that was lame," Daichi sighed. "Shinichi should have finished things quickly."

"If he did then things wouldn't have been interesting," Mizore said.

"Whatever," he said gruffly.

"You won, Shinichi-kun!" beamed Moka.

"Was there any doubt he would lose?" Kurumu asked rhetorically. Once Shinichi was put up against Gin, she knew he would win, it was a no-brainer after all. She didn't need to be a clairvoyant to see how it would end.

"I really like your new clothes, Shinichi-san," Yukari complimented.

"Thanks," said Shinichi. He didn't want to wear the black one and decided to have a green version made. Also, the trousers were loose and baggy to enable him some flexibility. "I think I should go visit Gin-sempai when he's in the infirmary."

"Why bother?" Mizore asked.

"Well, we know he's not all that bad," he said. "First impressions aside he's not such a bad guy and he did help us out against Kuyou."

"I doubt he'd want to see your face right now, Darling," Kurumu said. "You might upset him."

Shinichi thought about that and nodded, "Yeah, you got a point there."

"_Shinji, you were amazing!_" Shiori exclaimed as the projector was carried by Yuji.

Shinichi shrugged, "It wasn't that difficult a match, Kaa-chan."

"And now for our second match of the day!" Karin announced. "First up is first year student, Qiao Xang!"

Qiao climbed into the ring, and walked to her corner, and then rotated her arms, bounced up and down on the balls of her feet and then flicked her wrist. She had also changed into something suitable for the tournament. She wore a red, figure hugging combat cheongsam with gold lines decorated on the sides, fingerless black gloves, a red headband and red heels. There was a diamond cut out in front to reveal her cleavage. Needless to say, the crowd not only cheered, but some of the boys there also made whistling sounds and other lewd noises.

"Wow, nothing rises up a crowd more than a hot girl in a sexy dress," Michiru said, frowning at all the noises. Netto also looked irritated at the sounds of the inappropriate catcalls made at his girlfriend.

"Never underestimate hormonal young men," Xianglian giggled merrily.

"You mean horny, right?" Yuji asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"Same difference, dear. Same difference," Xianglian laughed off.

"How come you didn't join?" Shogo asked Netto.

"I was thinking about it, but then decided against it," Netto answered. "No big deal."

"And her opponent is the captain of the Karate Club, Haji Miyamoto!" Karin continued. As soon as she said this, a large student walked into the ring. He had short, messy and spiky blond hair with dark eyebrows and intense eyes. He also had a muscular frame brought upon by intense physical training. He wore the standard white gi with a black belt to signify his rank.

**QIAO XANG**

**VS**

**HAJI MIYAMOTO**

"Ah, I was hoping to fight Banabara-kun first," Haji said, a look of slight disappointment on his face. "Looks like I gotta knock you down first."

Qiao assumed a fighting stance, her feet spread out, and her arms up in a relaxed guard. "Don't underestimate me just because I'm a girl!"

Haji grinned and assumed his own stance, "Then I wouldn't be a martial artist if I did that."

"Hm?" Elle cocked an eyebrow, "Oh my, she's a strong one."

"How can you tell?" Misato asked.

"Look at her stance," Elle pointed. "It's well grounded and unmovable. And her aura is burning up. Even in her human form, she's very powerful. She'll be too much for the Haji boy to handle."

"I'm not surprised," Xianglian said. "Out of the two, Qiao was always the most skillful."

**"You know, now that I think about it, this is the first time we're seeing Qiao fight,"** Chiaki signed.

"Hey, you're right," Hana realized. "Looks like we get to see what she can do."

"Fighters ready?" Katsumi raised her hand and swung it down. "Begin!"

(**Insert Song: ENDLESS PLAY - By: Astronauts**)

That was all they needed as the two combatants instantly charged at each other within a blink of an eye. Once within reach, Haji reared his fist for a punch, while Qiao quickly crossed her arms. The blow connected and a shockwave erupted, blowing at everything around them. Karsumi screamed as she was nearly blown out of the arena, but managed to hold on to the ledge ropes. Dust blew around everyone else's faces and knocked down several chairs and tables.

"Oops," Haji smiled sheepishly, "Guess I over did it."

"Yeah, too bad," Qiao said. She jumped backwards and lunged, beginning her assault with a chain of kicks and punches. Haji started blocking and trading blows. Qiao slipped out of an oncoming punch and countered with a kick to Haji's ribs. The blow was reasonably powerful as the momentum caused him to skid some distance. Groaning, he rubbed his abused position before assuming a house stance.

"Uh-oh!" Qiao gulped, feeling his Youki growing.

"Not bad, but it's not over yet!" Haji grinned, his fist surging with power, **"Empty Fist Thrust!" **

Qiao quickly blurred to the right, avoiding a sudden blast of emptiness. The blow hit where she had stood seconds earlier, creating a sizable hole. She moved in for another attack, but Haji reared his fist again.

**"Empty Fist Thrust!"**

Qiao cried out as she was thrown into the air, tumbling from the hard blow. However, she managed to recover fast and landed onto the ropes, toe first, and assumed another stance that seemed to support her.

"Wow, she's good," Yokoshima complemented.

"No, not good," Bianca said, sitting next to him, "She's toying with him."

"ARGGH!" Yokoshima jumped and gawked at her. "Quit doing that! You're worse than Leon and Mizore!"

"What do you mean that Qiao-san is toying with him, Bianca-san?" Yukari asked.

"She knows she can beat him if she wanted," Bianca said, eyes on the girl. "She and Netto are students of a very powerful martial arts style, and only very few people are able to use such a style."

"You don't say?" Kiko asked.

"That's right," Yuji smirked, "And sparing with those two was always fun."

Back in the ring, Qiao and Haji circled one another, not leaving any opening for the other to take advantage of. While it seemed like a typical fight, a few could tell that both fighters were enjoying this match quite a bit.

"Nice hit," Qiao smiled at Haji. "You're a really good fighter!"

"Same to you!" Haji smiled back. "Until now, only two people were able to avoid my attacks like you did!"

"Thanks!" Qiao replied. "But I'm afraid this is where you lose."

"Huh?"

**WIZZ! POW!**

"Urg!"

It happened so quickly that no one saw what happened. Haji doubled over with a pained expression on his face. Qiao seemed to have appeared right in front of him with her fist buried into his gut. As Haji was stunned, Qiao followed with a flurry of kicks, making her legs look like mere blurs. One last kick sent him into the air, flying up over the arena. The audience looked in awe as the Karate Captain seemed to float in the air. Then by crouching low, Qiao launched herself straight up after it, the muscles in her legs easily allowing her to catch up.

**"Furinji style!"** Qiao yelled, **"Fuurinji Kouhou Yoku!"** She lifted her leg over head and stuck the other one down. She started to spin around at an incredible speed, her body appearing like a drill as she moved toward her target. She hit hard, the blow thundering in the air. Haji streaked through the air and crashed to the ground with a dull thud.

"Ring out!" Katsumi called out. "The winner of this match is Qiao Xang!"

(**End Song**)

The cheers were loud as Qiao smiled at the spectators before getting out of the ring. Netto helped her down and she hugged her boyfriend. She then saw Haji coming towards her and she put up her guard.

"That was amazing!" Haji smiled. "I so want a rematch with you next time!"

Netto let out a sigh of relief. For a moment there he thought this guy was going to get mad for losing to Qiao. Despite it being the 23rd century, guys generally didn't like losing to girls.

"Maybe we can schedule a rematch sometime after the sports festival is over," Qiao suggested as they shook hands.

"She's powerful," Shinichi said, impressed. "By the looks of things, she's as strong as Moka-sama."

"Not surprising," Yuji said. "After all, kitsunes are some of the strongest monsters around. Nine tailed kitsunes are strong enough to be considered gods, almost rivaling Supreme Manakytes."

"Really?" Shinichi asked, "I guess it's to be expected."

The next match was about to begin and Leon's name was displayed on the screen with the name of his opponent next to his. The name of his opponent was Rei Akari.

"Alright, everyone! Our third match is now next! First we have Leon Smith, the new Captain of the Public Safety Committee, aka the Student Police! And his opponent is Rei Akari, a first year student from the…Drama Club?" Everyone stared at Rei. He was dressed in a black Gakuran over a blue t-shirt and wearing matching black slacks. He had brown hair that was parted in the middle and green eyes. He also wore glasses but for this match he'd removed them, put them in a case and pocketed them inside his black school jacket.

**LEON SMITH**

**VS**

**REI AKARI**

Rei gave Leon a bow which Leon returned before getting into a boxing stance. He had his fists held up in front of his face and bouncing on the balls of his fist. Leon waited for Rei to make his move.

(**Insert Song: Hatenaki Inochi - KR Ryuki OST**)

After several short seconds Rei dashed towards Leon and raised his leg to kick him. Leon blocked with his forearm and retaliated with a forward punch only for Rei to grab hold of his wrist and twist his body around to toss Leon over his shoulder. Leon went flying but managed to flip his body backwards so his feet landed on the ropes and he bounced off them towards Rei.

Leon used a tornado kick, nearly sending Rei toppling over. Then he performed a 1-2 combo with his fists but Rei ducked under the second punch and hit Leon in the gut with his elbow, sending him staggering back.

Meanwhile, outside the ring, little Tamao was sitting on Chiaki's shoulders to get a good look and she gasped. She then pumped her fists and cheered, "Papa! You can beat him! Kick his butt!"

Leon heard this and smiled, recovering from the blow and began to bounce on his heels. Rei attacked with a combo of punches and kicks but Leon dodged them before he hit Rei in the chest with the palm strike, knocking the air out of him. He then followed up with a roundhouse kick to his side and finally he jumped and executed a crescent kick that hit Rei in the head and knocked him into the ropes.

Leon then charged at him and jumped, kicking him in the chest and sending him flipping backwards and over the ropes to land outside of the ring.

"Ring out!" Katsumi declared and she raised up Leon's arm. "Leon Smith is the winner!" Leon walked to the ropes and got out of the ring to look for his opponent. Spotting Rei limping away, he jogged after him.

(**End Song**)

"You did great," said Leon. "You're a pretty good fighter."

Rei frowned and gave a nod to Leon before he continued to limp away to get medical attention for his injuries. Leon watched him go before grunting as a projectile hit him in the chest. It was Tamao and she was smiling from ear-to-ear, wagging her tail back and forth. "You won! You won!"

Leon smiled and put his daughter down. They held hands as they walked over to their friends. "Nice job!" Yokoshima congratulated, patting his back.

"Yes, but you were holding back," added Yuji.

"I had to," said Leon. "If I had used too much power I might've kicked his head off his shoulders." That was not the type of thing he wanted his daughter to see.

* * *

><p>Several matches proceeded after Leon's. After five such matches, the next one came up with Daichi's name on the screen.<p>

"According to a note I've received, Shogo Kuso has forfeited his place to Daichi Takashima," Karin announced. "Now, Daichi Takashima's opponent will be…"

**DAICHI TAKASHIMA**

**VS**

**HARUHI KAWAKAMI**

Haruhi entered the ring wearing a Judo gi and she had long purple hair. She was somewhat tall and had deep blue eyes. Daichi had opted to wearing a black t-shirt with baggy blue slacks as his fighting clothes for this tournament. He even wore fingerless gloves and was standing barefoot in front of Haruhi.

Haruhi clapped her face and bumped her fist. Smiling at Daichi, she said, "Go easy on me."

Daichi grunted and got into a stance. "Like I would do that."

"Ready? Begin!"

(**Insert Song: Double-Action Strike Form - Den-O Trilogy OST**)

Daichi yelled as he ran towards Haruhi but once he was in range she grabbed the front of his shirt and twisted her body around to toss him over her shoulder. Daichi went flying and was almost out of the ring but he grabbed hold of the rope and tossed himself back into the ring, landing on his feet.

"Did she just…? Did you guys see…? What happened…?" Yokoshima questioned, stunned.

"Judo," Qiao stated. "It's Judo. I think Daichi's gonna be in trouble."

"**Because Judo uses the opponent's own strength against them?**" Chiaki signed.

"That's right," said Netto. "And from the way I've seen Daichi fight so far, he might not hold out long."

"Daichi's never been good against Judo," stated Michiru.

Daichi rotated his shoulders and got into a stance before charging at Haruhi. He unleashed a combo of punches which she blocked with her forearms before grabbing his wrist and pulling him straight into her knee. Her knee buried itself into his gut and his eyes widened as he gasp before she released him. He backed away and growled before charging at her only for her to lean back and grab the front of his shirt before putting her foot against his stomach and tossing him over her to land face-down on the canvas.

"That had to hurt," Misato flinched.

"Not as much as his pride," Hana noted.

"But I have to say I like this girl," approved Misato. Daichi could be such a jerk sometimes. It was a little satisfying to watch him take a beating.

Celeste and the girl with the white jacket were also watching. Seeing Daichi get thrown around like a rag doll, the white jacket girl could only shake her head in disappointment. "If this is the quality of warriors GIN-SHOCKER developed, I'm not impressed."

Daichi grunted as he picked himself up, only to find himself being hefted over Haruhi's head. Daichi's eyes widened, not expected to the girl to this strong, especially in human form. What kind of monster was she?

Haruhi made an almost primal yell as she started to swing Daichi around her. With great force, she threw him over to the ring's edge once more. Daichi managed to grab on to the ropes, with his head just several inches away from the ground.

"Daichi!" The Cricket Cyborg looked up and saw Shinichi upside-down. "She's using Judo! She's using your strength against you!"

"Judo, huh?" Daichi frowned. Using his momentum, he pulled on the ropes to throw himself back into the ring.

"Wow, back for more?" Haruhi smiled. "I like you. Other guys would have given up by now."

"Yeah? I'm not the kind to just quit," Daichi said as he put up his guard.

The girl grinned, "That just makes me like you even more."

"Then you're gonna love this," Daichi smirked. Without another word, he charge.

"What? Again?" Michru gawked. "Hasn't he learned anything?"

"Wait," Leon realized, "He's up to something."

As soon as Daichi was close enough, Haruhi quickly grabbed his sleeve. Daichi grinned, knowing that she walked into his trap. With his free hand, he took hold of the arm that had gotten hold of his sleeve. Before Haruhi could react in time, Daichi kicked at her legs, making her lose her balance, and sent her over the ropes. He ran forward and struck out with a flying kick, using the attack to keep the ropes out of her reach as Haruhi tumbled onto the ground.

Haruhi hit the ground outside the ring. As for Daichi, he managed to grab hold of the ropes and land his feet on the edge as Katsumi declared, "Ring out! Daichi Takashima is the winner!"

(**End Song**)

There was some booing, mostly from members of the Judo Club, but that was nearly silenced by the cheers Daichi got. Daichi grinned and jumped off the edge of the ring and was heading for his friends but not before he felt someone grab hold of his sleeve. He turned to see that it was Haruhi Kawakami with a blush on her face. "What?" he asked harshly. Did she want revenge?

Suddenly, she pulled him into a kiss, pressing her lips against his. This caused his eyes to go wide and everyone watching to go silent in shock.

…

"Is it just me, or is that girl sucking face with him?" Misato muttered, her face with the WTF expression.

"It's not just you," Hana replied.

Breaking the kiss, she looked him in the eye, and declared. "You are strong. I am yours." She gave him a wink and sauntered off, leaving him stunned and confused.

"What the fuck just happened?" a shocked Daichi asked no one in particular. "What...the fuck...just happened?" he repeated again, slowly this time.

"Dude, I think she's got a crush on you," Yokoshima stated.

"I think I saw some tongue action too," Shinichi noted.

"That still doesn't answer my question!" Daichi yelled. "What the fuck just happened?-!"

"I think I can explain," the three boys turned their attention to Leon. "You see, in most Youkai cultures, a display of power is often used as a courtship. Usually the male would have to show his strength to a female in order to seduce her."

"Seduce her?" Daichi blinked. "Wait... don't tell me..."

"I'm afraid so," Leon nodded. "Haruhi has chosen you as her mate."

"What!-?"

"You're engaged," Shinichi translated.

"WHAT!-?" Daichi repeated, shocked.

"Daichi's got a girlfriend~" teased Yokoshima.

"Well, at least he has better luck than you," Misato retorted.

Daichi just stood there, stunned, and frozen with the color drained from his face. "WHAT?"

"He's been turned to a broken record," observed Hana, waving her hand in his face and snapping a few times. "What do we do?"

Shinichi waved it off, "Oh, he'll be fine. He has his new girlfriend to take care of him and give him some much needed TLC."

"She's not my girlfriend!" Daichi argued loudly.

"That's not what she thinks!" Yokoshima shouted back in a teasing tone, giving Daichi a supportive pat on the back. This resulted in Daichi chasing after Yokoshima, cursing loudly, as the pillbug cyborg ran away laughing hysterically.

* * *

><p>After several more matches, it was finally Yuki's turn. Her match was the last match for the first stage of the tournament. The winners of stage one would advance to the next stage with sixteen competitors and 8 matches. The matches, again, would have random pairs for each decided by the computer.<p>

Yuki was dressed as a member of the Student Public Safety Committee and as soon as she was standing in the ring, cheers exploded from the spectators, mostly coming from members of the Student Public Safety Committee who were the loudest. She bashfully waved back at her adoring public before focusing on her opponent.

Her opponent wore no shirt and only had a pair of shorts on and boxing gloves. He also had his head shaved and he looked mean. His name was Motaro Taroyama.

**YUKI FUDO**

**VS**

**MOTARO TAROYAMA**

"FIGHT!" Katsumi declared.

(**Insert Song: Bounce Back - By: SoutherN - KR Fourze OST**)

Motaro roared as he charged at Yuki and threw a punch at her, but the female Manakyte dodged to the side and slipped behind Motaro to use a karate chop to the back of his neck, sending him stumbling into the ropes. Growling, Motaro unleashed a combo of punches but she still avoided them while countering his moves with her own.

"She's not even trying," Yuji observed.

"No, she isn't," said Bianca. "Your sister is quite skilled."

"Yeah, I almost feel sorry for that guy. But she's going easy on him so she won't bruise anything but his pride."

Bianca continued to watch. Like Yuji, Yuki was also of the Vongola Famiglia. While Yuki was not going to be the next Boss, she had her place in the organization nonetheless. According to her research, though, there was still one more sibling in Yuji Fudo's family.

Yuki ducked and used a sweep kick to knock Motaro off his feet to land on his back. Katsumi immediately began counting, "1! 2! 3! 4!" Motaro got back up, growling, glaring at Yuki hatefully.

"Dammit!" he cursed as he took off his gloves and reached into his pockets. He pulled out a handful of blue pills which made Yuki's eyes widen. He popped the pills into his mouth and swallowed them.

"G-Shock!" Shinichi realized. "Referee! He's taking performance enhancers!"

The effects of the blue pills were instantaneous as Motaro's body grew more muscular, with his eyes and veins glowing blue. Of course this also caused him to change to his true form as an extra pair of arms appeared under his previous pair, revealing him to be some kind of four-armed humanoid monster.

"Motaro Taroyama is disqualified for substance abuse and assuming your true form!" declared Katsumi only to be backhanded out of the ring. She was, however, caught in Gin's arms.

"Hey, babe," he grinned roguishly. Katsumi turned bright red despite the situation.

Karin shouted, "Someone, stop the match quickly! Stop the match!"

Yuki, however, was not going to stop fighting. If Motaro was going to get serious than so was she. She got into a martial arts stance and waited for Motaro to come at her and she was not disappointed. He threw all four fists at her and smashed them on her, only she had jumped high into the air. She landed on Motaro's shoulders, locking her legs under his chin and leaned backwards to drop him to the floor. Motaro tried to pry her loose but that only made Yuki squeeze harder as she attempted to make him submit, by force if need be. The restraining technique she was using soon paid off as Motaro pounded his hands against the canvas floor of the ring, his face turning blue as he was being choked by Yuki.

It was seconds later when he finally passed out due to lack of air and Yuki removed herself from her opponent.

(**End Song**)

Celeste and the white jacket girl, who'd been watching, whistled. Shinichi let out a loud cheer, "Yay! You did it, cuz!"

"I almost thought she was in trouble there," said Misato.

Ruby let out a sigh of relief, "Oh, goodness."

Riza was yelling out, "You da girl, Yuki!"

Katsumi climbed back into the ring and declared Yuki the winner of the match and she would advance to the next stage with the other 14 competitors. Motaro Taroyama was also carried out of the ring and would be put in a holding cell until further notice.

The white jacket girl watched the Student Public Safety Comitttee carry Motaro to the holding cell and went to follow them. Observing Shinichi wasn't the only reason she and Celeste were here. There was another reason why they had been sent to this school at this time.

They were here to tie up some loose ends.

"Time to work," she said, slowly getting up from her seat.

* * *

><p>After the incident with Motaro, Leon called Yuki and the ex-NUMBERS for an emergency meeting.<p>

"OK, now that was scary," Yokoshima admitted.

"He was taking that new drug called G-Shock," Leon frowned. The first time it had been revealed was by Chopper Rikishi and the members of his wrestling team. After visiting Dr. Magi to scan the sample, Shinichi told them that G-Shock was really a solidified version of chemicals used to prevent the NUMBERS' bodies from rejecting their cybernetic implants. Why GIN-SHOCKER was now turning the same chemicals into pills was anyone's guess. "He must've distributed them to others, and not just to that guy during the relay race."

Shinichi and Yuki had tied during the relay race earlier, but one of the competitors-a kappa-had not been happy about losing to them both. So, he swallowed some G-Shock to make himself stronger and get back at them.

"Or maybe the dealers are right under our noses," Shinichi suggested. "They don't know what that blue stuff is gonna do to them and they don't care as long as it makes them stronger."

"He only used it when desperate," Yuki frowned. "There's a possibility that other competitors have access to the drug." She asked, "Do we cancel the event?"

"We can search the rest of the competitors and charge them for possession," Leon said logically. There was no reason to cease the Sports Festival due to a few miscreants.

* * *

><p>The remainder of the competitors were searched for G-Shock. What had originally been 16 competitors had gone down to nine as five of them were found in possession of the drug. They had hid them in their lockers and gym bags. They were questioned about where they had gotten the drug and they confessed that they had gotten them from Chopper Rikishi weeks ago. The five competitors were disqualified. Among the remaining nine were Shinichi, Daichi, Qiao, Yuki and Leon.<p>

Karin reported, "Because five of our competitors have been disqualified, it seems that we now have an uneven number of competitors. Therefore..." She paused as Shogo came to her table and handed her a sheet of paper. "Oh, this is an interesting development. A new suggestion. Leon Smith had volunteered to pull out of the tournament, but he has also suggested that the winner of the tournament will have a chance to fight against him for bragging rights!"

Shinichi looked to the Shinigami. The winner would get to fight Leon? Well, that meant that Shinichi would have to fight Daichi, Yuki or Qiao next.

The computer cycled through their names and two names flashed. They weren't Daichi, Shinichi, Yuki or Qiao though. The match had not been long though and a winner was declared shortly after. The next two names to appear on the screen were Shinichi and Daichi's.

**SHINICHI BANABARA**

**VS**

**DAICHI TAKASHIMA**

"May the best man win," Shinichi said as he went to shake Daichi's hand and he accepted him.

"I am going to wipe the floor with you," Daichi grinned.

"Oh, in your dreams," Shinichi shot back.

The two climbed the steps and entered the ring, facing each other on opposing sides.

"Alright, ready?" Katsumi's eyes darted at both boys before bringing her hand down, "Go!"

(**Insert Song: Elements - KR Blade OST**)

"Hrrrah!" Daichi shouted as he shot at Shinichi and performed several swings of kicks. Shinichi found himself on the defensive as he was either blocking or dodging the blows. Shinichi counter attacked by dropping low and using a sweep kick. Daichi was knocked off balance and quickly recovered by flipping back to his feet.

Shinichi then got on his hands and started to swing his legs around like a top, the dust picking up from the speed. Daichi, not expecting the attack to be so close, brought up his arms and shielded himself from all the rapid blows. He swung his leg outward to knock Shinichi off his hands, but the latter recovered by rolling to his side and switching stances.

"Heh, not bad," Daichi smirked, dusting himself.

"You too, man," Shinichi smiled back. Back during summer vacation, Daichi wanted to kill Shinichi for killing him and the other NUMBERS a year earlier. After taking a closer look at the personality of BLACK 13, or Kuro as he prefers to be called now, then and him now, he decided that Shinichi was really just an alternate personally, and he turned out to be right about that. Things only became weirder when Kuro told them that he never wanted to kill him and the other NUMBERS in the first place, and that he was being controlled by Gebok to do it. It wasn't the answer he was expecting, but then again he never liked Gebok from the beginning.

"They're really going at it, aren't they?" Ruby said, watching the boys continued fighting.

"They have a lot of history between them, Ruby," said Misato.

"But that was #13-I mean Kuro, not Shinichi," Michiru argued.

"And Shinichi inherited #13's abilities and fighting skills," Hana remarked.

Shinichi shot a punch at Daichi but the Cricket Rider caught his opponent's wrist and twisted his arm around to lock it behind Shinichi's back. Shinichi grunted and struggled to free himself but Daichi had a tight grip on him. However, Shinichi grabbed hold the back of Daichi's head and gripped his hair before bending his body forward to toss Daichi off his body. Spinning through the air, Daichi's feet landed on the ropes and he bounced off them to hit Shinichi in the face with a kick, sending him flying into the ropes and bouncing off to hit Daichi's clothesline.

"No, Shinichi-kun!" Moka cried.

"Shin-chan, what are you doing!" Reiri shouted in outrage.

Hime frowned, arms crossed, "Shinji-kun, I named you my servant. Don't disappoint me."

Shinichi wiped some blood off his lip and got back up. He pounded his knuckles together. "OK, that was a good move."

"After years of getting my butt whooped by you, I've been practicing a lot just for this occasion," Daichi smirked.

"Well, I think it's paid off," Shinichi smiled back. "Of course, only one of us is going to win this match."

"We'll see!"

Daichi and Shinichi dashed at each other and threw punches at the same time. Their fists connected to their faces in a violent cross-counter.

"Wow! A cross counter!" Yokoshima let out, munching on some popcorn.

"Where did you get that?" Kurumu asked.

"Bought some earlier just for this occasion," said Yokoshima as he held the bag to her. "Want some?"

Daichi went for an elbow strike to Shinichi head but Daichi ducked and did a sweep kick to knock Daichi off his feet. Daichi managed to catch himself on one hand and twisted around to land a hit on Shinichi's left knee, causing him to buckle but he regained his balance and brought down an axe kick that Daichi rolled away from. Daichi then jumped and executed a bicycle kick that sent Shinichi staggering only for Shinichi to catch his ankle and slam him back to the floor. Shinichi climbed on the ropes and stood up before jumping down to land his butt on Daichi who grunted as his eyes went wide since Shinichi was had landed on his stomach.

"Hah, I got you pinned!" Shinichi said triumphantly as he had Daichi's wrists pinned down. "Say uncle!"

Yukari stared with a red face. Shinichi was straddling Daichi and had his wrists pinned down. "Wow...BL! EXTREME BL!" Almost everyone in the audience heard her outburst. The boys began laughing out loud and the girls passed out with heavy nosebleeds. Her parents stared at her in wonder and worry.

"Dude, is that kid really twelve, or is there something I missed?" Riza asked with wide eyes and blood dripping down her nose.

"No, she does this all the time," Ruby answered, her own nose gushing out.

Shinichi, also having heard this, blinked and examined his position. He was straddling Daichi and had his wrists pinned down. His twin ahoge straightened as he realized what this looked like. Panicking, Shinichi scrambled away in shock. "Sorry!"

Daichi cocked an eyebrow and groaned as he stood back up. Obviously, he didn't know what BL stood for. He was going to keep it that way.

"OK, I'm gonna have to finish this match right now," Shinichi muttered to himself.

"Gotta end this, gotta win this," Daichi said to himself.

The two climbed onto the ropes opposite each other before launching into the air. The two struck at each other with kicks at the same time.

**BAM!**

(**End Song**)

* * *

><p>"I hope I didn't hurt him too badly," Shinichi frowned.<p>

"Don't worry. He'll be fine in the infirmary," said Moka, patting his arm. "He's probably going to need an eye-patch after tonight, though."

"But you won!" Kurumu cheered, hugging him. She then whispered sultrily, "And I think you deserve a reward." She was rubbing her thigh against his leg before she was flash frozen.

"He needs rest," said Mizore as she held up a cold bottle of water to Shinichi. "Here, chilled for you."

"Thanks, Mizore-chan," said Shinichi. He looked to Yukari who stared at him with sparkling eyes. "Yukari-chan?"

Yuji carried the 3D holo-projector over as Shiori's image wore a huge smile, _"Shinji, you were great out there. You're going to make it into the finals."_

"Yeah," Yuji agreed, giving Shinichi a thumbs up.

"But I might end up facing Yuki or Qiao," frowned Shinichi.

"Well, Yuki's my sister and your cousin," Yuji said. "So, I'm kinda torn about who to cheer for."

"Just cheer for the both of them," Michiru suggested cheerfully.

"Myah!" Mia agreed as she sat atop her owner's head.

**QIAO XANG**

**VS**

**YUKI FUDO**

Qiao and Yuki were up next to face each other as their names appeared on the computer randomizer. "So, let's see how you far against me this time," Yuki smiled at Qiao.

"Just don't grope me if you pin me down," Qiao warned, waving her finger.

"Hm, not making any promises," Yuki grinned, flashing her fangs. Although, Qiao soon noticed something was off. She seemed flushed and her face was beaded with sweat. Even her eyes were half-lidded.

"Hey, are you OK?" she asked.

"I'm fine," Yuki said as she headed towards the ring, but she seemed to be a little wobbly. Qiao looked unconvinced, but went to her side of ring, Shinichi looked on with worry as did Yuji.

"Something's wrong with her," Shinichi said to Yuji.

Yuji went towards Yuki before he stopped her from climbing into the ring. "Yuki, if you're not feeling well, you should sit this one out."

"I'm fine, Onii-sama," Yuki smiled at her brother before kissing his cheek. "Thanks for worrying."

Qiao was getting words of encouragement from Netto and her mother. While limited due to the rules, she was still a fierce competitor. This, however, was still Yuki Fudo and she needed to be on her guard.

Facing each other, Katsumi stood between both Yuki and Qiao. Qiao looked ready but Yuki's breath seemed labored. "Fighters ready?" she asked, receiving nods from both. "Fight!"

Qiao went for a straight frontal assault as she threw her fist at Yuki but the Ice Manakyte ducked from the attack as Qiao's fist sailed over her. However, Yuki had not truly ducked.

**THUD!**

She had fallen face first onto the canvas floor, collapsed in a dead faint. Qiao's eyes widened in shock, "Yuki-chan?"

"SHIT! YUKI!" Yuji cried as he jumped into the ring and rushed to his sister's side. "Yuki...! Yuki!" Yuki's breathing was deep and labored, her face flushed and covered in sweat.

Michiru and Shinichi jumped in as well, worried over the girl. Michiru placed her hand against Yuki's throat. Aside from being an assassin, she was also trained as the medic of the NUMBERS. She gasped as she came up with the conclusion, "She's suffering from heatstroke!"

"Heatstroke?" Shinichi questioned. "How is that even possible?"

"We need to get her to the infirmary!" Michiru shouted to Shogo, "Shogo, make a path!"

Shogo spoke into a megaphone, "Clear the way, people! Clear the way!" They needed a straight path for Yuki.

Yuji hoisted Yuki into his arms, carrying her as they left the ring. "You're gonna be OK," he whispered to his sister.

"Hyuuu..." Yuki uttered weakly as she felt the heat inside her rise gradually. Yuji carried her towards the infirmary with Shinichi and Michiru following close behind. Misato looked to the others and they nodded, leaving their seats to catch up.

Karin, dumbfounded, spoke, "Um...it would appear that Yuki Fudo is unable to fight, so it appears that Qian Xang is the-"

"HOLD IT!" Qiao shouted through the megaphone she'd grabbed out of Shogo's hand. "I WON'T ACCEPT A CHEAP WIN!"

"Wha-what?" Karin gaped.

"I WON'T ACCEPT THIS WIN! YOU CAN GO ON WITH THE NEXT MATCH BUT I WILL NOT ACCEPT THIS! I TRAINED MYSELF TO FIGHT SOMEONE AND I WANT TO FIGHT SOMEONE HONORABLY! I WON'T ACCEPT THIS WIN!" Qiao shouted.

Netto smiled, "Honorable as always."

"Uh..." Karin wasn't sure what to do but Leon took her microphone and spoke into it.

"We will proceed to the next match, but this match will be marked as unresolved until Qiao Xang gets to fight an opponent," said Leon. He was basically postponing Qiao's match until further notice. He left and went to follow the others to the infirmary.

"Oh my..." Aphrodite gasped as she started coughing, alarming Tamao.

"What's wrong, Mama?" the Kit asked worriedly.

She rolled up her right sleeve to see that her mark was glowing, but blinking as if fading on and off. "It's as I feared," Aphrodite frowned. "Come, sweetie. We need to go to Sister Yuki and the others." She carried the girl as she too left the bleachers and proceeded to the infirmary.

* * *

><p><strong>The Infirmary<strong>

Yuki was lying in bed with a plastic bag filled with an ice pack put over her forehead to keep her cool. It didn't seem to be working and the ice pack started melting.

"How are you feeling?" Yuji asked.

"Hot..." Yuki replied weakly as she moaned in discomfort.

"What the heck happened?" Shinichi asked. "The weather outside is like...room temperature. "Yuki shouldn't get a heat stroke from that, right?"

"Whatever is happening, Yuki-chan's condition is getting worse," Michiru frowned. She looked up to see Hana and the others come in.

"How is she?" Misato asked.

"Getting worse," Yuji frowned.

"Oh, this is terrible," Ruby despaired.

"Do you know what could be happening to her?" Hana asked.

"She was fine since the day she came here," Leon answered as he walked in. He walked over to Yuki's bed, joining the others. "Did anything happen to get you sick like this?"

"No, Captain..." Yuki denied. "I've been well since the beginning..."

"Well, she's not well now," Riza retorted. "Something she ate?"

"Actually, I may know what is happening to Sister Yuki," Aphrodite spoke up, gathering everyone's attention.

"What do you mean, Aphrodite?" Leon asked.

"She has reached her crossroads, as have I," she answered cryptically.

"Crossroads..." Yuji's eyes widened, "You mean...!"

Aphrodite revealed her own mark that showed a fading glow, "It is time for the Transcendence."

"Shit, I should've known," Yuji frowned.

"Transcendence?" Shinichi echoed. "What's that?"

"It's a point for an adolescent Manakyte where they must make a choice," Aphrodite explained, "Evolve or become human. There are no exceptions."

"Aphrodite, what do you mean by 'evolve'?" Leon asked.

"When a Manakyte Transcends, our power grows and we gain a new form that we can change into for battle," said Aphrodite. "Of course it's a choice and a Manakyte can even become a human at this stage. Right now, Yuki is standing at a crossroads. She can either choose to Transcend, becoming stronger and more powerful than she already is, or become a normal human."

"Just like with what happened to me," Yuji recalled.

"Yes, I sensed it from the moment I saw you, Brother Yuji," Aphrodite acknowledged. "You have become at least ten times stronger than last we met. Now it is our turn."

"I...don't want to be normal," Yuki murmured. "I want to keep my power..."

"Then allow me to help you, Sister Yuki," Aphrodite smiled, "For I know the process of this ritual!"

Yuji could feel that his sister was in good hands. "You can help her, right? I know what to do, but since you're going through this too..."

Aphrodite nodded, "My mother instructed me on what to do. All that's left is Sister Yuki's decision."

"I...accept," Yuki nodded weakly. She tried to get out of bed when Leon helped her out and supported her by his shoulder. "Captain..."

"I'd like to help you as well, if you'll allow it," Leon offered.

Her present blush seemed to deepen as she looked down, whispering an "OK..." before Leon helped her out of the infirmary.

"And Yuki," Yuji called, "Fair warning; it's gonna hurt like a bitch at first."

"Thank you..." she nodded before she and Leon left.

"You have nothing to worry about," Aphrodite promised, "Since you've done the ritual before, you know what she needs to do."

"Just take care of her," Yuji nodded. Aphrodite gave a bow before leaving to catch up with the others. "Shit, I should've noticed," he admonished.

Shinichi put his hand on Yuji's shoulder as a sign of comfort, "She wasn't showing any indication before so you couldn't have known. Don't blame yourself. The fact that you're trying to help now just proves that you're a good brother."

"Unlike _him_..." Yuji muttered.

"You know it's a cycle of life for your kind, Yuji," Hana reminded. "Just relax and have faith. I'm sure Aphrodite knows what to do since she showed knowledge in what's going on."

"Yeah, Yuki-chan's gonna be just fine!" Michiru assured.

"If she's your sister, then I doubt she'll have any problems," Riza grinned.

"That just leaves one question," Misato spoke up, "What's gonna happen with the match?"

"I'll fight for my sister," Yuji declared.

"You're not a student," argued Shinichi.

"Like I give a fuck," Yuji dismissed, "This just got personal for me, and I'm gonna help my sister. She wanted to fight but the ritual got in the way. I owe it to Yuki to represent her and fight for her honor. I can't use my own powers, but I can still fuck up some opponents before somebody gets lucky and takes me out. I've been itching for a fight anyways," he emphasized by cracking his knuckles.

* * *

><p>Shogo went and handed Karin a sheet of paper. She read the contents and was perplexed. "Are you sure?"<p>

"Captain's orders," said Shogo.

Karin spoke into the microphone, "Well, it would appear that Yuki Fudo is unable to fight in her match." There were cries of outrage in response. "B-b-but! There's a substitution. It would appear that Yuji Fudo, her brother, will be taking her place in her match. I know that this tournament is exclusive for students, but the Captain of the Student Police and also members of the Sports Festival have allowed it. So..." The computer screened flashed with the following:

**YUJI FUDO **

**VS **

**QIAO XANG.**

Yuji came walking down a clear aisle, approaching the ring as he tossed his bag into a corner before climbing into the ring. He had changed clothes, holding onto none of his valuables, wearing a form-fitting black sweat shirt and pants. He kept his hair covered with a black bandanna too, as well as black sneakers. Qiao was leaning against the ropes opposite him. She smiled, "Guess this won't be a cheap win after all." She then blinked when he tossed her a pair of white, thin-padded gloves and looked at him.

"We're not trying to kill each other right?" he asked as he was focused, slipping on his own pair of black, thin-padded gloves. He then slipped a mouth piece into his mouth, stretching his limbs, popping his neck and making a few warm-up punches. Qiao accepted and slipped on her gloves as well, conforming to Yuji's terms since she didn't wanna hurt him either.

"Boxing," Hana murmured.

"Didn't he box when we were sparring before?" Michiru asked.

"I heard from Crow-san that he taught Yuji how to box," Ruby added.

"He looks a bit serious," Riza frowned, "There's nothing at stake in this fight though."

"He just saw his sister collapse and has to get her powers back," Misato reminded. "It's natural that he's irritated right now.

Michiru pouted and stood up, cupping her hands around her mouth as she called out, "YU-KUN! JUST SMILE!" Yuji looked back to her, looking at her quizzically. "NOTHING BAD IS GONNA HAPPEN, SO JUST SMILE AND HAVE FUN, OK?"

"Myah! Myah!" Mia meowed as she raised her front paws up as well, smiling.

'_Smile...'_ Yuji thought as he looked back at Qiao who was smiling as she waited. He too started to smile and he waved at the girls while Michiru waved back. He started shuffling his feet, moving to unheard music as his footwork started to synchronize to a rhythm as he approached the center of the ring. He stuck his fists out and she did the same as they pounded fists and took their own stances, Qiao using her own discipline while Yuji's lower body was dancing in place to his personal rhythm.

**Music - "BABEL NOSE ~Jam's Theme~" by Daisuke Ishiwatari, Koichi Seiyama, and Tohru**

"Are you ready?" Yuji asked.

"Are you?" Qiao smiled.

"Are you both ready?" Katsumi asked the Fighters. They both nodded, "Begin!"

Yuji was the first to strike, throwing a right hook that Qiao stepped back from as he spun in pursuit and launched a left back hand. Qiao blocked each of the blows with her forearms before managing to push her arm against his chest to throw him off. She then countered with some swift kicks to his sides and his legs. The boxing Fudo took the hits, dipping into the right and fed a right hook into Qiao's side, the Kitsune retaliating with her own hook into Yuji as they gave each other a left straight into their respective stomachs, forcing them apart as they backed off. Yuji regained himself, shuffling his feet again and dancing from side to side as he waited for Qiao. Qiao shook off the shock of the blow quickly and got back into her stance. She rushed forward with a flying kick, forcing Yuji to swerve away from the attack. She landed behind him and sent out thrusts of quick jabs at the Manakyte. His speed proved impressive as he blocked every fist thrown at him and then shocked everyone when he did a front flip and almost brought down an axe kick on Qiao as she side stepped, with Yuji dropping down low and tripping her with a spinning low kick as she fell on the canvas.

"Did you see that?"

"This guy is fast!"

"He's Fudo's brother, right?"

"Whoa, dude must've done some serious training!"

"So he can fight without his powers," Bianca smirked, "And here I thought he wouldn't stand a chance. He's trapping Qiao into his rhythm, since she's adept more to traditional martial arts."

"I didn't know he could box," Netto uttered. "We used to spar all the time and he never used any boxing moves. I guess he wanted to surprise us."

"Look at Yu-kun go!" Michiru cheered.

"He moves a lot differently compared to when he's Liger," Riza commented.

"From what I've seen, Yuji's fighting style as Liger is more mixed, wild and random according to each form he uses, as well as his fire techniques. Here, his movements show signs of discipline," Xianglian said.

Qiao sprung to her feet and faced Yuji again, cocking an eyebrow as she did. "I never knew you could box,"she said.

"It's more of a family sport," he explained. "My Uncles Jack and Crow taught it to me."

"How about that," Qiao commented. She kicked up her leg and gave it a few stretches, "I'll have to find a way to break through it."

"Good luck," he challenged as he started flipping and kicking, with Qiao evading each strike. He started spinning too, his kicks aiming low, mid and high as more of them caught Qiao on her midsection more consistently. Qiao managed to catch one of Yuji's legs under her arm before tossing it back, sending Yuji flipping in midair before landing on the mat. Qiao put up her fists and slowly approached, jerking forward sightly several times, faking Yuji out. Finally, she rushed in on him, her feet swerving about a she did, and sent in a storm of kicks at Yuji. Yuji then spun on his back, as if break-dancing and made Qiao back out to avoid a kick that almost caught her in the face as he got back on his feet as they stared off, the crowd of students cheering and whistling.

"Go, Fudo!"

"You may not go to school here, but you're pretty awesome!"

"Fudo-san! You're so cool!"

"Kakouii, Fudo-san!"

Cheers like this and others erupted as they cheered on Yuki's brother who seemingly came out of nowhere. Of course, Qiao wasn't without her own fans.

"Xang-chan! Fight on!"

"You can do it!"

"Show this newbie how we do it in Youkai Academy, Xang-chan!"

"Wow..." Kurumu admired. "Everyone is getting heated up by this."

"**Can you blame them?"** Chiaki signed. "**This is very intense**."

"I'm gonna need to open another bag of popcorn just for this," said Yokoshima.

"Is food all you think about?" Riza asked.

"You just answered your own question," Misato told her.

"Shinichi-kun, you've been awfully quiet," Moka said.

"Oh, sorry," he apologized. He'd just been keeping his eyes on the match.

Moka felt a tug on her hand and looked down at Tamao. Leon had entrusted her with looking after Tamao. "Is Papa coming back?"

"Oh, he'll be coming back," Moka promised.

"He just needs to help a friend," added Shinichi, reassuring the little kitsune.

"I miss him," Tamao pouted.

"Trust me, he'll be back and you'll be seeing him in action," Shinichi promised. He had been surprised when Leon had appeared with Tamao, claiming the little girl as his daughter. It seemed to be a bit much for a teenager but considering how responsible Leon was, he was sure that Leon was able to take care of the little girl. Besides, she was already attached to Leon, and Leon was also quite attached to her.

Meanwhile, among the spectators stood Kobe-sensei who was holding his tablet PC up towards the ring. The back of the tablet had a camera lens and he was recording every moment of the match. In fact, he'd been recording from the very beginning of the tournament. Maybe he just wanted to record it for posterity.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Kobe-sensei?" Nekonome-sensei said.

"Yes," smiled Kobe-sensei. "I'm just happy that the students are giving it their all during the Sports Festival."

"Well, they have been waiting for a chance to show off," smiled Nekonome-sensei.

"Yes, and I'm getting such wonderful footage," smirked Kobe-sensei. "I can't wait to _review _this over and over."

Now Yuji found himself at the defensive as he twisted and blocked his way from Qiao's blows. But Qiao also performed several fake-outs, keeping Yuji guessing with what she was going to do next. Without warning, she swiped him at his thighs, causing him to kneel from the blow. Quickly, he got back up, and threw several swift jabs before she swung her leg at his other thigh. He was sent on his knees again and this time she knocked him on his back before he could recover.

"Giving up, Yuji?" Qiao taunted, "That's not like you! Come on, give me something I can look forward to!"

Yuji rolled backwards, landing in a crouching position as he spat out his mouth guard and was panting. His muscles burned and joints were straining. He couldn't last for long and he needed to finish this fight. _'I can't last much longer...'_ he thought to himself, _'It's time I finished this, but I have to make sure not to hurt Qiao too badly...' _Yuji rose to his feet, taking a deep breath and exhaling as the look in his eyes changed, blazing with a fire that has been rarely seen.

Qiao saw the look in his eyes and smiled, "So, you wanna finish this. Alright then, but I'll tell you now that it won't end the way you think."

"We'll see," Yuji challenged as he charged right at Qiao. "Hope you didn't eat a lot!"

"Try not to spit out flames after I'm done!" she grinned as she met his charge with her own.

"They're gonna finish it!" Shinichi cried.

"What will happen?" Bianca muttered to herself as she watched.

"YUJI!" Misato and the others called out.

"QIAO! BE CAREFUL!" Xianglian, Netto, Kiko, and Elle warned.

The warning came too late as both fighters threw their punches. However, the audience, as well as Qiao, gawked with dropped jaws as her punch went through Yuji as he faded from sight.

"What was that?-!" Yokoshima gaped.

"You're asking me?-! I've never even seen that before!" Daichi cried.

Shinichi's eyes widened when he finally spotted Yuji. "There!"

Stumbling a bit forward, Qiao heard Shinichi and tried to turn as she spotted the Fire Manakyte. _'He got behind me...?-!'_

Yuji roared as he came in with a left hook that caught Qiao right in her left lower back, delivering a sharp pain that she felt in her kidney. But she wasn't deterred as she used her momentum to spin counter-clockwise and swing her right leg to take Yuji's head...only for him to disappear again.

"Not again...!" she cried in frustration when he appeared over her. "Damn...!"

"Corkscrew..." Yuji started as he raised his right fist, "FANG!" he finished as he delivered a powerful corkscrew punch downward that caught Qiao in the stomach perfectly, stopping the two in the middle of the ring. He'd made sure to hold back and not leave any lasting damage, but put enough strength into his punch to hopefully take Qiao out of the fight. "Haa...haa... You give...?" he panted.

"Ha... Fine," Qiao panted, "You beat me...for now."

"Qiao Xang is unable to continue fighting!" Katsumi announced, "Yuji Fudo has won the match!"

**End Song**

Cheers erupted and tears were shed from the respective fans in the audience as Yuji helped Qiao up, the two staggering out of the ring.

"**That was intense,"** Chiaki signed.

"I'll say," Shinichi agreed. "I had no idea Yuji could move that fast."

"Hey, how old is he anyway?" Daichi asked.

"...Don't remember," Shinichi frowned.

"He and Yuki will be 21 next summer," Hana answered.

"THEY'RE ADULTS?-!" Yokoshima and Daichi chorused, with even Chiaki being surprised.

"That's not even the best part," Bianca smirked. "Once they reach their prime, a Manakyte's body stops aging; essentially possessing eternal youth for the rest of their days as time no longer holds any grasp on them. That's how his great-grandmother is still looking good despite her age."

"Is there anything they can't do?" Yokoshima asked.

"Depends on the individual, I guess," she shrugged, "They're not perfect after all, but they're pretty close to it."

Over with the faculty, Kobe-sensei had heard what Bianca said and the information he received earned him a subtle smirk. "Eternal Youth, eh? My, how useful that sounds..."

* * *

><p><strong>SHOWA+VAMPIRE: MONSTER FILES<strong>

"Hello, SV fans and welcome to another new segment we'd like to call the 'Monster Files'! I'm your host, Riza Wildman!"

"And I'm Misato Kurushina."

"Now, you might think we'll be giving you a review of the monsters that have appeared in this fanfic, and you're right, but we're not going to talk about the supernatural ones that attend Youkai Academy." Riza wagged her finger. "This segment is exclusively for the monsters that come from GIN-SHOCKER! So...let's roll!"

The screen behind both girls showed combat footage of Shinichi fighting various GS Cyborg Mutants. "And so we begin with GIN-SHOCKER's Cyborg Mutants," began Riza. "Misato, would you like to have the honors?"

"Sure, Riza," Misato smiled. "OK, to make a long story short, Cyborg Mutants make up a large fraction of GIN-SHOCKER's army. Unlike the normal, faceless grunts they have, Cyborg Mutants are more powerful with each of them possessing different abilities." A picture of Bat-Borg appeared on the screen. "As you can see, Cyborg Mutants generally possess a humanoid form which is a cross between a human and an animal. In this case right here, you see a bat/human hybrid. That is due to GIN-SHOCKER's mutation process which they use to mutate the subjects...which are not always willing. Anyway, genetically altering their subjects only make up half of the process. The second half of the process involves the subjects being weaponized and made into cyborgs."

"So, they were cybernetically augmented AND genetically altered?" Riza asked.

"It's the standard procedure for all Cyborg Mutants," Misato nodded.

"Well, that's all the time we have here today. Next time, we're gonna do a review on another type of monster, the Cyborg Youkai!" said Riza. She asked Misato, "By the way, didn't that series 'Karas' have Cyborg Youkai too? Mikura, right? Why didn't the writers use that name?"

Misato shrugged.

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER BUSHIDO: <strong> And here ends the first part of the tournament! Things are getting heated up as more matches are on the way! Stay tuned for more!

**KAMEN RIDER CHROME:** And that's the close to the first part of the tournament, but the action doesn't stop right there. There's more to come, so fasten your seat belts and be ready for it on the next exciting chapter of SHOWA+VAMPIRE!


	46. Sports Fest: The Knockout

"**The heavens call…The earth cries out…The crowd roars…All calling on me to strike back against evil. Now listen up, villains! I am the champion of justice: Kamen Rider Stronger!"**

**IN MEMORY OF SHIGERU ARAKI**

**(February 9th 1949-April 14th 2012)**

**Chapter 46: The Knockout**

Karin read a note and cocked an eyebrow. She spoke into the microphone and said, "It would appear that two of our competitors, Domon Domonji and Takato Takumiya, have dropped out of the tournament for reasons unknown!"

"WUSSES!"

"CHICKENS!"

"Now, don't get angry, everyone! This will only mean that the final match has been decided!"

The large screen displayed the two names as followed.

**SHINICHI BANABARA**

**VS**

**YUJI FUDO**

"Well, this is it fight fans!" the anti-vampire spoke enthusiastically. "Shinichi Banabara VS Yuji Fudo! Now, before we begin the match allow me to tell you a bit about our two fighters. First we have Shinichi Banabara, a first year student of Youkai Academy! He originally went by Shinichi Sanban but changed his surname due to unspecified reasons. Banabara-san is responsible for defeating the previous Captain of the Student Police and is also known to have fought several other students in the past and defeating them. He's risen out of anonymity and gained notoriety in this school in a short time. He even has his own fanclub."

"GO, SHINICHI-SAMA!" the Kamen Rider Fanclub cheered much to Shinichi's embarrassment as he covered his face.

"Woah! He has a fanclub too?" Michiru gawked. "I thought he was joking!"

"Same thing I said," Daichi commented.

"Next we have Yuji Fudo, brother of Yuki Fudo who is standing in for her. Now, not much is known about him but he's shown how capable a fighter he is when he went up against Qiao Xang! So, I wonder how well he will do going up against Banabara-san," said Karin. "Well, we're about to see."

Shinichi stood outside the ring sandwiched by two women, only they weren't any of his lovers.

"Good luck in there, son-in-law," purred Ageha.

"Don't you mean my son-in-law?" smirked Tsurara.

The two women glared daggers at each other, lightning crackling from their eyes.

"Um, excuse me, could you please let me go?" requested Shinichi politely.

"Mother, please release him," said Mizore.

"Mom, come on, let him go!" Kurumu pleaded. It was just so embarrassing.

Shinichi didn't really mind, to be honest, but he really needed to be in the ring.

At the same time, something else was happening.

"OK, everyone! Place your bets! Place your bets!" Yokoshima called as he stood next to a big blackboard with Shinichi and Yuji's names in columns. "Who do you think will win? Shinichi or Yuji? Place your bets!"

"What are you doing?" Shogo asked.

"Oh, earning extra money," said Yokoshima. "Wanna put some money into the pot?"

"Gambling is prohibited on school grounds," Shogo stated. He blew the whistle, with fellow members of the Student Public Safety Committee appearing before Yokoshima in an instant and confiscated everything.

"Shogo!" Yokoshima whined

"Serves you right. Now, return everyone's money," Shogo ordered before marching away.

"What was that about?" Moka asked as she watched the spectacle.

"Just Yokoshima being Yokoshima," said Misato. "Now, I know you're rooting for Shinichi, but I just have to warn you that Yuji's not gonna be easy to beat. Found that out when we tried to kill him."

"Shinichi-kun's strong too," Moka insisted.

"We all know how strong they both are," Hana nodded. "However, the previous changes Yuji has gone through might affect him in this fight. For all we know, he's gotten stronger since you left the human world."

"And Yu-kun always gives it his all!" Michiru added.

"So does Shinichi-san!" said Yukari hotly.

Shinichi climbed into the ring and faced his opponent, his cousin and friend. Never in his life did he ever imagine he would be meeting him in the ring like this. At least it wasn't a fight to the death. Now that would be painful and torturous, both emotionally and physically.

"You ready for this?" Shinichi asked.

Yuji was digging in his bag before strapping on black and white TapouT gloves, pounding his fists together. "Born ready for anything," he replied

Katsumi, the referee, looked at both of them. "Fighters, are you ready? FIGHT!" She threw her arm down and scrambled away before fists went flying.

**MUSIC-SHOOTING STAR (KAMEN RIDER METEOR THEME)**

Shinichi didn't waste time and started with a right hook aimed for Yuji's face. The Manakyte blocked with his forearm, throwing a right straight into Shinichi's chest in retaliation. Shinichi caught the punch but the force of it pushed Shinichi back, his feet sliding along the ring's floor before he was stopped by the ropes.

Shinichi dashed towards Yuji and jumped to perform a tornado kick. Yuji ducked and the kick sailed over his head but Shinichi dropped his body down low to perform a sweep kick to knock Yuji's legs out from under him. Yuji leapt over that as well but Shinichi already knew this would happen so he stood on one hand and performed a split before spinning his body and legs around. His legs connected to Yuji and sent him crashing to the floor before Shinichi flipped back to his feet. Yuji rolled backwards, getting on his feet and dashed ahead to throw a punch before vanishing.

'_That move again...'_ Shinichi recalled, stunned as he felt a dual chop to the shoulders from behind by Yuji.

"It's that trick again," Qiao said. She had recovered from her fight and was seated next to Netto.

"How the heck is he doing that?" Yokoshima asked.

"I remember!" Bianca stood up with a shout.

"Remember what?" Michiru blinked.

"That technique produces a high-speed after image with a feint as the trigger," Bianca explained. "This allows the user to fool the target into defending in one place while the user attacks another, leaving all other areas open. This technique...is called the Devil's Ghost."

"Devil's Ghost?" Shogo blinked.

"Scary," Yokoshima gulped.

"Where did he learn it?" Hana asked.

"There's only one person he could have learned such a skill," Bianca realized. "The creator of the Devil's Ghost: Yusei Fudo, the Six-Horned Devil."

"Yusei-san taught him that?" Ruby gasped.

"Didn't Yuji mention his dad being an assassin once?" Riza asked.

"Exactly," Bianca nodded, "It was during this time that Yusei was part of Team Satisfaction and he, along with his friends, ruled the Satellite for a while. Katsu kept his eyes on his grandson and his family and didn't want to interfere with their lives."

Shinichi recovered as he got back to his feet with his eyes closed. Suddenly, they snapped open and his irises turned blood red. Then, red grid lines appeared on his eyes, glowing brightly as he scanned Yuji. Jumping up, he sent Yuji sprawling with a dropkick to the chest. As Yuji recovered, Shinichi adopted a stance like those practiced by Shaolin Monks.

"What the hell?" Yuji blinked.

Shinichi began stumbling about, as if dizzy as he held his arms out in front of him with his hands looking like they were holding invisible cups. His eyes were half-lidded as he approached Yuji, staggering with each step. Suddenly, Shinichi shot his right arm out at Yuji but it was a feint as Shinichi spun on his heel and elbowed Yuji in the side.

"Is that...drunken boxing?" Moka blinked.

Shinichi was performing a drunken dance as he faced Yuji, grinning like an idiot. Yuji threw a straight punch but Shinichi bent backwards and kicked Yuji's arm up before springing forward to head-butt Yuji in the chest. Yuji went staggering from the force of the blow.

"I'm guessing Yuji has never faced someone who can use drunken boxing," Kurumu said to Bianca.

The holo-projector, which was projecting Shiori's image, was being held in Kurumu's hands and Shinichi's mother spoke, _"Where did he learn that style?"_

"I think I know," Bianca simply said.

Nobody answered, but those who knew Shinichi's history knew how. He'd been trained, conditioned, and programmed how to fight so it went without saying that the style had been programmed into his brain. In fact, it wouldn't be too much of a surprise if every known fighting style on Earth was programmed into his brain.

"Didn't know he could do that," Yuji muttered.

'_He is owning you,'_ Abyss spoke in his mind, _'Show him the true power of drunken boxing!'_

"Are you stupid?" Yuji asked the wind, "I've never done that before!"

"He's talking to himself," Yokoshima observed.

"We noticed," Daichi nodded before looking back to the girls. "You three sure know how to pick'em."

"It must be Abyss," Hana stated.

"Who?" Daichi blinked.

"He's Yu-kun's super-powered dark side, like Kuro-kun to Shinichi-kun and Moka-sama to Moka-chan," Michiru explained.

"Great," he muttered, "Another schizophrenic maniac. As if two weren't bad enough already."

Yuji reached into an inside pocket in his jacket, fishing around. "Hey, what are you doing?" he asked as he had no control over his hand.

'_Good thing I am prepared for such an occasion,'_ Abyss said as he had control of Yuji's hands. Yuji had pulled out a small, corked bottle.

"What is that?" Yuji gulped.

'_Our key to victory,'_ Abyss answered as he had Yuji open the bottle and poured the drink down his throat while Yuji was struggling to gain control. Yuji was force-drinking the liquid, gulping it down as he regained control of his hands and dropped the bottle. _'And now it begins...'_

"Fuck, man...!" Yuji gasped he started stumbling, a bright glow tinting his face as he too started staggering and spinning as he tried to regain his footing. "The...fuck?" He looked out and saw the girls, smiling to himself as he approached the ropes and slumped on the top, waving and smiling, "Hi, girls~! I love you all~!"

"Oh, Yuji-san..." Ruby blushed.

"OK, what's going on?" Riza blinked

"Oh no," Hana paled, even more than her already-pale skin. "He's drunk again..."

"You mean Yuji was packing and he didn't bother to share any?" Misato asked before standing up and shouting at Yuji. "I'm gonna get you for that one, Yuji!"

"Aw, you mad, baby~?" Yuji slurred before laughing. "You're so hot when you're angry...!" He blinked as he saw his hand moving in waves, "Oh, that is so~cool...!"

"Um, are you alright?" Katsumi asked.

"Huh?" Yuji turned to Katsumi.

"Are...are you drunk?"

Yuji grinned and pointed, "Maybe your face is drunk! HA! I'm sorry, what were we talking about again?" he asked.

"There is a fight going on," she reminded with a frown.

Yuji blinked before looking at Shinichi and beaming, "Oh yeah! OK, OK, fight time...!"

Shinichi was initially perplexed by Yuji's sudden change of behaviour and he assumed Yuji was trying to emulate the drunken boxing style. His guess was right but he didn't realize how far Yuji would go to be able to perform drunken boxing.

Not wanting Yuji to make the first move, Shinichi closed his eyes and took a deep breath before getting on all fours and then into a crouching position with his fingers curled to look like claws as he cried out, "Gigigi! Gigi! Gigigi!" He jumped back, landing himself and balancing on the ropes, before catapulting himself towards Yuji. The drunken Manakyte looked up and rolled forward to evade before turning to face the bestial Shinichi as he continued staggering from side to side. Shinichi went for a claw swipe that Yuji ducked sideways as he swung an arm up and brought it down over the cyborg's head. He then did a single hand stand, bringing up a leg that kicked Shinichi in the face as he recoiled.

"Alcohol is a depressant that relaxes the body's systems and loosens the muscles," Bianca explained, "Drunken boxing mimics this relaxed state for better balance, but there are some people that can perform this style naturally in a drunken state. I just never thought Yuji would be one of those people."

"A drunk dragon," Daichi deadpanned. "Yeah, _nothing _bad about that. _Completely _normal."

Shinichi scanned Yuji's body and smirked. He dashed towards Yuji and his arms blurred as he poked Yuji's body rapidly with his fingers. Shinichi stopped and smiled, "Now, you're sober." Shinichi had just hit the right pressure points to change Yuji from drunk to sober.

"OW, FUCK!" Yuji cried as he got the feeling in his body back. He blinked and looked around, "What? What happened? Where am I? OK, what the fuck just happened, Shin?"

"You were drunk," said Shinichi as he cracked his knuckles. "Oh, and don't look down."

"That's impossible! I don't drink!" Yuji denied. He scratched his cheek and tried to recall something. "Not since the time my uncles took me to a bar when I was little...before blacking out."

"Should've known," Hana sighed.

"It just had to be _those two_," Misato added.

"And what do you mean 'don't look down'?" Yuji asked. He got his answer when Shinichi raised his leg and brought the heel down hard on Yuji's shoulder to bring him down, falling flat onto the ring's floor.

"_That's _what I meant," said Shinichi.

"Funny," Yuji frowned before rolling toward his cousin and sweep kicking him as he got back on his feet. Shinichi caught himself on his hands and did a backwards flip before leaning on the ropes.

"You hear that? They want a show. How about we give them a really good one?" Shinichi asked.

Yuji pounded his gloved fists, "Better not cry then," and punched his cousin in the face. Shinichi recovered and punched Yuji twice in the stomach before grabbing Yuji by his shoulders to knee him in the stomach three times. He tossed him away and jumped back, landing on the ropes, and leaping up before executing his attack, "Rider Kick!"

"Not falling for that!" Yuji cried as he caught his cousin by his midsection and spinning him to execute a nasty-looking piledriver that made the audience flinch.

"Shinichi-kun!" Moka cried.

"Shinichi!" Mizore gasped.

Shinichi was lying on his back, groaning, before climbing back to his feet. He stumbled over to one of the posts and grabbed hold of it. "Damn..." he muttered as he stood straight up and massaged his shoulders before rotating them.

Now he knew what sort of fighter Yuji was. He was determined to see this fight through, resolved to win it no matter what. However, Shinichi wasn't about to throw in the towel. He scanned Yuji again, this time trying to determine a way to beat his cousin.

Circling around Yuji, he asked, "So, how do you think Yuki is doing?"

"Since I don't hear anything, I'm worried," Yuji admitted. That was when the clouds overhead were dark, a small snowstorm hitting out of nowhere. "OK, I didn't do it!"

"Look!" Michiru pointed. The others looked to the roof where they saw two spiraling towers of snow and water.

(**END SONG**)

* * *

><p>6 minutes earlier...<p>

Leon, Yuki and Aphrodite were on the school roof. There was enough space and no one was around to interfere.

"This is good," Aphrodite smiled, "No one here to bother us."

"How is this ritual done again?" Leon asked.

Aphrodite showed him a water drop-shaped pendant, "This absorbs excess energy released every time we use our powers. It acts like a backup battery."

Yuki reached under her shirt and pulled out her own pendant that was shaped like a snowflake. "And we have to break this...?" She was still feverish and and felt the heat in her rising.

"And absorb the excess power back into our bodies," Aphrodite nodded. "I won't lie; my mother told me that it does hurt."

"Still want to do this, Yuki?" Leon asked.

She looked to him with determined eyes and nodded, "I need my power back."

"I figured you'd want to see your brother fight for you."

"I know, he defeated Qiao," she smiled slightly.

"Really?" Leon blinked.

"Onii-sama learned how to box from our Uncles," she explained. "It's kind of our secret family sport. Now then, I'm ready to begin," she addressed Aphrodite.

"Alright then," Aphrodite nodded as the two got on their knees, opposite each other, and removed their pendants. "On three...THREE!"

The two Manakytes threw their pendants down with all the force they possessed, the jewelry shattering against the concrete as they gave off an aqua-blue and snow-white glow of color respectively. They screamed in surprise as they were engulfed in respective spirals of water and snow, the force from the sudden phenomenons pushing Leon back.

"Yuki! Aphrodite!" he called out. He only received cries of pain in response. "I hope this works..."

Inside the tornados, beams of light were being absorbed into the girls' bodies, the painful process being especially taxing on Yuki in her weakened state.

"Sister..." Aphrodite called, "Please...bear with it...!"

* * *

><p>"Something's happening to Yuki and Aphrodite," murmured Shinichi as he stared at the snow and water pillars.<p>

"It's just like with me," Yuji recalled. This blizzard was definitely his sister, no doubt about it. "Wanna call time out and go see?"

**Music - "BLAZE [ZER-TWO Version]" by Hiroyuki Sawano**

"Better idea: we finish this fight, right here and right now," said Shinichi as he adopted a boxing stance similar to Yuji. Yuji scowled.

"Hey, that's my style!" Yuji snapped.

"Sorry, but all's fair in love and war!" Shinichi shot back.

The two cousins dashed towards each other and roared as they began to trade punches. The audience, however, could not keep track of their punches as their arms and fists were blurry due to the incredible speed they were moving at. The sounds that came out were loud, like thunder crashing, as they continued to battle it out with only their fists.

One was a cyborg, conditioned and trained to fight and kill for ten years, while the other was a dragon in human form, trained to fight as well in order to face strong opponents to protect his loved ones. It could go either way for them.

Shinichi executed a quick series of kicks, his right leg a blur as it repeatedly shot towards Yuji, but the future Boss of the Vongola Famiglia blocked every blow. The impacts still hurt but he was able to guard himself until he found an opening. Grabbing Shinichi's leg, he pulled him over and knocked him down with a punch. Shinichi was down, dazed, but not out as he was able to roll out of the way before Yuji's foot came down on him.

"Come on, Yuji! Knock his block off!" Misato shouted.

"Darling, if you win I'm gonna give you a reward!" Kurumu encouraged.

"Yu-kun, fight on!" Michiru cheered, waving pom-poms.

"Shinichi, don't let up!" Mizore shouted.

"Yuji, you just need one good punch to knock him out!" Hana advised.

"Shinichi-kun, I know you can win!" Moka cheered.

Yokoshima, seeing the support Yuji and Shinichi were getting, frowned.

"Feeling jealous?" Gin asked the Pillbug Cyborg. He patted him on the shoulder. "Trust me, I know the feeling."

Shinichi's fist slammed against Yuji's cheek but he recovered and slammed his own fist into Shinichi's chest. Shinichi didn't fall from that, however. Another punch hit him in the face and blood was leaking from his nose. Yuji had blood leaking from a busted lip.

Shinichi clenched his fists and drove Yuji back towards the rope with palm strikes, multiple palm strikes, and then he kneed his cousin in the gut. He whispered, "Sorry, nothing personal," and used one final blow. It was an uppercut that sent Yuji flipping backwards. However, while that would be considered the punch that ended the match, Yuji managed to grab hold of the rope and stood at the edge of the ring.

"You're no quitter, are you?" Shinichi asked, panting and smiling, his sweat matting his bangs against his forehead. Yuji leapt back into the ring as Shinichi stepped back.

"Fuck no..." Yuji growled as he staggered to face his cousin and putting his hands up. "I didn't want to use this move because it's not perfect...but you've left me no choice. Make no mistake, Shin, I won't be getting up after this."

**Music Change - "Inner Light" by Shocking Lemon**

"What? Why?" Shinichi asked. Instead of answering, Yuji took advantage of Shinichi's worry and dashed ahead, winding back and throwing a left hook into Shinichi's ribs. The blow hurt, but Shinichi was able to stay up for the next assault. Yuji then threw a left straight and Shinichi guarded his face, only to go through another Devil's Ghost as Yuji was actually right under him as he delivered a punishing left uppercut that threw Shinichi back.

Bianca gasped as she saw Yuji weaving repeatedly, picking up speed as his movements gained speed. "That's...the Dempsey Roll!"

"Roll?" Tamao asked.

"What's that?" Yokoshima asked.

"It's a boxing technique where the user weaves in order to evade attacks," she explained, "It was invented by a boxer known as Jack Dempsey back in the 1920s, but I had no idea anyone still knew it...!"

Yuji began to weave faster and faster as the wind around his body began to form an infinity symbol. Shinichi could only watch before Yuji reared back his fist and roar as he unleashed a hellish barrage of hooks on his cousin, hitting his face repeatedly.

**BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!**

"**RO-LLING...THUNDER!"** Yuji roared as he slammed one more hook into Shinichi's face, his body falling with a thunderous fall on the canvas.

Silence hit the floor before cheers erupted through the audience, shocked and amazed that someone might actually defeat Shinichi. Banabara was seen as invincible in school, but Yuji disproved that (or so they all thought).

Shinichi's vision turned red as words flashed across his vision, warning him of the amount of damage he'd taken and then something about 'auto-repair' being initiated.

Shinichi grunted and his mouth opened as he spat out blood. Warning sirens were going off in his head, giving him a headache. He wasn't dead, but he was in intense pain as he clutched his head. It was a good thing that his bones were armor-plated. He measured the force of those punches to be enough to cave in the thick armor of a tank.

Yuji was breathing hard, his body stiff as he couldn't move. '_That's it...I'm done_,' he thought regretfully, _'To be honest, I really wanted to see Yuki Transcend...' _He started falling, smiling to himself, _'You can do it, Sis... And sorry for losing...'_ Yuji shut his eyes as his face met the canvas, unconscious and having no strength left to rise, which left the audience speechless as they had just cheered for his seeming victory.

Katsumi checked Yuji and confirmed that he was unconscious. She then checked Shinichi who, despite lying on the floor near Yuji, was still very much conscious. "Shinichi Banabara wins!"

Shinichi gritted his teeth and forced himself back to his feet. He lumbered over to Yuji. Grabbing hold of his arm, he pulled him up and pulled his arm over his shoulders. He didn't think he deserved this win. Yuji would've been declared the winner if he didn't pass out. Shinichi didn't think this victory was fair.

It left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"I need help here!" he shouted. He needed assistance to get Yuji out of the ring. Shinichi's body was still hurting but the warning sirens in his head had died down.

**End Music**

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Yuki's eyes widened, forgetting the pain as she heard Yuji's thoughts and realized that her brother lost his match. "Onii-sama lost, but he tried his hardest," she muttered. She grit her teeth and rose to her feet slowly. <em>'Then...I must...try hard too!' <em>Yuki declared inwardly as she let out a roar.

'I_ will become stronger...FOR MY LEON!_' Aphrodite declared as she roared herself.

The two female Manakytes were engulfed in light before water and snow dispersed, the blizzard dying down and water flooding the roof and washing over the side as Leon covered his eyes.

He opened them slowly and what he saw got him gawking slightly.

Yuki's arms and hands were encased in deep blue ice that ended in sharp claws, as well as her thighs that were covered in ice, her knees sporting spike-shaped icicles, and legs as her feet now sported talons of ice. She now sported a long, prehensile tail with a five-pronged ice tip, her shoulders were protected by polygonal pads of ice, as well as her breasts and crotch, and a triangular ice-made crown adorned her head. Her eyes glowed brightly and she sported sharp wings and horns of ice. Odd part was that Yuki was completely naked under all her armor.

Aphrodite's legs are replaced with a 30-foot long, serpentine tail with ocean-blue scales with a creamy-white underbelly and fluke, with large fins on the sides of her waist. Her skin gained the texture and hardness of dragon scales. The scales are a clear oceanic blue in color and covered her arms, circled around her waist like a v-shaped belt, covering her back and her sides and covering her breasts, cheeks and forehead as well. Her ears became like fish fins and her nails elongate and became sharp. In her hand was is a silver trident, with two points on the other end of the outer prongs with a 2-meter-long black shaft.

"Whoa," Leon blinked. He never expected a Manakyte's transformation to be so...revealing.

"This is...me," Yuki muttered in awe as she inspected her claws.

"I DID IT! I DID IT!" Aphrodite cheered as she slithered over to Leon and captured him in a constricting hug. "I have matured, Leon!"

"Aphrodite," Yuki pointed, "He's turning blue..."

The serpentine Manakyte gasped and let Leon go as he gasped for air. "Oh, dear, I am so sorry! I got too excited again...!"

"Don't worry about it," Leon coughed as he cracked his back. He stepped back to admire the girls and their new looks. "Honestly, you both look good."

Aphrodite beamed while Yuki blushed and tried to look away. "What's wrong?" Aphrodite asked.

"I...just have something to say to Leon," she asked as she set his gaze on him.

"What is it Yuki?" the younger boy inquired.

"I...like you," she whispered.

Aphrodite grinned as she snaked behind Yuki and whispered, "Leon cannot hear you, Sister Yuki~"

Yuki blushed deeper, her head down and eyes shut, "I...I said I like you, Leon!"

Leon blinked in surprise. "Re...really?"

"I knew it!" Aphrodite beamed. "Oh, this is wonderful, Sister Yuki!"

"Thank you," she blushed as she was gently in Aphrodite's constriction hug. "I...think we should find Onii-sama and Shinichi."

* * *

><p>Shinichi and Yuji lay in the infirmary in neighbouring beds. Shinichi's auto-repair sequence had already begun and as soon as he was put in bed, he passed out, fast asleep, with a snot bubble.<p>

He also snored.

"How long will he be asleep?" Moka asked.

"After what Yuji put him through, a few hours at most," said Misato. "But his auto-repair systems should be online to fix him. Trust me, Moka. Shinichi's gonna be fine. He once took a tank shell to the chest and lived. He's made of tougher stuff." Bad choice of words as Moka flinched at the word 'made'.

"All I know is that he's going to be a little peeved," Riza said

"Why? He won," said Kurumu.

"Yes, but he didn't win on his own merit," Qiao corrected. She had seen the look in Shinichi's eyes. "Remember when Yuki-chan passed out at the start of our match and I almost won by default? He only won by a technicality since Yuji passed out before he did. He won't accept that kind of victory. Call it a warrior's pride."

"That's true," Mizore agreed. Shinichi did pride himself as a warrior, but only in battle.

"This will mean that when he faces Leon, he's going to go all out," added Ruby.

"Oh...Kurumu-chan...those hot buns look yummy..." Shinichi spoke from his bed. His eyes were still closed, which meant he was dreaming and talking in his sleep. "And they look so soft yet firm...let me squeeze them..."

Misato gestured with her thumb and addressed the Youkai Academy girls in disbelief, "And you actually find this guy attractive?"

"Who's...your daddy?" Yuji muttered perversely as he chuckled in his sleep.

"Well, at least we can now confirm that they are related," Kurumu quipped, almost smugly. She was happy that Shinichi was dreaming about her.

"Hey, Michiru... how's the... banana?" Yuji said, his face flushed with a grin. Michiru blushed and giggled softly, already thinking of some ways to give Yuji some much needed TLC. Mia hopped onto the bed and sniffed Yuji a bit before licking his face.

"Myah?" she asked. Michiru picked her pet cabbit up.

"Don't disturb Papa, Mia-chan," Michiru whispered.

"Mizore-chan...you got cream all over you...let me clean it off..." Shinichi said and his tongue hung out.

Mizore beamed and blushed when she heard her name being uttered and could only imagine what Shinichi was dreaming about this time. Moka puffed her cheeks and scowled. She didn't like when Shinichi was being perverted, except when in bed with her.

"Moka-chan...daisuki..." Shinichi uttered.

That made Moka's heart melt.

"Onii-sama!" Yuki called as she barged in nothing a but a jacket as she rushed to Yuji's bedside. Leon and Aphrodite followed in, with the bluenette also having a jacket to cover up.

"He's alright," Hana assured, "Aside from bruising, a few broken bones, some bleeding and strained joints Yuji's exhausted. But he lost his match with Shinichi."

"It doesn't matter," Yuki sighed with relief, "He tried his best against our cousin and his best is what I appreciate. I am thankful to him for that."

"Why are you two naked, Yuki-chan?" Netto asked.

"I lost my clothes," she blushed.

"How did it go?" Ruby asked.

"It was a complete success," Aphrodite smiled, "And Sister Yuki and I have become much stronger!"

"Wish you guys were around to see the show," Qiao grinned, the bangs on her head twitching about, "They were on fire!"

"Someone should've recorded it," Misato complained.

"Taken care of," Bianca grinned as she revealed a camcorder from under her hat.

"You actually recorded it?" Kurumu asked.

"Subtlety is part of the job description of being a hitman, sweetheart," the blonde grinned.

"Did you get his fight with Qiao, too?" Riza asked. "It was kickass."

"Been recording since the start," Bianca answered, "No worries."

"So, what now?" Yukari asked.

"We'll continue with the tournament for now while Yuji and Shinichi recover," Leon instructed.

"Actually, two competitors dropped out so Shinichi and Yuji's match was the last one. The winner of that match would then go up against you," said Yukari.

Leon shrugged, "Then we'll just postpone that match." He picked up Tamao who looked tired. "Are you tired, Tamao?"

"Sleepy~" she yawned.

"I'm going to put Tamao down for her nap," said Leon. "Take care of yourselves."

After Leon left, Shinichi suddenly shot out of bed and yelled, "BOUNCY, BOING-BOING, BOOBIES!" before falling back asleep.

Everyone sweatdrop.

"Fucking wow," Misato shook her head in dismay. "This can't be the same guy I was attracted to once..."

"He developed a personality, Misato," said Hana. "And this is it."

"Yes..." Misato groaned. Shinichi was friendlier now, but he was no Kuro. That guy had been calm, cool and collected. Shinichi was perverted, spastic and easily excitable

"I think like him this way. He's funny," said Michiru.

Hime and Reiri came to the infirmary next, with the latter carrying an armful of food with her. "Greetings and salutations, everyone," the blonde greeted.

"We brought food in case Shin-chan got hungry," said Reiri.

The two had watched the fight with their own eyes and despite having seen Shinichi in battle before, couldn't help but be impressed by the level of skill he demonstrated. It was a shame, though. Hime would want such a strong warrior to be her servant. As for Reiri, she would want to be in the same group as Shinichi.

Hime went closer to the bed where Shinichi lay and put a hand on his arm. His hand instantly struck like a viper and grasped Hime's arm before pulling her down on the bed with him. Moka, Yukari, Kurumu and Mizore either gasped or cried out in outrage as Hime was now in bed with _their _Shinichi.

Hime lay next to Shinichi as he had his arm around him and rubbing his cheek against hers.

"Oh, just relax," Reiri placated them. "Back when we were in kindergarten, during naptime, Shin-chan would cuddle up with either me or Hime-sama like a teddy bear."

Hime blushed and got off the bed before straightening the wrinkles out of her uniform. While she did care about Shinichi, he was simply like a brother to her. He was her friend. He was just very affectionate.

"Wow, who would've guessed that one of the strongest of Youkai Academy is a huge softie?" a voice boomed out from the doorway.

"Hm?" Qiao blinked, before noticing the newcomer. "Oh, Haji!"

"Sup?" the Karate Captain waved, walking towards the collected people. "Gin told me where Shin-kun was recovering. Thought I would drop by."

"Gin?" Kurumu asked. "So you're the guy he was talking about, the one who wanted to fight Shinichi."

"Yeah, thought it was a good chance to test my skills against the kid," Haji smiled, rubbing the back of his neck. "But since I got my ass kicked so fast, I still have a lot of work to do."

"You have no idea," Riza commented.

"Still don't mean I'm gonna let go of the opportunity to fight him! I wouldn't call myself the Captain of the Karate Club for nothing!" Haji declared with a pump of his fist. He then noticed the small witch girl with the group and his lips grew into an excited grin. Yukari immediately saw the look in his eyes. There was no doubt about it...

"LOLICON ALERT! LOLICON ALERT!" she shouted as she waved her wand in the air.

"Huh? Hey wa- GAH!" Haji cried as he was suddenly hit by an anvil, knocking him down on the floor. Everyone was stunned as they watched him hit the floor, with Yukari breathing from the adrenaline rush.

"A lolicon pervert?" Michiru blinked, her mouth twitching slightly. "The Karate Captain is a lolicon pervert?"

"Figures how Gin would know this guy," Hime snorted.

"It's like everyone around us is a pervert," Misato sighed, rubbing her head, "I have a headache."

"You're the one to talk," Hana retorted, "You hypocrite."

"Sue me then!" Misato snapped.

"Ladies, don't fight...~" Yuji yawned in his sleep, "There's enough Yuji to go around...for all the sweethearts."

* * *

><p>Ryoko had been watching the match up from the highest rooftop of the campus. She was getting excited and it showed in how her tail twitched. Next up, the champion of the tournament would face Leon Smith, Captain of the Student Police. Of course, Ryoko didn't plan on sitting on the sidelines when that match began.<p>

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Chopper sat in his jail cell, looking dejected. This particular cell emitted weak EMP radiation, not enough to kill him but enough to nullify his cybernetic enhancements, and was shielded by anti-youki bars. They didn't want him escaping anytime soon. He would be freed, but not anytime soon.<p>

As he bowed his head and closed his eyes, he heard tapping against the bars of his cell. Looking up, he saw two girls smiling at him. The one in the white jacket smiled wide, almost sinister-like.

"Hello, Chopper Rikishi," the girl in the white jacket said.

"Who the hell are you two?" he demanded.

"Oh, just a couple of girls who are from the organization," Celeste answered. "GS."

"You're both from GIN-SHOCKER?" He looked hopeful. "Then you're gonna let me out."

"Actually," the white jacket girl continued, her eyes glowing an eerie blue, "We're here to tie up some loose ends."

* * *

><p>Daichi and Yokoshima walked into the infirmary to check on Yuji and gawked at what they saw. Yuji was in his bed, arms massaged by Ruby and Hana while Michiru fed him. Misato was massaging his shoulders while making out with him every so often. Riza was just watching since she was still prideful despite admitting her attraction to Yuji. She didn't feel like acting like some kind of servant.<p>

Daichi remarked, "I can't believe I'm seeing _this_..."

"Say 'ahh'," Michiru chimed as she fed Yuji a banana, the Manakyte opening his mouth to take a bite.

Yokoshima said, impressed, "Wow, he's really living it up. ...Somehow, I'm envious." Yuji looked like a king being tended to by his harem.

"Where have you girls been all my life?" Yuji asked blissfully. This actually reminded him of a dream he had after reading the novel 'Dracula' by Bram Stoker. "Ahahaha...! Ow...oh, it hurts to laugh!" Yuji chuckled painfully.

Daichi rolled his eyes and looked towards the bed Shinichi was still sleeping in. Haji was in the bed adjacent to him, having been knocked out by Yukari's retaliation. "I can't believe they can sleep through this."

"Dudes must be real heavy sleepers," Yokoshima blinked. "Man this sucks, it's like I'm the only one without at girl."

"What do you mean?" Daichi asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"I mean, look at Shinchi, Yuji, Leon and Netto," Yokoshima complained, "They've got girls who really like them, you know? Shinichi helped those four girls out, and they all fell for him. Hana, Michiru and Misato tried to kill Yuji but ended up falling for him too, and even Yuki's crushing on Leon now. Hell, even you've got a girlfriend, Dai."

"Haruhi is not my girlfriend!" Daichi snapped.

"Keep telling yourself that," Yokoshima snorted.

"So, Yuki's crushing on Leon, huh?" Yuji spoke up, hearing the conversation.

"It was kinda obvious with the way she turns red every time she looked at him," Daichi remarked.

* * *

><p>Leon had just tucked Tamao into bed when his walkie-talkie came on. All members of the Student Public Safety Committee (Student Police) had one. They were to be used for emergencies only. Picking it up, he answered, "What is it?"<p>

"_Sir, there's a disturbance at the tournament's ring!"_

* * *

><p>Karin wasn't sure what was going on. This wasn't in the plan for the Sports Festival, not at all. Her microphone had also been taken by her by the strange woman.<p>

Ryoko stood in the centre of the ring and shouted, "WILL LEON SMITH PLEASE COME ON STAGE? I CAN'T GUARANTEE THE SAFETY OF THESE PEOPLE IF YOU DON'T~!"

She was calling him out.

* * *

><p>'<em>So she's come back for me,' <em>Leon frowned. "I'll be there. Don't let her do anything." He shut off his walkie-talkie and turned to his lover. "Aphrodite, watch Tamao for me."

"OK, darling." She gave him a kiss before he dashed out the door. He instantly performed Shunpo to reached the ring.

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER BUSHIDO: Well, these last 2 fights have taken a lot of brain cells to produce, but I think it's worth it. Like...damn. Anyway, more psycho-bullshit is on the way so we're not even getting started. Just stick around or else your ass is gonna get haunted. Kidding. Anyway, elements of "Eyeshield 21" and "Hajime no Ippo" were in the production of Yuji's matches and we also see what he dreams about sometimes. Ha!<strong>

**KAMEN RIDER CHROME: The dream was my idea. Bushido told me about Dracula and this came up in my head. Anyway, it looks like Leon is gonna be fighting someone, and from the looks of things it won't be Shinichi. Next time we'll be seeing Ryoko VS Leon and this time the rules will not apply to either of them. You want fast-paced kungfu action, then you are going to be getting it right here, next time, on Showa+Vampire!**


	47. Sports Fest:Dance with the Devil Bringer

**Chapter 47: Dance with the Devil Bringer**

"Well, well. This is quite the party we have here."

Standing up on a tree branch, far away from the festival, was a young man. He was wearing casual clothing, and leaning lazily on the branch. He had long and droopy hair and yellow eyes with rectangular pupils. He was also wearing a predatory grin, showing sharp fangs.

"I sure don't remember the Sports Festival to be this eventful," the boy grinned, "Strange, ain't it Midou?"

Leaning on the tree below him was an older boy with white, short-cut hair, a rugged face with several scars lashed on his face. He had a coat hanging loosely over his shoulders, the coat blowing smoothly against the wind. His eyes stared at the demon, Ryoko, hamming it up in the middle of the ring with wild amusement.

"Since that Shinichi kid defeated Kuyou, a lot things in this school seemed to have calmed down a bit," Midou nodded with his arms crossed. "Still wonder if this guy is really the top dog like everyone says he is."

"Don't believe he's a threat to our plans?" the boy smiled, amused.

"Hell should I know?" Midou shrugged. "I did hear that he has abilities that no other doppelganger could possibly dream of having though, so we'd better watch out for him. Still see him as nuisance though." His eyes narrowed, "How disgusting... befriending those damned purebloods, especially those Vampires..."

"So what do you plan on doing about him?" the boy asked.

"We wait and learn more about him," Midou answered. "For now though, I think the last fight of the day is about to commence. And I do love watching other folks beating living the shit out of each other."

* * *

><p>Ryoko leaned against the ropes, checking her nails. Sprawled on the ring's matted floor were members of the PSC who'd tried to subdue and capture her. Unfortunately, they hadn't been powerful enough. Shogo and Reiri remained with the crowd to protect them, but seeing their fellow PSC members taken down so easily made them feel slightly intimidated.<p>

'_Man, what is taking that kid?_' Ryoko asked herself mentally. '_Doesn't he know it's not nice to keep a lady waiting?_'

There was a gust of wind and Ryoko smiled as a black blur appeared and became clear, showing her who it was.

"Taichou!" Shogo gasped.

"Good, you're finally here," smiled Ryoko. "I was wondering if you would ever show up. It was starting to get boring with all the waiting and your friends over there didn't provide me with much entertainment."

"I was busy putting my daughter to bed," said Leon. He ordered, "Shogo, Reiri, get everyone here in this ring out of here and take them to get medical treatment!"

"Yes sir!" Shogo saluted and he and Reiri pulled their fellow PSC members out of the ring, one by one, leaving the ring clear. Leon stood on one side as Ryoko stood opposite him, smirking.

"So, I've been watching your little games since yesterday, and I wanted to jump in the fun too," Ryoko began. "But this time, we'll be doing it by my rules."

"What are your demands?" Leon asked as he kept his gaze on Ryoko, never letting her out of his sight.

"Rule #1: ring out no longer applies. Rule #2: we're both free to use our powers however we like. And rule #3: anything goes. Is that clear?"

"Very," Leon nodded as he drew out his Zanpakuto. "Prepare yourself."

Ryoko generated her energy sword. She called out to Karin, "Well? What are you waiting for!-?" She threw her the microphone.

"Ano...Ah..." Karin spoke into the microphone, "It appears that we will have the final match of the day after all! In the red corner, the Student Police Captain, Leon Smith! In the blue corner... ah, what did you say your name was?"

"Ryoko," she said impatiently, "Now hurry up with that weird poster thing!"

"Ah! Right, right!" Karin said, panicky.

**LEON SMITH**

**VS**

**RYOKO**

(**Insert Song: "Blood Pain" - BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger)**

Karin yelled, "FIGHT!"

A little girl with pink hair suddenly landed on Shogo's head. "Ken-chan! Ryu-chan! Oni-chan! I found them!" Yachiru shouted. She then turned back to the fight. "Kick her butt Lele-chan!"

Walking up to the group were three males. One was Kenpachi Zaraki, and the second was Tatsu. The third was a Caucasian man who looked to be in his mid-30's. He had shoulder length white hair that was tied back. He wore a white suit with a black tie and black dress shoes. He also had a pair of sunglasses on.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that Yachiru?" questioned the man with a sigh. He looked up and saw the gathered crowd. "Oh, hello. You must be Leon's classmates. My name is Warren Smith, Leon's father." He looked at Tsurara and Ageha. "Oh, and who are these two lovely ladies?"

Tsurara and Ageha blushed before giggling like schoolgirls. "You may call me Ageha Kurono, handsome."

"And I'm Tsurara Shirayuki," said the yuki-onna. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Warren took a hand from both ladies and planted a gentle kiss to the back of the offered hands in a polite gesture, causing Tsurara and Ageha to blush even more. "It's a pleasure to meet the two of you. Well, I'm just here to watch my son," Warren smiled his lady-killer smile before he was startled as Kenpachi spun him around to look in the direction of the ring. "HEY!"

"Flirt later, Smith! Your boy's fighting!" Kenpachi exclaimed.

Leon and Ryoko had jumped into the sky, sparks raining down as their blades clashed furiously. It seemed that Ryoko had been practicing and improving her skills with the blade. After being sealed for so long, she had become rusty and needed time to regain her former skills.

Leon's strikes were strong and full of force behind them. He wanted to subdue Ryoko. However, Ryoko was a demon and a natural fighter. Dodging a strike, she put her hand against his chest and smiled, "Keep your eye on the birdy!"

**BOOM!**

The explosion sent Leon crashing down on the ring. He groaned and slowly picked himself up. He saw Ryoko preparing another energy ball. "Oh, no you don't!" Dark energy collected in his left hand and he hurled the shadow sphere towards Ryoko who tossed her own energy ball. Both energy attacks collided, exploding instantly.

"Wow, nice fireworks display!" one of the spectators commented.

Leon flew through the smoke and engaged Ryoko again in the sky, the demon parrying his strike with her energy sword. She smirked and formed another sword, dual-wielding both weapons as she swung and struck at Leon who was forced on the defensive.

Kenpachi also noticed something, "Heh, he's not even using 10% of his power." Kenpachi had taught Leon to never go all out on an opponent unless he absolutely had to. In the 11th Squad of the Gotei 13, members were encouraged to enjoy battle and a short one would have no meaning since it was not fun. Kenpachi himself wore an energy limiter since he couldn't control his own strength and he might accidentally kill an opponent too quickly.

Leon wasn't even trying to kill her. He was going to try and subdue her without resorting to lethal moves. However, Ryoko wasn't about to surrender without putting up a fight.

(Music Paused)

* * *

><p>"...What just happened?" Shinichi slowly spoke as he woke up.<p>

"Shinichi-kun! You're awake!" Moka beamed, lunging at him with a hug.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Shinichi chuckled half-heartedly, returning the hug, "So what's up?" His ahoge suddenly turned straight and began to twitch erratically. "Something's going on." His ahoge started to move, pinpointing the trouble. Those strands of hair had a life of their own, moving like insect antennae. It was his danger sense.

"Leon's fighting," said Moka.

"Fighting who?" Shinichi asked. He looked to Yuji's bed to see that he was still resting. The girls had shown him some tender loving care earlier but had left him against to rest. "Moka-chan?"

"It's Ryoko," she said and his eyes went wide. He tossed the blanket off him and she gasped. "Shinichi-kun?"

Shinichi strode over to Yuji's bed and looked at him. "So cute, sleeping like a baby," said Shinichi softly as he reached to Yuji's face then pinched his nose. He waited as Yuji started to have trouble breathing, his skin turning blue. He then withdrew his hand as Yuji shot up, gasping for breath.

"What he hell? Not cool, cousin!" Yuji shouted as he took in some much needed air.

"Well, I didn't have any cold water on hand so this was the only way I could think to wake you up," said Shinichi. "Now, come on."

Yuji grabbed his jacket and slipped it on, "What's going on?"

"You don't want to miss this next match, trust me," Shinichi grinned.

* * *

><p><strong>(Music Continued)<strong>

Kenpachi gave Warren a pat on the back, nearly knocking him to the ground. "See that, Smith? Your son isn't afraid to fight women! I taught him well!"

"Yeah, you taught him to be a neanderthal," mumbled Warren, rubbing his back.

It was normally against the Smith family code to fight a woman unless it was truly and utterly impossible to avoid. Unfortunately, for Warren, it was a code that Kenpachi had been able to uninstall out of Leon as it didn't matter to Squad 11 if the opponent was male or female. A fight was a fight and that was it so it was best to enjoy it to the fullest.

Leon had just sheathed his Zanpakuto and was projecting a lot of Reiatsu. It was thick in the air and due to their ability to sense energy, the Youkai among the audience could feel a heavy weight on them. Ryoko could feel it too and smirked.

Leon suddenly blurred from sight by using shunpo and got behind Ryoko to hit her with a chop to the neck but she ducked and flipped her body forward to plant her feet into his chest, driving him back painfully. Arms crossed, Ryoko floated upside down as she taunted him, waving her tail at him. "Come on, Leon. Show me how tough you really are."

Leon's response was to rush at her with a series of punches that came at her in a blur. She managed to block most of them but one of them hit her in the face, causing her to cry out. Leon went for a right hook and smashed it across her face, sending her plummeting down to the ground. Ryoko grunted as she stopped herself from crash-landing and stared up at Leon furiously. Her eyes glowed and she fired beams of energy from them which Leon deflected by covering his hands in Shadow Matter, forming shields which blocked her attack.

Leon closed the gap between them and grabbed her wrist as she tried to punch him. She swung her other fist at him but he grabbed that wrist as well. Ryoko growled as she tried to struggle free. She then smirked as Leon realized his folly. She ducked her head down, and gave him a face full of lasers straight from her hair which drove him back painfully.

"She can shoot lasers from her hair too?-!" Tatsu gaped, his eyes bulging out. Seeing her shoot lasers out of her eyes had been a surprise, but her being able to shoot lasers out of her hair as well was just completely unexpected.

"This woman can pull anything out of her ass," Kenpachi commented.

"I wanna learn how to do that!" Yachiru squealed, "It's cool!"

"Lasers out of her hair, pretty clever...and sneaky," Warren said with a bit of admiration at the trick.

Red energy enveloped her hands and she fired a barrage of them at Leon who dodged in a flash, blinking in and out of sight. It was tough to follow his movements as he would appear and reappear in random and in a flash.

"OK, OK, what did we miss?" Shinichi asked as he came down.

"Apparently a badass fight with no restrictions!" Yuji whined, "See?-! This is the kind of fight I want! Fuck, I hate it when I miss out on good shit like this!"

"At the rate they're going, they might destroy the school!" Moka trembled, "Shouldn't we do something?"

"I don't think it'll be too much of a problem," Qiao answered. "Besides, I can tell that Leon's having way too much fun to stop now."

Yukari was trembling. She was really sensitive to spiritual energy since she was a witch. Ruby was trembling too. Ryoko and Leon were releasing their energy which created shockwaves as they crashed against each other.

Ryoko, meanwhile, was getting irritated with how Leon was warping back and forth from the blasts of lasers she sent, not even bothering to retaliate. "Come on, what the hell do you think you're doing!-?" she snapped. "You're not even trying! This won't be any fun if you don't actually try!"

"Do I really have to?" Ryoko's eyes widened, not expecting to hear Leon right behind her. No one was ever able to sneak up behind her like that! Not even the Dark Lords! Quickly, she turned around with her sword up and armed, only for Leon to block it with his Zanpakuto.

"Clever little brat, aren't ya?" she smirked. She liked her opponents to have some smarts. And good looks weren't bad either in her opinion.

"That's not all," Leon admitted. His fist clenched as it glowed with white energy before he slammed it directly into Ryoko's chest. She yelled out as she slid backwards from the blow.

Ryoko rubbed her chest and then looked at Leon. She smiled sultrily, "So, were you able to confirm that these babies were real?" To emphasize her statement, she squeezed her own breasts. "They're all natural. Here, give 'em a squeeze if ya couldn't tell properly from the last time."

"OK, she's flirting with him in the middle of a fight," Shinichi frowned. "Tell me, who does that?" He looked to Yuji.

"What?" Yuji asked, "Do I look like I know?"

"I don't know... you seem like the type," Shinichi admitted.

"Real funny," Yuji huffed. "OK, _maybe_ I do it on occasion."

Ryoko and Leon were locked in violent combat high in the air, exchanging blow after blow which were blocked or dodged as they moved at high speed, their limbs a blur as they tried to strike at each other. They threw punches at the same time, their fists connecting to each other before the force pushed them far from each other, forming a gap between them; sounds similar to thunder coming from each connecting hit as their fists hit with every blow.

Ryoko raised both her hands above her head, forming a huge orb of energy. Leon, seeing this, cupped his hands together, collecting his Reiryoku into the palms of his hands. Ryoko threw her arms forward, aimed at Leon, and fired a blast of Youki which Leon countered, firing a blast of Reiryoku. Both energy blasts met in the centre and the force of their collision nearly blew everyone away.

"Pas du tout!" Elle shouted, covering her face from the force of the blast, "Je ne crois pas cela!"

"It's over 9,000!-!-!" Yokoshima screamed, quoting a familiar anime from long ago.

"Yokoshima, shut up!" Daichi hollered. "No Dragonball Z quotes from you, ya got that?-!"

"Ah, come on. It's fun and it fits the moment," Yokoshima retorted with a pout.

"I said no!" Daichi yelled, making his decision final.

Yokoshima just crossed his arms and gave Daichi a dirty look before pouting again. "Pheh, spoilsport," he chastised.

Veins began to show on Leon's forehead from exertion as he put more force into his blast, pushing against Ryoko's. His eyes began to glow as white material started to cover his face. Ryoko's eyes gleamed as she gritted her teeth, grinning at the challenge Leon was giving her.

**(Song End)**

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, as Aphrodite watched Tamao sleep, she wondered how Leon was doing at the tournament. She knew he was strong but she also knew that Leon had to keep his powers in check or risk losing control. He himself had considered himself a monster.<p>

He considered himself a monster not due to his powers, but due to actions he had taken in the past. She gazed at Tamao, the little fox girl Leon had rescued and adopted as his own daughter. Not little sister; daughter. He may consider himself a monster, but his actions suggest otherwise.

Suddenly, Aphrodite gasped as she felt a familiar spike of energy. "Leon," she uttered hoarsely and in fear. Something was happening right now but she was powerless to do anything about it.

Nearby, a chest on Leon's desk rattled. The chest contained his Rider Keys and they were reacting violently. They could sense the battle that their user was in and they wanted out. They wanted to help him fight.

* * *

><p>The young Death God and the ancient Millennium Devil were still locked in a power struggle, aiming to overpower the other. Ryoko was clearly at the limit of her full power at the moment. She may have been freed from her prison, but the manacles on her wrist and ankles restricted her from using her true strength, making her only as powerful as an S Class monster. Leon could have finished the fight anytime he wanted, but doing so could risk meaningless tragedies.<p>

"Not bad kid," Ryoko admitted over the roars of the beam war. "You're a lot more fun to play with! I'd like to keep this going a little longer, but I've still got much to do! So..." She closed her hands tightly, suddenly causing the beams of Youki and Reiryoku to suddenly burst in a large explosion. Leon's eyes widened and he shielded himself from the blast. Ryoko suddenly flew out from the smoke with a battle cry, her sword glowing brightly. Leon reacted fast, with his hand sparking electricity. Just as she came closer, he moved under the sword and swung fast.

**SLASH!  
><strong>

The crowd gasped as Ryoko's hand tumbled across the ground. Not a second later, it vanished in black vapor. Normally, losing a hand would be quite painful to a lot of people. Even to those with regeneration powers. Ryoko, however, was one of the few who could care less about that. "Oh well," she sighed, retreating backwards, "Looks like it's my loss this time."

"Sorry about your hand," Leon apologised, "You left me with little choice."

"Oh, don't worry about that," Ryoko smiled, "Wanna see a trick?" She flicked her remaining hand over her stump and let her fingers dance over it, sparkles flowing out as they did. And then, like magic, a new hand appeared over it, just as good as the old one. "And voila!" She smiled and took a bow. "See you later!" And that was the last thing she said before quickly blowing him a kiss and vanishing from sight using her teleportation ability.

She was gone.

"I wanna do that hand-trick-shit!" Yuji beamed. "I gotta learn that trick!"

"You can if you're a gecko. It's high speed regeneration," said Shinichi. "An ability that some reptiles, mostly from the lizard family, possess. It'll be quite disturbing to see on a human."

"In all honesty, it's disturbing to see anyone do that," Netto commented.

Leon landed back on the ring and took a deep breath. Suddenly, the crowd roared in approval. He looked to the spectators and gave a weak wave. That was when Reiri climbed into the ring, looking quite pale. She whispered into his ear. His eyes widened. "Are you sure?"

Reiri just nodded.

* * *

><p>One of the things that was kept from the old SPC regime was the cells. It was extreme, but considering the nature of the students, purely justified. Of course, they would not be cruel and torture the prisoners and once the matter was resolved they would be freed.<p>

Leon stood in front of Chopper Rikishi's cell. The wrestler had been locked up for being in the possession of a drug known as G-Shock. He had also gotten himself cybernetically augmented by GIN-SHOCKER and was being kept for questioning. So far, he hadn't been cooperative and needed to stay in the cell until his lips loosened.

His lips would never move again.

The bars of the cell had been removed and were used to impale Rikishi's body against the wall. On the floor, written in blood, was a message: '**SEE YOU SOON, KURO-KUN**'.

Shogo examined where the bars had been cut. The members in charge of guarding the cells tonight had been knocked unconscious and couldn't remember anything after they'd woken up. Even the security cameras had been knocked out. Shogo did find something though. It was an EMP bomb. One burst from it could short out the surveillance system with no problem.

The EMP bomb was manufactured by GIN-SHOCKER. Shogo would recognize it anywhere.

"It appears that GIN-SHOCKER didn't want Chopper to talk," said Shogo.

"Why would they kill one of their own men?" Reiri asked. She knew how terrible GIN-SHOCKER was after learning what they did to Shinichi. She never thought they would be heartless enough to execute their own minions.

"Failure, with a few exceptions, is not tolerated by GIN-SHOCKER," said Shogo. "Soldiers that are captured by enemy forces either commit suicide or are killed by assassins from the organization to prevent them from leaking valuable information. Chopper wasn't talking, but they couldn't risk him talking."

"Holy shit! This guy got fucked up," Yuji commented as he looked inside the cell.

"What the-? How did you get in here?" Shogo demanded.

"We followed you here," Hana answered. "Yuji insisted on it."

"You're not supposed to be down here," Leon frowned.

"Not part of the school," Yuji reminded.

"That is irrelevant. Once you step foot in this school, you follow the rules," said Leon firmly. "Only authorized personnel are allowed to be down here. But since you both are new here, I'll let this slide just this once."

"So who was this guy?" Yuji asked, pointing at the corpse.

"He was Chopper Rikishi, one of the many Youkai who Shin-chan rubbed the wrong way," Reiri explained. "From what I understand, he wanted to be the one to fight Kuyou, but after learning that Shin-chan was responsible for running him out of the school he kidnapped Moka-chan to force Shin-chan into fighting him, but quickly lost."

"I see," Hana nodded. "So he was one of the students who went to GIN-SHOCKER to take revenge against Shinichi."

"Yes," Leon nodded. "Yuki managed to subdue him though, which was a good thing considering that Shinichi was set to kill him. We thought that we could hold him here to learn more about GIN-SHOCKER's secrets, but he didn't say a word."

"And now he's just a bloody meat bag," Yuji grimaced. "That sure blows."

"I doubt he would know anything. Newbies are rarely told anything valuable except what they need to be told," Hana explained.

"...Why not do an autopsy?" Yuji suggested. "Poke around his guts and see if there's anything useful."

"A little gross, but it's our only option," agreed Reiri.

"I'll call Dr. Magi," said Shogo. "We'll transport the body to him."

Leon added, "And contact Chopper Rikishi's family as well." Chopper may have been a musclehead and a scumbag but he still had family who deserved to know what had happened to him.

Hana looked down on the bloody message, carefully reading out the words, "'See you soon... Kuro-kun'...?"

"Sounds like someone's got a bone to pick with Shin," Yuji guessed. "Must be an old girlfriend he doesn't remember."

"You think it's a girl?" Hana asked.

"Only a girl would use 'kun'. That or an effeminate guy."

"But Kuro has the personality of rock," Hana reminded him, "I mean, Misato's tried to seduce him many times before, but she was always at square one. You know that."

"It could be someone that appeared before him during the year you guys were still dead," Yuji thought out loud, "It must be the reason why you don't know anyone who calls him that."

"Then that means the assassin is still somewhere in the campus, and is most likely targeting Shinichi next," Leon frowned.

"Shinichi was sleeping in the infirmary," Hana reminded. "The assassin could've attacked him at anytime."

"I was his roommate," said Yuji.

"True, but I doubt that would matter much," said Hana. "No offense." She examined the bars impaling Chopper closely. "These were not removed by hand. They weren't cut by a blade either. Trust me, I know blades. Whatever removed these bars wasn't something solid."

"Something not solid," Shogo murmured and smacked his forehead. "Of course! Why didn't I think of that!"

Hana smiled, "You figured it out too, huh?" She gave the answer, "Psychic."

"A psychic," Shogo repeated.

"It makes sense," Reiri nodded. "The bars were ripped out of the concrete, with no signs of chipping them off or pulling them with physical strength. This has to be done with telekinesis."

"So we're dealing with a psychic assassin who seems to know Shinichi well," Leon said. "And also a link to what both Shinichi and Kuro may have forgotten. Shogo, you think we should tell him?"

"I'll tell him myself," Yuji volunteered. "Family thing, you know? I mean, the only other Psychics around here are me, Yuki and Qiao. Qiao can use telekinesis, but she was with us the whole time. She wouldn't even do this to anyone, that is unless she's seriously pissed. Yuki and I can't do this kind of shit. I can't even move a box with my brain. Major headache."

"GIN-SHOCKER had a Psychic Corps which rivaled the NUMBERS Project," said Hana. "I remember them. They were powerful without any cybernetic augmentations. All they received was extreme amounts of training and chemical enhancements."

"Oh, well isn't that fucking wonderful," Yuji sighed, "Next thing you're gonna tell me is that Gebok was in charge of them too? Or was he too busy playing with a Jurassic Park idea on the side?"

"Oh, a Dr. Mental was in charge of the Psychic Corps," said Hana. "I wonder what happened to him."

"Praying he croaked somewhere," Yuji hoped. He didn't feel like dealing with any GIN-SHOCKER bullshit after his fight with Nagazawa. Of course, that didn't mean he was not willing to bust some more heads. In fact, his blood was boiling for another fight.

A PSC member went over and informed Leon, "Taichou, there are some people here to see you. One of them claims to be your father."

Leon just palmed his face as he let out a small sigh, "Great, this I don't need right now."

* * *

><p>"That was some crazy Sports Festival, huh?" Shinichi asked as he and Moka were heading back to the dormitories.<p>

"Tell me about it," Moka agreed. "It was intense."

Shinichi was upset, though, "Yeah, but I didn't get my chance to fight Leon for bragging rights."

Moka shook her head and just smiled in amusement. Shinichi would be upset about that. She looked at the medal he wore around his neck. It was a gold medal.

Shinichi continued to frown but all of a sudden he froze as an image flashed across his mind. It was a face covered in blood. He let out a gasp and suddenly his face was beading with cold sweat. Moka noticed instantly, "Are you OK?"

"I...I just..." He paused. "Never mind. It's nothing," he denied.

Moka frowned slightly, but accepted the answer. It seemed that Shinchi was still being bothered by his past, no matter where he went. It seemed like he put it all behind him now, but his nightmares just wouldn't go away.

"Hey guys," Yuji waved as he joined the couple. "Man, shit gets really weird around here..."

"That's high school for you," Shinichi argued. "Where are the girls? I thought they'd follow you anywhere."

"Hana's busy with an autopsy, Michiru went to the cafeteria and the others are-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa; back up!" Shinichi interrupted. "Autopsy? Here?-!"

"What happened?-!" Moka demanded

"Oh, that Chopper guy was found dead in his cell," Yuji answered uncomfortably.

"Rikishi...is dead?" Moka paled.

"What happened?" Shinichi frowned.

"Dunno, but his body was found nailed to the wall with the prison bars and a message was left with his blood," Yuji explained. "It said: _'See you soon, Kuro-kun...'_"

Shinichi's color drained as he slowly fell on his rear. "He's dead because of me," he concluded, holding his head in shock. "Chopper Rikishi's dead because of me. That message was meant for Kuro-Me." It was true that he did try to kill Chopper at one point, but he still felt partly responsible for his decision to join GIN-SHOCKER.

"Shinichi-kun, you know that's not true..." Moka said softly kneeling down behind him to comfort him with a gentle hug.

"But it is," Shinichi said hoarsely. "That was one of the reasons why I wanted to kill him with my own hands. Because GIN-SHOCKER would do much worse to him if they found him."

"It couldn't have helped matters anyway," Yuji said slowly. "Chopper was dead the moment he stepped into GIN-SHOCKER. The only question was who was going to deliver the final blow."

"I still doesn't change anything," Shinichi frowned, "People are dying left and right because of GIN-SHOCKER, both innocent and guilty."

"Yeah, well I don't wanna make things worse, but..." Yuji hesitated slightly.

"But what?" Moka asked.

"Leon thinks that whoever killed Chopper is still somewhere in campus," Yuji said finally. "He thinks that the killer may be after Shinichi next."

"No...!" Moka gasped.

"If that's the case, then I'll be ready for them," Shinichi nodded, standing up. "I've managed to get through the crap thrown at me so far. I can still take it."

"Glad you still can," Yuji grinned with a nod. "I think I'll be sticking around here a little while longer to look after you guys. GS doesn't look to be playing any more games now. You'll need all the help you can get."

"Thank you, Yuji," Moka smiled.

"What kind of cousin would I be if I didn't?" Yuji smiled, patting himself on the chest. "Come on, let's go get some eats. After today I'm starving!"

"I am getting a bit hungry myself," Shinichi nodded. "Let's get going. I'll cook something real quick. I'm in the mood for a burger steak myself with a side of macaroni." He seemed calm. Inside, however, he was mulling over the contents of the message. If it had been an assassin from GIN-SHOCKER, they would've referred to him as 'BLACK 13'. The message referred to him as 'Kuro-kun'. Whoever had written him knew his past self quite intimately to call him that.

And that was what disturbed him the most.

The trio walked along the path back to the dorms, unaware that they were being watched. The watcher's eyes were narrowed in a penetrating glare aimed at Moka's back as she looped her arm with Shinichi's.

The eyes gave the couple one last look before vanishing from sight.

* * *

><p>"Today was really eventful," Netto commented. He, Qiao, Kiko and Elle were walking through the fields. It was almost empty as the PSC members were helping to put away all the sports equipment. Xianglian had already left, giving her daughter and adopted son a farewell. She also whispered something to both Kiko and Elle, and judging from the stares he had gotten from them after, he could only guess what it was about.<p>

"Mmm!" Qiao yawned, stretching her arms. "Yeah, but I really wanted to win the tournament! I wish I knew about that Devil's Ghost sooner, so Yuji wouldn't have caught me off guard."

"Who was the genius who came up with the Tournament anyway?" Kiko wondered out loud. "It was kinda unnecessary. Not to mention that it attracted that strange woman."

"Well, it is all over now," Elle smiled. "It's back to the usual things from here on." She leaned into Netto's ear and whispered sensually, "And perhaps we can enjoy a little more time for ourselves."

"Oh, I like the sound of that," Kiko smiled sultry.

"Really now," Netto blinked, the blush on his face unmistakable. He had begun to get used to his harem, but they still managed to tease him and make him blush in all kind of ways. He loved Qiao, and he also love Kiko and Elle. The past days he spent with them made him fall in love with them. However, it still didn't stop them from making him fluster whenever they wanted.

"You may as well get used to it," Elle smiled. "Kings tend to get harems. Things like that happens. Even my father has one."

"Really?" Qiao asked, "Your father has a harem?"

"Oui oui!" the Sky Dragon Princess nodded. She began listing with her fingers. "And they were all like mothers to me. Aside from my birth mother, my father is married to a Shirohebi, a Weresheep, a Fangire, an Alraune, an Orphenoch, a Tengu, and a Gargoyle. All of them love my father very much, and especially love it when they are alone with him."

"Wow," Kiko gaped. "My father only has two wives."

Qiao grinned as she looped her arm around Netto, "Hear that, Airen? Looks like we might get more playmates sooner or later."

"I guess," Netto blushed, averting his eyes. "So, what do you wanna do tonight?"

"What do you think?" she asked with an aroused growl. She nipped on his ear causing him to turn even redder in the face. "I'm tired, sore, I smell, and right now very horny. I need some release."

"Can we join?" Elle asked with a wide smile.

"Maybe later," Qiao smiled at her. "I just want a little alone time with my Airen."

* * *

><p>"And this is Tamao," Leon introduced his daughter to his father. "Tamao, this is my father. That means he's your grandpa."<p>

"Hi, Grandpa!" Tamao waved.

Warren squatted down to Tamao's eye level. "Wow, and look at you! You're so cute!" Warren caressed Tamao's cheeks and she giggled. "The tail and ears are nice."

"I'm trying to teach her how to assume a complete human form," said Leon. "But we haven't had any problems with her appearance. When I first took her shopping, people thought they were cute accessories."

Warren smiled as he lifted his granddaughter up and put her on his shoulders. "She's so cute and tiny! Be sure you keep her away from Rena when you bring her to visit. We don't want your sister-in-law kidnapping her."

Tamao quirked her head to the side. "Papa has a big family?"

Warren smiled, "Yep! And now you're part of it too, cutie. Speaking of cuties, I hear you've been having women troubles," laughed Warren.

"Tha-that's none of your concern!" shouted Leon, a blush forming on his face.

"Face it kiddo, you're more like your old man than you'd like to admit. Speaking of which, I got two dates coming up from a couple of babes I met today! Maybe you know their kids."

Leon groaned, "Please tell me you didn't hit on my schoolmates' mothers..."

Warren was quiet for a moment before finally answering, "No promises."

Leon let out a sigh, "Which ones?"

"Ageha and Tsurara."

"You hit on Mizore and Kurumu's mothers!-?" Leon rubbed his temples and murmured sarcastically, "This is going to go so well with Shinichi..."

Warren said, "Well, it was nice to see you again, kiddo. Sorry I can't stay long, but next time around be sure to introduce me to your girlfriends."

"Yeah, sure," Leon sighed.

"Bye, Grandpa!" Tamao waved.

Warren kissed Tamao on the forehead, "Bye-bye sweetie. Keep your Papa outta trouble for me OK?"

"OK!" Tamao beamed.

Warren looked at Leon and smiled, "Be strong Leon. They'd want you to be happy." Warren then vanished in a flash.

* * *

><p>After a delicious dinner courtesy of Shinichi, Moka left for her own dorm room but not before giving Shinichi a goodnight kiss. Once she was gone, Shinichi closed the door and let out a sigh.<p>

Yuji noticed how troubled Shinichi looked and as a concerned cousin he inquired, "You're thinking about the message, aren't you?"

Shinichi admitted, not being able to lie to Yuji now even if he wanted to, "The killer called me 'Kuro-kun' in their message. Nobody from GIN-SHOCKER has ever called me that."

Yuji recalled how every single cybrog of GIN-SHOCKER had either referred to Shinichi as 'BLACK 13' or simply '#13'. They never called him anything else. "You're right. But it was Kuro who wanted to be called that."

Shinichi nodded, "Yeah." He continued, "But he didn't come up with the name himself. Someone gave it to him. It wasn't Gebok, I know that much. It was someone he was...attached to."

Yuji's earlier theory of an ex-girlfriend might be true after all. "Do you remember who it was?"

Shinichi shook his head miserably, "Kuro's awakened, but not even our collective memory is complete. There are still some fragments missing."

Yuji asked, "So, what will you do now?"

Shinichi answered, "If this was months ago, I would've gone and tracked the assassin down on my own and dealt with them myself. But now..."

Yuji finished, "Now you don't have to. You got us." In the past several months since he first arrived in Youkai Academy, Shinichi had made many loyal and trustworthy friends.

Shinichi smiled up at Yuji. They had met due to fate and learnt that they were family. There had to be a deep meaning to that. Shinichi held up his fist and Yuji bumped his knuckles against his.

"How touching," said Bianca, causing both cousins to yelp.

"Jesus Christ!" Shinichi shouted. "Where the hell do you keep coming from!-?"

"Trade secret," was her simple answer, smiling. "So, I'm hungry. Do you have anything?"

"I still got some macaroni and gravy..." began Shinichi.

"Good, I'll have some of that," said Bianca as she turned and went into the living room.

"Freaks me the fuck out," Shinichi muttered.

"Still getting used to that too," Yuji agreed.

* * *

><p>While working in Youkai Academy, teachers stayed in the staff dormitories within the school. Inside one room was Kobe-sensei, the Biology teacher. He had just connected his tablet computer to his laptop and was going over the video footage of the tournament. He smiled, putting his fingers together in a pyramid as he looked at the footage with an analytical grin. Closing the video file, he opened up an email and attached the video file to it. Minutes later, after typing a message, he clicked 'SEND'.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: We have a murder investigation and it seems like the killer knew Shinichi personally. What is the significance of the term 'Kuro-kun' and was this person intimately involved with Shinichi in the past? Anyway, we've officially ended the Sports Fest arc and we are now moving towards the Anti-Thesis Arc which will take place after this. Fans, if you've been waiting patiently, please be prepared as we take the action up another notch.<strong>

**TAILSMO4EVER: And the Sports Fest Arc is finally finished, but with a chilling cliffhanger. Who killed Chopper, and how do they know Shinichi so well? We know, but we aren't talking. And what about Kobe-sensei? Who did he send that video too?**


	48. AntiThesis: Ebony & Ivory

**Now that we've ended the Sports Festival Arc, we can get back to the main storyline. Now we enter the Anti-Thesis Arc.**

**Chapter 48: Ebony and Ivory**

"The bars impaling him were not the cause of death," said Dr. Magi. In the Hive Queen's operating room, Dr. Magi and Hana were performing an autopsy of Chopper Rikishi's body. He'd just examined the body and concluded, "His neck was snapped."

"And the bars were then used to pin him up to the wall like a butterfly in an entomologist's display case," Hana concluded. "The bars still went through all vital components."

"Damaging all his organs and cybernetic implants beyond repair," added Dr. Magi.

"Dr. Magi," began Hana. "That message for Shinichi; the killer called him 'Kuro-kun'. Did anyone in GIN-SHOCKER call him that?"

"I don't know," said Dr. Magi. "He was always referred to by his numerical designation, you know that."

"Could it have been someone during the year when we died?" Hana questioned. Dr. Magi let out a sigh.

"I wouldn't know," Dr. Magi replied, sighing as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. He looked up at her. "After that incident, when you were all killed, I refused to have any contact with Shinichi-kun. I couldn't even look at him after what he did to Yokoshima. I didn't find out that Gebok was controlling him until I hacked into his data files."

"Well, we may not know who it is, but the evidence suggests that the killer was definitely a psychic," said Hana.

"I still have some of Dr. Gebok's data stored here," Dr. Magi told her, "Perhaps there is something that can help identify the killer if they know Shinichi-kun so well. Although the information is still encrypted, so it might take some time."

"Thank you, Dr. Magi," Hana nodded.

"So, you're positive a member of the Psychic Corps did this?" Dr. Magi questioned.

"I bet all my limbs on it," Hana said.

* * *

><p>It was a couple of days after the Sports Festival and things in Youkai Academy were starting to get back to normal. Violent displays and life or death battles like that were the norm in this school. The Newspaper Club was working on the next issue of the school newspaper which would cover the entire Sports Festival.<p>

Shinichi was finishing up his article when he checked his watch. "Oh, sorry, everyone. I have to go." He put away his things and picked up his bag. "See you all tomorrow!"

"Chotto, Shinchi-kun!" Moka called out to him but he was already out the door and running down the hallway. With a pout, "Ah, mou," Moka sat back down in her chair, resting her head in her hands. Shinichi had been leaving like this a lot lately and it was starting to worry her. Could he be running out to meet some other girl that they didn't know about?

* * *

><p>"I'm really starting to get tired of these missions," complained Shinichi as he closed his locker door. He was in the male locker room in the Hive Queen and had just changed into his uniform. Next to him was Daichi who was just putting on his gloves.<p>

"I thought you of all people would look forward to taking down GIN-SHOCKER," Daichi replied.

"I do," Shinichi confessed. "I really do, but these missions are really cutting into my time. I had to skip another club meeting just to be here and I can't even tell the girls the truth." Shinichi had told the girls that he had to go train with Daichi, Chiaki, Shogo and Yokoshima on a few of the previous occasions, but the truth was that he'd been going on missions with them to take down GIN-SHOCKER facilities. He always finished before midnight but he was always exhausted. For them, the former NUMBERS, missions like these were like a walk in the park. They had been trained for these kinds of missions for years, going through drills and scenarios during training exercises.

"We've all got to make sacrifices, Shinichi," Daichi said, putting a hand on Shinichi's shoulder as an act of reassurance.

Shinichi chuckled, shaking his head, "You know my sempai, Gin? He must love having the girls all to himself now."

"The werewolf?" Daichi asked. "What's he like?"

"Oh, he made a good first impression, but I could tell there was something off about him. He tried to frame me for being a peeping tom but it backfired on him. So, in retaliation, I decided to expose him and found evidence. We fought and he learnt his lesson. He's not such a bad guy if you overlook the fact that he's an incorrigible pervert," Shinichi told Daichi. "I bet he's cheering on the inside that I'm not around to hog all the girls."

"Those girls must really like you," Daichi remarked.

"They're kinda like me," Shinichi answered. "They know what it feels like to be alone but I brought them all together and they've helped me with my loneliness too. It wasn't easy being the only cyborg in the entire school but they didn't care." He lowered his head, "And look at me now, lying to them and going on these missions without telling them." He then developed a sly smile. "So, enough about me. What about you and that new girlfriend of yours? Haruhi was her name, right?"

"She's not my girlfriend!" Daichi shouted at the top of his lungs before slamming his locker shut. "Come on. Let's go for the mission briefing."

"Right behind you," Shinichi answered. "Just…give me a few minutes."

* * *

><p>Shinichi returned to his dorm room, exhausted, and just dropped into his bed. The mission had involved them going in and taking down another one of GIN-SHOCKER's weapon production plants while at the same time stealing some of their data. Shinichi had been put in charge of setting the explosives and stealing the data while the others went and provided distraction. The guards never saw him. Of course, he had snuck in using Biorider's power and flowed through the ventilation shaft to get to where the data was stored.<p>

Once they were out Shinichi had detonated the explosives he had planted and watched as the entire place was blown to kingdom come. The feeling of crippling the organization was satisfying.

Shinichi then remembered something important and lifted himself off his bed. "Homework…" he groaned. He still had homework that needed to be submitted the following day. "Gotta do homework…"

* * *

><p>"<em>Why Kuro-kun... why did you kill me...?"<em>

* * *

><p>Shinichi screamed as he woke up, sitting up with a jump. His eyes were wide and he was covered in sweat. He was also pale as a ghost as he tried to breathe. His heart thundered in his chest.<p>

Putting a hand on his face, he wondered, "What…the hell…was that?" Why did he have that nightmare again?

He had fallen asleep at his desk while doing his homework. Looking down at the unfinished work, he quickly went to finishing it up and then, after about another twenty minutes, looked at the clock.

"Ah man, only another two hours until class starts," he said while letting out a yawn. Today was going to be exhausting, that was for sure.

* * *

><p>Yuji entered the Headmaster's office, seeing nothing but darkness as he gave his eyes time to adjust and glow; his night vision kicking in. The decor was dark, like the room, and occultist in nature, with skulls, wands and other things placed about. Hana and Ruby would be right at home in a place like this.<p>

"Good, you made it."

Yuji looked ahead to see a man, sitting at a desk, wearing a white cloak as all that could be seen of him was his shadowed face and glowing eyes. Bianca was also in the room, standing in front of the desk.

"So, you're the Boss here, right?" Yuji asked. "And why are you here, Bianca?"

"Just concluding a meeting with an associate of Katsu's," she replied.

Yuji looked to the Headmaster, "Then you're with the Family?"

"Not officially, Fudo-san, but your great-grandfather and I do go back, as well as a few others that I know," the Headmaster explained. "Believe it or not, this meeting concerns you more than just the Vongola. After speaking with Ms. Stefano prior to today, I did some research on you and your family in Neo Domino." He had his hand on an file envelope, "Physics and Mechanics Major, a Minor in Psychology, working in a branch shop of a company started by your father. With a record like this, I think you're qualified."

The Manakyte crossed his arms, "What, you're giving me a job or something?"

"Exactly," the Headmaster nodded. "You see, due to some circumstances, I'm a little shorthanded when it comes to staff so I need all the help I can get. And by what Ms. Stefano has told me, you seem quite capable of being a teacher."

"Well, I guess I can go with it," Yuji mused. "Just so we're clear, I tend to do things my way and if shit goes down then I gotta do what I gotta do to handle it; be it here or back home."

"Just try not to cause a scene," the Headmaster advised.

Yuji nodded his head and then, with a polite bow, turned around and left the office. He was going to need to get ready if he was going to become a new teacher at the academy.

* * *

><p>Shinichi was dragging himself to school. After waking up due to the nightmare he couldn't get back to sleep. He had dark rings under his eyes and his ahoge were drooping lazily in front of his face, lifeless. He arrived at the shoe lockers and was leaning his head against them, letting out a tired yawn. He felt a finger tap his shoulder and he weakly rolled his body over to face them.<p>

"Are you OK?" Kurumu asked.

"Just..." he yawned. "Just...couldn't sleep."

"Poor baby," purred Kurumu. "Let me help you." She caressed his face and pulled him into a deep and passionate kiss. Shinichi didn't resist. He didn't want to. He reciprocated the affection he was receiving from Kurumu. After a few more seconds, Kurumu broke the kiss and smiled. "And that takes care of that."

Shinichi blinked. "Hey, I don't feel tired anymore." He asked, "What did you do?"

"Just a little energy transfer," Kurumu grinned. "We succubi can transfer energy into our mates."

"Neat trick," Shinichi complimented. Kurumu looped her arms around his neck and pressed her chest against his.

"Want to see what other tricks I have?" she whispered suggestively.

"I wanna see!" a voice from up above them said. Startled, the pair looked up and saw Michiru sitting on top of the shoe lockers with a grin. With her was Mia, who sat on her head.

"You were listening in on us?" Kurumu frowned.

"Aw, don't be mad," Michiru said, dropping down before them. "I just wanted to say hi." She waved, "Hi!"

"Yeah? So what's up?" Shinichi asked, "And... why are you wearing the uniform?" Michiru was indeed wearing the Youkai Academy uniform. The Mantis Cyborg grinned as she twirled around for them to see.

"The Headmaster of the school gave Yu-kun a teaching job for some reason," Michiru explained. "So me and the others are gonna be sticking around with you guys a little longer."

Shinichi smiled brightly, "That's awesome!" He pulled Michiru into a hug. "It'll be great to have all of us together!" He let her go and asked, "So, where's Misato and Hana?"

"Oh, Hana-chan is looking for which club would suit her, since joining one is mandatory, and Misato-chan is getting breakfast," she explained.

"From Yuji?" Kurumu joked.

"She can't help herself," Michiru shrugged. "You guys mind giving me and Mia-chan a tour?"

"Sure, no problem," Shinichi nodded. "But we have homeroom first so we'll help you find your classroom before we can give you the tour." Michiru followed the couple further into the school building, not knowing that someone was watching. Pulling out a cell phone, he dialed a number and made his call.

"You know what to do," he whispered. "Fetch the bait."

* * *

><p>"Are you sure about bringing pets to school?" Shinichi asked Michiru regarding Mia.<p>

"Oh, Mia-chan's well behaved," Michiru smiled. "Ain't that right?"

"Myah~" responded Mia.

"Can't believe she hatched from an egg," Shinichi remarked. He found it fascinating, really.

"At least it's not a gremlin. Those things are nasty," Kurumu frowned. "So, do you know which class you're in?" Kurumu asked.

"Yours," Michiru answered.

"Wait, what?" Shinichi reacted.

"Yours," she repeated. "We learned that a lot of your classmates got pulled out of school so we're just taking their spots."

"Well, if you need help feel free to ask me. I am the Class Rep," Shinichi told Michiru.

"And once again you're the boss," grinned Michiru. She gave him a salute which Mia mimicked.

"So, need help finding the classroom?" Shinichi asked.

"No, I got this," smiled Michiru.

"You sure?" Shinichi asked. "I don't want you getting lost."

"Positive. Plus you and your girlfriend seem like you need some early morning PDA." She gave another salute, "Later, boss!"

Kurumu watched her go and smiled, "She called me your girlfriend." She was glad to see that someone acknowledged their relationship.

"She's also the team's sweetheart and little sister," Shinichi added. "Now, we better get to class before we're late."

"But what about the PDA?" Kurumu asked. "We got a few minutes to kill."

Shinichi checked his watch. They did have 5 minutes until the bell rang. "Tempting..." he admitted, cupping her chin affectionately. "But, maybe later, OK?"

* * *

><p>"God, this uniform is terrible," Misato grimaced. "Whoever came up with this color scheme should've hung themselves!" She, Yuji, Riza and Ruby were walking through the halls as they all got looks from the other students. "And the skirt's too short! What the hell?-! It's like they <em>want<em> the guys to get free panty shots!"

"Can't be helped, I guess," Yuji sighed as he had Misato close to him. "But you still look great, especially with the skirt."

Riza recoiled, mock-gagging as she watched the two. "Somebody kill me before I vomit! You two are making a damn scene!"

Misato looked back at the two, "And why aren't you two in uniform?"

"The Headmaster made us substitute teachers since the faculty is short-handed at the moment," Ruby explained.

"I'm in charge of P.E.," Riza grinned.

"I can handle any assignments given to me," Ruby smiled before blushing. "And if I fail, Yuji-sama can _punish_ me as much as he wants..."

"...I am going to ignore that," Riza sweat-dropped.

"You'll get used to it," Yuji supported. "I heard Shin's class is small, so you and the others can fit right in, Misato."

"Just like old times," she mused.

"Come on. We don't want you to be late on your very first day of school now, do we?" Yuji asked rhetorically.

* * *

><p>"As you all know, the Youkai Academy School Festival will take place at the end of the month," Nekonome-sensei began.<p>

"Sensei," Shinichi raised his arm. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Am I?" she asked.

"We're supposed to be getting new transfer students," Daichi reminded her.

"Oh, oh yes!" Nekonome-sensei realized, embarrassed. "Oh, dear! How foolish of me!" She was a bit of a scatterbrain but it never interfered in her teaching. "Yes, class. We have three new transfer students."

"Do you think they're boys?"

"I wonder if they're cute."

"I hope they're girls. Hot girls too."

"Yeah, that would be sweet."

"And the speculations have begun," Daichi sighed. "Dear God, I hope they aren't gonna be pain in the asses."

Shinichi grinned, "You'd be surprised."

"What's with that look?" Daichi asked.

"I know something you don't know~" Shinichi sang.

The door slid open as Michiru, Hana and Misato came in and stood in front of the class. Some students recognized the girls from around the sports festival that just passed.

"Hi, everyone! I'm Michiru Masami and I hope we all have fun!" Michiru introduced cheerfully with a wave of her hands.

"I'm Hana Nekozawa," Hana introduced calmly. "Nice to meet all of you."

"Misato Kurashina," Misato introduced a little lazily, a single fang sticking out from her top lip. "Just so you all know, these uniforms suck ass. And if any of you guys try anything funny then you're dead meat."

Despite Misato's warning, a lot of the boys were cheering and whistling at the girls when they suddenly felt a chill of terror coming from the door. They looked to see Yuji, glaring at them darkly and with black sclera.

"Try anything...and your asses are _**mine**_," Yuji threatened almost quietly. The boys in the room all cringed in terror as they shrunk in their seats.

"Oh, Fudo-kun," Nekonome-sensei smiled. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I'm the new teacher the Boss hired," he smiled, his attitude making a full 180.

"Isn't this great? The team back together, with no psychos, kleptos, sociopaths and treacherous assholes," Shinichi smiled

"You can say that again," Yokoshima grinned. "Man, this is a real surprise."

"Shinichi, the only psycho's here are you and your cousins and that's on a good day. And I would love to see one of those morons ignore their warnings," Daichi grinned to himself, "Hoho, it'll be fun to watch."

"Indeed it will be," Shogo agreed.

* * *

><p>"So how do you guys like the school so far?" Shogo asked the trio. It was lunch break and the students were milling about, headed either to the lunchroom or wherever they normally went.<p>

"It's actually pretty nice around here," Hana admitted, "It might be a high school made for monsters by monsters, but it's still high school."

"Yeah, it's awesome to hang out with other kids our age for once!" Michiru grinned.

"I still wish those jerks would keep their eyes in their heads," Misato huffed.

"That's Youkai for ya," Daichi commented, "They tend to have even less self control than humans. Reminds me of the time Shinichi told us about the mermaids. Nasty bitches, the lot of them."

"Really? Mermaids?" Misato asked, baffled.

"Unlike those cutesy mermaids you would normally see in the movies, the ones Shinichi had to fight were vampiric energy feeders that had men as their diet," Daichi explained. "They still do look hot, until it's feeding time for them."

"Wow," Misato seemed to pale, "I do NOT want to know what they look like when they're hungry."

"And Shinichi kicked their tail-fins, didn't he?" Michiru asked.

"Yeah, you got it," Shogo nodded.

"You know, I swear Shinichi's situation is completely ironic," said Misato.

"Why's that?" Yokoshima asked.

"That Shinichi found his humanity in a school for monsters," she answered.

"You know, now that I think about it, you're absolutely right," Shogo nodded. "Not to mention that the ones who helped him to gain his humanity were a Vampire, a Succubus, a Witch, and a Yuki-Onna. What happened to him is one big contradiction."

"Well, even if it is I'm certainly not complaining," Hana shrugged.

"So, where did Shinichi go at lunch? Michiru asked. "He was quick to leave with Kurumu-chan as soon as the bell rang." Mia, who rode on her shoulder, was wondering the same thing. For an animal, she was quite intelligent.

"Michiru, honestly, do you have to ask?" Misato smirked. She knew all too well what those two were up to. If she could, she'd possibly be doing the same thing with Yuji right now.

"Haha! Yeah, I guess that was a dumb question wasn't it?" Michiru giggled.

"Isn't that against the rules?" Hana questioned, wondering if Shinichi should be doing _that _on school grounds.

"So is murder, but some students find a way to get away with it anyway," Daichi frowned. "And long as he isn't caught with his pants down he's fine."

* * *

><p>Shinichi slowly opened the door and poked his head out. He looked left and right. The halls were empty. "Coast is clear," he said as he got out with Kurumu, holding her hand. She was still experiencing the afterglow of a great session of sex as she clung to his arm and sighed, cheeks flushed.<p>

"You were great," she said, looking up at him with her violet eyes.

"Well, practice makes perfect," Shinichi shrugged and then he groaned, "Wow...I can even make _that _sound dirty."

"Hey guys," Yuji called from behind them, startling the couple. He smelled the air around and chuckled. "I thought I smelled mating somewhere."

"Aw..." Shinichi began.

"...Shit," Kurumu finished.

"And your fly is open," Yuji pointed. Shinichi looked down as Yuji laughed, "Made you look!" He punched Shinichi gently on the arm. "But seriously," Yuji growled, "This place is boring...! I haven't been a teacher for 10 minutes and I'm already losing my mind to the boredom!"

"Boring's good. Boring means nobody has to die senselessly or get sent to the hospital," Shinichi told his cousin. "By the way, what will you be teaching exactly?"

"Physics," he answered. Kurumu looked mortified. "Oh, relax, it's not as bad as you think. It's actually pretty simple once you get it."

"And I'll tutor you, Kurumu-chan" Shinichi offered.

"See? Everybody wins!" Yuji grinned.

Shinichi's cell phone suddenly chimed, alerting the trio. Pulling out from his pocket, he looked at the caller I.D. "Huh? It's a text from Moka-chan," he blinked. He flipped it opened... only for his eyes to bulge out. "WHAT THE FUCK!-?"

"What is it?" Yuji asked, as he and Kurumu looked over his shoulder. Their eye's widened as they saw what had set Shinichi off. It was a picture of an unconscious Moka, tied up, and lying on her side. Under the picture was a text message: _"If you want your Vampire friend back then come to the old warehouse, __**alone **__."_

Now, normally Shinichi was a calm person. Not much could set his anger off. But the sight of seeing one of his loved ones in danger like this immediately made his eyes narrowed into a dangerous glare as he trembled on the spot, squeezing his phone. It would've broken if Yuji hadn't put his hand on his younger cousin's shoulder. "Shinichi..." The Cicada Cyborg shrugged the Manakyte's hand off and immediately ran towards the exit. "Hey, wait!"

"Shinichi!" Kurumu shouted as she went to follow Shinichi but Yuji took hold of her arm. "Let go!"

"As a teacher I can't let you go after him alone. That's why I'm going with you. And just to be safe, I'll tell the others," Yuji told her.

* * *

><p>"Let's Ride: Showa!" Shinichi called as he ran out of the school, his armor forming all over his body. After that he called, "Let's Ride: Skyrider!" Once his armor had switched forms, he took off into the air. He looked at his cell phone and activated the GPS locator to find Moka's cell phone. Find that, and he would find her and the warehouse she was being kept in.<p>

"Wait for me, Moka-chan," the flying Rider murmured as he flew to her rescue.

* * *

><p>The warehouse was a building that had long since been abandoned. It had originally been used for storing supplies. Now, it was being used for something else.<p>

"Hey, boss," one kid said as he admired Moka. "She's really cute. Think we can have fun with her?"

"Don't touch her, moron," the boss, Midou ordered. "We need her."

"But she's just a Vampire bitch," the kid argued. "And she looks tasty too. I mean we can each take turns."

Midou grabbed the kid by his shirt and snarled, "Are you hard of hearing or just stupid?-! I said no!" He tossed him away. He glared at the others, "That goes for the rest of you!" He then spotted a figure standing in the entrance.

It was Showa-Skyrider. As he took a step forward, he saw Moka lying on the ground. His red eyes flashed red as he glared at the students hanging out in this place. "Give me back Moka-chan," Showa-Skyrider said. It was not a request. It was an order.

"First, change back to human form," Midou countered.

Shinichi glared at him. He wanted to punch the guy and knock his head off his shoulders, but they had Moka. One wrong move and she could get hurt or worse. Giving off a sigh, Shinichi complied and his armor shattered from his body. The glare hadn't left his face, though. It just became sterner.

"Good," Midou smiled. "Now to discuss business."

"OK, is this the part where you ask me to join you or else you'll do something horrible to my friends?" Shinichi asked, hands in his pockets.

"Smart boy," Midou grinned.

"It wasn't that hard to figure out," Shinichi said. "I mean you took my friend hostage to lure me here. Considering Moka-chan doesn't look hurt, you want to keep her in good condition to use as a bargaining chip so that I would stay loyal to whatever cause you're fighting for. The set up was just obvious. That, and I've been in this kind of situation before." He gave off a sigh, "Seriously, are all the bad guys I fight unimaginative? First GS, then Kuyou, and now you guys." GIN-SHOCKER had tried to capture him in order to make him their weapon and Kuyou had wanted to recruit him into the Student Police regime.

"I think we can be a bit more persuasive," Midou smiled, "You and I have a lot more in common than you think."

"Why's that?" Shinichi frowned.

"Because you are like me. You aren't a Youkai," Shinichi's eyes widened, "Right on the money, aren't I?"

"Where are you going with this?" Shinichi demanded.

"I'll get straight to the point. We are ANTI-THESIS," Midou explained, "A gang of hybrid monsters who look out for no one but ourselves. In spite of your power, there is nothing supernatural about you. You have no Youki to detect, and I'm _very _good at detecting Youki."

"What's your point?" Shinichi asked.

"Just this," Midou pointed at him, "We'll let this bitch of a Vampire go, unharmed and untouched. All you have to do is join us, and renounce your filthy pureblood friends."

"Is that all you have to say?" Shinichi's voice suddenly went cold and monotone. "Here is my counter proposal: return Moka Akashiya to me, and you as well as everyone else here can leave with your lives and limbs intact."

"So, you will stand with the pureblood filth?" Midou questioned, angered that someone would would dare to reject his _generous _offer, especially since he was holding a hostage.

"I stand by my friends who stood by me when I had nothing," said Shinichi as he took a step forward. "I stand by the people who have my best interest at heart." He finished, "And I stand by the people I love."

Midou gritted his teeth and grabbed Moka, picking her up as he held a switchblade to her neck. "Then this bitch dies!" Shinichi's eyes suddenly turned black before red lasers shot out and zapped Midou's hand, forcing him to drop the blade. "ARGH!" Shinichi then made a dash towards Midou, taking advantage of their stunned state. He was right next to him in an instant.

"Hi," said Shinichi before he jumped and knocked Midou down with a tornado kick. He picked up Moka and said, "Bye," before making a dash towards his original spot, his feet skidding along the ground as he stopped.

Shinichi gently lay Moka down and undid the ropes. He bit his finger, letting it bleed, before holding it under Moka's nose. "Wakey-wakey, Moka-chan." Moka's nose twitched. "That's right, Moka-chan. There's blood." He put his finger into her mouth and she sucked on it. He smiled. He removed his finger from her mouth, making a popping sound, as she slowly opened her eyes. "Good morning, sleeping beauty," he said, smiling tenderly at her.

"Shinichi-kun, what's going on?" she asked.

"YOU BOTH DIE NOW!" Midou roared.

"I think that pretty much sums up our situation," Shinichi told his pink-haired girlfriend. He gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I've got some scum to take care of." He snapped his fingers, "Game Start."

Midou's henchmen charged at Shinichi as he removed his jacket. He tossed it into the face of the closest one and knocked him out with a punch as he retrieved his jacket. Taking off his tie, he used it as a whip and lashed it out, wrapping it around the wrist of another henchmen, dragging him towards him to receive a kick to the balls.

"Who else wants some?" Shinichi challenged. They all rushed him and he grinned. "Let the games begin!"

* * *

><p>"Misato, we got a bit of a situation," Yuji called through his bluetooth headset. He and Kurumu were running towards the warehouse where Shinichi had gone to. Actually, Yuji was doing the running. Kurumu was in her true form flying above him.<p>

"_What is it?"_ she asked. _"Shinchi?"_

"Shinichi," he confirmed before elaborating, "Someone's kidnapped Moka and demanded for Shinichi to meet them somewhere if he wants her back."

"_OK, I'll get the girls and round up the others,"_ Misato acknowledged._ "Where is he?"_

"Some old warehouse. Kurumu and I are almost there. I'll send you the coordinates," Yuji informed, typing into his phone.

"_OK, just be careful."_

"You know me. I'm always careful. Over and out."

"Do you think Shinichi and Moka will be OK?" Kurumu asked.

"We're talking about my cousin," Yuji reminded. "He'll be fine."

* * *

><p>The last of Midou's henchmen fell as Shinichi put down his Gravity Hammer with a loud thud.<p>

"Well, that takes care of that," said Shinichi as he ran his hand through his hair. "Now, time to take on the boss." Moka took hold of his arm. "Eh, Moka-chan?"

"The other me wants to fight as well," said Moka. After witnessing the violent display of Shinichi defeating each and every one of the ANTI-THESIS members, Inner Moka felt like she wanted to stretch her limbs and come out to play.

Shinichi stared at her and nodded, "OK." He took hold of her rosario seal.

Meanwhile, Midou was pissed. His men were so easily defeated and now the Vampire bitch and Shinichi were ignoring him. "STOP IGNORING ME!" he roared as he assumed his true form. His jacket flew off from his back as his aura grew, and particles started to form on his head and right arm. Horns formed on his face like a mask, and his right arm took the shape of fierce looking gauntlet.

Shinichi removed the rosario seal with a 'clink' and Moka's true power and form were released. The air was thick with her Youki and Midou actually trembled in her presence. Moka's hair changed to silver and her eyes narrowed and became sharper with red irises.

Moka-sama looked at all the unconscious ANTI-THESIS members and said, "You didn't kill them."

"Didn't think they were worth it," he said.

"You should've let me out earlier," she said to him. "They kidnapped me. They deserve a beating from me."

"Didn't want you to dirty your hands with the rabble," Shinichi shrugged. He gestured to Midou, "But now you have a chance to beat up that asshole over there."

"Mm. Good point," Moka-sama acknowledged, walking towards Midou as she cracked her knuckles, "In that case, stand back and try not to blink."

Midou gritted his teeth. This was exactly why he hated Vampires. Just because they were at the high end of the scale, they saw fit to treat the lower class monsters like trash. It was because of Vampires like her that he always had to strive to prove himself, but his efforts hardly ever get noticed. If he had to bash her skull in to prove that she wasn't as invincible as she thought, then so-

**SHINK!**

**(Music- "The Secret of Birth" from Gundam SEED OST)**

Midou stiffened as an energy blade stuck out of his stomach. The blade was withdrawn and and he instantly collapsed. Standing behind Midou was a feminine figure in white armor. The white armor was worn over a black bodysuit with a white helmet that sported blue eyes and a silver mouthplate. The helmet was insect-like in appearance due to the compound eyes and antennae. Hanging from her neck was a silver scarf. On her left shoulder was a blue XIV, which was the roman numeral for 14.

Aside from the color, the armor was very identical to that of Shinichi's except that this Rider didn't seem to have a Spark Core present on her body.

Moka-sama gazed at Midou's body uncaringly. It served him right and as a piece of garbage he deserved to die just like that. She noticed movement coming from him. "Oh, he's still alive."

"Hm?" the armored female turned back to Midou, he was struggling to get back onto his feet. "You're stubborn, aren't ya?" she commented. She reared her foot back, and kicked Midou towards Moka-sama and Shinichi. Both leaned out of the way as the outcast Ayashi passed them, and crashed into a wall behind them. "You sleep now."

Moka-sama's gaze went towards the armored cyborg. She smiled sinisterly, "Judging from how your armor is so similar to Shinichi's, you must be another one of GIN-SHOCKER's cyborgs. At least I get to fight you."

"Matte," Shinichi stopped her. Moka-sama glared at him.

"What?" she demanded. She did not appreciate anyone getting between her and her battles.

"This isn't your fight," he told her. "It's mine." He looked towards the armored cyborg and said, "State your name, rank and intention!"

"Don't you recognize me, _Kuro-kun_?" the white-armored cyborg asked.

"Kuro-kun?" he repeated and he realized who she was, or at the very least what she had done. "It was YOU! You're the one who killed Chopper!"

"So what if I was?" the cyborg shrugged. "I had to tie up some loose ends. That was one part of my mission. But my second part of the mission involves you."

"Me?"

"That's right," she nodded. "My superiors call me WHITE 14, but you can refer to me as Phantom. And I've come to bring you home, Kuro-kun!"

"My name is Shinichi Banabara!" Shinichi answered as he performed his transformation pose. "Also known as...Let's Ride: Showa!" He transformed and finished, "Kamen Rider Showa! And there's no way I'm ever returning to GIN-SHOCKER!"

"Then I'll make you!" Phantom shouted, her visors glowing bright. An invisible wall suddenly knocked both Showa and Moka-sama backwards, causing them to skid on their backs. Phantom was quick to react as she suddenly blurred out of sight and appeared right behind Showa. She grabbed him by his scarf and tossed him into several support beams. They were knocked down instantly like dominos and he rolled to his side.

Showa picked himself up and summoned his Vulcan Shooter. He took aim as he activated his helmet's targeting system, locking onto Phantom. He fired and fired several beams which shot through the air towards her. She let them come and raised her hand. The beams curved, much to Showa's surprise before hitting him, causing him to screamed as he was struck. He mentally kicked himself for making such an error. "She's psychic, duh!"

Phantom smirked and summoned her weapon. It was a steel staff with a two-pronged spear head which was glowing with orange light. She vanished from sight and stood behind Showa to strike. He spun around as his Laser Sword appeared in his hand and both weapons clashed with sparks flying as they connected.

"Who are you?" Showa demanded.

"I told you, Kuro-kun," Phantom replied.

"I mean under that mask!" he shouted.

"Why don't you take it off so you can see?" she challenged. She kicked him backwards, creating a gap between them. "We used to be so close, you and I. You were the only one I had. I'm a bit insulted to see that you really have forgotten about me."

Moka-sama, hearing the exchange, became irritated. First, she was refused the right to battle after being summoned, and now this woman was trying to seduce her Rider.

"If I forgot about you, maybe there's a good reason!" Showa shouted as he exchanged the Laser Sword with the Gravity Hammer and swung. However, the head of the Gravity Hammer suddenly went flying before crashing down on the floor, making a dent.

An energy blade had just come out of Phantom's hand and she'd used it to slice off the Gravity Hammer's head. She jumped and began to execute a series of kicks which drove Showa back as he stumbled with each strike.

'_I have to switch_,' Showa thought. "Let's Ride, Roborider!" he called and in a flash he changed into the robotic Rider. Her kicks did no damage this time and he was able to drive her back with a powerful punch to the chest, sending her flying backwards. She did a backflip and landed on her feet.

"Clever," she said but her eyes glowed and Showa-Roborider was picked up by an invisible force. Using her telekinesis she hurled him straight into the ceiling. Then she threw him down to the floor. She tossed him into the right wall, then the left wall, then back up the ceiling and again back down to the floor. "I heard you have amnesia! Maybe a hard enough force will help jog your memory!"

Of course she should've been paying attention to her surroundings as a loud feminine cry of, "KNOW YOUR PLACE!" was heard.

**POW!**

Moka had just used a kick and smashed her foot into Phantom's head, sending her spinning through the air as she was sent airborne. Showa also landed on the floor, free from Phantom's telekinetic grip.

"That should show you not to ignore me," declared the Vampire haughtily. She was a prideful creature by nature, but she still cared about Shinichi's welfare. She didn't want to lose a convenient source of blood and a great lover.

Phantom picked herself up, her helmet cracked from Moka-sama's kick with her left eyepiece broken to reveal one of her eyes and part of her face which was hidden. She pointed her finger at the support beams and raised them up. With a wave of her hand, she hurled the support beams towards Moka-sama. Suddenly, the support beams stopped moving and froze in the air.

Showa was responsible. Using Stronger's form and electromagnetic powers, he'd frozen the support beams in midair before they would hit Moka-sama. However, Phantom was trying to break the support beams free with her own psychic power. It became a tug-o-war as they tried to pull the support beams away from each other.

"You care about her that much?" Phantom asked.

"I care about everyone. I'll protect them even if it means risking my own life!" Showa-Stronger told her.

"You said the exact same thing a long time ago," said Phantom, her voice sounding hurt. "You swore you would always protect me."

"What?" Showa-Stronger asked.

"HYAH!" Phantom roared as she buried her fist into the ground and the ground split open with blue energy ripping it apart. The energy reached Showa-Stronger and he was shot into the air. Phantom sent the support beams flying again and Showa-Stronger was struck violently before he crashed to the ground with the support beams dropping on top of him.

Phantom smiled and whirled around in time to block Moka-sama's kick with a psychic barrier. "So, that's all you can do? Kick?"

"I can kick you to the stratosphere," Moka-sama boasted.

"Then prove it!" Phantom challenged.

Showa got out from under the pile of support beams and stood back up to see Phantom and Moka-sama fighting. If he was going to defeat this white-armored cyborg, he would need to use his most powerful attack.

Meanwhile, Phantom was encountering trouble. Moka-sama's kicks were fueled by Youki and they were breaking her psychic shields as fast as she could make them. One of Moka-sama's kick smashed into the chest plate and sent her flying into the air. That was the chance Showa was waiting for.

"Rider Jump!" he shouted as he jumped up and grabbed Phantom by the waist, holding her upside down as he tucked in his legs. **"RIDER PILEDRIVER!"**

**BOOM!**

The force of the attack gave enough power to rattle the warehouse. Inside, there was a crater in the floor of the warehouse and Showa was standing in the middle of it with Phantom lying sprawled, flat on the ground. Cracks were spreading all over her helmet. Moka-sama slid down the crater and stood next to Showa.

**(Music End)**

"Did you beat her?" she asked.

"Yeah, I think so," said Showa. "Come on, let's get out of here and call Leon. Let him take care of this one."

The couple stepped out of the crater but Phantom's right hand began to twitch. She slowly put her palms down on the ground and pushed herself up to her hands and knees. Showa and Moka-sama went stiff and turned to see Phantom standing up. Phantom's helmet had shattered exposing her face fully. Showa's eyes widened instantly. Her green eyes and shoulder-length brown hair, and her features.

It all suddenly came back to him.

* * *

><p><em>After shooting it, he kicked the last of the training dummies down. This one felt a little odd, almost as if it were heavier. Perhaps it was made out of different materials. Shrugging, he was about to return to the starting point when he noticed it. A dark pool was growing from underneath the last training dummy. Curious, he pressed his hand against the head of the dummy. It felt odd. Finding a flap for the fabric which made up its head, he removed it…and felt his heart stop as the blood drained from his face. Then it restarted, galloping twice as fast as before as a roaring sound filled his ears and his heart hammered desperately against the cage of his ribs.<em>

"_LINA-CHAN!"_

_"Kuro…kun…" the girl was still alive! She gasped despite the ragged hole in her chest… Her breath sounded painfully laboured. There was an unpleasant, bubbling noise every time she fought to inhale… She was drowning in her own blood._

_And then, her features began to change. Her pink hair and red eyes started to flash between that of other colors. The flashing increased before it suddenly stopped, the girl now with brown hair and green eyes._

* * *

><p>He never understood what that nightmare meant, but now he realized he'd been putting Moka and Moka-sama's features on the face. Now that the owner of the face had appeared before him, it was all clear to him now.<p>

Then the pain came.

He fell to his knees and screamed, clutching his head, "LINA-CHAAAAAAN!-!-!"

"_Now_ you remember," Lina smirked.

* * *

><p><em>BLACK 13 knelt to pick her body up with trembling hands, cradling her with desperate tenderness. It was as though he hoped that somehow, if he only held her close to him, death would not be able to take her as it had taken so many others he had killed. "Lina-chan…I'm sorry…Lina-chan…" His eyes started to water, causing his vision to becoming blurry. "Wha... what's happening to me...?" he couldn't understand.<em>

_Lina gave BLACK 13 a weak smile; full of innocence and all the love she had felt for him,"You're crying, Kuro-kun..."_

_"C...crying?" he sputtered._

_Lina reached up to wipe his eyes, consequently staining his face with her blood. "Don't... worry," Lina whispered as the color in her eyes slowly dulled. "I know... you didn't... mean too..."_

_"No… Lina-chan… Lina-chan stay with me!"_

_But it was already too late. Lina's eyes closed forever._

_"No... no... no..." BLACK 13 sobbed as he shook his head in belief. In one single moment, the one thing he cared most about was gone. There was only one thing for him to do..._

_"...!-!-!"_

_BLACK 13 let out an enraged roar that shook the entire training ground. A vicious aura of multiple colors swirled around him and Lina's body as deadly winds sliced through the training dummies._

_"What's happening?-!" one of the technicians paled as she typed on the controls. The monitors gave a red, blinking ERROR, making her efforts for naught. BLACK 13's scream was loud enough to be heard in the control room. In fact, the scream was so loud, it could be heard throughout the base. "Is BLACK 13 malfunctioning?-!"_

_"The controls are jammed!" another technician reported as he slammed his hands on the keyboard. "What's going on?"_

_"Get the troopers in here!" the lead technician ordered, "We need to subdue BLACK 13, and fa-!"_

_He was unable to finish his order as a huge blast of fire shattered the protective glass, killing everyone inside._

* * *

><p>"Are you telling me that you sent WHITE 14 to engage BLACK 13 for that very purpose?" General Nagazawa questioned Gebok, baffled. Both were currently facing the screen that showed #14's progress. After that humiliating defeat at the hands of Yuji, Nagazawa was back on duty, but his pride had taken a huge blow. No one, in the history of the force, has ever defeated him so quickly. Ever. He vowed that one day soon, he would make Yuji pay for all of it.<p>

"Indeed I did," Gebok nodded. "BLACK 13 may not remember everything, but seeing her face will rock his foundations. WHITE 14 still remembers him quite clearly as well, and her guilt trips would make it all the more simpler to pick him up. He won't have the will to resist. It's that easy."

Nagazawa frowned, feeling somewhat appalled by this scheme, "You're a sick man, Gebok."

"I know," Gebok shrugged, "That's why you pay me."

Hidden behind the closed doorway was Kyofu, his ear pressed inside as he was listening in on the conversation. He smiled a twisted grin as he got up from his position and walked away in a bit of a hurry.

* * *

><p>"What have you done to him!-?" Moka-sama demanded accusingly.<p>

"Nothing but jog his memory," answered Lina.

"Lina-chan...?" Shinichi whispered, his armor shattering. "Lina-chan, is that really you?"

Lina gave a tired smiled. "So you remember me after all. That makes me so happy."

"But... but how?-!" he demanded. "You're supposed to be-"

"Dead?" she interrupted. "I was. But I was brought back, the very same way your comrades were brought back. Don't believe me? Here's your proof," she removed her bangs away to show a scar over her left eyebrow, revealing the Roman numeral, XIV.

"But you don't have a Spark Core," he said. If she was a NUMBER, she should have one.

"Oh, _those _things," Lina waved it off. "Spark Cores are just so tacky, plus you wear them out in the open. You might as well paint a huge bullseye on your stomach. We, the Jäger Unit, are much more advanced compared to the old generation NUMBER models, but because I'm their commander I can tell the others that you're exceptional." She offered him her hand, "Now, Kuro-kun, come back with me. We can pick up where we left off."

He stared at her. The memories were violently bombarding him. He couldn't think straight. His mind was filled with confusion. He only saw her as he reached out towards her. Suddenly, ice shards flew through the air, nearly hitting Lina, but she erected a psychic barrier that blocked the assault.

Looking at the entrance behind Shinichi and Moka-sama, Lina noticed the figures of the girls that Shinichi loved as well as those of the other former NUMBERS and the rest of their allies running in. Coming to a stop next to Shinichi, Kurumu and Yukari knelt next to his side, looks of worry on their faces. Mizore stood in front with Netto, Qiao, Kiko and Elle, the five of them ready to fight Lina on Shinichi's behalf.

Both Yuji and Leon came to a stop next to Moka-sama, both of them giving Lina a dark glare, while Yuki, Reiri, Hime, Gin, and Haji stood behind them, ready to give additional support. Each of them went back and forth from giving Shinichi worried looks to casting death glares at Phantom.

Daichi, Yokoshima, Shogo, Hana, Michiru and Misato were already in their armors and stood on opposite ends of the group. They weren't going to give Lina any room to make an escape. Aphrodite, Riza and Ruby were the last to enter as well, each one coming to a stop next to Yuji and Leon.

"Okay, who in the hell are you, ya bitch?-!" Kurumu demanded. She couldn't stand to see her beloved Destined One in the state that he was in at the moment.

Lina looked at the opposition and realized that she was currently outnumbered and the odds were not in her favor. If the information she got on each individual was accurate, she was outclassed. She did the smart thing and opted for an immediate withdrawal from the battlefield. "It's gotten a little too crowded for my taste," said Lina. She blew Shinichi a kiss and said, "Ja ne, Kuro-kun." She spun in a circle and vanished, teleporting away in a blue flash.

Shinichi was kneeling on the ground, visibly shaken, and pale as a ghost. His mind couldn't grasp what was going on. Lina was alive! Alive and working for the enemy! Exhausted mentally, his body slumped forward and he fainted right there on the spot.

* * *

><p>"This is stupendous!" Dr. Kyofu laughed to himself, walking through the halls the of the base. "Absolutely stupendous! He doesn't even realize that he's opened a window of opportunity for me!"<p>

Kyofu was like a kid in a candy shop when he heard that three of the Jager Unit members had failed in their mission to execute the traitors. The instant he heard, he was laughing like a mad clown. He would have gone over to gloat at Gebok and mock him for his failure, but he had to remind himself that Nagazawa was among those who were defeated, and mocking Gebok would be seen as mocking Nagazawa as well. Never get on the High Commander's bad side, that was something that everyone knew.

Reaching a door to where one of the training rooms was, he could hear the sounds of metal grinding and being blasted. Smiling at the sounds, he punched a key code, and a chime was heard before it opened up. Walking inside, he could see various parts of machinery busted and broken. In the center of the carnage was a female figure. She turned around at the sound of footsteps, revealing that she wore a short hooded cloak and a red and black sleeveless gothic Lolita outfit with white pantyhose and red, gothic Lolita ankle strap pumps. Her face was hidden under the shadow of the hood.

"What is it, Dr. Kyofu?" she asked him.

"I come bearing a new assignment, my dear Weapon D," Kyofu grinned. "Let me ask you something first. Do you remember BLACK 13?"

"BLACK 13?" Weapon D repeated quizzically. She had known about who he is and what he's capable of, but she didn't think anything special of him.

"Good! Now we're getting somewhere!" Kyofu smiled, clapping his hands together. "I want you to infiltrate a particular area where he is currently hiding with his allies. Gebok has yet to realize that he has finally done something stupid, and we are going to show him what it was. Find BLACK 13, and eliminate him."

"Understood," Weapon D nodded, stoic and calm. "I will eliminate all obstacles, for the good of GIN-SHOCKER..."

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER DATABASE<strong>

Hime walked from the side of the stage before facing the camera. "Greetings to you all, and welcome to the Database of the ANTI-THESIS arc. You may address me as Hime-sama, and as you already know, I'm one of Shinji-kun's oldests friends. But enough about me, we're here to review the Jager Unit's commander, Kamen Rider Phantom, otherwise known as WHITE 14."

She moved to the side to display Phantom using her psychic powers on both Showa and Moka-sama. "As you can already tell, Phantom was designed to be the counterpart of Showa, Shinji-kun's Rider Form, right down to the fact that the armor was based on a Cicada. She possesses abilities similar to that of BLACK 13 as well. However, instead of using time control powers, Phantom uses powerful psychic abilities such as telekinesis and psychic blades. This is the only thing that sets her apart from BLACK 13. She also has use of a melee weapon known as an Energy Stave, a powerful spear which she can use in close range. She also has other weapons and powers in her arsenal, but they have yet to be seen."

Hime concluded, "Phantom proves to be a powerful fighter and a dangerous adversary. She is also someone from Shinji-kun's past who is capable of causing him pain with her mere presence. Not only is she a deadly warrior, but she is willing to do anything to have Shinji-kun to herself. And that is something I do not approve of. Well, that's it for today. Tune in next time for another Kamen Rider Database entry." She gave the camera a curtsey.

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: And Lina makes her debut as GIN-SHOCKER's Kamen Rider Phantom. Now, in the original "Kamen Rider Showa" story, I initially planned for Lina to be WHITE 14, but then decided against it. However, Tails decided this was a good opportunity to actually use WHITE 14Lina.**

**TALSMO4EVER: What a way to start the saga huh? New enemies are introduced, and one of them is Shinichi's first love. ANTI-THESIS still plays a big role here, but that doesn't mean GIN-SHOCKER is lying down from this.**


	49. AntiThesis: Crossing Over the D

**Chapter 49: Crossing over the D**

"_Lina's back," whispered Shinichi as he stood in the infinite space of his subconscious. "I can't believe it. She's back."_

"_Yes," Kuro acknowledged. "She's been brought back to life."_

"_But how is that even possible?" Shinichi asked. "She died. We both saw her die."_

"_I doubt death has actual meaning to GIN-SHOCKER," said Kuro. "I suspect that they had recovered her body and operated on it to bring her back to life."_

"_So, they made her into a cyborg and brought her back to life as one of their weapons," Shinichi concluded. "That is sick."_

"_Yes, and now she's come back for us," sighed Kuro. "This will not be simple, will it?"_

"_She's our ex," Shinichi answered. "Getting over an ex is never easy."_

* * *

><p>Back in the real world, Shinichi was brought back to his dorm room to rest in bed. He'd had an exhausting day. The girls were keeping him company, looking after him while he rested.<p>

"Her name was Lina," blurted out Moka.

"Didn't Shinichi mention someone of that name before?" Mizore asked.

"Well I'm gonna give that Lina a piece of my mind," Kurumu growled.

"I want a piece of her myself!" Yukari swore, raising her wand.

"There's more," Moka spoke up. "While they were fighting, she was also flirting with him. She called him 'Kuro-kun'."

"Kuro-kun... she means his other self," Kurumu realized. "Kuro Juusan."

"But how would she know him by that name?" Mizore asked. "All the other GS agents always called him BLACK 13."

"Maybe they have some kind of history?" Yukari suggested. "He has a lot of history with the NUMBERS. Maybe she's one of them."

"She is," Moka said, "But I doubt she's always been one of them. Shinichi-kun didn't recognize her at first until her helmet was broken. Then he just broke down."

"Well, we may not know what their connection is, but we do know her intentions. She wanted Shinichi and that's something we can't let happen," said Kurumu.

There was a knock on the door and it opened slowly. Netto walked inside, looking at the girls. "How is the patient?"

"He's still asleep," Mizore answered. "He hasn't woken up since we brought him here."

"Damn, whoever that girl was, she must've had a huge effect on Shinichi to put him into a coma like this," Netto frowned, looking at the Black Cicada Cyborg sympathetically. A lot of cyborgs from GIN-SHOCKER seemed to know Shinichi very well, but none of them apparently knew him well enough to put him in a state of shock like this. "Anyway, I dropped by to say that Dr. Magi appeared in the lobby. He knows who our mystery girl is and how she's connected to Shinichi."

"We'll talk about that later then," Kurumu grumbled, not wanting to dwell on the subject of Lina. She was going to make her pay for putting her Destined One through this hardship.

"Shouldn't Yuji-sa..err.._sensei_ be here for Shinichi-san?" Yukari asked. She'd almost forgotten that he was hired as a teacher by the Headmaster.

"He knows Shinichi is fine with you guys around," Netto assured. "And he's dealing with this his own way."

* * *

><p>"OK, today we're going to be talking about thermodynamics," Yuji declared as he quickly wrote a definition on the board and cited, "What that is; is the relation between heat to other forms of work and energy. Now, one classic concept of thermodynamics as the expansion of a material due to the introduction of heat. Can anyone give me an example?"<p>

"Oh," Michiru waved her hand, "Like when you play with boobies and they get bigger?"

"That is correct," Yuji acknowledged as he tossed Michiru a Hershey Kiss. He then explained as he made gestures with his hand, "Another example would be the application of a certain amount of work on a woman's breasts, the breasts will then expand (somewhat) due to the transference of heat that is applied through the action of groping. This is why a girl's chest is warm whenever she's felt up, because of the heat transferred into her chest and in turn cause her core temperature to rise as well; which explains the blushing. This brings me to my next point; and you'll wanna write this down. Every action has an equal and opposite _reaction_," Yuji explained. He then smiled to his class, "Any questions so far?"

The boys and girls in the class were flushed, a few boys even had nosebleeds due to Yuji's description of 'thermal expansion'.

"Sensei," Misato raised her hand. "Would thermal expansion apply to other parts of the human body? Like the penis?"

"It would, but there's an additional biological response as well," Yuji answered, "due to blood rush and stiffening the muscle which in turn leads to an erection. Action; reaction," he ended with balancing his hands like a scale, "It all evens out."

"Is this physics, or biology?" one girl asked. "I thought Kobe-sensei was teaching that."

Yuji took a seat on the desk and began, "Sweetie, I'm gonna lay it on you straight...OK, now I'm starting to sound like my freakin' cousin," he grumbled. "Anyway, what you need to know is that every science interconnects with one another. There's the mechanics of the human (or Youkai) body where as biology is the study of that body in and of itself. Then you have chemistry, which is basically the study of chemicals and their effects. You have chemicals in your body, which also happens to do with biology. Anyone see where I'm going with this?"

The students nodded. Yuji smiled and wrote on the blackboard the equation for thermal expansion. "Be sure to memorize this formula because it will be on the test and I don't tolerate anything below a 50. Anyone who scores below 50 gets extra tutoring with me. You can come alone or be part of a group. I can handle anything."

The female students were admiring Yuji, focusing their eyes on his tight butt. He was a young and attractive male teacher and so they wanted to get close to him. _Really _close to him.

Yuji, however, while calm was worried about Shinichi. He'd informed his class that a few of their classmates had the rest of the day off due to health reasons. It wasn't exactly a lie, but it wasn't the full truth either. Speaking of the truth, who was that girl and what had she done to Shinichi?

When he'd first learnt that Shinichi was his cousin, Yuji was just so excited by the news. That meant that Shiori, his idol, was his aunt. Of course that also meant that Yuji needed to be a big brother to Shinichi as the Black Cicada Cyborg was also an only child and didn't have many positive role models. The girls (Moka, Mizore, Yukari and Kurumu) had done well in developing him into who he was now, but his memories were getting in the way of Shinichi's personal growth. He was so wracked with guilt that he just couldn't forgive himself. Yuji knew what it was like to feel that way before. That was why he wanted to help him.

He'd just come to Youkai Academy for a visit. He never planned on staying on longer or becoming a teacher, but he was here now. Well, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. At least he could stick around and look after the younger Riders.

However, despite being eldest of any of the Riders at present, he was the least experienced in comparison. The former NUMBERS had been trained since they were six years old and he didn't know how long it had been since Leon first became Kamen Rider Necros. However, while he may lack the experience that the former NUMBERS had accumulated due to their years in GIN-SHOCKER, he made up for it in overwhelming power. Hell, he'd defeated and driven away General Nagazawa, the supposedly second most powerful member of GIN-SHOCKER.

* * *

><p><strong>PSC Headquarters<strong>

Members of the PSC were allowed special privileges. They wouldn't need to attend classes during certain situations, like investigations and such while performing their duties. Right now, Leon was in his office reviewing important documents he'd received from the Headmaster. Earlier, he and the PSC had arrested members of the group known as ANTI-THESIS. Fortunately, Shinichi hadn't beaten them up too badly. Midou, however, had to be taken to the on-campus hospital for medical treatment after what Phantom had done to him.

Speaking of Phantom, Leon wondered who she was. She appeared to know Shinichi very well, and even called him "Kuro-kun", which may be a reference to his darker half. He'd received a message from Netto that Dr. Magi had information and they would all be meeting in order to hear what he had to say. Shinichi was in bed with his girls looking after him and Yuji had a class to teach and would be coming to the meeting as soon as classes were done.

Leon looked over to Tamao who was sitting on the floor near his work desk. She was playing with his Rider Keys. While in class and sometimes while on duty, Leon had Tamao placed in daycare. The school had a daycare centre since some of the teachers here had small children with them and needed a place to put their children while they were working. Leon decided that it was a perfect place for Tamao. She would be able to play with children and not feel lonely while he had class and work. He still missed her, though.

There was a knock at the door and Leon said, "Come in." The door opened and Yuki came in. "What is it?"

"We've interrogated the ANTI-THESIS members, but none of them are talking," reported Yuki. "They're pretty tight-lipped."

"Great," grumbled Leon. The Headmaster had given him a new assignment. He needed to find all the members of ANTI-THESIS and have them dealt with. Sources indicated that the group would be making a big move at the end of the month so they had to be stopped. The Headmaster didn't know what ANTI-THESIS' intentions were, but they were not good. While the previous PSC would consider ANTI-THESIS as just a band of delinquents, Leon thought that the group had potential to be a huge threat. Moka had said that ANTI-THESIS wanted Shinichi to join them. They must have figured out that he wasn't really a Youkai.

Based on what Leon knew, ANTI-THESIS' membership was made up of hybrid monsters. They were the result of crossbreeding between different Youkai species hence they couldn't be categorized under one group like Vampires or Werewolves. A rare but tragic case, their hybrid status made them outcasts in pureblood Youkai society. Being treated like low-class creatures would make them very resentful, resentful enough to organize and change things for the better for them. However, their methods were very violent.

Leon would interview Midou when he recovered. He seemed to be one of the gang's top dogs. The others they had captured were just low-level members; henchmen. They wouldn't know anything important. But the tops dogs would be within the leader's inner circle and Leon didn't think Midou was the group's leader. He was just a high-ranked member with a lot of power.

Tamao went over to Yuki holding up the Rider Key for Orga and a doll in her hands. "Play with me, Onee-chan?"

Yuki smiled as she lifted Tamao into her arms, the kit nuzzling her face despite the chill from Yuki. "Where is Aphrodite?"

"Swim meet," Leon answered.

Yuki noted, "She's really into being a student."

"She didn't have many friends when we met," Leon explained, "She's making up for that now. You're feeling better?"

Yuki nodded, "My temperature's back to normal, so there's nothing to worry about now. There's also the matter of this...Phantom, Leon. There's no doubt that she's still somewhere close by. Also..."

"Go on," he prompted.

"We have to consider the possibility that she hasn't come here on her own. She might've come with a partner or reinforcements."

Leon let out a sigh, "A war on two fronts. If anything, this is only going to get more difficult."

"I pray we can end this conflict quickly," Yuki agreed, "Though I'm aware of the difficulties ahead. I'm more determined than ever in order to ensure a peaceful existence...for everyone."

"It's actually an ironic concept. To achieve peace, we must fight for it," Leon said. "Though attempts through diplomatic negotiations have been done, it's never always successful. With so many opposing ideals, it's difficult for people to get along. They either can't find common ground or don't want to find common ground." He gave a sigh, "It's sad, really. Wars have been fought over stupid things. This time we're fighting to make sure GIN-SHOCKER doesn't conquer the world."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Shinichi's Subconscious<strong>_

_Shinichi and Kuro were both reviewing their memories of Lina, or what was available to them at the moment. Unfortunately, what they managed to get was the most traumatizing memory of all._

_Lina's death._

"_She's the reason I left GIN-SHOCKER. Her death was what made me decide to leave," said Kuro._

"_The last straw which broke the camel's back," Shinichi added. He didn't have any romantic feelings for Lina, but he did share the guilt. Both he and Kuro shared that. "But she's back, so what do we do now?"_

"_She's a member of GIN-SHOCKER," said Kuro._

"_But we can save her," Shinichi insisted._

"_Only if she wants to be saved."_

"_Let's keep looking up more memories," Shinichi prompted._

"_Are you sure?" Kuro questioned._

"_I won't like what I see, but I have to face them. Might as well be on my own terms," Shinichi answered._

* * *

><p>Classes had finally ended and everyone met at the PSC briefing room. The meeting was by invite only, so the other PSC members were standing guard outside of the soundproof doors. Moka, Kurumu, Mizore, Gin, and Yukari were the first to arrive, followed by Yuji, Netto, Daichi, Yokoshima, Chiaki, Michiru, Hana and Misato. Next were Ruby, Aphrodite, Riza, Qiao, Elle, and Kiko. Even Haji was present, having also been there when they confronted Phantom. Leon, Shogo, Hime and Reiri sat at their usual spots as they all faced Dr. Magi, who stood in front of the young group of cyborgs and Youkai with a laptop under his arm.<p>

Bianca had opted to stay with Shinichi and guard him. When asked, she'd answered, "Shinichi is Yuji's cousin and right-hand man. He's a member of the Vongola and so he's under my protection as well." She was well-trained and well-equipped for the job anyway and had years of experience. Plus, Yuji trusted her to make sure his cousin was safe. Of course Yukari had also added a protection spell to Shinichi's dorm room.

"First of all, I would like to thank all of you for coming here on such short notice," Dr. Magi began. "After Moka-san had informed me of what happened yesterday, I found a very crucial access code that allowed me to break the encryption on Dr. Gebok's data. Through it, I have found everything that happened during the year Project NUMBERS was put to a stop, as well as the true identity of this Phantom. I must warn all of you though, the information you are about to receive is very graphic."

"I figured that as much," Yuji deadpanned. "But that ain't gonna stop us."

"Just tell us everything you know about this girl," Aphrodite pleaded. "We must be ready if she returns for Shinichi again."

Dr. Magi nodded. He walked to the podium and beamed an infrared light from it into the scanner. Instantly, a picture of Lina popped up on the screen.

"That's her! That's the girl!" Moka pointed, recalling Lina's appearance.

"Hana's earlier suspicions were correct. Her name is Lina Shishigami, and she was a member of GIN-SHOCKER's Psychic Corps," Dr, Magi explained.

"Psychic Corps?" Haji asked.

"Normal humans can only access a limited percentage of their brain, but individuals who possess a higher percentage of access will possess supernatural abilities. We call these people 'Espers' ," Dr. Magi continued. "As for what the Psychic Corps were, they were a group within GIN-SHOCKER like the NUMBERS. Dr. Mental took in and raised several orphaned children with high psychic potential and according to this file Lina was one of the strongest."

"So, what is she to Shinichi-kun?" Michiru asked.

"In the year after you all were killed, a Cyborg and an Esper were paired together. To clarify, Lina Shishigami was partnered with BLACK 13," Dr. Magi answered.

"So after Gebok had us all killed, he had this girl become Shinichi's partner?" Daichi asked, arching an eyebrow. "What for?"

"I'm getting to that," Dr. Magi told him. "Over the course of the year, both Lina and BLACK 13 were sent together on missions; missions that were comparably more advanced and more dangerous than the ones the NUMBERS were normally sent on. Outside of missions, they were both allowed to spend time together and got to know one another... during that time, Lina developed something of an attachment to BLACK 13, and those feelings were returned by him."

"So she managed to get by his hard rock of a shell?" Misato frowned, feeling somewhat jealous that this Esper managed to do something that she had tried to do for years, "Whoopdie-fruckin'-do."

"His emotional inhibitor was put at a lower setting, Misato. This allowed BLACK 13 to experience emotions, though within a limited range," Dr. Magi explained. "This also explains why Lina was able to succeed where you didn't. Despite his programming, he began to develop emotions."

The former NUMBERS were baffled by this. BLACK 13 expressing emotions just seemed...unnatural.

"OK, but why would Dr. Gebok lower the setting of BLACK 13's emotional inhibitor?" asked Hana. "It doesn't seem like his style."

"Maybe it was some kind of experiment," Yokoshima suggested.

"I doubt Dr. Gebok planned on being a matchmaker, Yokoshima," said Netto.

"Actually, Yokoshima's correct. It was an experiment," confirmed Dr. Magi. "Dr. Gebok wanted to see how emotions would affect BLACK 13's performance and power level."

"Huh?" Gin asked. "Why's that?"

"Remember when he went insane after he was forced to kill his team?" Dr. Magi questioned. "His emotional inhibitor was damaged after he realized what he'd done and he let loose all his emotions. It drove him so insane that they had to subdue him and wipe his memory. Of course, in his enraged state, Dr. Gebok had recorded BLACK 13's power level and noted that his rage made him stronger. This became the foundation for what Dr. Gebok would call 'Berserker Mode'. However, while working on this, he needed more data."

"So he paired up Shinichi and Lina so they could forge a bond?" Kurumu asked.

"And then break that bond in a way that would violently traumatize BLACK 13 and make him snap," Dr. Magi said. "Like the NUMBERS, Dr. Gebok tricked BLACK 13 into killing her."

Everyone turned silent at this revelation. Gebok had tricked Shinichi into killing his friend? It's all starting to make sense! That was why he slipped into a coma after seeing her face. He still feels the guilt of having her blood on his hands!

"He... he did what...?" Leon spoke, barely whispering. It was very clear that he was trying to keep his emotions in check. His hands clenched the sidebars of his chair, threatening to snap them.

"Gebok had Lina stuffed into a training dummy, and had BLACK 13 perform some target practice, absolutely giving him no hints that one of the dummies was not a dummy at all," Dr. Magi elaborated. "BLACK 13 only realized he'd shot Lina when one of the dummies was bleeding. He tore it open and found her, barely alive. She died in his arms soon after."

Moka was sobbing, as was Yukari whose tears were falling from her eyes. Mizore had lowered her face but the tears were dripping from her eyes. As for Kurumu, she was crying because her Destined One knew what it felt like to lose love. Her mother had explained that losing one's life was a painful feeling. It was like losing a part of oneself. In fact, heartbreak was so painful, it was actually fatal for Succubi. Love was what sustained her kind, and having unrequited love could kill her, literally. They would experience a slow and agonizing death all the time. Netto paled as his eyes seemed to narrow in anger. Yuji was stunned, with his hand on his head, sliding down on the chair. He too knew what it was like to lose someone you loved. Yuki was trying to hold back tears, feeling both sadness for Shinichi and anger at Gebok for what he had done. Reiri's mouth was covered and tears went down her face. Hime had her head down, but she clenched the sides of her skirt.

Dr. Magi continued, "The moment Lina died, BLACK 13's rage and power level skyrocketed past Gebok's expectations, and his anger literally obliterated the training room before he took out his anger on the London facility, destroying it. Gebok had everything recorded."

"You have the footage, don't you?" Daichi asked.

"Yes, yes I do," nodded Dr. Magi. "Let me play it for you." He clicked onto one of the video files and hit play.

* * *

><p><em>After shooting it, BLACK 13 kicked the last of the training dummies down. This one felt a little odd, almost as if it were heavier. Perhaps it was made out of different materials. Shrugging, he was about to return to the starting point when he noticed it. A dark pool was growing from underneath the last training dummy. Curious and unheeding of Dr. Gebok's snickering, he pressed his hand against the head of the dummy. It felt odd. Finding a flap for the fabric which made up its head, BLACK 13 removed it…and felt his heart stop as the blood drained from his face. Then it restarted, galloping twice as fast as before as a roaring sound filled his ears and his heart hammered desperately against the cage of his ribs.<em>

_"LINA-CHAN!"_

_"Kuro…kun…" the girl was still alive! She gasped despite the ragged hole in her chest… Her breath sounded painfully laboured. There was an unpleasant, bubbling noise every time she fought to inhale… She was drowning in her own blood._

_BLACK 13 knelt to pick her body up with trembling hands, cradling her with desperate tenderness. It was as though he hoped that somehow, if he only held her close to him, death would not be able to take her as it had taken so many others he had killed. "Lina-chan…I'm sorry…Lina-chan…" His eyes started to water, causing his vision to becoming blurry. "Wha... what's happening to me...?" he couldn't understand._

_Lina gave BLACK 13 a weak smile; full of innocence and all the love she had felt for him,"You're crying, Kuro-kun..."_

_"C...crying?" he sputtered._

_Lina reached up to whip his eyes, consequently staining his face with her blood. "Don't... worry," Lina whispered as the color in her eyes slowly dulled. "I know... you didn't... mean too..."_

_"No… Lina-chan… Lina-chan stay with me!"_

_But it was already too late. Lina's eyes closed forever._

_"No... no... no..." BLACK 13 sobbed as he shook his head in belief. In one single moment, the one thing he cared most about was gone. There was only one thing for him to do..._

_"...!-!-!"_

_BLACK 13 let out an enraged roar that shook the entire training ground. A vicious aura of multiple colors swirled around him and Lina's body as deadly winds sliced through the training dummies._

_"What's happening?-!" one of the technicians paled as she typed on the controls. The monitors gave a red, blinking ERROR, making her efforts for naught. BLACK 13's scream was loud enough to be heard in the control room. In fact, the scream was so loud, it could be heard throughout the base. "Is BLACK 13 malfunctioning?-!"_

_"The controls are jammed!" another technician reported as he slammed his hands on the keyboard. "What's going on?"_

_"Get the foot troopers in here!" the lead technician ordered, "We need to subdue BLACK 13, and fa-!"_

_He was unable to finish his order as a huge blast of fire shattered the protective glass, killing everyone inside. _

* * *

><p>Netto thought that his childhood was a load of crap before living in Japan, but as it so turns out it was nothing compared to what Shinichi had experienced. What was done to him was just... unthinkable.<p>

Qiao had her mouth opened as she watched the footage, but no sound came out. To think that there would be people who would do such a thing for the sake of science was disgusting. Those GS basterds had to die for what they did.

Elle had only talked with Shinichi on a few occasions, but her heart went out to the boy after seeing all that was done to him. GIN-SHOCKER was an abomination to the world, and must be dealt with. She and her sisters would make sure of that.

Kiko watched the footage with pain in her eyes. She was shocked and horrified to think anyone would do something like this to anyone. It was just tragic.

Back in Tokyo, Leon had told Shinichi that he didn't know what it felt like to kill someone dear. He didn't realize the irony of that statement. Gebok had toyed with his heart, mind and soul in his experiments. He silently swore that he would make Gebok face swift judgement.

Reiri was trying to fight the tears as she saw the footage. The rage he felt was not unwarranted. Being tricked like that could push anyone over the edge. Still, it was just too horrifying to see him react so violently, like an enraged beast that was unleashed. It was just so unbelievable that her Shin-chan was capable of such destruction.

Hime appeared stoic, but she was gripping her skirt so hard that her nails threatened to tears holes through it. The boiling rage in her was not something to be trifled with. The fact that GIN-SHOCKER had kidnapped her friend, tortured, trained and conditioned him to become one of their slaves had disgusted her, but the disgust she felt for Gebok for manipulating Shinchi further went beyond logical reason. If she ever saw this Gebok person, he would never survive the encounter. She would really show how skilled she was at using the chainsaws.

Aphrodite could only gasp at the horror that she was seeing. To think such evil people could do something like this to a young boy... It was unbelievable.

Yuki had never felt so disgusted and horrified in her life, watching as her own family was being used so callously.

Shogo closed his eyes and sighed sympathetically. If Shinichi had any real reason to hate GIN-SHOCKER, it was this.

Daichi himself could also understand Shinichi's situation. To be forced into killing them had set him off, but killing the one who had his heart had pushed him over the limit and made him snap...and then he started snapping necks.

Yokoshima pretty much enjoyed watching Shinichi go all ballistic but he'd cried when he saw the cause of it.

Chiaki's eyes were downcast. Shinichi had suffered more than they had believed. Gebok was a twisted son of a bitch.

Moka and the others were shocked and devastated, horrified by what their loved one had been subjected to.

Gin shut his eyes, disgusted and feeling sorry for what Shinichi has been subjected to. And all this time he had been jealous of the Black Cicada Cyborg for getting all the girls.

Haji always wanted to know where Shinichi got his power, but he never knew that it involved this kind of torment. He only learned about GIN-SHOCKER after Gin and the rest gave him the heads up, but now he already hated their guts.

Misato couldn't help but admire the carnage that ensued as BLACK 13 tore through every obstacle, but she also felt great disgust toward Gebok for doing such a thing to Shinichi just for research. The bastard had to pay, with no mercy.

Michiru shut her eyes, peeking through her hands to see what was going on. She'd never seen BLACK 13 so enraged; angry enough to wreak so much destruction and it frightened her. She held onto Yuji's arm and sat close to him.

Hana knew how cruel GIN-SHOCKER could be, but she didn't expect Gebok to sink so low as to manipulating BLACK 13's emotions and snuff them out with no problem. Turns out that he didn't plan on such destruction either.

Ruby thought she had experienced the worst that humanity had to offer, but she had never been more wrong. Watching what Shinichi had experienced was proof of that and she was disgusted with GIN-SHOCKER now more than ever.

Riza didn't know much about these GIN-SHOCKER guys, aside from fighting some of their operatives, but now she felt nothing but resentment toward these humans and wanted to tear them apart with their bare hands.

* * *

><p><strong>Music- "Never Surrender" by Combichrist<strong>

_"WARNING! WARNING!" a computerized voice rang through out the base. "DANGER LEVEL 13! ALL TROOPS PREPARE TO ENGAGE! REPEAT! DANGER LEVEL 13! ALL TROOPS PREPARE TO ENGAGE!"_

_From the lower level, the skylight shattered as BLACK 13 dropped in. Just as he landed, he created an energy bubble that knocked away all the enemy soldiers that were inside. Blades of crimson energy emerged from his forearms and ankles as the door opened and more soldiers appeared out of it, ready to fire. "There he is! BLACK 13 has gone rogue!" the leader shouted._

_BLACK 13 roared and lunged at them. As the soldiers came at him he swung and kicked, slicing them into ribbons, cutting off layer after layer of flesh in long, curling streaks of tortured muscle and spouting blood that screamed in his consciousness. More came as he took the gun off one of the soldiers he killed. He didn't aim; he just fired in blind rage. All that came into his path dropped dead. He went outside to the complex and continued shooting all the soldiers. Coming up to a blockade of soldiers, he found himself out of bullets._

_"Enough with this, BLACK 13!" the leader demanded. "You've already made quite a mess here. Now surrender and come with us."_

_BLACK 13 growled as he threw down the gun. "Don't..." he thundered as he pulled up a large inactive motion tracking blaster from the ground and raised it over his head, "GIVE ME ORDERS!" with a scream, he threw it at the soldiers who were too slow to react in time. They ended up getting crushed by the heavy blaster and burned as it exploded in a violent flash. Looking up, he spotted a chopper hovering over him. It locked on and fired. Missiles streaked out and BLACK 13 ran. The missiles exploded behind BLACK 13 and the chopper gave chase. More soldiers tried to stop him. He wouldn't let them. He ran up to one, BLACK 13's blades impaling him before the cyborg jumped and dove at another, impaling the next one through the head. He rolled and began slashing every soldier that got in his way. Each one fell into pieces at his blades. The chopper fired again and the missile exploded behind him once more. It was getting irritating._

_He came to a glass bridge, but the chopper cut him off by blowing up the midpoint. Looking behind him, he saw more soldiers catching up. Looking down he saw a platform and jumped down. He continued to run and had to jump across the walls to keep going. He got to the highest platform and saw the chopper. It was going to fire again._

_Not if he could help it._

_He sprinted and jumped. He darted through the air and landed on the windshield of the cockpit._

_"Emergency! Emergency! BLACK 13 has-!" the pilot didn't even finish as a crimson blade cut into his skull. The helicopter went out of control as BLACK 13 struggled to hold on. Then he saw it. There! That light! He jumped off the helicopter just as before it crashed and burned. Using his blades as shovels, he dug towards the pretty light. He dug and dug and dug until he ended up in a room: the main control room. He knew what he had to do. Retracting his blades, he went over to the computer. With trembling hands, he began typing in a code. When the code was complete the words **'WARNING! DEACTIVATING THE MAIN POWER CORE WILL CAUSE CRITICAL SYSTEM ERROR! YOU WILL ONLY HAVE 15 MINUTES TO EVACUATE! PROCEED?'** appeared on the screen._

_"I'm going to rid the world of this godforsaken place," BLACK 13 whispered sinisterly. And he pressed "Y"._

**End Music**

* * *

><p>"<strong>Wow, talk about a one man army,"<strong> signed Chiaki.

"He tore everyone in his path apart," admired Yokoshima. "He even shot lasers from his feet. Was this what happened after he killed us too?" That was a rhetorical question, so no one answered, but the answer was quite obvious.

"GIN-SHOCKER lost a lot of staff and expensive equipment that day," Dr. Magi answered. "He then went on the run for three weeks before they managed to track him in a desert. He was low on energy but still managed to put a fight against the squad sent to retrieve him. Eventually, he collapsed as the remnants of the unit were closing in, but then he mysteriously vanished. A sandstorm arrived soon after that, and the the unit was forced to pull out. One week later, GIN-SHOCKER worked feverishly to locate his whereabouts before his signal was finally detected on the day he was found by Moka-san."

"That reminds me," said Kurumu. "Shinichi didn't have any memories so how did he get enrolled?"

"I think the Headmaster had something to do with it," theorized Leon. That man did seem to know more than he let on.

"That settles it, I'm going to murder Gebok," Yuji declared. "I'm going to murder him, and I'm going to enjoy it."

"Agreed, Onii-sama," Yuki frowned deeply, her eyes glowing. "Gebok must perish for violating our cousin. He must suffer..._horribly_..."

Yuji narrowed his eyes, "Correction, Yuki; he will _burn_ horribly."

"_Not unless I get to him first," _Moka-sama growled from within her rosario. She too had seen what Gebok had done to Shinichi prior to their first encounter, and to say that she was upset about it was the understatement of the year. Now she was really going to make sure he suffered painfully before dealing the final blow that would end him for good.

"He has to face justice, Yuji," Leon argued. "He will be punished by the law." Though honestly, he himself was unsure what he would do if he ever got his hands on Gebok.

"Fuck the law!" Yuji snapped, slamming his hands on the table as he stood up. "The law can't do shit to GIN-SHOCKER! The law definitely didn't do jack-shit when Misato and the others were kidnapped and the law didn't comfort my aunt who suffered for ten fucking years because of GIN-SHOCKER! They fucked with my family and they are going to fucking burn! I'll see it to it myself and I am going to fucking enjoy it!" Yuji was hyperventilating as his Flames of Wrath were flickering on his fists.

"Hey, take it easy," Misato placated as she held Yuji by his shoulders, sitting him back down. "GIN-SHOCKER's going to get theirs when the time comes and we'll be there when it happens."

"Exactly," Netto nodded, "When we run into Gebok again, we'll know just what to do with him. We can't consider him as a human being anymore, not after what we've seen him do."

"Hey, are you sure it's OK that we left Shin-chan to come here?" Reiri questioned. Shinichi was still unconscious and vulnerable.

"Relax," said Leon. "I left a couple of my PSC officers to guard him. They'll inform us if anything happens."

"And Bianca's with him too," added Yuji. "Nobody's getting anywhere near Shin with her guarding him."

"But can she handle it if Lina comes for him?" Hana asked. "She's a psychic cyborg and the leader of Jager Unit now." Moka had told them what Lina had said earlier about being the commander of the Jager Unit. It really shocked the former NUMBERS to the core, especially Hana, Michiru, and Misato, who were unlucky enough to face three of its members, Numbers 15,16, and 17.

"Yeah, we've only faced three of them already, and we've seen how strong they were. We wouldn't have made it if you didn't bust out your Schneider and Panzer upgrades," Michiru added, recalling the power of Schneider Sword and Panzer Blast. "If she really is their leader, she must be the strongest out of all of them."

"If I know Bianca, that psychic crap won't do a damn thing to her," Yuji assured.

"But what do we do about Lina?" Netto asked.

"I'll think of something," he answered. "I dunno if she still has feelings for Shin or not, but he's not the same as he was before and I'm not going to let GIN-SHOCKER take my family again. I swear it on my own blood."

* * *

><p>Shinichi was still sleeping with Bianca sitting on the floor, watching him like a hawk. She didn't blink and on the floor was her gun. Outside the door were a pair of PSC members who'd been ordered by Leon to stand guard and report if any unauthorized personnel came to the dorm.<p>

Earlier, Bianca had received a phone call from Yuji, informing her of the situation. Now she knew why Shinichi had gone into a coma. He'd been reminded of a traumatic event and his mind was unable to cope with what he'd learnt. Shinichi had not been entirely mentally stable, but he was good at hiding it.

"Knock-knock," Yuji whispered as he entered.

"Hey," Bianca greeted, tipping her hat.

"Judging by the look on your face, you're not taking the news well," Yuji assumed.

Her face was shadowed by the brim of her hat, only her eyes visible. "Yuji, these people have made a grave mistake by fucking with members of the Vongola. They must be annihilated," she declared in a low, threatening tone. "And you must be the one to do it."

"I said the same thing," Yuji nodded. "I'm not gonna let these fucks get away with this. They're going to burn."

"I knew you would say that, but I think you should allow Shinichi the honor of deciding Gebok's fate," said Bianca. "After all that man has done to him, he deserves the right."

Yuji looked to his sleeping cousin remorsefully. "I can't make any promises, Bianca..."

Shinichi, despite being asleep, uttered, "Lina...gomen nasai..." As tears dripped from his closed eyes.

* * *

><p>It was nightfall, and the campus was in a sleeping trance. Within the forest, a purple portal suddenly opened and a cloaked figure leapt out with a crouch, the portal closing behind her. She wore a short hooded cloak and a red and black sleeveless gothic Lolita outfit with white pantyhose and red, gothic Lolita ankle strap pumps. And her hood had covered her face from the moon's bloody light.<p>

"So this is where they are hiding?" she asked herself, looking around, "It's like something from an Edgar Allan Poe poem." Standing up, she looked to her left arm. On it was a silver, rectangular pad with a screen on the top and on the side of the wristband was a deck of cards. She looked to a silver and black, compact device with a red lens in her hand. "Entry successful," she uttered.

Dr. Kyofu appeared on the screen and smiled, _"Good, child. Please proceed with caution. If you should run into any interference..."_

"Eliminate them," she finished.

"_Good girl. Now good luck."_

* * *

><p>Moka, after convincing the guards that she was Shinichi's friend, came to see how he was doing. She spotted both Bianca and Yuji, sitting on the floor, playing Duel Monsters without the use of the Duel Disk. The cards were on the floor in the positions based on the traditional method of gameplay.<p>

"Oh, hey Moka," Yuji said as he looked up at the Vampire.

"I came to see if there's been any change in Shinichi-kun's condition," said Moka.

"You're not the first to come here," said Bianca. "Mizore and Kurumu visited earlier to see if his condition had improved."

"Aside from a few mumbles in his sleep, he just hasn't woken up yet," said Yuji.

"I see," Moka frowned slightly.

"Hey, it'll be alright," Yuji assured as he stood up to face her. "I'm gonna make this right and make sure GIN-SHOCKER pays for what they've done to Shin; to all of us."

"You will. I know you will," she said with utmost confidence. "You're his cousin and the new Boss of the Vongola. You won't let anything bad happen to him and right all the wrongs done to him." Moka went over to Shinichi's bed and took his hand. "I'm so sorry, Shinichi-kun," she uttered.

Yuji looked to Moka and Shinichi before he felt a shrill ringing in his ears, causing him to fall on one knee as the ringing was coupled with a sharp migraine. "ARGH...! What the...hell?-!"

"Yuji, what's wrong?-!" Bianca demanded, standing up.

"My head...feels like it's gonna fucking split open," Yuji grunted as the ringing and pain continued. "Someone's...coming...!"

"Who's coming?-!" Moka demanded fearfully.

"Dunno...but they're strong," he growled.

The door was suddenly knocked down as the two guards outside were hurled into the room. Moka, Yuji and Bianca quickly faced the attacker.

"Knock, knock," the intruder chimed as she walked in.

"And you would be?" Bianca inquired.

"A...a girl," Yuji grunted as he tried looking toward the intruder. Judging from distance, she'd come up to about his chest in maximum height.

She pulled back her hood, revealing a fair-skinned face with black hair that went past her back, some bangs framing her face, and a single ahoge springing up from her head. Her eyes were a vibrant blue, but they seemed cold and yet they were like the eyes of an innocent child.

"I am D," she introduced, "And I am here to eliminate BLACK 13."

Moka felt outraged. Shinichi was vulnerable and unable to fight and yet GIN-SHOCKER had sent another one of their agents to come for him. How cowardly could they be. Even if she wasn't as formidable as her inner self, Moka Akashiya would not allow anyone to come and harm the boy she loved.

"Like hell you will," Yuji growled as he faced her. "You're not getting anywhere near him...kid." He blinked as he saw the devices in her hand and on her arm. "A D-Gazer...and D-Pad? Then...you're a Duelist?"

D looked to Yuji, "You...are affected by brain waves; like the others. You're a Psychic too?"

Yuji chuckled as he reached into his bag and pulled out a white and black D-Gazer with a green lens and a matching D-Pad. "I'm a lot more than that."

"Psychic Duelist," D confirmed.

"And you're one too," Yuji remarked. "Bianca, stay with Moka and Shin. She's mine. And if Lina comes over to say 'hi,' just stall her."

"You're the Boss," Bianca acknowledged. "Go show this little girl the power of the Vongola."

Yuji strapped on his gear and said to D, "I think we should find a proper field for our duel."

"Oh? What do you suggest?" asked D.

"Why don't you follow me?" Yuji asked as he dashed off. D smirked and followed after him. They ran for the stairs and climbed up as they ran.

Meanwhile, as Moka kept watch on Shinichi, she was having a conversation with her inner self. Moka-sama initiated it though, the rosario's gem glowing red, _'That woman must not be allowed to live.'_

"Do you mean...Lina?" Moka asked.

'_Who else would dare to steal what is ours?_' questioned Moka-sama. '_Everything was fine until she showed up. I tolerated the others since they are willing to share him, but I will not let some cybernetic upstart worm her way into Shinichi's heart_.' While she sympathised with the girl, she wasn't about to let her take what she already claimed as hers.

"But she's already in his heart," Moka argued. That was upsetting.

'_She also hurt him. Can you forgive her for putting him in a coma?_' Moka-sama asked her gentler self. '_Well?_'

"If we did anything to her, Shinichi-kun won't ever forgive us, or himself for that matter. He'll blame himself for what happens. You know that."

* * *

><p>"<em>She meant so much to us, didn't she?" Shinichi asked Kuro after reviewing all their memories of Lina.<em>

"_Her death tore us up from the inside," Kuro said. "Drove us insane with rage and grief. Drove us to abandon GIN-SHOCKER."_

"_Hey, speaking of abandoning GIN-SHOCKER, how did we end up in Youkai Academy in the first place?" Shinichi asked._

"_That remains a mystery," stated Kuro. "I don't know how and why we ended up in Youkai Academy."_

"_Maybe it was divine intervention?" Shinichi suggested. "Some kind of higher power wanted us to attend Youkai Academy?"_

"_And why would any divine being want us to attend a school for monsters?" Kuro asked._

_Shinichi shrugged. He answered, "I don't know the answer to that, but..." The memories of his time since he started at Youkai Academy were displayed in floating windows, "But these memories are worth fighting for."_

"_Yes, they are," Kuro agreed. "Now, onto the subject of our memories, having full access to our memories of Lina has proven beneficial."_

"_Why?" Shinichi questioned._

"_Because memory is the key," answered Kuro as Shinichi's eyes widened._

"_Wow, those are a lot of weapons."_

"_Indeed, and they're all ours. Now, while we're both here we should try and test them before using them out on the field."_

"_Dibs on the bazooka!"_

* * *

><p>Yuji and the Weapon D were now on the roof, on opposite sides as they had a face off.<p>

**Music - "Duel Target: Lock On!" (Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL)**

"Let's get wild then," Yuji grinned. "Duel Disk, Set!" he called as tossed the D-Pad up and extended it into a more rectangular screen and fastened onto his wrist. Card Zones also folded out on Yuji's left arm as the entire device now resembled a real Duel Disk. His D-Gazer then opened up to resemble a headset as he fastened it on to the left side of his face. "D-Gazer, Set!" Weapon D had also activated her equipment and she was ready to go. "Target, Lock-On!"

The area around them started to warp and change color as small charts and stats were floating around in boxes.

"_AR Vision Link established."_

"DUEL!" the Psychic Duelists chorused.

**Yuji Fudo: 4000**

**Weapon D: 4000**

"I shall begin..." D declared as she was about to draw.

"Before we start," Yuji called, "What's your name?"

She looked at Yuji, curious about his question, "...It's Weapon D."

The Fudo shook his head, "I mean your real name, not one a mad scientist came up with."

"Beat me, and find out. Now, as I was saying...I draw!" The Psychic Duelist drew her card before continuing, "I first summon Hushed Psychic Cleric in Defense Mode!" A circle of light erupted and a female in white garbs and carrying a staff emerged. she wore a helmet to hide her face as she stood by D and took a defensive stance, holding her staff before her.

**Hushed Psychic Cleric**

**EARTH/Psychic/Effect./Lv.3/0/2100 – When this card is Normal or Flip Summoned, it is changed to Defense Position. Once per turn, you can send 1 card from your hand to the Graveyard to select 1 Psychic-Type monster in your Graveyard, and remove it from play. When this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard, select 1 monster removed from play by this effect, and Special Summon it.**

"Now, its effect activates and I discard "Space-Time Police"! Next, I activate "**Double Summon" **which lets me Normal Summon **Psychic Commander!" **What came next was a green humanoid dressed in a military uniform and sitting in a UFO-style tank. It wore a constant grin, showing off sharp teeth.

**Psychic Commander**

**EARTH/Psychic/Tuner/Lv.3/1400/800 – When a Psychic-Type monster you control battles, during the Damage Step you can pay Life Points in multiples of 100 (max. 500) to have the monster it's battling lose that much ATK and DEF, until the End Phase.**

'_A Tuner and a non-Tuner,'_ Yuji observed, '_I think I know where this is going.'_

D then raised her hand as she called out, "I now tune my Hushed Psychic Cleric and Psychic Commander!" The Psychic Commander turned into light and becoming three green rings as Hushed Psychic Cleric became transparent and flew through the rings. (D's chant for Naturia Barkion) The transparent monster then became three stars of light before forming a pillar. "Synchro Summon! Appear now, Naturia Barkion!" What emerged from the light was a serpentine dragon, covered in bark-like scales overhead and a stone-grey underside with a stone-like head.

**Naturia Barkion  
>EARTHDragon/Synchro/Effect/LV6/2500/1800  
>1 EARTH Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner EARTH monsters<strong>

**While this card is face-up on the field, you can remove from play 2 cards in your Graveyard to negate the activation of a Trap Card and destroy it.**

"That's...a big dragon," Yuji pointed out.

"And with Cleric's special ability, I get to special summon "Space Time Police" which I removed from play earlier!" D continued. This time, a human in blue, futuristic armor and a cape appeared.

**Space Time Police**

**WIND/Psychic/Effect/Lv.5/2300/1500**

**When this card is Special Summoned, you can select 1 face-up card your opponent controls, and remove it from play. When this card is removed from the field, Set the card removed from play by this card's effect on your opponent's side of the field.**

"OK, nicely played," Yuji acknowledged.

"Now, I set a card face down," D finished, "and it's your move."

* * *

><p>In his lab, a computer alerted Dr. Kyofu of his creation, Weapon D, participating in a duel. The computer would allow him to see the moves being played. When he saw who her opponent was, he frowned. It was not BLACK 13. Then again that was pretty obvious as BLACK 13 was not a duelist. "OK, Mr. Fudo. Let's see how you rate against my Weapon D."<p>

He put on a D-Gazer of his own and pressed a button to allow him to communicate with Weapon D and instruct her on the duel.

* * *

><p>Yuji drew a card and narrowed his eyes, facing the girl. "OK, since you made a good play, it's only fair that I treat you with same courtesy! I activate "Asura's Blessing" and discard "Asura Magician" to draw 2 cards from my deck!" Drawing the cards, he inspected his hand and continued, "And I'll summon "Asura Necrolyte" to my field in attack mode!" Blue skulls emerged from the floor and exploded in smoke, from which emerged was a dark-skinned female in indigo Indian, harem-style clothing, along with some gold accessories. Her lower face was covered by a veil as her long white hair and red eyes were visible, as well as her curved horns.<p>

**Asura Necrolyte**

**FIRE/Spellcaster/Effect/LV4/1900/1600**

**Pay 500 Life Points, to Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower FIRE Attribute monster from your Graveyard. **

The Necrolyte stretched her limbs as she waved back at Yuji with a cheerful smile. "How nice to see you again, Master! It's been so long since we've been summoned to fight!"

"That's true, so we'll show our opponent the power of Asura! Next, I'll activate her Monster Effect and pay 500 Life Points to resurrect a monster from my Graveyard!" Yuji declared.

**Yuji Fudo: 3500**

A purple circle of runes appeared on the floor as another girl emerged from the darkness. This girl was also dark-skinned and dressed in Thai clothing, a red bikini-top with a blue and red skirt, as well as red wrist bands and a armor-like piece that covered her shoulders and collar. Her hair was also long, though light-pink and with red eyes like her partner on the field, as well as having a set of sharper black horns.

**Asura Magician**

**FIRE/Spellcaster/Effect/LV4/2000/1500**

**Once per turn, during your Main Phase: You can declare a Level from 1 to 8; this card becomes that Level until the End Phase.**

The Magician looked back at Yuji and asked, "We are fighting a child, Master?"

"Don't let her looks fool you," Yuji warned, "Cuz she's like me."

"You can talk to them?" D observed. "How is that possible...?"

"It's because I created these girls," Yuji answered. "I designed them, as well as their effects and they gained their own wills as a result."

"Will..."

"And since I have two Asura Monsters on my field," Yuji continued, "I can Special Summon "Asura Warlord" from my hand!"

A gust of violet wind kicked up as a third woman emerged. She was taller than the Magician and Necrolyte, having fairer skin compared to the others and was dressed in Chinese war armor with a long skirt underneath. She had long, raven-black hair and the same eyes as her younger sisters, as well as larger horns. In her hand was a katana.

**Asura Warlord**

**FIRE/Warrior/Effect/LV8/2800/2400**

**If you control 2 or more "Asura" monsters, you can Special Summon this card (from your hand). Your opponent can only activate 1 Spell/Trap Card each turn. If this card would be destroyed, you can pay 1000 Life Points instead.**

"Onward to battle, sisters!" Warlord declared with glee.

"Took the words right out of my mouth," Yuji agreed as he pointed forward. "I attack Space Time Police with Asura Warlord!"

Warlord obeyed her order as she dashed towards the futuristic officer. She made one swing and the Police was cut in half horizontally before exploding in gold particles.

D clenched her teeth as a cut grazed her cheek, feeling the effects of Yuji's psychic powers as the Asura monster were indeed real, as compared to the realistic AR Vision holograms. While those gave a realistic impression, the players only experienced shockwaves that impacted them when their monsters were destroyed. Asura Warlord's attack was the first to draw blood in this battle.

**Weapon D: 3500**

"_Weapon D!_" scolded Kyofu. "_Perform a counter!_"

"I activate the Trap Card: **"Psychic Overload"**," she declared as she revealed her hidden card. "I now return 3 Psychic Monsters in my Graveyard to my deck and draw 2 cards." Her Commander, Cleric and Space Time Police had returned as her deck was automatically shuffled by her Duel Disk before D drew her rewarded cards. "Is that all?" D asked flatly. "Because you will not defeat with mere scratches."

"This duel's just getting started," Yuji assured, "So I'll end my turn here and sit tight."

D drew her next card and inspected it before playing another. "I activate the Field Spell: **Brain Research Lab**." When she played her card, the area changed and became a closed space, with a large tubular tank standing off to the side and computers surrounding the two. "Next, I summon Silent Psychic Wizard in attack mode." This time D had called forth a man in white clothing, cape and a triangular hat that also covered his eyes. In his hands was a staff, much like the Cleric. "He will not be here for long," D assured, "For I will release my Wizard to Advance Summon **"Overdrive Teleporter"** in attack mode!"

The Wizard was engulfed in light, changing shape and height as he had grown taller and taken on a new appearance, wearing a white and blue suit and long coat with circuitry lines and a green visor.

**Override Teleporter**

**EARTH/Psychic/Effect/Lv.6/2100/1200 – This card cannot be Special Summoned. You can pay 2000 Life Points to Special Summon 2 Level 3 Psychic-Type monsters from your Deck. This effect can only be used once while this card is face-up on the field.**

"Me think I'm in for some hurtin'," Yuji grimaced. He heard a humming noise behind him and saw a monitor on.

"With each Advance Summon by Brain Research Lab's effect, it gains 1 Psychic Counter," D explained. "And it gains an extra in place of paying Life Points as cost for the effects of certain Psychic Monsters. Overdrive Teleporter is one of those Psychic Monsters that require Life Points for payment."

"Which means you can use his effect for free," Yuji concluded.

"Correct. And by Teleporter's effect, I shall Special Summon Psychic Commander and "Krebons" from my Deck," D declared.

Psychic Commander and a purple-armored humanoid flanked Overdrive Teleporter.

**Krebons**

**DARK/Psychic/Tuner/Lv.2/1200/400 – When this card is selected as an attack target, you can pay 800 Life Points to negate the attack.**

"This is going to hurt," Yuji predicted, "A lot."

"I now tune my Level 6 Naturia Barkion with my Level 3 Psychic Commander," D declared as the monsters went through the tuning sequence. "Darkness and Light! A single bullet shall open the door to chaos with no way of return. Synchro Summon! Take up your aim, **Hyper Psycho Gunner!**"

The Psychic Synchro Monster was summoned, standing by D as it glared at Yuji with its one eye.

**Hyper Psychic Blaster x1**

**EARTH/Psychic/Synchro/Effect/Lv.9/3000/2500**

**1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner Psychic-Type Monsters**

**During battle between this attacking card and a Defense Position monster whose DEF is lower than the ATK of this card, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent's Life Points. If this card attacks a Defense Position monster whose DEF is lower than the ATK of this card, gain Life Points equal to the difference at the end of the Damage Step.**

"Next I tune my Level 6 Overdrive Teleporter with my Level 2 Krebons!" D continued as the two monster were next. "A single thought moves the mind of the ignorant. Let loose your cries of hatred and rule over all! Synchro Summon! Descend, Mental Sphere Demon!"

Her second monster was summoned, brandishing its claws as its wings unfurled and spread out with a echoing roar.

**Thought Ruler Archfiend x1**

**DARK/Psychic/Synchro/Effect/Lv8/2700/2300**

**1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters**

**When this card destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard, gain Life Points equal to that monster's original ATK. You can pay 1000 Life Points to negate the activation of a Spell or Trap Card that targets 1 Psychic-Type monster, and destroy it.**

"I hate it when I'm right," Yuji frowned.

"Battle," D called, "Hyper Psychic Blaster will attack Asura Warlord and "Thought Ruler Archfiend will attack your Asura Necrolyte."

"Where's a Mirror Force when you need one?"

Blaster took aim and fired a barrage of laser blasts, hitting Asura Warlord as she exploded into particles. The power from the attack had also hit Yuji as he felt the reality of the hits, actually bleeding from his arms as if he was shot as well. Asura Necrolyte was next as she received a claw swipe from the Archfiend and exploded, with Yuji getting slashed across the chest again; drawing more blood as he was thrown back.

**Yuji Fudo: 2600**

"And with Archfiend's Monster Effect, I gain Life Points equal that of Necrolyte's attack points," D explained as she was rejuvenated.

**Weapon D: 5400**

"Looks like I'll be able to survive our duel much longer, Fudo," boasted D. She had more lifepoints, superior cards, and superior training. Statistically, she had a higher chance of winning this duel.

Yuji struggled onto his feet and stumbled back to his place. "Trust me...you won't be on the mountain for long..."

"Do you even stand a chance of winning?" she asked. "You could always forfeit and give up BLACK 13. You don't need to suffer for him."

"I'm doing this because GIN-SHOCKER took him away from me," Yuji clarified. "Believe it or not, he's my family. And GIN-SHOCKER thinks they can take what they want and not pay the consequences? FUCK THAT," he spat. "I'll show them what happens when you steal from me!"

"Family? Is that such an important thing?" she asked.

"When things look like they're at their worst, all you have is family," Yuji told her.

"How can you call him family? You barely even know him and according to our records you only found out recently," D argued.

"I did, you're right there," Yuji admitted. "By all accounts I shouldn't have anything to do with him. But that's not what my gut's been telling me ever since I met the guy. It's called instinct, D, and my instincts have always been right when my brain wasn't. And right now, my instincts are telling me to keep Shin safe and out of GIN-SHOCKER's hands. And for what they've done to Misato, to Hana, to Michiru and the others... I'll do whatever it takes to make GIN-SHOCKER pay. Even if I have to become a demon!"

D listened to his words and frowned in thought. While it was true that Yuji and BLACK 13 had not known each other for long, Yuji was willing to risk his life and fight against the organization, putting a target on not only himself but his whole family. However, according to Kyofu, such individuals did not survive long. They were killed, along with those close to them, to be made as an example.

"Now then, time to show you more shenanigans," Yuji grinned. "Draw! I activate the Spell Card "Asura's Prayer"! This allows me to add 1 Level 4 or lower Asura Monster from my Deck to my hand, and I choose a second Asura Necrolyte! Next I'll summon Necrolyte and Special Summon **"Asura Apprentice"** to the field!" A new monster appeared, another Asura monster with fair skin, long black hair and the archetype red eyes of the Asuras. she was dressed in a red hakama and pink bow ribbon around her waist, with white kimono sleeves and a pink bra cloth.

**Asura Apprentice**

**FIRE/Spellcaster/Effect/LV4/1500/1000**

**You can Special Summon this card (from your hand) if you control an "Asura" monster. You can target 1 face-up "Asura" monster you control; this card's Level becomes the Level of that monster. An Xyz Monster that was Summoned using only this card and other "Asura" monsters as Xyz Material gains this effect: When it is Xyz Summoned: You can target 1 Special Summoned monster your opponent controls; its ATK becomes 0.**

"Master!" Apprentice beamed as she hugged Yuji while floating in midair.

"Ready to win?" Yuji grinned.

"Yes!" she nodded.

"Next up comes Necrolyte's effect and I'll bring back the first!" The first Necrolyte was summoned back to the field as four monsters were now on Yuji's field.

"Four...Level 4 monsters," D noted.

"That's right," Yuji grinned, "And judging by the look on your face you don't know what I'm going to do with these monsters. Am I getting warm? Because if I'm not, then I'm about to turn up the heat! I Overlay my Level 4 Necrolytes, Magician and Apprentice!" The Necrolytes, Magician and Apprentice all turned into flames of blue and red energies respectively as they flew into the air. In the center of the field, a red vortex opened up.

"What's happening...?" D questioned

"A new generation of Monster," Yuji answered. "I construct the Overlay Network with these four monsters!" The four lights flew into the vortex and exploded. _"The azure night holds the secret of death. Cry out through the darkness and crush evil! Exceed Summon! Appear now, __**Azure Shura God - Valefor**__!"_

What emerged from the vortex was a tall, humanoid warrior covered in blue and silver armor. Long, red tendrils flowed from the back of his head like dreadlocks as he stood above all others, facing off against Thought Ruler Archfiend and Hyper Psychic Blaster.

**Azure Shura God – Valefor**

**FIRE/Warrior/Xyz/Effect/Rank 4/2800/2000**

**4 Level 4 "Asura" Monsters**

**When this card is successfully Exceed Summoned, Special Summon 1 "Asura" Monster from your Graveyard. This card gains 500 for each "Asura"Monster you control. Detach 2 Overlay Units from this card: This card can attack twice.**

**Music - "Resisting Against Fate"**

"What is that...?" Kyofu gawked as he watched the monitor. "What...is that? WHAT IS THAT? Exceed Summon? I've never heard of such a thing!"

D was starting to sweat bullets at the sight of the monsters. Like Kyofu, she never heard of Exceed Summoning before. It wasn't listed in any Duel Monsters database.

"When Valefor is Exceed Summoned, I can Special Summon Asura Warlord from my Graveyard," Yuji continued.

Warlord returned to the field, turning to Valefor and kneeling before the Azure Shura God. "My Lord," she addressed.

"_Rise, child,"_ Valefor motioned, _"There is a battle to be won."_ Warlord nodded and stood by the Azure deity.

"OK, moving right along then," Yuji smirked, "Valefor gains 500 attack points for every "Asura" monster on my field. And for an extra note, Valefor can attack twice during the Battle Phase!"

**Azure Shura God - Valefor: 3300**

Valefor dashed over to Hyper Psychic Blaster and turned its back, backfisting the Psychic monster in the face before kicking it rapidly and the Psychic was shot into the air before Valefor reared back a fist and punched Blaster as he returned, his form shattering. He then focused his attention on Archfiend and collected Ki in his hands, his hands glowing with blue energy as he fired two blasts that turned into dragons. The energy dragons flew at Thought Ruler Archfiend and tore him apart. Weapon D was pushed back, feeling the impact of the shock waves from those attacks and frowned.

"Next up is Warlord's direct attack!" Yuji called. The Asura leader dashed forward and made a battle cry as she drew her sword and slashed, tearing the midriff of Weapon D's outfit and drawing blood from a cut across her belly. It wasn't fatale but it did sting.

**Weapon D: 1300**

"I'll set a card and end here," Yuji finished as a face-down card materialized before him.

"What is that monster?" D demanded.

"Valefor is what's called an Xyz Monster (Pronounced here: "Exceed")," Yuji smirked. "A new breed of monster born from my own imagination."

"You created it?" she repeated.

"And the Asuras," he nodded. "They're the only ones of their kind and I have the only set in existence."

**Music Change - "Numbers" (Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL)**

"We shall see how powerful they are," D challenged as she drew her card. "For now I shall end this game; with "Miracle Synchro Fusion"!"

"Oh, this won't end well," Yuji grimaced.

"I shall banish Thought Ruler Archfiend and Hyper PSychic Blaster from my Graveyard," D declared, "Commencing Fusion Summon of a powerful entity of destruction and madness! Fusion Summon!"

The beast had been summoned, resembling Thought Ruler Archfiend but lacked legs and was twice as big, covering about half the space of the roof it hovered over.

"ULTIMATE AXON KICKER!"

**Ultimate Axon Kicker**

**LIGHT/Psychic/Fusion/Effect/Lv10/2900/1700**

**1 Psychic-Type Synchro Monster + 1 Psychic-Type monster.**

**This monster can only be Special Summoned by Fusion Summon (from the Extra Deck). This card cannot be destroyed by card effects. During battle between this attacking card and a Defense Position monster whose DEF is lower than the ATK of this card, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent. When this card destroys an opponent's monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard, you gain Life Points equal to the destroyed monster's ATK.**

Yuji looked up at the monster, sighing to himself. "This is gonna hurt..."

"I activate the Equip Spell card: Megamorph," D continued as her Psychic Fusion monster grew in doubled size and power and its roar echoing through the air.

**Ultimate Axon Kicker: 5800**

"Yeah, this is gonna hurt," Yuji assured himself.

"Battle! Axon Kicker will destroy your Azure Shura God – Valefor!" D declared.

Kicker roared as it lashed its tail at Valefor, enwrapping it in coils as it pulled the God to him.

"I activate the Trap: Damage Diet!" Yuji declared. "This will reduce Battle Damage I receive this turn to half its magnitude!"

Axon Kicker then unleashed a blast of energy from its mouth that overwhelmed the azure warrior and blasting Yuji as well as he went flying off the roof before grasping the edge and holding on for dear life.

**Yuji Fudo: 1200**

**End Music**

"You continue to persist, even with such a low score," D observed. "Why?"

"Pay...attention," Yuji groaned as he climbed back onto the roof. He chuckled with a grin, "I still have Life Points left. And my score is below yours, almost even in fact, which means your Kicker loses his strength." His point was made as Ultimate Axon Kicker began to shrink, his power draining.

**Ultimate Axon Kicker: 1450**

Yuji grinned, "One good attack oughta take a huge bite out of your points and end this. Draw!" He drew his card and his eyes widened. "I play the Spell Card: **Monster Reborn!** This will revive my Asura Necrolyte and join my Warlord!" The Necrolyte appeared next to Warlord, the two nodding to each other. "Next I'll activate Necrolyte's effect and revive my Magician and Apprentice!" The next Asuras emerged from runic portals in the floor as they joined their sisters.

**Yuji Fudo: 200**

"OK, time to finish this! I activate Magician's effect, which equates her Level to the Level of a monster on my field and of my choosing," Yuji explained, "And I choose Warlord! Next, Apprentice can copy the Level of a Magician on my field, making her Level 8 as well!"

**Asura Magician: Level 8**

**Asura Apprentice: Level 8**

"Three Level 8 monsters this time," D glared. "That means-!"

"Time to Exceed the limit!" Yuji declared. I Overlay my Level 8 Asura Apprentice, Asura Magician and Asura Warlord!" The three female monsters turned into lights of red, pink and purple as they took to the sky as a red vortex opened in the field. "I construct the Overlay Network with these monsters! The crimson sun holds the secret of life! Emerge from the flames and burn away evil! Exceed Summon!" The three lights flew into the vortex before exploding as a new creature emerged.

**Music - "Crimson Shura God"**

It resembled Valefor in terms of shape and appearance, but its armor was red and white as opposed to Valefor's blue and silver armor, and having two huge locks of white hair flowing from its head as opposed to Valefor's red tendrils.

"**CRIMSON SHURA GOD – IALDABAOTH!"**

**Crimson Shura God – Ialdabaoth**

**FIRE/Warrior/Xyz/Effect/Rank 8/3000/2500**

**3 Level 8 "Asura" Monsters**

"Another one," D frowned.

"Next, I activate Apprentice's Monster Effect!" Yuji declared. "Since she was used in an Exceed Summon, I can target 1 monster on your field and reduce its Attack Points to 0!"

"What...?" D gasped.

Ialdabaoth outstretched a hand, unleashing a wave of energy that covered Ultimate Axon Kicker as it groaned in discomfort.

**Ultimate Axon Kicker: 0**

Yuji then made a fighting stance, which Ialdabaoth mirrored. "Now to end this!" Ialdabaoth dashed forward and proceeded to beat the crap out of Axon Kicker, unleashing punches and kicks before launching Kicker into the sky. Yuji and Ialdabaoth then took to the sky after the Psychic Monster, going into a flying kick as they went through Axon Kicker.

"_**SHIN MOUGEKI KEN!"**_

Ultimate Axon Kicker roared as it exploded, shockwaves going through the air as D was blown back by the shock.

**D: 0**

**Yuji Fudo: 200**

**WINNER: YUJI FUDO!**

A horn went off as the AR Vision field died down. D fell to her knees, shocked and mortified by the end of of the duel. "...I...I lost...?" The realization hit her hard and fear began to creep into her heart. Failure was not tolerated in GIN-SHOCKER and those who escaped severe punishment were considered very fortunate as the organization still saw use in them. However, if one could no longer be useful, they were discarded and scrapped like garbage.

Yuji said, "First time for everything. I still can't beat my parents, but that doesn't stop me from getting better at my game."

D questioned, "Pa...rents?"

Yuji explained, "You know; a mother? Father? You don't have anyone like that?"

D didn't have a mother or father as far as she could remember. All she ever knew was Dr. Kyofu and GIN-SHOCKER. "I...don't know." She recalled their deal. "You defeated me...so I will tell you my name. It's Reiko; Reiko Serizawa."

Yuji answered, "And I'm Yuji Fudo. I'll make you a deal, Reiko. You wanna get to Shin, then you'll have to go through me first."

Kyofu ordered, "_That's enough, D. You may return home."_

Reiko nodded, "Understood... I accept, Yuji Fudo. You will be my primary target, from this moment on." Reiko ran to the edge on her side of the roof and jumped, prompting Yuji to run for the edge as he looked down. But she was gone without a trace as he scanned the darkness.

"Strange girl," he commented.

* * *

><p>Kyofu was fuming over the events that had occurred moments before. Weapon D, his perfect assassin, his tool that would lead him to the top of the scales, his ticket to a promotion, had been defeated by a grease-monkey! It was inconceivable! Weapon D had never failed her assignments before, whether or not they involved duels, but now this fire-breathing lizard who tunes primitive machines for a living had shown her up, and thus humiliated Kyofu as well! What was worse was that now this Fudo boy had made her take a deal; to first defeat him before moving on to BLACK 13. While he had no doubts that Weapon D would not lose a second time to the same person, this meant that his plans would be delayed much longer than he had hoped.<p>

Kyofu took a few short breaths, and sat down. He needed to calm down and think logically. While Weapon D was powerful, she was still very honest and naive. Perhaps this was how this Fudo managed to get her to take the deal. He admitted to himself that he was partly to blame for that.

But... just because Weapon D promised not to touch BLACK 13 until the conditions are met, it didn't mean he did.

Kyofu smiled and let out a soft chuckle, thinking of what to do next.

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL MONSTERS CORNER<strong>

"Well, that was definitely one of my most intense duels," Yuji admitted. "Oh, hi! I'm Yuji Fudo, and welcome to the Duel Monsters corner, where we review original cards or decks used in this fic. As you can see, in my duel against Reiko, I used the brand-spanking new Asura archetype of my own design and make."

On the screen behind Yuji, key scenes of his duel against Reiko were shown, mostly how he utilised the Asuras and obtained victory.

"OK, the Asura Deck here is basically a Toolbox Deck, which uses certain effects from Monster and Spell Cards in order to bring the monster you want to your hand so they can be summoned easily. "Each Asura has their own unique, individual effect but can be of great help to a partnering Asura on the field. They're based on the Asura demons of the Middle East and they all possess the FIRE Attribute. As for types, they usually range from Warriors to Spellcasters and they each sport strength that's pretty standard for their levels and abilities. As for why they're all women... Well, I don't feel like telling you," Yuji huffed with a blush. "Anyways, moving on; we have two of the more powerful members of the deck: Valefor and Ialdabaoth. They're more or less like twins, or maybe...two sides of a coin. I think that's a better way to describe them. They're Exceed Monsters; monsters that can only be Special Summoned by Overlaying two monsters with matching Levels. It shares some similarities with the popular method of Synchro Summoning, only you don't a Tuner Monster for Exceed Monsters. You just stack the required cards together and you can instantly summon a new monster, with a powerful effect. But, Exceed Monsters can only use their effects as long as they still possess their Overlay Units . The effects are powerful, but limited in use. so play them wisely and carefully."

Yuji finished, "Well, that's all we have time for this chapter. Keep on reading because there will be more dueling action in the future! Sayonara!"

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER BUSHIDO: The Asura monsters featured here are based off art done by Maxwindy. Credit goes to him for creating them, so yeah. Also, Valefor and Ialdabaoth are from Super Robot Wars. Unfortunately, I couldn't think of any effects for him yet but I'll be working on him some more and I'll be ready with an effect for the next time he comes out. Oh, and Weapon D (aka Reiko) is an OC created by Kamen Rider Goji. Just modified her a bit to resemble a shorteryounger version Saionji Sekai from School Days.**


	50. AntiThesis: Trouble Man

"**People wear masks to conceal their true nature. That's what I do all of the time before I transform. Like Youkai, I transform not to conceal my identity, but to reveal who I really am. To expose my true nature; a killing machine." **

**-Shinichi Banabara**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 50: Trouble Man<strong>

At night, Kurumu enjoyed spreading her wings wide to fly for a bit. The skies were just so wide and free and she loved the feeling of having the wind blow through her hair. Well, she loved having sex with Shinichi more but right now she wasn't thinking about making love to her Destined One. What was on her mind right now was how to help him.

When she first met, she thought the boy would be a cute addition to her harem plan. She was frightened at first when her Charm ability had the opposite effect than expected and caused him great pain. She fell in love with him after he protected and befriended her too.

Back then she never knew he'd suffered so much. He was good at hiding his pain and the amnesia helped to keep all his secrets hidden, even from himself. But as time went on, as days turned to weeks and then into months, Kurumu learnt more and more about the boy she called her Destined One.

She learnt that he'd been taken from his family. She learnt that he'd been turned into a Cyborg weapon against his will. She also learnt that he'd been forced to kill his comrades whom he had a strong bond with.

But now she learnt that he'd been in love before but the one he loved had died in his arms, by his own hands. That was just so devastatingly heartbreaking and Kurumu had never gone through anything so horrible in comparison. Now, the sight of Lina, revived and part of the enemy had traumatized her Destined One.

She let out a sigh. She needed to know what she needed to do from here on to help him. She then heard loud buzzing and in the distance she spotted Shogo Kuso in his Kamen Rider Zero form flying in her direction. She hovered in place, flapping her wings to keep herself aloft, and watched as he came closer, his wings beating rapidly as he stopped in front of her.

"Nice night for a flight, huh?" Kurumu asked.

"I'm not doing this for fun. I'm on patrol," he told her seriously.

"But flying is fun, right?" she asked.

Zero shrugged. It was fun. Not many of the NUMBERS were given the power of flight.

"So...any thoughts of this new situation?" Kurumu asked.

"Do you mean about this group called ANTI-THESIS, or...Lina?" he asked.

"Lina," she clarified. She didn't care about ANTI-THESIS right now. Leon and the PSC could deal with them. At least they would be doing the job they were supposed to be doing, unlike their corrupt predecessors.

Zero crossed his arms, "Well, right now, I'm trying to figure it out myself. She was Shinichi's first love, but GIN-SHOCKER revived her and cybernetically augmented her. She's been reprogrammed too."

"Do you think she might still have feelings for Shinichi?" she asked.

"What do you think, Kurono-san?" he asked.

"She wants him all to herself and is willing to fight for GIN-SHOCKER so she can have him, even if it hurts him," Kurumu frowned.

"That's selfishness, isn't it?" he questioned.

'_Yeah, like how I used to be_,' Kurumu frowned.

"So, what do you plan on doing?" Zero asked.

"I want to help him. I want to heal his heart," she confessed. "He never deserved any of this." She was referring to the ten years he had lived under GIN-SHOCKER's control, to be stripped of his humanity and to have his heart broken too many times.

"Personally, I think Shinichi needs to resolve things with Lina on his own," said Zero. "She's his responsibility. If I were him I'd settle things with her before things get out of hand."

"He would want to save her," Kurumu concluded. Zero nodded. Of course Shinichi would want to save Lina and persuade her to fight against GIN-SHOCKER instead of for the organization. But that would mean having another girl to compete over his affection. Sure, they were alright with sharing him for now, but she was happy to do it with the other girls who'd become so close to her. Lina, however, was a different story.

"For now, I think you should focus on helping Shinichi heal after this ordel," Zero advised. "Just be there for him."

"Thanks for the talk, Shogo," Kurumu smiled.

"Don't mention it, Kurono-san," Zero welcomed.

* * *

><p>Shinichi finally awoke from his trauma induced coma after several hours of rest. He'd just gone through his memories, to see for himself what Lina was to him, and he got his answers in vivid detail. He heard the door open and saw Moka exiting the bathroom when she saw him awake and sitting up.<p>

"Shinichi!" she cried as she dashed towards him and hugged him. "Shinichi, you're awake!"

"Yeah," he said, rubbing her back. "Were you here the whole time?" he asked. "Were you waiting?"

"Yes," she answered.

"I'm sorry," he apologized.

"Don't apologize. You didn't do anything wrong. It's not your fault," she told him, holding him.

"Moka-chan, about earlier..." he began and Moka went rigid. "It's true, isn't it? Lina's alive."

Moka couldn't lie, "Yes, Shinichi-kun."

Moka broke the hug to study his expression. His face was cast down with his bangs shadowing his eyes. This was not the same Shinichi she'd met all those months ago. He was never this depressed before, but now he was.

Shinichi admitted, "Sometimes I wish I was just a normal kid."

Moka asked, "Really?"

Shinichi corrected, "Let me rephrase that; I just wish I was a _normal _super-powered kid." That was an oxymoron, not that he cared at the moment. "That way I could be with your all and not worry about extra baggage. I actually prefer having these powers without the memories." He let out a humorless laugh. "But that's impossible for me, isn't it?"

"Shinichi, you don't have to let these memories hurt you," she said.

"Why not? They're still my memories, Moka-chan. They define who I am. I'm finally whole now and instead of being happy I'm just more depressed since I've learnt that I spilled the blood of someone I cared about. Someone I loved," He screwed his eyes shut as tears fell.

Moka spoke, "I understand that she was important to you. You loved her."

Shinichi wished it had only been a dream, but he knew better. The truth was that his first love, Lina, had truly returned from the dead. What was worse was that she was now the enemy.

And he could blame nobody but himself.

Shinichi said, "Yes, I did love her, and I also killed her. It's my fault she's like this. It's my fault. I betrayed her. It's my fault she's like this." If he hadn't killed her. If he'd only paid attention, then maybe Lina wouldn't have turned out like this.

Moka hated seeing Shinichi like this. It frustrated her to see him carry this burden of guilt on his shoulders. She decided that enough was enough.

**SLAP!**

Shinichi was just smacked by Moka and was stunned. He touched his red cheek and looked to her. She was shaking, and crying, while glaring at him. She shouted, "Stop blaming yourself for everything that isn't your fault! Stop hurting yourself like this! Don't you care how we feel when you burden yourself with all this misplaced guilt!"

Shinichi asked, confused, and feeling helpless, "Then...what am I supposed to do?"

Moka could only give him simple advice, "Do what you think is right."

Shinichi thought about her words. "Do what I think is right," he repeated. He looked the Vampire girl in the eyes and said, "Moka-chan...Lina's my responsibility. I couldn't save her before, but now I can. I want to save her!"

The door to the dorm room was suddenly thrown open as Yuji stepped in and declared, "And as your cousin, I'm going to help you!"

Moka was surprised by Yuji's sudden appearance but Shinichi narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "You were eavesdropping and waiting for the right time to burst in, weren't you?"

Yuji, ignoring the question, told Shinichi, "She's been messed up, just like you were. So I'm gonna help you help her the same way I helped you."

Shinichi asked, "Help me to help her?"

"Yeah, _**we're**_ gonna save her. And that goes for the D girl too."

"D girl? What D girl?" Shinichi asked.

Yuji went through a brief yet detailed account of his duel earlier. Hearing that Weapon D was a Psychic Duelist sent by GIN-SHOCKER made Shinichi feel worse.

"It didn't have to be this way. You shouldn't have to deal with GIN-SHOCKER," Shinichi told his cousin. Shinichi blamed himself for getting Yuji involved. The guy knew nothing of GIN-SHOCKER and had transformed to fight one of their monsters, exposing himself as a Kamen Rider and putting him in GIN-SHOCKER's crosshairs.

Yuji growled, "Goddammit, Shin..." He immediately chopped Shinichi on the head.

Shinichi cried out in pain, "OW! WHAT?"

Yuji yelled, "How (CHOP) many times (CHOP) do I have to (CHOP) tell you (CHOP)? We're Family, dammit! We stick together, no matter what! You wanna blame someone, BLAME GIN-SHOCKER! Remember what they took from you! From your mother! From me!"

Moka pleaded, "Yuji-sensei! Yamette!"

Shinichi agreed, "Yeah, stop hitting me!"

Yuji scoffed, "I only hit you four times. Suck it up." He poked Shinichi on the forehead, "Listen to me. You're my little cousin. I didn't even know I had more family out there before now."

Shinichi huffed, "So what?" That was the wrong thing to say.

Yuji shouted, "You saying you don't care? So you don't give a shit about the shit we've gone through before now?-!"

Shinichi retorted, loudly, "I'm just saying that GIN-SHOCKER shouldn't have anything to do with you! You have your family and friends! You're happy! You could've lived your life happily, ignorant of GS's existence! Now you're just going to cut your life short by fighting!"

Yuji scoffed, "You think they scare me? FUCK THEM! If I die, it'll be MY WAY! GIN-SHOCKER ain't got shit on me!"

Shinichi warned him, "You're just tempting fate."

Yuji crossed his arms and admitted, "I know there could be dudes stronger than me out there. I just need to train harder, that's all. The point is, you need to come to me for help. We're family; I'll do what I can to take care of you. The girls can take care of you too. But you HAVE to let us."

Shinichi looked away and confessed, "I don't want anyone risking their lives for me. I'm not worth it."

Yuji grumbled, "Goddammit, how the fuck is your head so fucking thick?" He paused. "...OK, that was supposed to sound a lot more serious when I thought it out..."

Shinichi tapped his temples, "First, I have a metal-plated skull. And I'm stubborn, like my mother."

Yuji agreed, "Obviously!" He complained, "Goddammit, I've haven't met anyone as stubborn since my brother, Yuri...goddammit..."

Shinichi blinked at the new information, "Yuri? You have a brother?"

Yuji muttered, "I don't wanna talk about it..."

Moka implored, "Shinichi-kun, please..."

Shinichi sighed, "Look, I understand we're family, which is why I want to spare you from going to an early grave. We also don't want your term as the Vongola's boss to be the shortest in history."

Yuji cocked an eyebrow and remarked, "You think I'm gonna die easily? Then you don't know me at all. I'm outta here. Make sure you study for that test in three days, Shin."

Shinichi told him, "Yuji, you may have beaten Nagazawa, but you've never met the Great Leader before!"

Yuji turned back and retorted, "He can go eat a dick for all I care! Nobody's stopping me from doing what I have to do and what I wanna do! Anybody tries, I'll fuckin' burn them! It's as simple as that!"

It couldn't be that simple, could it?

"Oh and Before I forget, I brought you notes from my class which you missed. For now, Shin, get some rest but don't forget to study. That goes for you too, Moka," he advised as he walked away from the two, exiting the room. He was lucky he didn't blow his top completely and possibly caused some real damage. That wouldn't have been good. Yuji felt his temperature rising so he had to leave in order to cool off. He didn't count on Shinichi's stubbornness and that had thinned Yuji's patience gradually before he noticed. That was a mistake on his part and he needed a way to cope with his fluctuating aggression.

Moka took Shinichi hand. She was still stunned by Yuji's earlier performance but the Manakyte had made a good point. There was no reason for Shinichi to deal with all this on his own. He had friends and family that he could rely on to support him in his moment of crisis.

Shinichi was still digesting Yuji's words silently.

* * *

><p>Yuji sighed as he fell back on his couch. He'd been given a room in the staff dorm since he was part of the faculty now, and the pad wasn't too bad. It had the bare necessities at least.<p>

"Goddammit, I swear that sometimes I feel like I'm talking to a fucking wall," Yuji sighed. "I should just sleep here and shower in the morning. I don't give a shit right now..."

"You could get sick like that."

Yuji looked to the window and saw Misato sitting on the window frame. "How'd you get up here?"

"Grappling hook."

"Students aren't allowed in the Staff dorms, young lady," Yuji chided, patting his lap. "You _could_ get in trouble..."

Misato smirked and climbed into the room, sitting on her sensei's lap and looking down on him. "Will you be punishing me, sir? Give me a spanking? I'm a bad, bad girl who needs discipline~"

Yuji yawned, hugging Misato close to him as he rested his head on her "pillows." "Maybe later. Fucking exhausted and peeved right now..."

"Shinichi again?"

"How did-"

"You're so easy to read," she giggled. "What happened this time?"

"Can't seem to get through to that thick head of his that I wanna help him," Yuji sighed.

"Is he guilt-tripping himself again or trying to carry the world on his shoulders?" she questioned.

"I think both," he sighed. "Fuck, he's almost as bad as Yuri when it comes to being stubborn..."

"Shinichi hasn't come to terms with everything that has happened. Unlike us, he hasn't had years to get over his actions since he had his emotions blocked for most of his life. Not to mention the amnesia he suffered months ago," she said.

"And then there's Lina and D," he added.

"It's how GIN-SHOCKER works, Yuji. Can't really do anything about it right now."

"They're using kids for their bullshit. They're going to burn, Misato, _I'm _going to make them burn," Yuji swore.

"I know you will. So, who's Yuri exactly?" she asked.

Yuji went frigid a bit. "Was hoping you didn't hear that last comment..."

"You're not weaseling your way out of this one," she glared. "Now talk."

"...He's my brother," he hesitated, "He's our _older _brother."

"You never said you had a brother," she replied.

"Because I never really _wanted _to say anything," Yuji retorted. He was trying hard to avert her gaze but couldn't do much since she was on top of him.

"Is he some kind of black sheep?"

"Is attempt at bodily harm part of the criteria for a black sheep?"

"He did what?"

Yuji listed with his fingers, "Dropping a piano on me, constant headlocks, drowning me in pools, shooting at me, punching me, shooting at me, chasing me around with a chainsaw...did I mention shooting at me?"

"And he's seriously your brother? Is he your evil twin or something?" she asked.

"_Older_ brother," he repeated. "I don't know what's up with him, but he hates me for some reason."

"Maybe he's jealous."

"But he's got nothing to be jealous of!" Yuji argued. "We're both smart, strong, our parents loved us all equally and he wasn't really interested in getting a girlfriend last time I remember... And then...he disappeared one day."

"Did you ever find out what happened to him?"

"It was during a class trip to Neo Domino's museum," he recalled. "It was a regular day...and we had split into groups. Yuri had gone off on his own and when we did a head count, he wasn't around. We searched the whole place...and there was no trace."

"So he just vanished. Do you think GIN-SHOCKER might've captured him?" she asked. They would want any powerful being as a soldier to add to their ranks.

Yuji shook his head, "He's too crazy for them. And with his power...he wouldn't leave anyone in one piece."

"So, he's just disappeared from the face of the Earth. That doesn't seem possible," she remarked.

"People would say that about somebody like me," Yuji retorted as his scales coated him. He grinned and reached around to hold her full cheeks.

"Right, 'impossible' has no meaning for people like us," she smirked as her tendrils slithered out from her arms and across his back, going under his shirt to tickle the flesh only for the needles to be scraping against his hard scales.

"Gonna have to do better than that," he challenged. "Can't feel much with these scales on. In fact, this stuff on me can weather tank shells, given the right deflection."

Misato pouted but then leaned in and asked, "Well, can you feel this?" Without waiting for a response, she pressed her lips against his, forcing his mouth open and shoved her tongue down into his oral cavity. She yelped in his mouth as he gave her ass a stronger squeeze and spanked her.

"Ah!" she gasped.

"Definitely felt that one," he laughed. "So, how are you and the girls doing here?" he asked as he massaged her rear.

"Besides the boys checking us out, or pestering us for dates. It's OK. Still, I'd rather not have to deal with homework," she said. "Michiru's fine with it. She's been making friends with a lot of the girls here. She joined the Health Committee. Hana's thinking about joining the Chemistry Club too."

"Ruby doesn't have any complaints either," Yuji added. "And Riza spends her time at the gym. Kinda miss Flannery and Blair though. Hell, I'm even starting to miss Fran..."

"You mean that Frankenstein girl who was at the party last summer?" Misato questioned. "What? She's got a crush on you too?"

"She doesn't like being called that," Yuji remarked, "Her birth is something similar to Victor von Frankenstein's creation, but she considers being called a Frankenstein as in insult. Now for that next question; she says that she's a lover of love, that's for sure, but she's too focused on being a doctor to even think about finding a boyfriend," he seemed to pale, "Actually... she's a bit too enthusiastic about being a doctor. She's basically your friendly neighborhood mad scientist."

"Define mad," she pressed on

"She's a very good person at heart, and she believes in doing the right thing," Yuji replied. "She also believes that lives should be saved at any cost. Sounds reasonable, but the end results of her operations are not often pretty."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not going to go in any details. Let me just tell you that her surgeon skills are so talented, she can literally raise the dead."

"For real?" Misato gawked. "She can do that?"

"Seen it happen myself," Yuji answered. "Scared the fuck out of me the first time too."

"Uh, well, we'll see them again. So don't worry about it," said Misato.

"Yeah, I hope so. Hope we don't end up spending an eternity here..."

"Hey!" Riza growled as she opened Yuji's door.

"Don't you knock, Riza?" Yuji snapped.

"Yeah, we're in the middle of something!" Misato growled.

"Aside from riding him?" Riza retorted.

"Yes, that's not fair, Misato-san," Ruby admonished as she came in after the Werewolf. "We all agreed to share Yuji-sama, didn't we?"

Riza dropped onto Yuji's right and pulled his chin to her to make eye contact. "Besides, Dragon Boy should be able to handle some raunchy bitches like us," she grinned as they started making out.

"So much for some solo time," Misato pouted before Ruby started groping her from behind.

"Now, now, Misato-san," Ruby smiled, "You must remember that there are boundaries."

"Plus romantic relationships between teachers and students are prohibited," said Hana as she climbed in through window.

"Except us!" beamed Michiru instantly as she even jumped in with Mia on her head.

"Myah~!" Mia agreed.

* * *

><p>Yuji lay in his bed, nude with his lovers with Mia asleep in Michiru's arms. He was recuperating from a raunchy festival of sex with his girlfriends and that had served to relieve much of his stress. His arms were behind his head as Misato slept on his right, Ruby sleeping on top of him, Riza sleeping next to Misato, Hana on Yuji's left and Michiru sleeping next to Hana.<p>

Yuji started thinking to himself. Not that he minded, but something had triggered the attraction of this many women toward him. Was it something he did? Something he said? Or something in him that they see that he can't. It was strange, but he did welcome the love these girls had given him. He never expected, in his entire life, to have his own harem. Perhaps this was a good thing. What if...he could expand his harem? He was going to be the 20th Boss. So...

"I think I finally decided on my goal," he said subtly.

"What's that, Darling~?" Misato purred as she had awoken.

"You have a goal?" Hana asked. She and the others were starting to wake, wanting to hear what Yuji was thinking.

"I don't understand how, or why, my current situation is as it is," he began, "What with having seven lovely ladies to myself. But...maybe this harem thing is something good for all of us."

"Yeah! We all get along and we have fun together," Michiru beamed. "Like a family!"

"In more ways than one," Riza chuckled.

"What are you thinking, Yuji-sama?" Ruby asked as she lay on top of him.

"Well, I've decided; as soon-to-be Vongola 20th," Yuji said as he pointed to the ceiling, "I shall be a lover to 20 beautiful women!"

"Whoa! 20?-!" Riza gawked.

"Oh, my," Ruby blushed, "How bold of you, Yuji-sama!"

"Yay, more friends~!" Michiru beamed. Mia let out a "Myah!" in agreement.

"That's gotta be the craziest idea you've ever had, Yuji," Misato giggled, "I like it!"

"It's rather daring," Hana commented as she cuddled close to him. "Are you sure you could actually take care of 20 girls?"

"That's a lot of dates," Muchiru added.

"And anniversaries to remember," Riza snickered.

"Think of the bill for Christmas presents," Ruby blinked.

"Money's never been an issue with me," Yuji dismissed. "If I could get this far with you all, then there's a chance I can go even farther with 20 women. So what's the harm?"

"Oh, this is so exciting!" Michiru beamed.

"How will you go about it, though?" Hana asked.

"Well, I think I'll start here," Yuji answered. "I figure that something I did or said got us like this, so maybe it'll work here too."

"In that case, we're behind you all the way," Misato accepted.

"And on top of you, too!" Michiru added.

None of them noticed a bat-like creature fluttering outside the window before disappearing.

* * *

><p>Moka left Shinichi alone at his request. He needed to think and didn't need distractions, including having Moka around. He was glad to have her around but what he planned to do he needed to be on his own. They did part with her drinking some of his blood since she was so hungry and he gave her a kiss since it'd been awhile since they had shared a moment of affection with each other. He promised that he would be OK and be in school the following day.<p>

Now, Shinichi knew that there was a gang of hybrid Youkai calling themselves ANTI-THESIS. However, they were not the top of his priority at the moment. Lina was his top priority and he needed to figure out what to do the next time he saw her. He went to his desk and pulled open his drawer. Reaching inside, he pulled out a handgun. He checked to see that it was loaded with stun ammunition. The bolts of energy would stun her long enough for him to subdue her and maybe even talk with her, to try and convince her to switch sides. GIN-SHOCKER was a huge organization and they needed all the help they could get.

Shinichi's primary target in the organization, however, was Dr. Gebok. He had to answer for his crimes and Shinichi was going to be the one to deal with him personally for the pain he'd caused him and his loved ones for ten long years.

* * *

><p>The following morning, Kurumu, Moka, Mizore and Yukari had gone to Shinichi's dorm to wake him up and walk to school with him. However, they did not get an answer. Mizore, putting her ear against the door, tried to listen for some forms of life.<p>

"He's not here," she said.

Yukari looked over the railing outside Shinichi's dorm room and looked down to the ground and yelled out, "There he is!" she pointed. The three older girls looked over to where she was pointing and spotted Shinichi on his Cyclone-X3. He was putting on his helmet before dashing off at high speeds.

"Come on!" Kurumu prompted as she, Mizore and Yukari gave chase.

Moka, however, wondered why Shinichi was riding to school on his own.

* * *

><p>Shinichi entered the classroom wearing an entirely new wardrobe. Instead of the standard green blazer and white shirt underneath, he instead wore a black blazer with the academy logo sewn into the breast pocket. The shirt had also been replaced with a black turtleneck with XIII in red across the chest with a red scarf hanging from his neck. He kept the brown slacks which were part of the standard uniform.<p>

Students were allowed to customize their uniforms as long as one piece of garment from the standard uniform was kept. Yukari, Mizore and Kurumu wore their own variations but kept the skirt on so they weren't in violation of the rules and Shinichi thought that he could do the same and wear something original.

The girls, huffing and puffing as they tried to catch their breaths managed to catch up to the boy they had affections for and spotted him sitting at his desk and looking out the window with a melancholy appearance. They saw what he was wearing and frowned slightly in curiosity.

However, Moka was troubled by the fact that he was wearing black. It just didn't feel right to her. She should be worried more about the firearm he was carrying inside the blazer. It was a pistol loaded with stun rounds.

He planned on using the gun and ammo on Lina the next time he saw her. It wouldn't be fatal and she would be stunned long enough so they could talk and maybe he could persuade her to switch sides.

Kurumu marched over to Shinichi with her hands to her hips as she demanded, "OK, Shinichi, what was the big idea ditching us like that when we wanted to walk to school with you."

"I...wanted to ride alone," he answered looking up at her. "And I didn't know. I'm sorry. You should've called first."

Kurumu smiled, glad to see that he was recovering well from his ordeal from the previous day. "That's fine. Just promise to take me for a ride-WOAH!"

Yukari had shoved Kurumu aside as she said, "Shinichi-san, I made you this!" She pulled a vial out of her cape. In it was some kind of pink liquid.

Shinichi cocked his eyebrow as he looked at it. "Uh...what is that?"

"Happy Juice!" Yukari beamed.

"I think I'll pass," Shinichi rejected kindly. He didn't feel like being drugged on some strange potion. Mizore came to his desk and caressed his face. "Mizore-chan?"

"Are you OK?" she asked.

"I'm fine," he said, smiling kindly in return. "Thanks for worrying." He glanced at Moka. "Hey, Moka-chan."

Moka asked, "Why are you dressed differently today?"

"Oh, I just thought I wanted to change my look," he smiled as he tugged at the lapels. "What do you think?"

'_I don't really think black is your color,'_ is what she thought but instead said, "A little variety from time to time is good..." She really didn't like the color black on Shinichi. The main reason was that, after she'd learnt his past, she knew the color was what he'd worn on his missions for GIN-SHOCKER and that it had been stained with blood. Sure, she loved to drink blood but to see it spilled violently was another matter entirely.

Nekonome-sensei came in and the students went to their seats as she did a roll call and reminded them about the upcoming School Festival. They were to choose something to do for the festival. It would be a good chance for Shinichi to demonstrate good class leadership and organizational skills as the class rep.

As Nekonome-sensei was about to leave, she called Shinichi over to speak with her outside. "What is it, Nekonome-sensei?"

"Banabara-kun, are you alright?" she asked. "Yesterday you were absent for half the school day? Is there anything wrong?"

'_That's right, she doesn't know yet,_' thought Shinichi. "Yesterday I got into an...altercation," he told her. She gasped.

"Were you hurt?" she asked, concerned.

"A little," he said half-truthfully. "But I'm fine now. All I needed was a little rest."

The Bakeneko-onna put a hand on his shoulder. "Banabara-kun, I know you've been through so much. I think you need to talk to someone."

"Talk to someone?" he questioned.

"I recommend you speak with the school counselor," she clarified. "Aensland-sensei could help you with your issues."

"You want me to see the school _shrink_?" he asked incredulously. "Sensei, I'm fine! I'm OK! I'm dealing with it!"

That wasn't what she had heard.

* * *

><p>"<em>Nekonome-sensei," Yuji called as he approached her.<em>

"_Are, Fudo-sensei," she smiled, "What is it?"_

"_You're Shinichi's homeroom teacher, right? How has be been here at school?"_

_Nekonome-sensei recalled what Shinichi had always been like, "Oh, he's always been such a model student. The only trouble he ever gets into is to help his friends."_

"_Believe me, I know," Yuji agreed._

"_But I sometimes feels like he's hiding something," she added. "Oh, he looks fine but he often keeps his emotions guarded."_

"_He's been hurt for a very long time and did things he still can't forgive himself for," said Yuji._

"_I know. Dr. Magi was very informative. I wish there was a way I could help," she said. "Oh, I know! He can talk to Aensland-sensei, our school counselor."_

* * *

><p>"Not eating anything, Dai?" Yokoshima asked.<p>

"There's nothing on that stupid cafeteria menu that doesn't have meat in it," he grumbled. Shinichi tapped him on the shoulder and put a bento down in front of him.

"There's rice, nato, salad and tamagoyaki in there," Shinichi said. "You're fine with eggs, right?"

"As long as they won't hatch into chicks," said Daichi. "But I know the eggs in stores are the unfertilized ones. Thanks, by the way."

"Hey, I remember that you don't eat meat," said Shinichi. "But you still have a bad temper."

"Being a vegetarian doesn't mean I don't have a temper. I get pissed off at stupid stuff all the time," answered Daichi as he dug into his lunch. "Man, this really is good." He was actually glad that Shinichi was nothing like Kuro. Kuro would just tell him to eat and not worry about the taste since flavor was irrelevant and that only the nutrients mattered.

"Hey, Shinichi," said Yokoshima. "It's good to see you up and about after-"

Shogo put his hand over Yokoshima's mouth to prevent him from blurting out the name of the person that had caused Shinichi to fall into a coma. "We're just happy you've recovered."

"I know what Yokoshima was about to say, Shogo," Shinichi said. "It's OK. I'm fine."

"**Really?**" Chiaki signed.

"Really," Shinichi smiled. He spotted the girls. "I need to sit at another table with the girls. See ya."

The male cyborgs watched as Shinichi joined his female classmates and lovers for lunch.

"He seems OK," said Yokoshima.

"A good liar as usual," Daichi observed. He spotted Haruhi coming into the cafeteria and he paled. "Aw, dammit." He slipped under the table and out of her sight. She spotted the ex-NUMBER males sitting at a table and walked towards them.

"Hello, have you seen Dai-chan?" she asked, pressing her fingers together.

"Dai-chan?" Yokoshima snickered before he grunted. Daichi had just brought his fist down on his foot. "Ow!" he yelped.

"What's wrong?" Haruhi asked.

"Oh, it's nothing," Yokoshima lied. "And about Dai, I think you should look-OW!"

"You must've missed him," Shogo lied. "I think I saw him head out for the bathroom."

"Thank you," said Haruhi and she exited the cafeteria. Once Daichi was sure that she was gone, he got up from under the table and let out a sigh.

"Disaster averted," he said.

"Dude, are you gay?" Yokoshima asked.

"What?-! No!" Daichi denied.

"But you were hiding from such a_ fine~_ girl!" Yokoshima pointed out.

"She's anything but 'fine' to me. She's nuts. Always clingy and following me around," Daichi huffed.

"**She seems sincere in her intentions," **Chiaki commented. "**And in her race's culture she needs to find a strong mate."**

"It was just a silly tournament thing," the Cricket Cyborg argued.

"**It was still an official match."**

"And you should give her a chance," said Shogo. "We're well aware of your dislike for women, but not all women are like that. Misato, Hana and Michiru are proof of that. You trust them."

"They were our teammates. On the field we had to trust them," rebutted Daichi.

"And what about Shinichi's girls?" Yokoshima pointed. Kurumu and Mizore were sitting to Shinichi left and right. The Succubus was feeding Shinichi a piece of a cake she'd baked while Mizore was just nuzzling his arm. Moka just laughed at a joke Shinichi had told while Yukari wanted to talk about something either school or magic-related. Ruby was the only other Witch she could talk to about such matters and she was happy that the older Witch was her friend and mentor.

"You know, if you don't want this girl, I could take her off your hands," Gin volunteered.

"**She'll likely kill you if you try to touch her**," Chiaki signed which his fellow cyborgs agreed.

"Seriously, dude. Just go out on one date with her at least," Yokoshima told his friend. "Have some sympathy for the poor girl. Plus, this could be good for you too."

"How?" Daichi asked.

"You'll get laid and stop acting like such a dick all the time." Yokoshima gestured towards Shinichi, "I'm betting he scores a lot."

* * *

><p>Shinichi paid attention during classes and during the breaks between classes he would converse with his friends as usual. He seemed absolutely fine after his experience from the day before, but nobody could recover that quickly from something so traumatizing, unless Shinichi was suppressing his emotions like he had his memories.<p>

When the final bell rang, ending their final period, Nekonome-sensei informed Shinichi about his appointment.

"By the way, Banabara-kun," Nekonome-sensei called. "The School Counselor would like to see you after school."

Kurumu blinked, "We have a counselor?" She never knew that.

The feline teacher nodded, "Yes, and she wishes to speak with Banabara-kun. However, she did not give me many details."

"I don't need to talk to a counselor," he protested. "I'm fine."

"Banabara-kun, this is not negotiable," Nekonome-sensei insisted. "You have to go to the counselor's office, right now."

Shinichi really didn't feel like talking with the School Counselor. He didn't need to talk to some high school-level shrink, but Nekonome-sensei had made it an order. Well, if this was something he had to do, he might as well get it done and quickly. He had better things to do than get psychoanalyzed.

* * *

><p>Shinichi stood in front of the counselor's office after getting directions from Nekonome-sensei. "Let's just get this over with," he murmured. He'd left Moka to handle the class meeting regarding their activity for the school festival. She'd have Shogo helping her out to keep their classmates in line.<p>

He knocked on the door and he heard a voice from the other side answer, "Come in." He opened the door and saw who the school counselor was and was floored.

She was extremely hot and sexy. It seemed that Youkai, when assuming human forms, would try to go for the most physically attractive and Aensland-sensei was definitely sexy. The woman had a perfectly proportioned hourglass figure clad within a purple business suit and short miniskirt. Her emerald green hair was bound in a bun and she wore stylish glasses, giving her a sexy librarian look. She sat in a leather swivel armchair with her long and slender legs crossed.

"Ah, Mr. Shinichi Banabara," she said as she put down a file. Even her light-Scottish accent was sexy, enough to make men swoon if used properly, "I've been expecting you. Please, have a seat." Shinichi took a seat on the couch in her office. He didn't really resist when she asked him to come in. She began, "Hello, my name is Morrigan Aensland and I'm the school counselor."

"Yes, I've heard," he nodded. He understood why a school counselor was important. This school had many monster races mixed together and conflicts would often arise. Some students would have issues and problems just like any other high school student and needed a sympathetic ear to listen to them and someone who could offer them advice. "So, what do you want to know?"

"Well, I've read your file. According to it, you came to this school with a full scholarship but with no knowledge of ever enrolling," she said.

That was pretty private information but then again the Headmaster might've provided her with the information as a stepping stone to help her. "I had...amnesia."

"Amnesia, hm?" she now seemed interested. "Are you still suffering from amnesia?"

"I've got my memories back," he answered. He added mentally, _'I just wish I could throw some of them away.'_

"Judging by your expression, I suppose some of these memories were not very pleasant," she observed.

'_You have no idea,_' he thought. "They're just stuff that I never thought could've happened to me."

"I suppose these memories are the cause of your amnesia early in the school year," she continued. "You must've suffered from some extreme trauma which forced you to repress these memories."

'_OK, where is she getting her information from?_' Shinichi thought suspiciously. "I don't wanna talk about it."

"OK, we can skip that part. So, how have you settled in Youkai Academy?" she asked.

"Pretty good," he shrugged.

"According to your file you have gotten into several altercations with your fellow students," she stated.

"Only because they were dangerous, and attacking my friends," he told her.

"So, you only fight when your friends are in danger," she nodded. "Haven't you tried diplomacy?"

"You mean talking to them? It's pretty hard to talk to someone when they either want to rip you to shreds, eat you, or do both," he scoffed.

"So they left you no choice?" she asked.

"They never do," he murmured.

She changed the subject, "Tell me, do you have family?"

"When I had amnesia I didn't know I had any until last summer," he admitted. "I met my mother."

"Must've been quite the emotional reunion," she said.

"Oh, it was, for her for the most part. She was a stranger to me at first, but the emotional connection was still there," he said. "She always hoped to find me, always searching, never giving up. You have to admire that kind of willpower."

"I do, and it's one of the things that captures my interest in humans so much," Morrigan smiled. "Now, getting back to you, sweetheart, I can tell that you're distressed."

"I'm fine," he insisted. "I'm over it. I'm sorry, but this is just a waste of time for the both of us. My teacher insisted I have this session."

"Then why do you look so guilty if you're 'over it,' hun?" she countered.

This was gonna be one tough nut to crack, but she still needed to be gentle if she wanted to get the the information she wanted. She didn't like doing it during work, but it was time to get the pheromones to work With her eyes slightly glowing, Morrigan had released a chemical pheromone in the air of her office. It's what gave the room a slightly rosy scent. She had used it over the centuries to seduce men and even women, but here she was putting it to better use. It served to get students to relax and talk about whatever troubled them.

Shinichi answered mentally, knowing his words couldn't reach her ears. He just wanted to vent on the inside, '_Why do I feel guilty? Why? Oh, if only you knew! Learning that I was a cyborg wasn't troubling enough but I got over it. What I learnt was that I had been converted to serve as a weapon for an evil organization bent on world domination! I also learnt I had killed not only my comrades who I had grown up with, but also my first love! Oh, they came back but they wanted to kill me before over half of my old team decided to switch sides! Oh, and my ex-girlfriend came back from the dead and was rebuilt into a cyborg too and reprogrammed to capture me! There's also the nightmares about when I so coldly killed all those people without remorse! So, I have plenty to be guilty about!_' He may not have worded his answer verbally, but Morrigan Aensland was an expert at reading facial expressions and body language.

"We all have something to be guilty about, love," Morrigan continued, "The things we do always come back to haunt us and we have to deal with them the best way possible." She laid back in her seat. "I'm no exception to guilt, but I reflected on the things I did and decided to put my existence to better use. And then I met the Headmaster and we hit it off before he gave me this job. "And by the way, I can see the guilt in those adorable eyes of yours," she pointed out with a smirk.

She was right about that. His past did come back to haunt him and it was dragging the people around him into it. He never did have time to reflect. He had a lot of emotional and psychological baggage that he wanted to unload, but he couldn't.

He just wasn't ready.

The counselor tapped her chin before smiling, "Why don't you write a journal?"

"How would a journal help?" he asked.

"Well, if you can't talk about your feelings, writing about them is the next best thing!" she lectured. "You can write about anything you want on your own time and you feel a little better with each entry." She gestured over to a shelf where Shinichi saw stacks of notebooks. "Those are all mine; journal entries and logs of students I've interviewed over the years," Morrigan explained. "And I always feel I've done a job-well-done whenever I see a smile on their baby faces!"

Shinichi analyzed her face. She seemed quite sincere and looked like she really was trying to help. However, he still insisted on keeping his secrets. But, a journal did sound like a good idea. Simple, but good.

"OK, I'll write a journal, but it's for my eyes only," he said. He didn't feel like sharing his secrets with anyone outside his current circle.

"That's the purpose of a journal, love; for your eyes only," Morrigan supported, "People sneak into journals all the time due to curiosity's temptation. So you should find a way to have it protected. Now then, since you're feeling a little better, there's another matter I wish to..._discuss_."

For some reason, the tone of voice she was using now sent shivers up his metal-plated spine. "Y-yes?" he stuttered. He tugged at his collar. Was it getting a little hot in the office?

She giggled as she walked around his seat, trailing a finger along his shoulders as she circled Shinichi like a shark with its prey. "What do you know about that strapping, young, handsome new teacher; Yuji...Fudo, was it?"

Shinichi wanted to palm his face. '_And yet another woman has fallen under the charm of my cousin. Way to go, Aniki._' He answered, "Well...he's my cousin."

This caught her attention as a smirk pulled at her lips and leaned into his side, "Is he now~? I should have guessed it from the eyes..._exactly_ alike."

"I need to go...!" he said, feeling uncomfortable as he felt her hot breath against his ear, making him and his twin ahoge shudder involuntarily. "I have...duties to perform...and homework! Lots of homework! Tons of homework!"

"Feel free to stop by if you need to talk, hun~!" she waved before Shinichi exited the room. "That went a little better than I thought," she smiled. A bat from above fluttered around her. "Welcome back," she greeted. The bat chirped and Morrigan nodded, "I see, so those girls are his lovers after all... He's even more of a man than I first expected. A harem of his own...and twenty in fact."

She snapped her fingers and a flurry of bats descended from the ceiling and surrounded Morrigan. Shinichi hadn't noticed their presence earlier as they were silent the whole time. The bats melded onto her body, forming a tight black leotard with violet stockings that showed off her incredibly long legs and fine thighs, as well as sleeves. The top of her leotard showed off her bountiful cleavage and the top was lined with a feather-like decoration. On her feet were a pair of black, heeled boots and that reached her ankles. A pair of bat wings had sprouted from her back, as well as a smaller pair sprouting from the sides of her head.

"Yuji Fudo, eh?" Morrigan the Succubus smirked. "I'll enjoy making you squirm~."

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: And now a school counselor is poking her nose into Shinichi's business. But she's more than she seems. If you don't know who she is, I'll tell ya. Folks, meet Morrigan Aensland from Darkstalkers and she's a Succubus. She also seems to have the hots for our favorite Manakyte. What would this mean for Yuji in the future? Who knows. But it promises to be quite fun and entertaining.<strong>

**TAILSMO4EVER: In case you don't get the title reference yet, "Troubled Man" is the popular single that was used as the theme song to the Darkstalkers franchise.**

**KAMEN RIDER BUSHIDO: Morrigan Aensland is the property of Capcom. We're only using her because she's awesome. And hot. The Harem Initiative is now in effect. Commencing operation...maybe next chapter.**


	51. AntiThesis: A Taste of Your Own Medicine

**Chapter 51: A Taste of Your Own Medicine**

When Shinichi opened his door, he found a greeting card lying on the floor of his foyer. He picked it up, and opened it. Suddenly, a holographic projection of the man he hated appeared before him.

"_How do you like my surprise, BLACK 13?" _gloated Gebok. _"I'm sure you're enjoying this pleasant reunion with WHITE 14. I know I am. Oh, and I had your old room cleaned up for when you return, which I know you will. Well, see you soon, son!"_

The message faded in a short round of static. Shinichi shook with rage as he tore the card to shreds.

"Doctor...Gebok..." he growled the name out like a curse.

* * *

><p>Later that night, Mizore came to visit Shinichi. Since she was a very close friend of his, she like the other girls had received a copy of his room key. She came in, and could smell the scent of food cooking. "I'm here," she announced herself.<p>

"Oh, Mizore-chan!" smiled Shinichi. "I'm just getting dinner ready. Would you like anything?"

"I just came to see you," she said as she looked around. She spotted an open notebook. Mizore picked up an open notebook from Shinichi's desk and scanned it. She read it, line-by-line, her eyes widening and eyebrows rising higher with each detail. As Shinichi exited the kitchen with the tray of food, Mizore quickly put the notebook back without him noticing.

Mizore sat down at the table in the middle of his room where he ate his dinner, which was just curry rice tonight. She didn't want to mention the fact that she'd read something private so she spoke up, "During the after-school meeting, everyone was giving suggestions for what our class attraction should be for the festival."

"Made a decision?" he asked.

"Not yet," Mizore shook her head. "We were hoping you could decide."

"You could've voted on it," he suggested.

"Our classmates seem to value your decision the most," she said. "They've come to respect you." And that respect was well-earned in fact. He had defeated Kuyou, one of the strongest Youkai in the school. That had earned him the respect of many of their peers.

"I'll see what I can do tomorrow," he shrugged. "So, is there anything else?"

"This weekend, we made plans to go to Mononoke Arcade with you," she said.

"Mononoke Arcade?" he asked. He hadn't heard of it before.

"It's a shopping district outside the school," she said.

"I thought we couldn't leave the school without permission?" he questioned.

"The human world," she corrected. "Mononoke Arcade is shopping district exclusively for Youkai."

Now that was something interesting. "Sounds fun," he said, smiling. Mizore reached up and caressed his face with her cold hands. "Mizore-chan?"

"You're still very upset," she studied him. "That girl hurt you."

'_She's talking about Lina_,' thought Shinichi. "I hurt her first. Whatever happens to me later just makes us even."

"It was not your fault," she said as she embraced him. Can't he just let the guilt go? It seemed he couldn't.

It was funny, really. Gebok had kidnapped him at a young age and turned him into a cyborg against his will. She had tried to trap him and take him back to her village against his will. Why didn't he hate her?

He didn't hate her because he understood that while her actions seemed malicious, her intentions behind them weren't. She simply wanted a husband who would love her and she thought he was the one since he seemed lonely like herself.

He still had nightmares, terrible dreams, of things he'd done, experienced and witnessed in GIN-SHOCKER. He recalled standing in attendance as a prisoner was tortured for information and then tortured to death. He recalled the warm blood that had splashed him at the time. Gebok had cut off his emotions so he didn't feel horrible about it when it happened, but now that he had access to his emotions, he felt disgust and horror at the things that had happened. He even did the torturing himself on occasion.

He had so much blood on his hands and nothing his friends said could convince him otherwise. Legally, he couldn't he held responsible for his actions since he had been manipulated and controlled like a puppet on strings. It still didn't change things.

Why couldn't he just allow himself to be happy? He couldn't because he didn't think he deserved to be happy.

Well, she wasn't going to leave before she gave him a moment of happiness. "Get up," she ordered.

"What?" he blinked.

"Get up on your feet," she ordered again, more forcefully this time. He didn't argue and stood up and Mizore pushed him onto his bed, much to his surprise.

"Mizore-chan?-!" he exclaimed as Mizore straddled him. She then lifted her sweater over her head and tossed it aside, revealing her black tank top.

She stretched her body flushed against his and looked him in the eye. "Shinichi, I chose you to become my future husband and the father of my children, don't you remember?"

"Yes, yes I do," he answered as he watched her take her lollipop out of her mouth before tossing it away.

"I think it's time we practiced some more," she said as she began to unbutton his shirt. She caressed the skin of his chest with her fingertips, causing him to groan. She loved the feel of his muscles under the palms of her hands. Ironically, this was the result of ten years of physical training and enhancements done by GIN-SHOCKER.

She kissed him and he responded in kind, kissing her back. His pants were starting to get tight and she could feel it under her panties. She smiled at his reaction and sat up to unbuckle his belt and unzipped his trousers. In one smooth movement, she pulled his trousers off and tossed them across the room. She did the same with his boxer shorts with joined his trousers on the floor as well. She pulled her tank top off and tossed it away as well.

The night was very enjoyable as both made one other feel good. It wasn't long before they both fell asleep. And that night, Shinichi had no nightmares.

* * *

><p><strong>The following day...<strong>

"What's that you got there, Shinichi?" Netto asked the elder Cyborg. Both boys were in the cafeteria having breakfast and he had been watching Shinichi write intensively on the notebook before him.

Shinichi sighed, "A journal; it's a compilation of my memories, and a list of all the things I've done." The school counselor, Morrigan Aensland, had recommended he start keeping one and write in it.

"All... of them?" Netto asked hesitantly.

"Every single one of them was something I remembered doing. All of my crimes and every horrible thing I did in my past," Shinichi told Netto. Netto opened his mouth to argue but Shinichi cut him off, "I know, you're going to tell me that it was BLACK 13, but it doesn't change the fact that I have all these memories in my head and all these feelings."

"You shouldn't feel any regret for those things. You were being controlled and manipulated," Netto rebuffed.

"Doesn't change the fact that they did happen. For everything I've done I should be executed, or at the very least locked up for life." Netto scowled before slamming his fist against Shinichi's skull. "Hey! What the hell!" Shinichi shouted, rubbing his forehead.

"You really have to stop beating yourself up for this bullshit. It's starting to get vexing," Netto frowned. "As unforgivable as the crimes you committed may be, you have to remember that you were just a puppet, being controlled by people who are sick enough to use kids to do their dirty work. You're just as much of a victim as everyone else you killed. You can avenge them by going after the ones really responsible. Am I right?"

Shinichi considered Netto's words. Even after knowing about his past, he and the others still vehemently tried to convince him that he still deserved redemption.

He believed them, though. They were right. What was the point in dying now? He still had so much to do.

"Yeah, you're right, and I don't plan on dying, not until Gebok and GIN-SHOCKER get what's coming to them," he resolved.

"And you can count on the rest of us to back you up," Netto nodded. It was sorta funny, really. Shinichi may not look it, but he wasn't all that mentally stable. He was lucky that he didn't wind up as some kind of murderous psychopath. The girls Shinichi met did a good job piecing his personality together. Each one seemed to put in a piece of herself into Shinichi's blank state, now that he thought about it. He had Outer Moka's kindness, Inner Moka's violent tendencies, Kurumu's protectiveness, Mizore's opened ear, and even Yukari's pervertedness. The more time he spent with them, the more their own individual personalities melded into him.

Ironic how a handful of monster girls were able to make him human.

"So, what's new?" Netto asked him, changing the subject.

"Me and the girls are gonna go to the Mononoke Arcade, this weekend," Shinichi answered, closing his book. "It's this shopping district that's outside the school. Mizore-chan suggested it could help me relax."

"Sounds like the right idea," Netto responded.

"Yeah, Kami knows I need it," Shinichi nodded. Feeling a tap on his shoulder, he turned around and saw Leon. He was wearing a deep frown. "What is it?"

"You might need to see this," Leon told him.

* * *

><p>"This is unbelieveable," Shinichi muttered to himself.<p>

Right in front of him was Midou's blood stained mattress. The cause of the blood stain? A very noticeable wound that had the blood spilt out of his neck. The outcast Ayashi himself was very much dead, with his body sprawled out on the bed.

"We found him like this just moments ago," Leon explained. "Whoever did this managed to slip past the guards unnoticed. Hence, a very cunning infiltrator. Since you were the first one that ANTI-THESIS made contact with, I thought you should be the first to know."

Shinichi, being accustomed to blood, gore and violence, scrutinized the scene with an analytical eye. "There are no signs of a struggle so Midou was unconscious the whole time. The one who did this killed Midou with a single fatal wound since they didn't want to waste time. If the killer was able to slip past the guards, that would mean they have probably put on a disguise which the guards would not think is suspicious. The killer is either disguised as a nurse or a doctor. Considering Midou's personality, he might've been killed by someone out of revenge. However, if that were the case there would be more wounds as the killer would want to do more harm to Midou before killing him. The killer is thus someone from ANTI-THESIS, someone from his own group that was sent to silence him so that he would not expose any vital information about their organization."

"You can tell just from looking at this?" Netto asked.

"Experience," Shinichi answered simply. "I had been tasked before to silence members of GIN-SHOCKER who let themselves get captured by enemy forces." He abruptly said, "I need to go." He swiftly exited the room to take a few deep breaths outside. The scene, the blood and the body brought up bad memories. He stared at his hands and for an instant he thought he saw blood staining his fingertips. "There's no blood, there's no blood, there's no blood," he repeated and he closed his eyes. Opening them, he was relieved to see no blood on his palms.

The scene made him sick, which was ironic considering his past. Or did it make sense because of it?

Shinichi went to grab a drink from the vending machine when he felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning around suddenly, he let out a sigh of relief as he saw that it was a cute looking nurse. She wore the nurse uniform which was a green dress with a skirt that reached down to her ankles with puffy shoulders and an apron, resembling a maid. She also wore a nurse's cap on her head with glasses. "Are you alright?" she asked. "You look a little pale."

"Just...just feeling a little under the weather," he said. "I just need a drink, that's all."

"Are you sure you don't need a doctor?" she asked.

"Nah, I'm fine. But thanks," he said, smiling.

"Well, if you're sure then I'll continue my rounds," she said before walking off.

Back at the scene of the crime, Leon combed his fingers through his hair with a sigh, "Guess he got bothered by this," he sighed. "I should've seen it coming." Leon had actually studied the body himself, discovering cause of death before calling Shinichi over. He just needed a second opinion. However, Leon was depressed since Midou had been killed while he was under custody. When he regained consciousness, he was to be questioned. Well, that was impossible now.

"Considering what we know about his past so far, it makes sense why he would want to get away from here as fast as possible," Netto sighed, leaning against the wall. "Still, if someone from ANTI-THESIS did silence Midou, then we're not dealing with your run of the mill gang of delinquents."

"Yeah, ANTI-THESIS is just as much a threat as I first thought, maybe even more," Leon nodded. "And what's worse is that they have a similar mindset as GIN-SHOCKER."

"No matter how they may deny it, Humans and Youkai are often the same," Netto acknowledged. "It's a Stand Alone Complex*."

* * *

><p>"Kiko-sempai!" a girl with short blue hair seemed to shudder as she approached the alluring blonde, "C-can you join me and my friends for lunch?"<p>

Kiko smiled as she patted her shoulder. "No, sorry I can't. I have plans with someone else already. Perhaps next time," she packed her bag and waved, "See you!" she waved before walking out of the classroom.

"Hyuu~," the girl seemed to blush, watching her go.

"Have you noticed that Kiko-sempai seems to be a lot more happier these days?" another girl asked.

"Yeah, it was since she claimed that freshman. Netto Kusanagi is his name, I think," said another. "She stopped hitting on other boys since he came here too."

"I wouldn't be surprised," said another girl, grinning, "He has a type of charm that seems to attract older women. He already has a harem a three girls. Maybe I should try to see him for myself." Most of the girls seemed agree with her. Meanwhile, the boys of the classroom were at the back, stewing under a dark cloud of woe.

Kiko walked through the hallways of the school with a light spring in each step. She was once again meeting Netto and the others for lunch, and she always enjoyed spending time with her future husband. It was so adorable watching him squirm whenever they teased him. He was just so adorable!

She walked into a corner, before bumping into someone. It was a rather tall and handsome man, and from the way he was dressed, he looked to be one of the doctors who worked in the hospital within the school property. "Oh, I'm sorry!" she blushed.

"It's quite alright," the doctor nodded with a slight smile, "Kiko Kurishima, was it?"

"Yes?" she frowned.

"You'll need to be careful," he told her, "The organisation, ANTI-THESIS, is targeting you guys."

"ANTI-THESIS?" Kiko frowned, "How do you know all this?" She had only heard of ANTI-THESIS once before. They were a group of hybrid Youkai who are often looked down upon other pureblood monsters. This made them create a gang of their own, where they would feel accepted. It was a very tragic tale, really.

"Why don't you come with me to my office?" the doctor gestured to the room next to him, "We can talk about it a little more there."

Kiko had a buzzing feeling in her head, telling her to watch out for something. Still, she slowly walked into doctor's office with the man right behind him. The room was rather dark. Very dark.

"So, what's this about ANTI-THESIS?" Kiko asked as the man closed the door behind him and switched on the lights.

"You are really careless, you know that," the doctor answered, his hands resting on a stool. "Girls like you should pay more attention to your surroundings when you're alone."

"I'm very aware of that," Kiko answered. "But how do you know so much about ANTI-THESIS? You just said that I was 'being targeted'."

"Silly girl," the doctor grunted, suddenly lifting the stool over his head, "The reason why I know is because-" he dashed forward and smashed stool on the counter where Kiko was just standing behind before moving out of the way, "-The one targeting you is me!"

"W-what?" Kiko gasped. "Damn it!" The doctor lunged again, this time in a speed Kiko was unable to match. Consequently, he grabbed her by the throat and pinned her down on the wall.

"I can't control my own body..." the doctor continued through gritted teeth. He pulled out a sharp looking syringe and it slightly squirted out some chemical. "An ANTI-THESIS spy... did something to me... and made me into some kind of puppet!"

"Wh... what?" Kiko choked out. The man's grip was too tight. She tried to punch the man several times on the head, but her human form wasn't enough.

"This "manipulation medicine" was what she used to put me under her control," he continued, the syringe moving closer to her neck, "Once you do what she wants, not a trace will be left. But... it also allows me to read her thoughts. She's going after your friends. The ones who challenged ANTI-THESIS!"

"Don't know what you're trying to pull but..." Kiko coughed, her eyes suddenly turning yellow. With a loud shout, she released an explosion of purple and blue energy, covering the room. As the light dimmed down, Kiko in her Night Elf form fell to her knees and coughed as she held her throat. Looking to the side, she saw the man sprawled across the floor. Getting up, she looked at the door as it suddenly slid open.

"Doctor, is something wrong?" the young nurse asked as she came in, "I thought I saw a bright flash." She blinked as she saw the doctor unconscious on the floor and Kiko shaking her head slightly.

"Oh, nurse!" Kiko began, "I need help! The doctor just attacked me and tried to inject me with some kind of strange medicine!"

"Oh my," the nurse suddenly frowned, her index finger suddenly lengthening into a sharp claw, "That's no good at all."

"Huh?" Kiko blinked. The nurse suddenly disappeared from her sight, and then she felt a sharp sting in her neck, the pressure spewing out the blood. "AHHH!"

"I guess you weren't such a cooperative patient, were you?" the nurse cooed as she pumped the substance into the struggling Elf. She had an iron grip around her, preventing and chance for escape. "We can't have that. The doctor's orders must always be followed."

"Wha... what..." Kiko was starting to feel numb. Her vision starting to grow dark. Weakly, she looked to where the doctor lied, "So... the doctor... was telling the truth...?" Her body could no longer move as she slumped to the ground.

The nurse removed her glasses and pulled out the ribbon from her brownish hair, letting it loose freely. Her face went from cute to beautiful in a short second, though the sinister look she had negated that beauty. She grinned manically at the unconscious Kiko. "That idiot Midou made a mistake when he tried to coax that Shinichi kid into joining us. Now our organisation has been crippled thanks to him. But I can fix it by offing all the threats to us. And you, my dear, will be the perfect scapegoat!"

* * *

><p>"Hm..." Qiao muttered as she looked at her watch. "Kiko-chan sure is taking her sweet time, isn't she?" She, Netto, and Elle were waiting at the rooftops of the school for Kiko. Said girl had yet to show. This was very unusual, considering that Kiko was normally the first to arrive.<p>

"Think she could've been preoccupied with something?" Netto asked.

"Perhaps," Elle answered. "But she could have at least called."

"I'll try her cell," Netto said finally, as he took out his cell phone to call her. With the ANTI-THESIS guys running around, not to mention GIN-SHOCKER, Netto felt a little on edge and distressed. "Kiko, come on and pick up," he murmured as the phone rang but he received no answer.

"She isn't answering?" Qiao asked.

"No, something's off," Netto frowned, "She wouldn't do something like that, would she?" A ring chime slowly faded in, alerting all three of them. It was a sound that they all recognized too.

"Ah, Kiko-chan!" Qiao smiled, turning to the exit that lead to the stairs. "What took you so long? We were wondering if your were going to-" she stopped as soon as she saw something that made her eyes widened.

It was indeed Kiko there, but there was also something very wrong. She was in her Night Elf form, and there was a splatter of blood stains on her left shoulder. Her eyes, as well as her body language, also looked very lifeless, and tears seemed to be coming out of them.

"Kiko?" Netto gasped, facing her, "What happened to you?"

"Stay back..." Kiko managed to muttered, her hand reaching forward, "I can't... control..."

"Kiko? What is it?" Netto asked slowly, cautiously walking to her. "What happened?"

**SLASH!**

"Woah!" Netto gasped, barely avoiding an energy blade that was thrown at him. The blade of blue and purple energy ripped through the ground before slicing a portion of the wall.

"What are you doing?-!" Qiao shouted on shock, "What's gotten into you?-!"

Blades of light suddenly appeared on Kiko's arms before she wordlessly charged at Qiao. The Huli Jing, with her inherited agility as well as her combat training, was quick and nimble enough to avoid the blades that came at her. Her experience and skills had taught her how to perceive any incoming attack. One swipe from her cut of a few hair strands from Qiao's bangs. Another swipe made a wide slash imprint on the wall just as she moved out of the way. Kiko made a thrust with her blade, only for Qiao to catch it underneath her arm. In this position, she would have easily broken Kiko's arm, but she didn't want to hurt her co-girlfriend.

Qiao studied Kiko's eyes critically before gasping. "She's under some kind of control! Someone did this to her!"

"What?" Netto gasped. Kiko suddenly bashed her head against Qiao's, causing the Fox to lose her grip and fall against the wall. Just as she was gaining her second wind, Kiko charged for the kill before Elle blurred to her side and hooked her arms together with hers. Moving around, she placed Kiko in a stranglehold lock.

"Sister Kiko, control yourself!" Elle pleaded, "You must fight it! Don't let whomever is doing this to you take control!"

Kiko suddenly stomped on Elle's foot, causing the Dragon to cry out from the shock. Taking advantage, she pulled her momentum together and threw Elle over her. The taller girl managed to recover quickly and slid over some meters just as she landed.

"Come on, Kiko!" Netto called, "Who did this to you? Tell us!"

Kiko's teeth seemed to gritt as she faced Netto and charged at him, the blades scraping across the ground. Netto grimaced as he assumed a defensive stance and prepared for her.

"OJOU-SAMA! I HAVE COME!"

Netto blinked as a sudden blur appeared before him. The tall man in a suit with a long silver ponytail produced a red blade on his arm, blocking Kiko's own blade before it could hit its mark.

"Huh?" Netto blinked.

"Forgive me for not coming here sooner," Sebastian frowned as the blades ground together, "But it appears that someone has temporarily broken my link with Ojou-sama when they attacked her."

"Wait, who are you?" Qiao asked.

"My name is Sebastian," the old man answered, "I am Ojou-sama's personal butler, as well as her bodyguard. I'm sure you all wish to investigate what happened to her as much as I do, but first..." he lifted his free arm, energy crackling around his two fingers. Swiftly, he pressed it against Kiko's forehead, causing a runic symbol to appear over it. Kiko's eyes widened as a sudden flash of light washed over her, returning her back to her human form. She moaned before falling unconscious into Sebastian's arms. The butler gently picked her up bridal-style.

"What did you do?" Netto asked.

"It is a spell that temporarily shuts down her nervous system, in which case it also shuts down Ojou-sama's abilities," Sebastian explained. "It is something that I can only use in emergencies, and this was certainly the case. Come, we must take her to the infirmary."

"Of course," Elle nodded.

The teenagers followed Sebastian as they went inside the school. Unknown to them, the nurse had been watching them from above on the roof the whole time. And she was rather displeased with how things went.

"Tch!" she frowned, rubbing her chin. "It seems I need to pull in a little more effort."

* * *

><p>Kiko was brought to the infirmary, where they found Yokoshima lying in one of the infirmary beds. Apparently, he had an accident and slipped on the stairs and fell several flights. There was no damage, but a worried teacher had him sent to the infirmary to rest and heal. He just took it as a chance for some time off from school.<p>

"Hey guys!" Yokoshima waved as he saw the group enter. "Hey, what happened to her?" he asked.

"Someone did something to Kiko that made her attack us," Elle answered. "What is worse is that she does not remember a thing."

"Really?" Yokoshima blinked. "Who do you think it could've been? It might've been GIN-SHOCKER, but on the other hand we may have another angry Youkai to deal with."

"Those could be the right possibilities," Netto nodded, placing his hands in his pockets as he thought. "But there's also this new group called ANTI-THESIS. The might be coming after us for revenge."

"Considering how Shinichi kicked their butts earlier, it's something that's extremely likely," Qiao said.

"Hey, if you want, I can help you guys investigate," Yokoshima offered. "I mean they're just a gang of delinquents, right?"

"You never know. But a search around the place sounds like a good idea," Netto nodded. He turned to the others, "Can you guys watch Kiko-chan while we take a look around?"

"We have you covered," Qiao nodded.

"Alright. Let's go, Yokoshima," the two boys walked off from the group and exited the room.

* * *

><p>Netto and Yokoshima walked through the rather empty hallways of the hospital. He had a feeling that Midou's death and Kiko suddenly attacking him were related incidents so he was heading there to investigate and maybe find some clues.<p>

"So, got any idea where she was before she started attacking you?" Yokoshima asked. "I mean there might be a clue there."

"I don't know about where she was," Netto scowled. "All I know is that whoever made her do this has to be stopped."

"I still think GIN-SHOCKER might be involved," said Yokoshima. "Being a Rider, you have a pretty huge target painted on your forehead. They'd want you eliminated."

"But wouldn't they want to eliminate you too?" Netto argued. "You're as much as a target as I am."

"They'd send their elite assassins to do the job," Yokoshima said.

"So what? I don't rank for elite treatment?" Netto joked.

"Trust me, when GIN-SHOCKER wants you dead, they'll do anything to make sure it happens," Yokoshima told him. "That's the way they work. They want no obstacles standing in their way."

"Yeah, well the ironic thing is that all they've been doing is make more of us want to stop them," Netto punctuated with a slam of his in his palm, "GIN-SHOCKER has made some very powerful people very angry. I've never heard Yuji actually say he wanted to murder someone before. Considering that Shinichi is his cousin, it's not surprising."

"I don't think anyone would want to destroy GIN-SHOCKER as much as Shinichi does, though," Yokoshima commented.

"Yeah, and he has the right after what they did to him," Netto nodded. "Of course, that's not to say that you and the others can't get a taste of what Shinichi's after too. After all, you were kidnapped and made into weapons just like him."

"Except I wasn't a mindless robot who would blindly follow orders," Yokoshima shrugged. "But yeah, he'd better save some for me, cause I'd like to have some of th- WOAH!"

Yokoshima slipped on something slippery on the floor, causing him to fall flat on his back. Cursing to himself, he slowly got up. Netto helped him by the shoulders and got him standing back up.

"Since when was this floor slippery?" Netto frowned. He took a closer look at where Yokoshima slipped, and his eyes widened in shock. Yokoshima had slipped on a puddle of blood. He directed his eyes to where the puddle lead, and saw several people, patients most likely, sprawled out on the floor with wounds oozing out with a lot of blood. What is even stranger was that none of them appeared to be dead. Each of them could be seen breathing slightly. They were still alive, if only barely.

"What the hell happened?" Yokoshima gawked, looking at all the bodies before them.

"My, my. More pests to deal with?" a voice echoed from out in front of them. Yokoshima looked up and saw the nurse. She didn't look panicked and, well even if Yokoshima wasn't exactly sharp, he knew that there was definitely something wrong with her reaction. She was eyeing the two boys with a malice smile, resting her head on her hand.

"OK, she's way too calm for this situation. I mean she should either be screaming in horror, or trying to help these people, right?" Yokoshima remarked.

"My guess? She's the one who did this," Netto frowned.

"Bingo~!" the nurse grinned. "Let me introduce myself. I'm Mako Yakumaru, a Monstrel. I'm betting that you two are friends with that Shinichi boy, am I right? I was sent to kill him, but you two will be the next best thing."

"So, are you one of GIN-SHOCKER's assassins?" Yokoshima questioned.

"No, she said she's a Monstrel, a hybrid Youkai," Netto said. Leon had explained to him that hybrid monsters normally went by many names, "That means she's with ANTI-THESIS."

"ANTI-THESIS?" Yokoshima asked him, bewildered.

"Right again. Two for two," Mako smiled. "I really don't have anything against you boys, but you and your friends have been causing the morale of our members to become quite low lately, and my boss isn't very happy with that."

"Hey lady, you're the ones who started the whole thing!" Yokoshima yelled.

"That isn't my problem. I'm just doing my job," Mako shrugged. Once she snapped her fingers, the people that were once lying on the floor instantly shot up and faced the boys with lifeless expressions on their faces.

"What the hell?" Netto gasped. He and Yokoshima stood back to back as they found themselves surrounded. The Pillbug Cyborg was instantly reminded of many of the zombie movies he'd seen over the years.

"Play with them for a while, won't you?" Mako giggled to her slaves. The people suddenly became alert and started shambling towards the pair.

"This is... just like what happened to Kiko-chan!" Netto growled, looking at the movements at the patients. He glared at Mako, "You're the one who attacked Kiko-chan, weren't you!"

"Hm?" Mako blinked before recalling, "Oh yeah, I definitely was. I have the power to control anyone I want at will. Once I inject my fluid into a victim, they are mine to control. Though the fluid was very close to running out by the time that butler of hers did something to purge it completely. I'm still surprised that happened."

"And Midou! Did you have something to do with his death?" Netto accused.

"Humph! Losers can't be forgiven! That's the rule of ANTI-THESIS!" Mako declared. "I'm here to clean up the mess he made, starting with you two!"

"As if, bitch!" Yokoshima growled, before one of the patients took hold of his arm. "Hey! What are you doing! Let go!" he shouted as he tried to shake the man loose. A woman suddenly tackled him down and both carried him upwards. "Hey! Put me down, damn it!" he shouted. The slaves made moaning grunts as they swung Yokoshima around, before finally throwing him up and though the ceiling. His flight didn't stop as he was sent flying upwards several more floors and through the roof, thus sending him soaring through the sky.

"Yokoshima!" Netto shouted, struggling to get out of the slaves' grip. He too was being held up by them, so he couldn't do anything to stop the two patients from throwing him like a rag doll. He also had to refrain from using extreme force, since the people holding him down were victims of this twisted woman.

"Oh my, that was unexpected," Mako admitted, her face dumbfounded. Then she turned to face Netto with a grin, her fingers stretching into long, flexible claws, "But that doesn't matter right now. You can just be a good boy and die right here!" she laughed as she shot her claws at him. Netto grimaced as he saw the claws approaching, his Accelerated Vision allowing him to see them perfectly.

And it would have hit if a purple mystical barrier didn't appear right in front of him, causing the claws the bounce back.

"What's this?-!" Mako exclaimed, her claws retracting. A shadow suddenly blurred passed Netto, instantaneously knocking away the zombies that had Netto trapped.

"I heard everything! You're mine, bitch!" Kiko bellowed, dashing forward at the insane nurse. Launching her leg up, she placed a brutal kick that sent Mako flying back several feet. Gone was her prim and proper, ladylike behavior. She was absolutely pissed off and needed to take her anger out on someone. After learning what she'd done under the influence of Mako's control drug, she wanted to confront the woman for what she'd done. "Netto, are you alright?" she asked, turning to him.

Netto smiled as he rubbed his shoulder. "Yeah, I'm good. What about you?"

"I'm feeling better now. Much better." Kiko returned her gaze towards the fake nurse, "Now then, how about we take care of this bitch?"

"Yeah, let's go," Netto said, walking next to her as he summoned his Cyber Core.

Mako growled as she licked off the blood that poured out her her mouth. "I didn't expect for you to recover from my medicine so quickly," she said, getting to her feet. "I suppose you want to go rounds with me too, huh? You'll have some trouble with that." She pointed behind the couple, prompting them to turn around. They saw more of the zombies standing behind them, lifelessly. However, the zombies only stood for a second more before suddenly collapsing down. In the middle of it all was Sebastian, cracking his fists casually.

"Damn!" Mako cursed, "What kind of butler is he!-?"

"Is there anything else, Ojou-sama?" Sebastian asked, glaring at Mako.

"No, you can stand down, Sebastian," Kiko dismissed, assuming her true form, "We can handle her."

"Very well," Sebastian bowed before dissipating in a flash of light.

"Now, if there's nothing else to talk about," Netto announced, "Henshin!"

"**DIGITIZING."**

Mako watched as Netto suddenly separated into digital squares and reformed back into a blue, bug-like armor. "What are you supposed to be?" Mako frowned. She had never seen a monster like that before.

"A Kamen Rider, that's all you need to know," Mega answered, bring out his Photon Debugger and holding it in a reversed grip, "Let me show you what I can do!"

Both Mega and Kiko charged at Mako, who growled as she lengthened her claws once more. She slashed out at the duo once they got close, her claws moving like sharp whips. Mega defended against the blows with his sword, and Kiko did the same with her twin blades. But even as the whip-like claws moved about with minds of their own, Mega and Kiko continued to move forward on Mako, who slowly began to retreat backwards. Kiko was faster to catch up with her and quickly lifted her leg up before smashing it down on Mako's head. Mako's face landed hard on the floor with a heavy thud.

"I suggest you stay down, unless you want another beating," Kiko glared.

"Shut up!" Mako spat, quickly lifting her head up and shooting her claws at Kiko. She jumped into the air and flipped over the claws, showing her flexibility and grace. She landed behind Mako, but the fake nurse turned around and shot more of her claws. Kiko jumped once more to gain distance away from the claws. She wall-kicked towards Mako and positioned her knee forward. At the rate she was going, she was going to slam her knee right into Mao's face. Mako waited as she came closer, and then smirked before pointing her fingers at the oncoming Night Elf. Kiko's eyes widened as she realized her folly. She crossed her arms to produce a barrier for protection and grunted as the claws struck it at point blank. The force caused her to fly backwards before Mega caught her safely.

"Take five, Kiko-chan," Mega told her. "I'll handle her." Kiko nodded and quickly moved out of his way. Mega rushed at Mako as she reacted fast and fired her claws at him again. He quickly jumped from wall to wall in order to avoid the strikes of the claws as they tore through the floor and walls. He adjusted his equilibrium and ran on the wall before jumping off and punching Mako across the face, sending her crashing into a wall. Mega flipped forward before extending his leg for a kick, and it would have struck if Mako didn't send her claws at the ceiling and used them like a grappling hook to help herself up. Mega's kick caused an even deeper hole through the wall.

"What a miss!" He cursed. He gagged as Mako came down on his back with a dropkick, knocking him through the hole. He fell down on his face with a thud.

"I don't sense any Youki on you," Mako frowned as she leaned down on Mega with a critical eye, "You can't be a Youkai. Was this the reason Midou did what he did?"

"What if it was?" Mega grunted before launching himself back on his feet, throwing Mako off of him.

Mako landed as she glared at Mega, "But why are you fighting for these Purebloods? They did horrible things to us, made us feel lower than dirt! All they do is abuse us!"

"Believe me woman, I know just how you feel," Mega answered. A hybrid monster he may not be, but he was something else that was very close to that. Those who had no common sense of their own saw him as a menace because of his status, and even tried to have him killed.

"And you still fight for them?-!" Mako accused. "Why?-!"

"Because Purebloods can learn," Mega answered simply, "And Monstrels can too!" He rammed into her and both flew out of the hole.

"Purebloods will always continue to treat us Hybrids like crap!" Mako roared as she stood up right, "That's the way it's always been, and the way it will always be!" She lashed out her claws and Mega continued jumping and running across the walls. "The elite Purebloods have always been the worse out of them all, Vampires especially! Just because they are among the strongest they see fit push us around!"

"Heard that one before!" Mega retorted, flipping back from another set of claws.

"And that's why... that's why ANTI-THESIS was formed!" Mako growled, continuing to fire her claws, "To get back at all the Pureblood Youkai who spurned us! To prove to everyone that we aren't going to put up with their crap any longer!"

"There are other ways to do that, but this isn't one of them!" Mega shouted, still avoiding the claws.

"What do you know?" Mako snapped, "You have a harem of Purebloods! How do you know they won't one day turn on you?"

"Trust me, I know they won't," Mega answered, landing in a crouch.

"Then you're a dead fool!" Mako screeched as she pulled back her arm. At that moment, a whip of light suddenly wrapped around Mako's arm, causing her to look back in shock. "Nani?-!" The whip pulled upwards and Mako was slammed into the ceiling. She dropped down and crashed down before picking herself up.

"If you think I would ever abandon Netto, then you must be more screwed up in the head then I thought," Kiko said with a frown, dispelling her energy whip. She had heard what Mako had been ranting about, and she was rather offended that she thought all Pureblood Youkai were all racist bigots. "I don't care if Netto isn't a Youkai. I just know that I'm in love with him. That's all."

"Thanks Kiko-chan," Mega smiled behind his helmet. He turned to face Mako and said, "It looks like you're just doing this to get a better life for yourself. Well, I do understand where you're coming from with all this, but I can't let this go on any longer. So to that end..." he tapped the core on his belt.

"**FINAL DOWNLOAD."**

Energy went out from the Cyber Core and went into the Crystal Transmitters on his right fist. Mega's fist clenched as binary codes encircled it. "Take this!" he shouted as he rushed at Mako. First he performed an uppercut to knock the Hybrid into the air and then followed up with several jabs to juggle her as he continued running. The speed of the jabs became faster as the binary codes spilled out with each hit. After one more jab, Mako was sent flipping through the air as Mega pumped more power into his fist.

"Now for the finish!" Mega yelled before dashing forward and sending one last punch at the midair woman. She was sent flying onto the ground with the energy racing through her body.

Mega shook his hand to get the buzzing out. While he didn't want to kill her, he didn't want her to go without punishment either. And that Final Download wasn't used at its full power, but it still packed a punch. No pun intended.

"Looks like I was late for the party," Leon said as he stepped next to Mega.

"Leon," Mega greeted.

"I take it she was the one who killed Midou?" he asked him.

"Yeah, and we were her next targets," Mega nodded. "She won't be getting up for a while though."

"Right, I'll take it from here," Leon nodded. He walked up to Mako and placed the Anti-Youki Cuffs on her to cancel her powers. What he didn't notice though, was that Mako had slipped a button from out of her sleeve. Without hesitation, she pressed it.

**BRRUZZZZZT!**

Leon flinched and grunted as Mako was suddenly covered in a short flash of electricity, the full force of it causing her to scream out. When the electricity died out, Mako slumped to unconsciousness. Frowning, Leon pulled Mako's hair up to view the back of her neck, where the electricity came from. There, he saw two connected nodes hooked to the back of her neck. They both looked brunt, and static spilled out of them slightly.

"Damn it," Leon frowned, "She erased her memory."

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, with Yokoshima, he'd been sent airborne and was flying helplessly through the air when he suddenly crashed into glass and went tumbling before landing face first on a floor.<p>

"Ow... epic faceplant," Yokoshima muttered, slowly getting up to his knees. He saw himself in someone's dorm room. Blinking, he turned to see the hole where he had entered when he crashed through the balcony's screen door.

"Wow, talk about distance," he remarked. "Those zombies really threw me far." Youkai did generally have very high strength levels compared to humans. He suddenly flinched at the sound of a door opening. Slowly, he turned around to the entrance to see the apparent owner of the room.

It was a girl around his height, and she was very cute too. She had a curvy figure which her uniform hugged around, and had white stockings that covered her long legs. She had purple eyes, with long white hair that was tied at the base of her skull with a yellow ribbon. And she was staring blankly at Yokoshima.

Yokoshima laughed sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head. "You might be wondering why I'm in your room. Let me first say that it was not voluntary."

The girl closed the door behind her as she approached Yokoshima before leaning down at him with her eyes locked with his. Yokoshima gulped, praying that she wasn't one of the mermaids that wanted to eat his soul. She took him by the chin and turned his head as if to look at him closely. "Hmm... a little on the skinny side, but it's not a deal breaker. Not to mention you're pretty cute overall."

"Why thank you!" Yokoshima beamed.

"Yeah, you have real potential," the girl smiled, licking her lips, "Factoring in any future growth spurts I think you'll do just fine!" She slammed her palm against his chest, causing him to gawk as he was suddenly sent flying on the the girl's bed. Before he could get himself up, she pounced on top of him and pinned him down.

"Wh-what?" Yokoshima blinked in shock. "Hey, lemme go! Lemme go!" He struggled to break free, but it seemed that this girl was stronger than even him.

"I'm Shiroha Himegami," she introduced, "I'm going to make you into my Destined One. Don't try to struggle either, it'll be more enjoyable if you just accepted it." She didn't say anything more as she closed the gap between their lips.

* * *

><p><strong>CRASH!<strong>

An armor-plated sphere came rolling out of the dorm after it smashed the door open and it turned towards the stairs with Shiroha chasing after it.

"Hey come back here!" she cried.

"Stay away from me, crazy lady!" Armadillo shouted as he rolled away from her. He went for the stairs and bounced as he rolled down the staircase to escape. He wanted to put as much distance between himself and Shiroha as physically possible. However, considering they were in the same school, she was likely to find him again.

Shiroha smirked as she watched him roll away. "Oh, I so love it when they play hard to get." It was time to go manhunting.

* * *

><p>Mako had used the device attached to her neck to erase her memories of ANTI-THESIS in case she ever got caught. It was a failsafe she created for herself to avoid anyone to learn about ANTI-THESIS secrets and at the same time make sure that no one would come after her life. As for Kiko, she needed to take time off from school so as to recover and make sure that she was alright again.<p>

Kiko was on the couch, reading a book when she heard a knock on her door. "Yes?" she answered. The door opened slowly and Netto stepped inside. "Ah, Netto!"

"Hey Kiko-chan," Netto smiled, "You weren't at school today so I was hoping that you were alright."

"I am," Kiko smiled, setting her book down. "And I'm glad you came." She got up and walked up to Netto. She pushed him against the door and closed it behind him, locking it. "I'm sorry for the trouble I caused you," she whispered softly, wrapping her arms around him.

"It's no problem," Netto answered, feeling somewhat hot with her chest pressed against his.

Kiko sighed as she nuzzled his neck gently with her mouth. "I knew you would say that. But... can I ask you something?"

"What is it?" Netto asked. She removed her face from his neck and looked him into the eye.

"Can we make love?" she asked finally.

"Wh-what?" he uttered, surprised by the request.

Kiko nodded, "I want you to be my first. You're the only one I can give myself to. And besides," she smiled devilishly, "You're adorable when you're being submissive."

She grabbed hold of his jacket and took him to her bed, but not before removing his sneakers. He was shoved on the center and she quickly mounted onto his waist. She pressed their bodies together and hovered her head slightly above his. She smoothly stroked her hands up his back, cupped his face and brought her own face close, giving him a sensuous lick to the edge of his lips then sliding it down into his mouth in a savoring gesture before starting to grind her hips against his.

Netto rubbed his hands against her back as Kiko purred within the kiss, and then slid them down on her firm rear and gave it a gentle rub down.

Kiko broke the kiss and moaned softly as she felt the feeling of his hands roaming down on her backside, her waist still rubbing his. "Oh, Netto," Kiko moaned, "You're so good at this~."

"Yeah," Netto smiled, still clutching her fingers against her rear, "This is also how Qiao-chan likes it too."

"So I've heard," Kiko smiled back as she licked her lips. "And she also told me how you like it whenever she does this," she dove into Netto's neck and started licking and sucking his skin. Netto suddenly shivered as a surge of passion coursed through his body. "Ah...! Kiko!" Netto gasped as his sempai continued to suck his neck. This wasn't like anything he felt before. This feeling was rushing through his body.

Kiko removed her mouth from his neck and placed it against his ear. "It's a special compound that all Elves have in our saliva whenever we mate. It causes the skin to become sensitive to pleasure and intensifies the lust and passion of our mates and can even paralyze them when we suck on any part of their skin," she answered with a coo in her voice, her fingers combing through his hair. She gave the earlobe a gentle lick and even a nibble, causing him to shudder. She then placed her hand on his nether-region, rubbing it gently, making him squirm. "And you're already hard. It does that too."

"Is that why your lips taste sweet?" Netto asked.

"You could say that," Kiko smiled. She soon started to remove his jacket, untie his tie, and unbutton his shirt. "And I'm not done yet," she continued. She removed his shirt and saw his well toned chest and muscled arms. Kiko eyed the muscles lustfully before diving down and started to kiss and lick his chest and nipples, causing Netto to grunt louder and toss back his head slightly as he held her close. Kiko opened her eyes slightly to look at his flushing expression.

"I think you've had enough enjoyment," she smiled as she sat up. She moved to his side and laid down on her back. "Now it's your turn," she smiled at him.

Now Netto was beginning to feel awkward. Usually he'd be the one on the bottom while Qiao was the more dominant one. Even before they both took each other's virginity, she was always on top. Still, Netto didn't want to disappoint. He hovered on top of her and resumed the kiss as his hands began to roam all over her body. His hands landed on her breasts and gave them a gentle squeeze.

Kiko moaned as she felt him squeezing her breasts. His touch was gentle as he caressed her body through her clothing. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gently glided his fingers down the back of his neck. Netto felt a hot, electric sensation in his back as Kiko drew little circles with her finger while softly cooing in the kiss.

He broke the kiss and gazed at her. She looked like a blushing bride on the first night of a honeymoon, gazing at him with her half-lidded green eyes and her sensual smile. He removed the ribbon from her collar and undid the buttons on her blouse to expose her pink bra. Seeing that it could be unhooked at the front, Netto removed it. His eyes slightly widened at the fullness of her breast. They weren't too big or too small. They were just the perfect size, looked very firm, and her pink nipples had already gotten hard.

Kiko giggled slightly at his flushed face, "You like?" she asked him.

"You're... beautiful," Netto admitted slowly. He moved into her valley and gave it small licks, causing her to gasp sharply and arch her back. He trailed the kisses and licks to her left nipple and began sucking on it slightly. His hand played with her free breast, fondling it and softly pinching the nipples. Kiko moaned and cradled his head closer, wanting him to get more into it.

"Ah~... N-Netto... that's it...do that~..." Kiko shivered.

Netto continued to play with her breasts while Kiko moaned in delight as she entangled her hands in his hair. Her heart raced as she moved her fingers down to the back of his neck. It just felt so right.

They continued to please each other before Kiko finally let go of her virginity. She mostly took the lead of things, but she didn't mind it. In fact, she preferred, it. Also, in the midst of their lovemaking, she accidentally changed into her true form. But Netto thought it made her look all the more sexy, who wouldn't think that a Night Elf dressed in nothing more than her opened blouse, hiked up skirt, pantyhose and shoes wasn't sexy? After a pre-climax makeout session, they lied together and entangled their fingers, now with Kiko on top of him. They both still connected to each to feel the other's warmth.

"It's gotten quite late, Netto dear," Kiko said in a gentle whisper. "Why don't you spend the night here? We're having sirloin steak tonight."

"Yeah, that sounds nice," Netto nodded.

"And after that, maybe we can take a nice bath together, and then go for one more round before bed?" she added with smirk.

"A good idea too," Netto smiled, though the flush on his face was unmistakable.

Kiko smiled. He was just too cute for words. He was handsome, submissive, and downright fuckable. But all around, a brave boy. He was one of a kind.

* * *

><p><strong>*Stand Alone Complex:<strong>While originally intended to "underscore the dilemmas and concerns that people would face if they relied too heavily on the new communications infrastructure," Stand Alone Complex eventually came to represent a phenomenon where unrelated, yet very similar actions of individuals create a seemingly concerted effort. This term was invented by Motoko Kusanagi.

* * *

><p><strong>TAILSMO4EVER: Originally, there was going to be two lemons in this chapter, but thanks to that site-wide scare caused by the admins, we had to make it cleaner. At least we left a little lime for you guys. They can't punish us for softcore stuff. Hope you guys enjoyed this addition, because there's still more to come. Stay tune!<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Omake: DO NOT TOUCH<strong>

"Hello? Anybody home?" Yokoshima asked as he opened the door to the Newspaper Club's clubroom. "Hm, nobody's here." He then zeroed in on a plate of piping hot cookies. "Wow..." He sniffed the air and strode over to the plate which was just sitting there on a desk. "Cookies."

There was a sign attached to the plate which read, "**DO NOT TOUCH. KURUMU**."

Now here was the moral dilemma. He could take one and nobody would notice, or just leave the cookies and not get a chance. Maybe nobody was coming back. If he ate them now he'd save them from going stale.

Suddenly, a Chibi-Shogo appeared, dressed as an Angel and sitting on his right shoulder. "Don't even think about it, Yokoshima. Those cookies don't belong to you."

Then a Chibi-Misato popped up on his left shoulder in a Devil outfit, urging, "Come on, just grab a cookie. It's not like she can't make anymore."

A Chibi-Shinichi appeared sitting next to Chibi-Shogo. "Hey, how come we're sitting on Yokoshima's shoulders?"

"I'm trying to convince Yokoshima not to eat those cookies," said Chibi-Shogo.

A Chibi-Daichi appeared to sit next to Chibi-Misato, "Just eat the stupid cookie."

The two sides were starting to argue and Yokoshima was confused. Then Chibi-Chiaki appeared, grabbed the sign, and smacked Yokoshima in the face with it, sending the Chibis flying off his shoulders. He pointed at the sign, then at Yokoshima, and back at the sign, before putting the sign back and marching off.

Yokoshima shook his head. "Oh, screw it! I'll just have one." He grabbed one cookie just as Kurumu was coming in. She then saw Yokoshima with a cookie in hand, almost putting it in his mouth.

"CAN'T YOU READ!-?" she screamed.

* * *

><p>"What the hell happened to you?" Shinichi asked. Yokoshima had scratch marks all over his face.<p>

"Mind the signs," Yokoshima groaned.


	52. AntiThesis: The Problem With Girls

**Chapter 52: The Problem with Girls**

Mako was placed into a holding cell after her fight with Mega and Kiko. Considering that she was a member of ANTI-THESIS, the PSC could have grilled her for answers about what ANTI-THESIS was planning on doing. However, the moment Leon arrested her, she used an electrical device connected to the back of her neck to erase all her memories of ANTI-THESIS. Everything she knew about the organisation, gone just like that.

Mako sat on a chair with her hands folded on the table, the fingers flinching out from time to time. Her eyes darted left and right uncomfortably, apparently not understanding why she was in a cell. Leon was watching her from behind a door with a slide in peep-hole. Hearing footsteps, he looked to his left and saw Hime approach him. "So, I heard that ANTI-THESIS assassin erased her own memories?" she asked him.

"She has some guts, I'll give her that," Leon answered, not taking his eyes off the woman. "She really didn't want us to know what ANTI-THESIS was planing if she was willing to take a risk like that. She probably even knew that there would be side effects on her brain. Now she's reduced to a young frightened woman who wouldn't want to be bothered by Purebloods."

"So what will become of her then?"

"ANTI-THESIS might still want her eliminated, so it would be best for her to remain here in the cell until after they are dealt with," Leon answered, "After that, well, she might be able to live her life normally."

"From what Netto said, her disdain for Purebloods seemed to have coaxed her into joining ANTI-THESIS," Hime said. "She could still have that same hatred."

"Then maybe she could find someone to help let go of that hatred," Leon replied. "Ruby once hated Humans before, and now look at the way she turned out to be."

"True. You're right about that," Hime nodded.

Leon closed the hole shut and turned to Hime, "I'm going to check if the students are back in their dorms. It's almost curfew."

"Alright," Hime nodded. "I'll be leaving in a bit."

Leon nodded and and went on his way.

* * *

><p>The campus was silent as almost everyone had turned in for the night. As Leon was walking around the pathway that led to the shoe lockers, he nearly bumped into someone as she was coming out.<p>

"Ah! I'm sorry!" the girl apologized. She looked up and her eyes widened as she blushed considerable. "Oh, Leon!"

"Karin. Long time no see," Leon greated back, "It's nearly curfew you know. You should be at your dorm by now."

"Yeah, I know. Late-night work," Karin nodded. Her eyes darted back and forth. "Um... Could you walk me back to my dorm?"

Leon shrugged, "I don't see the problem."

The pair walked through the forest to reach the dorm housing. Karin decided to break the silence. "I never did get the chance to thank you for helping me when that robot lizard attacked."

"It's no problem," Leon replied. "I was just doing my job. And I was pretty busy, what with being the Chief of the Safety Committee."

"Yeah, it's been really crazy over the past few days," Karin nodded, "I wanted try and find you, but you weren't around. And then the Sports Fest came and I had duties of my own to perform. By the way, it was pretty cool how you managed to handle that strange woman."

"Just doing my job," Leon replied. "I'm just glad no one was seriously hurt from the whole ordeal."

"You really are much more different than Kuyou," Karin smiled. "Even though fights still go on here, everyone feels more at ease with you in charge."

"The power of authority went to Kuyou's head," Leon shrugged. "He believed that everything he did was just, despite others telling him otherwise. Few tired to stand up against him, but were met with failure." He gave a small smile, "Heh. Maybe Shinichi arriving here to this school was a blessing."

"Yeah, it's thanks to him that you're in power now," Karin answered. "It's kinda weird though, it's like he came out of nowhere all of a sudden. He's your friend right? Do you know anything about him?"

"Just that he's an amnesic," Leon said cryptically. "That's all I really know about him." That was in fact a lie. It'd be wrong to instantly reveal his friend's bloody past to a random girl. She really didn't need those terrible mental images anyway.

"Oh, that's too bad," Karin said sympathetically, "I hope he can get his memories back."

'_Some of those memories he could do without,' _Leon spoke mentally.

As they were nearing the dorm houses, Karin unknowingly reached out her hand to his. And the moment their hands touched...

**THUMP-THUMP! THUMP-THUMP! THUMP-THUMP! THUMP-THUMP!**

"Ah-!" Karin gasped suddenly. She hunched down as she was clutching her chest. Her face also turned bright red.

"What is it?" Leon asked trying to see what was wrong.

"Don't come any closer!" Karin shouted, taking Leon aback. "It's nothing serious, honest! I just... have to go!" She quickly picked herself up and ran into the dorm house, leaving Leon dumbstruck.

"What... was that about...?" Leon muttered to himself.

* * *

><p>Karin fumbled with her keys before finally getting her door opened and slamming it shut behind her. She leaned against her door as she hyperventilated, holding her chest as she slid down on the ground. Slowly, the beats of her heart slowed down to their normal rate.<p>

"That... was to close for comfort..." she panted, rubbing her forehead. "It would've been really embarrassing if I..."

* * *

><p>It was the weekend and Shinichi was adjusting his clothes for the outing he was going on with the girls. He checked his hair, flicking his twin ahoge, and sighed. "Let's just get this over with," he sighed. It was obvious that he was still upset over the LinaPhantom issue and his girlfriends just wanted to help cheer him up. He insisted that he was fine, but they still wanted to do this, and he didn't want to reject such an offer to get out of the campus for a few hours. Just because he was feeling bad didn't it mean he should upset the girls. It just wasn't fair to them.

For this outing, Shinichi had put on a good pair of jeans, a black t-shirt and a red jacket which was zipped halfway up. He also wore his signature scarf. He grabbed a pair of leather shoes with buckles and straps and put them on before exiting his dorm room to meet up with the girls at the bus stop.

Mononoke Arcade, their destination, was a place that they had access to via the tunnel/portal which brought students here. By taking the school bus, they could go to Mononoke Arcade without any problem.

* * *

><p>"So Shinichi's going out with his girls, huh?" Daichi asked. He and Netto were hanging outside of the school, watching several of the other students mill about. Netto had actually been on his own for awhile before Daichi joined him, looking for a quiet place to play his guitar.<p>

"Yeah, he told me yesterday," Netto nodded. "I guess they figured it would be a good chance for him to chill out and stuff. He's obviously still bugged about that whole Lina thing."

"Still can't believe that girl managed to get so close to BLACK 13," Daichi said, folding his arms. "It's sorta messed up."

"Considering how his head got messed with several times over, I'm not all that surprised," Netto sighed. "I guess we can just hope for the best and pray it doesn't blow up on us. From here on, it's a waiting game."

Daichi sighed. "Speaking of girls... what was with that Kiko girl before?"

Kiko had been seen with Netto early, giggling girlishly as she had her arms wrapped around his arm. It was a sight to see and it caused a bit of a commotion, but not one that could get out of hand. It was just most of the boys staring at Netto with a mix of envy and resentment.

"Well, Kiko and I... uh..." Netto began, his eyes darting left and right as he blushed. "I... popped her cherry."

"You did?" Daichi cocked an eyebrow, "Good grief, you're beginning to get as bad as those three!"

"I can't say no to a girl! It's not in my nature!" Netto exclaimed.

"Glad I don't have deal with crap like that," Daichi scoffed.

"Dai-chan!"

"You were saying?" Netto commented.

"Crap, I need to hide!" Daiichi cursed as his eyes darted about but there was nowhere to run or hide in time as Haruhi tackled into him from behind, knocking them both to the ground with him doing a faceplant.

He'd been trying to avoid this crazy girl since the tournament and had so far been successful. Not today, however. Not today...

"I've finally found you! Come on, let's go get to know each other better!"

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Yokoshima was with the members of the Cosplay Club trying out some new costumes. "I have this strangest feeling that Daichi's cursing to the heavens right now."<p>

* * *

><p>"<strong>FFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!-!-!"<strong>

* * *

><p>At the same time, Chiaki was painting when he thought he heard someone scream a violent oath.<p>

* * *

><p>The girls played "Rock, Paper, Scissors" again to decide who got to sit next to Shinichi and this time Yukari was the one who won. The girls, like Shinichi, had decided to put on their best casual wear for their outing to Mononoke Arcade. He wasn't sure what to expect, really. He knew what a shopping district was after their trip to the human world, but a Youkai-exclusive shopping district completely blew his mind.<p>

The bus entered the tunnel which was an interdimensional gateway, linking Youkai Academy up with different dimensions. According to Kurumu, Mononoke Arcade was one such dimension. It made sense to Shinichi, in a way.

The bus exited and, after several blocks, stopped at a bus stop where the group departed from the bus.

"Be careful, kid. Mononoke Arcade can be a scary place," advised the Bus Driver.

"That's what you say about every place we go, Bus Driver-san," said Shinichi.

"It's always true, isn't it?" the man said as he tapped the ash off the tip of his cigar. "Don't say I never warned you." The Bus Driver drove off, leaving the students.

"You know, as creepy a guy he was, he's not such a bad guy," said Shinichi. "Unlike Gebok, of course."

Hearing that name made the girls stiffen. They hadn't told Shinichi they had met Dr. Gebok before but he noted their expressions and sighed.

"I know you all met him. I remember that part now," he told them. "I also remember him trying to use an EMP on me. Lousy, sadistic prick." He'd mumbled the last part.

Moka took Shinichi's hand and beamed at him. "Come on, let's go to Mononoke Arcade."

"You're going to love it, Shinichi," said Kurumu as she took his other hand.

Mizore frowned, wishing she could hold Shinichi's hand and Yukari felt the same way. If Shinichi had two extra hands to hold, then it wouldn't be such a problem.

* * *

><p>"Wow," said Shinichi as he admired Mononoke Arcade. It wasn't the amount of shops he could see that surprised him. Shopping districts often had a lot of places for people to go to buy things or pay for services. It was the monsters who could walk around in their true forms without problem, unlike the rule in Youkai Academy which strictly forbade students and staff from assuming their true forms, granted that rule gets disobeyed quite often.<p>

The shopping district also had a wide range of restaurants, clothing stores, a movie theatre, and even a video game arcade.

"So, this is Mononoke Arcade," said Shinichi.

"Do you like it?" Moka asked hopefully.

"Reminds me a lot of the shopping trips Kaa-chan used to take me on as a kid," said Shinichi. "Sometimes she'd buy me a toy, but only when I really behaved."

"That's nice," Moka smiled. Shinichi was recalling good memories too.

"Hey, I'm not going to be stuck holding the bags, right? Since I'm the guy and usually the guy gets stuck holding the bags and stuff," Shinichi said.

"This is all about you, Darling," said Kurumu. "But...there are some things I want to buy." She had been hoping to find a new set of lingerie to model for Shinichi, then seduce him to the point he could not contain himself and ravage her on the spot.

* * *

><p>"Damn it," Daichi growled as he leaned on a wall. "Why won't she get a clue and leave me alone?"<p>

Daichi had finally managed to lose the girl on the roof of the school. She was a tenacious one, that was for sure. She really made it clear that she wanted him as her mate. She was just over fixated with him, not to mention that crazy strength she had. Alright, well generally most Youkai were stronger than the average human being, but the girl was just nuts!

"Jeez, is this what Shinichi had to deal with back on his first days here?" Daichi lamented, sitting in an upright position.

An amused chuckle was suddenly echoing from the doorway that lead to the exit. "Wow, you really don't know a thing about women, do you?"

"What?" Daichi frowned, turning to the speaker. It was a boy, somewhat younger than him, with white and silver hair that split in the middle of his head and grew past his eyes. He had an orange and green pupil eye that clashed with each other. He also wore a sort of long formal jacket with a tie. He didn't seem to pay mind to Daichi as he read his book uncaringly.

"I'm just saying," the boy shrugged. "Any guy in his right mind would let a girl like her mate with him. Even us Monstrels would court a cute girl like that."

"Monstrel?-!" Daichi frowned, getting on his feet and bringing out his Cricket Fork. Leon had previously warned all of them about ANTI-THESIS and the fact that all of their members were Hybrid Youkai. They had tried to "persuade" Shinichi into joining their cause after noticing that he wasn't really a Youkai. And with what Shinichi did after that, it was safe to say that none of them were very happy with him.

"To your mind, are you gay?" the boy continued.

Without a single warning, Daichi slammed his fork against the wall before swinging it out, sending a vibrating sonic blade at the boy. The blade seemed to hit and a sudden explosion erupted, sending rubble and dust flying out.

"Who the hell are you!-?" Daichi demanded from him. "And I'm not gay, I just don't look at a woman's boobs! Other guys these days think with their dicks!" He was in a bad mood right now and needed a proper outlet.

"Hey, that was dangerous you know," Daichi's eyes widened as he whirled around. The boy was now sitting on the handrail and still reading his book. He was acting like nothing ever happened. "Do you normally attack people whenever they start conversing?"

"Only when they piss me off to no end, which is all the time," Daichi answered, scowling.

"In that case, why don't we start all over?" the boy closed his book and faced Daichi with a grin. "I'm Kiria Yoshi, second-in-command of ANTI-THESIS. A pleasure to meet you, Daichi Takashima-kun."

Before Daichi could send a retort, Kiria suddenly vanished from his line of sight. "What the fuck?-!" he demanded looking around of the Outcast Ayashi.

"And you curse too," Kiria sighed disapprovingly, leaning against Daichi's back. Daichi flinched at the sound of his voice. "You're a lot more uncouth than I thought."

"What's it to you?" Daichi scowled.

"Not much," Kiria admitted. "Just this. It's about you, and several of your friends that showed up here. You're pretty interesting. And also, very strange."

"What makes you think that about us?" Daichi asked. Kiria suddenly blurred in front of him, although Daichi didn't seem to flinch at all.

"Well, from what we already know, not all of you are Youkai," Kiria said. "But from what we've seen so far, you have abilities that can rival other monsters. And you aren't an outcast like myself either, since outcasts can still have access to Youki like Purebloods do."

"Get to the point, snake-eyes. You're not making sense," Daichi retorted.

"Alright then. Since you asked, I'll lay it straight... entertain me, Takashima-kun," Kiria said finally. "Show me just how strong you are. If I'm impressed with what I see, I might get the others to back off. I can tell them to leave you and your friends alone."

"So in other words, you're looking for a fight," Daichi concluded.

"You got it," Kiria smiled. "Meet me in the old graveyard at 3. Don't keep me waiting." Kiria vanished before him without a trace.

Daichi considered Kiria's words. Should he go alone or tell the others about this?

* * *

><p>"So, how do I look?" asked Shinichi as he tried on a pair of sunglasses.<p>

"You look cool," Kurumu admired.

"Yeah, if I put on a tux I'm a regular James Bond," he grinned. He got blank looks from the girls. "James Bond? 007? International Man of Mystery?" Still no recognition. "I should introduce you to the spy genre."

"You watch that kind of thing?" Mizore asked.

"Well, Kuro did. I think it was when we had some free time back in GIN-SHOCKER and found some kind of entertainment for some R&R. Yokoshima always found the time to get us together to watch some kind of movie," Shinichi said.

"My mother loves spy movies," said Mizore.

"Really?" asked Shinichi. He didn't know that.

"She even wanted to be a spy when she was a little girl, which is why she has a collection of guns," she added. For some reason, the idea of Mizore's mother owning a gun collection piqued his interest.

"I'd love to see it someday," he said.

"Marry me and you will be able to see it anytime you want," she said bluntly, ignoring the glares of the other girls.

"With a proposal like that, how can I refuse?" Shinichi grinned. It seemed that he was starting to act like his normal self.

"Hey, speaking of movie, how about we go see one?" Moka suggested.

"I'm up for anything with hot babes and explosions," said Shinichi.

* * *

><p>In the graveyard nearby the school, the skies were dark and gloomy, appearing like streams of sand instead of a blue ocean. The land was dry and barren with not a sign of a living tree. There was actually only one tree in the center of the land, and it was as dead as a rotting rat.<p>

Daichi walked through the graveyard with his hands in his pockets, looking around the area with a critical eye. There weren't that many tombstones around, surprisingly enough, and the area itself was very spacious. Good enough for a fight.

"Looks like that Kiria kid chose his pickings well," Daichi said as he looked around. He patted the holster on his belt. He was carrying a standard issue energy pistol loaded with stun rounds. But, if things went bad, he would use live rounds. However, he had doubts that he would need to use his gun for this.

"You showed up, and on time too," said Kiria who sat on a nearby tombstone. Daichi blinked. Why hadn't he noticed him before? Kiria was reading a book and when he saw Daichi looking at him, he closed the book and slipped it into his jacket.

"So, how are we going to do this?" Daichi asked as he cracked his knuckles. "Hand-to-hand or with weapons?"

"First, tell me if you came alone," said Kiria.

"What does it look like to you?" scoffed Daichi. "Of course I came alone. It's just me, myself and I."

Kiria slid off his perch and stretched. "Well then. I guess I have no choice now."

"Yeah, I've been itching for one for awhile," grinned Daichi, looking forward to beat the smug look of this guy's face. Something about him just rubbed the cyborg the wrong way.

But then, something else just had to happen.

"Oh, Dai-chan!"

"Crap!" Daichi cursed, looking behind him. It was that annoying girl again, the one who'd embarrassed him at the tournament. She was running towards him, looking very happy.

"I finally found you!" she squealed, lunging forward and capturing him on a tight hug. She smothered her face against his check, sighing contentedly.

"Damn it, you shouldn't be here!" Daichi hissed. "How did you even find me?"

"Oh, just call it a girls intuition," Haruhi sighed. "It's just the way we're connected, ya know."

"Connected?-!" Daichi sputtered. "What the hell?-!"

"Oh, what do we have here?" Kiria blinked. "So that's the girl who's attached to you?"

"Unfortunately," Daichi grimaced.

"That's too bad. Looks like I'll have to make both of you disappear," Kiria shrugged. He raised his hand and snapped his fingers.

The ground suddenly rumbled with sudden vibrations. Both Daichi and Haruhi looked behind them and gasped. Before them stood two giant, grotesque beasts. One was skinny, wore a long vest and a top hat. The other was large, wore a short vest and had a mohawk. The three things they had in common was that they had green skin, had horse-like legs, and a single eye. They looked at both Daichi and Haruhi with sharp teeth.

"Cyclopes!" Haruhi shouted.

"Cyclopes?" Daichi repeated. He turned back at Kiria with a heated glare. "What the hell?-!"

"Did you really think I'd come here alone?" Kiria smiled. "These friends of my aren't Outcast Ayashi, but I brought them here to see how tough you are. You know what they say about knowing your enemy and all."

Daichi scowled as he took out the energy pistol from the holster. "Well, then I'll just have to defeat your goons before I get to you!" In an instant, he fired the energy pistol at the two Cyclopses but instead of the one-eyed monsters falling, they just scratched the spots the shots had hit. "What?"

"Cyclopses are considered to be demigods in myths, and guns don't really work on them," said Kiria.

Daichi put his gun away. "OK, then we'll have to do this my usual way!" His Spark Core was summoned right around his waist, and he took a stance. "Henshin!" A guitar riff echoed from his belt as a sound wave ripple surrounded him. Once the ripple dispersed, Sonix stood in Daichi's place.

"W-wow!" Haruhi gasped.

"Would you look at that?" Kiria smirked. "Looks like I won't be disappointed after all."

He summoned his Cricket Fork and twirled it around before gripping it tight in both hands. "Come on, you one-eyed freaks!"

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Leon was stuck in his office at the PSC headquarters going over paperwork. The ANTI-THESIS they had in custody were low level numbers and, unlike Midou, were still alive. Mako was still in holding as well, her memories wiped clean so she would not betray the organization.<p>

"Now I know why Dad tries to avoid this stuff," said Leon as he put his pen down. He should be out and carrying on his own investigation. Because of his carelessness, two important sources of information had been lost. He did know they were high-ranked in the organization since Midou could command a gang of the Outcast Ayashi and Mako could control people like puppets. But they had to be getting their orders from somewhere.

What was ANTI-THESIS planning? Also, Leon had to go and meet with the Chairman soon. He peered over to Tamao who was napping in a futon. Maybe he could take Tamao someplace fun tomorrow. Just being in the academy was giving him cabin fever.

* * *

><p>Pieces of tombstone went flying as one of the two Cyclopses struck only to miss as Sonix rolled away. Tapping his Cricket Fork on the ground, he aimed the pronged end at the two single-eyed monsters and shot pulses of sound at them to disorient the duo. He then dashed forward and jumped, kicking one Cyclops in the nose while he smacked the other across the face with his Cricket Fork. Both monsters howled as they were sent staggering with Sonix landing on his feet.<p>

"Shockwave," Sonix called as he stabbed his Cricket Fork into the ground. The sonic waves spread violently into the ground, tearing it apart as they traveled towards the two stunned monsters, sending them flying.

Kiria watched with interest with Haruhi watching, impressed. Sonix twirled his Cricket Fork and then pointed it at Kiria, "You're next!"

Kiria smirked and looked to the two Cyclopses. "Is it?" Sonix followed his gaze and saw the Cyclopses rising back to their feet. "It's not very easy to kill Cyclopses."

"That's because I wasn't aiming to," said Sonix. "But I guess you left me with no choice." He stabbed his Cricket Fork into the ground, driving the pointed end deep. Kiria wondered what he was up to when Sonix's chestplate split open to reveal the hidden speakers.

"Have a taste of THIS!" roared Sonix as sound exploded from his chest. The air rippled, vibrating as the powerful sonic wave travelled towards its target. The Cyclopses both howled in agony as they covered their ears to block out the loud sound. Haruhi fell to her knees, in pain, as she was being affected as well. Even Kiria was having trouble staying on his feet.

"Rrrraaaaa!" the skinny Cyclops roared, covering his ears. "Sound! Annoying sound!"

"Shut that damn thing off!" the fat Cyclops shouted, pulling out a large hammer from behind its back. It reared its arm back before it threw it towards Sonix, the force of the throw allowing it to bypass the soundwaves. The hammer hit hard, disrupting Sonix's soundwave cannon, and sending him flying onto his back.

Sonix's grunted as he fell, coughing up slightly as he pushed himself up onto his feet. "Guess you guys will make a decent challenge after all," he admitted.

* * *

><p>Shinichi left the store with the girls wearing the biggest grin on his face. He didn't even mind holding the shopping bags for the girls. What happened for the past half hour was worth it. They had just exited a lingerie store and the girls had modeled for him. It was every man's dream to see a beautiful woman in sexy lingerie and despite being emotionally suppressed for a decade, Shinichi was like any other man.<p>

Kurumu, Mizore and Yukari were not shy about showing off their bodies. However, there just wasn't lingerie for a girl Yukari's age. Moka, however, was reluctant but she knew it would make Shinichi happy.

There was also a more devious reason they were modelling lingerie for him. They wanted to get his mind off Lina. After learning about his past, they wanted to make him happy after all he'd done for them. He was just so sweet, kind, and gentle.

The girls made Shinichi happy and they wanted to replace the ten years of horrible memories with better, happier ones, making him forget about the pain and torment he'd suffered because of GIN-SHOCKER and Dr. Gebok. They wanted him to let go of his past, and it seemed to be succeeding after they entered their second term. However, Lina's appearance had just messed things up for them.

Their group stopped for some lunch in a restaurant and Shinichi massaged his shoulder as he muttered, "Mental note: no more group shopping trips."

"Oh, come on," Kurumu nudged his arm. "Like it was that bad. You enjoyed the whole thing."

"I'd have to be gay not to," he said honestly.

"Gin would probably be kicking himself for not getting the chance like you did," said Mizore.

* * *

><p>Gin sneezed as he was developing photos.<p>

* * *

><p>"You know, I kinda had an idea for what our class could do for the school festival, actually," said Shinichi, blushing.<p>

"Well, go on, tell us," Moka encouraged.

"A cafe in honor of Kamen Riders of the past," said Shinichi. "A Kamen Rider Cafe." He was met with silence and he looked down in embarrassment. "I knew it. Forget I said anything."

"That sounds like a great idea!" chirped Yukari.

"You know, if you think about it, we could do something like that. Put up some posters, some decorations, and Rider-themed food," said Kurumu.

"Like an Amazon Salad, or X-Sandwiches," Yukari put in.

"We would also need to wear costumes too," said Mizore.

"Girls, are you just humoring me?" he asked suspiciously. Moka put her hand on his.

"No, we're not," she told him. "We do think this'll be a good idea."

"I mean, sure they wanted to do a sort of maid cafe, and you have to admit I'd look great in a maid outfit," boasted Kurumu as her breasts jiggled.

"I think I can design the outfits," said Shinichi. He grabbed a napkin and took out a pen. He drew a rough sketch for the girls. What he designed was a black top with matching shorts, with boots, gloves and a scarf. "I don't suppose you girls mind wearing eye masks or something?"

"It is a _Kamen _Rider Cafe, isn't it?" Mizore responded.

* * *

><p>Sonix stomped the Cyclops' face into the dirt and pointed at Kiria. "Now, it's your turn." He gaped as he noticed that Kiria was reading a book. Had he been reading it this whole time? Slowly, Sonix shook with annoyance. "Hey, listen to me when I'm talking to you!" He snapped as he swung his Cricket Fork, sending a blast of sound that knocked the book out of his hand. Kiria looked up at Sonix, looking mildly annoyed.<p>

"I was nearly at the end of that book," said Kiria as he picked up and brushed the dust off the cover.

"I don't give a shit about that, douchebag," Sonix scoffed. "Now that your goons have been beaten, it's time for you to step in and fight."

Haruhi, meanwhile, was watching the confrontation in interest. She never knew that Daichi was some kind of insect monster who could manipulate sound. The only known Youkai with similar abilities were Werewolves, Banshees, Inugamis, Mermaids, and Sirens. But he was none of those. So what was he?

Kiria flicked his right hand and Daichi watched as his arm changed into something horrific. By the end of the transformation, Kiria's right arm had changed into a large scythe that looked capable of cutting anything. "As you wish," said Kiria and he suddenly blurred out of sight. Sonix suddenly screamed as sparks exploded from his chest as a long, diagonal cut was left on the armor. He staggered backwards in pain as Kiria stood before him.

"TEME!" Sonix roared as he swung his Cricket Fork, only for Kiria to counter with his scythe. Kiria knocked Sonix back and started to slash at him repeatedly. Sonix was forced on the defensive, blocking Kiria's strikes but a few managed to get past his defences, leaving cuts on his armor. He scowled as he was reminded of Shinichi's power, how the cyborg was able to hold his own against three cyborgs without transforming. Ducking under another strike, he slammed the long shaft of his weapon into Kiria's stomach, knocking him backwards but Kiria managed to hook his scythe on Sonix's shoulder, pulling him along as they went tumbling and crashing into another tombstone.

"Daichi!" Haruhi cried as she chased after them.

Kiria recovered and stood before Sonix who glared at him in anger. "What exactly are you, Takashima-kun?"

"I'm your worst fucking nightmare, prettyboy!" Sonix roared as he swung, unleashing a blast of sound that would've sent Kiria flying if he hadn't anchored himself with his scythe.

"So much anger," Kiria studied.

Meanwhile, the Cyclopses Sonix had beaten earlier were starting to recover. They reached inside their pockets and pulled out a handful of blue pills.

* * *

><p>The group stopped at a videogame arcade. Shinichi joined Kurumu at DDRX, played Air Hockey with Mizore, and played Whack-A-Mole with Yukari. He and Moka ended up playing a Fighting Game together with Shinichi showing his impressive skills on the controls with Moka barely able to keep up with him. Of course, her inner self would've considered games a waste of time.<p>

By winning so much, the group received a sizable amount of tokens from the machines to exchange for gifts that the arcade had.

Shinichi checked his watch. "I think it's time we head back. It's already getting late."

"Aw, do we have to?" whined Kurumu.

"I think you already have enough shoes, Kurumu-chan," he chuckled.

"You didn't buy much either, Shinichi-kun," said Moka.

"A few new shirts, jackets and pants, but that's about it," he said.

"Hey, how about that coat?" Mizore pointed to a shop window and Shinichi saw the duster which was hanging on a mannequin. He walked closer for a better look, studying it.

"It does look nice," he admitted. But then he noticed something. It was quiet, too quiet in fact. The shopping district was suddenly empty, with only him and the girls present. "Girls, where are the other people. This place was crowded earlier, wasn't it?"

The girls finally realized it. Mononoke Arcade was always a centre of activity but now it seemed almost deserted. Shinichi's eyes narrowed in suspicion. This was not a normal occurrence. Besides them, there was no other living creature.

Suddenly, Shinichi screamed as he was hit by a spray of laser bullets. The girls cried out in shock as he was sent falling to the ground, injured.

"Kuso..." Shinichi growled as he felt the lasers penetrate his skin, damaging his body. Fortunately, he hadn't been hit in any vital parts. His clothes were soaked in blood, though. He then looked up and spotted something in the air. His eyes narrowed as he focused, his pupils dilating as he activated his telescopic vision.

The being resembled a humanoid moth covered in red and green armor. The multicolored wings were spread out wide and proud and he also sported a pair of Gatling guns mounted on his shoulders, which released smoke as they had just been used recently. He also had nozzles on his forearms connected to a pack on his back by rubber tubes. His helmet had a pair of large, green compound eyes and a pair of feathery antennae on his brow. Across his chest, large and bold, was XVIII (18).

"Shinichi-kun!" Moka went to help Shinichi up to his feet and he supported himself against the wall. "You're hurt!" she said as she saw his injuries.

"It's...just a flesh wound," he told her. He closed his eyes and concentrated. A glowing clock face appeared under his feet and the hands moved in reverse. His body was being repaired by his temporal power as the blood vanished and his body mended itself. Once he was recovered, he shouted, "Get down here!"

The being lowered himself to the ground, standing several feet from the group. They stared at the moth-like cyborg who stood in front of them.

"You're a new NUMBER," Shinichi identified. "One of the Jagers."

"#18: Atlas," the cyborg identified himself. "So, you're BLACK 13." He scoffed. "I'm not impressed. I don't get why GIN-SHOCKER and Gebok makes such a deal out of you. Doesn't matter. I'm here to take you down for #14!"

"You mean Lina?" questioned Shinichi.

"That's right, but first I need to make sure there's no interference," said Atlas as his wings began to glow, the colors shifting rapidly and randomly before Shinichi's eyes. It didn't seem to work on him but the girls suddenly went unconscious.

"Kurumu-chan! Moka-chan! Yukari-chan! Mizore-chan!" shouted Shinichi.

"Don't worry, they're only asleep," said Atlas.

"Is this what you did to everyone else?" accused Shinichi.

"Bingo, 13!" Atlas confirmed. "All I did was hypnotise them and tell them to leave Mononoke Arcade, which they did!"

"How did you find this place? It's exclusive only to Youkai," demanded Shinichi.

"Isn't that ironic, considering you're not a Youkai either," Atlas argued. Shinichi gritted his teeth. "Defeat me, and you'll know. Lose, and you're coming with me to GS like 14 wants!"

"Over my dead body! Let's Ride: Showa!"

"That's exactly what I wanted to hear!" shouted Atlas as he fired the nozzles on his gauntlets, spraying powder towards Showa. He dodged the attack but some of the powder landed on his body. Suddenly, the powder exploded, causing sparks to erupt all over as he cried out in pain. Activating his wings, Atlas shot towards Showa and hit him across the face with a punch, sending him staggering. He followed up with a continuous assault of punches and kicked him hard in the chest. Another spray of powder exploded as he was covered and he collapsed to his knees.

"I can't see what 14 sees in you," Atlas snorted.

"Her name...is Lina..." Showa growled as he forced himself back to his feet.

"I was told you were difficult to kill," said Atlas. "Stubborn, I think it was. But then again there's one cure for stubbornness." He aimed his Gatling guns. "Eat this." He fired, aiming to riddle Showa with lasers like before only for Showa to leap before the first shot was fired. He drove his foot into Atlas' face, knocking him backwards. He drove him back further with an open palm strike and followed it up with an elbow strike into his jaw. Atlas aimed his sprayers at Showa only for him to knock his arms up. Atlas panicked as the powder landed on him. Showa was not concerned.

"Let's Ride: Roborider!" As he changed, the powder landed on him and Atlas before exploding. While Atlas jerked as his body was assaulted by multiple explosions, Showa-Roborider was not affected at all. He gripped the Gatling guns and bent then upwards, rendering them useless before aiming his gun at Atlas' chest. "Voltech Shooter!" Laser fire assaulted the Moth Cyborg as sparks flew and he was sent staggering.

Atlas staggered backwards and panted as smoke seeped from his armor. "Alright, now I see why 14 likes you so much. You're good."

"It's time to finish this," said Showa as he activated his Legacy Driver.

"**ULTIMATE RIDE: LEGACY MODE!"**

In a flash of gold he was transformed to Legacy Mode. Atlas drew his weapon, a butterfly axe with glowing red edges. He struck as Showa countered with the Legacy Saber. Sparks flew as their weapons connected but Atlas was pushed back. He swung forward and fired red lightning from the axe which flew towards Showa but he called, "Let's Ride: V3!" Using one of V3's 26 secrets, Red Lamp Power, he absorbed the attack and sent it back at Atlas at double the intensity.

Atlas was sent flying as his own lightning attack hit. Showa strode towards him and stated, "Game Over for you." He reached for his Legacy Driver but as as he was about to twist it, the device began to spark. Suddenly, Showa screamed as the Rider symbols on his chest flashed rapidly and randomly as he spasmed as if he was being electrocuted himself. There was a violent explosion of energy as the Legacy Driver forcefully removed itself from Showa and his armor vanished in an instant.

Shinichi fell to his hands and knees, groaning in pain. He picked up the Legacy Driver and wondered what was happening. Atlas was confused too but he didn't stick around to find out what was going on. He flew off to report what had happened.

* * *

><p>"This is stupid! I mean, what the hell!" Sonix shouted as he moved left and right, trying to avoid everything that came at him.<p>

As he was going on with his fight against Kiria, the two Cyclopses had suddenly got back to their feet, and once again went into the offensive. But something was very, very different from the previous round. They could move faster, almost as fast as Kiria, and they could also hit much harder, making shockwaves with every blow they sent. There was also one other thing different about them; their veins and single eyes were glowing bright blue.

Once again, more Youkai had somehow gotten their hands on G-Shock.

Kiria stood back once he saw the Cyclopses up for round two. His eyes, however, were trained less on Sonix, and more on his lackeys. It wasn't just the obvious glow in their veins and eyes, but also how they fought with sudden speed and strength that they had never shown before.

"Fascinating..." he mused to himself.

"You son of a bitch!" Sonix yelled at Kiria, just after jumping away from a swing made by one of the giants, "You gave them something, didn't you?"

"I'm as much as in the dark as you are," Kiria shrugged. Of course, Sonix wasn't likely to believe a word he said. Suddenly, he was backhanded and sent crashing into several tombstones. The Cricket Cyborg groaned and realized he was disarmed. He reached for his Cricket Fork but was hauled up by the skinny Cyclops before being repeatedly bashed against the ground. The Cyclops was enjoying this before a huge tombstone was hurled at his face, hitting his eye. He roared as he released Sonix and looked to see Haruhi with a tombstone in each hand.

"Let him go," she demanded.

"Or you'll what?" the skinny Cyclops scoffed, "Keep throwing tombstones at us?"

Haruhi continued to frown. At that moment, the fat Cyclops suddenly blurred at her right and reared back its fist, which slightly glowed in ominous blue. Her eyes widening, Haruhi dropped the tombstones and brought up her hands. She caught the huge fist in her grip, the feedback causing a loud rumble, followed by some dirt and rocks to jump into the air. Her skirt and hair were not immune to this either, as they too flowed upwards as if gravity stopped for short moment.

"What are you doing!" Daichi yelled. "She's got no part in this!"

"Sorry to say, but the moment she stepped in here, she does," Kiria remarked, causing Sonix's focus to be turned to him. "Besides, I wasn't really going to let her leave her anyway. I can't have anymore Purebloods knowing about us."

"You motherfucker! What do you have against Purebloods anyway?" Sonix shouted. "What did they ever do to you?"

Kiria suddenly frowned. "Everything."

"Nani?"

The fat Cyclops continued to grind its fist into the girl as she continued to resist. Haruhi growled as she pushed, the ground breaking under her shoes as she struggled to get a foothold. It looked like she wasn't strong enough to match up with this suddenly superpowered Cyclops... then she'll have to make herself stronger!

Roaring out like a savage beast, Haruhi exploded with a blast of Youki, forcing both Sonix and Kiria to shield their eyes. Once the Youki subsided, they could both see that Haruhi had changed form. Her skin was now green and scaly, and her hair went from straight and tamed to wild and all over her head. The sclera of her eyes turned yellow, her ears were long and pointed, and short fangs could be see out of her bottom lip.

"HUUUUUUURAAAAGH!" Haruhi bellowed, picking the Cyclops from the ground by its fist. Everyone present watched in amazement as the girl picked up the much larger, much heavier, Cyclops with almost little effort, and then drop it down with in a huge, ground-crushing, suplex.

"...Damn," Sonix muttered.

"An Ogre," Kiria frowned, "Those kind of monsters can ignore the weight of anything they touch. They're said to be nearly as dangerous as Vampires."

"You don't say." While Sonix felt that Haruhi was annoying for following him around, it was at this moment he was glad to have her watching his back.

"Well, it seems that we're out of time," said Kiria as he turned his arm back to normal. "I would love to continue but I have more important matters to deal with than to play with you." He gave a polite bow. "Goodbye. I hope we meet again." He vanished in a blur before Sonix could strike him.

"Kuso!" the Cricket Cyborg cursed. He then turned his attention to Haruhi and the two Cyclopses. "Well, at least there's still them."

Haruhi was fighting off both the Cyclopses when Sonix flew in and kicked the fat one to the ground. "I'll leave the skinny one to you," he told her as he watched the fat one pick himself up. "OK, big, fat and ugly. This is how it's going to end!" He jumped up and performed a flip through the air before executing his own signature Rider Kick. The Spark Core shone brightly and soundwaves appeared around his foot as he shouted out, **"Sonix Overdrive!" **

**WHAM!**

The Cyclops was sent flying from the force of his kick, spinning about before landing with a huge crash, crushing the tombstones with his large body mass. As he slowed down, his body shrunk up into human form, leaving him shriveled up and dry.

Haruhi slapped away an incoming fist of the Cyclopes with her own arm, causing it to recall with some force. It roared as it charge forward with another fist armed. Haruhi stood her ground and waited before the Cyclopes' fist came at her with full force. Haruhi quickly jumped on the fist just as it hit the ground with a loud shake. With one more powerful leap, she went over the Cyclops' head and grabbed both of its ears. She used her ability to ignore its weight and swung it over, sending it crashing onto the ground, hard. Haruhi landed down with the dust picking up around her. Looking at the giant, she watched as it shrunk back into human form, but was surprised to see the man shriveled up like a dry husk.

"Wow," Haruhi uttered.

"Those two Cyclopses took super-steroids that allowed them to move faster and hit harder than any other monster of their kind," Sonix explained as he walked up to her. "The problem is that once the steroids run out, they're drained and feel fatigue."

"Just like the others from the Tournament," Haurhi realized.

"Yeah, just like them," Daichi said, his armor disappearing. "Anyway... thanks for helping me out of there. Come on, I'll get you something to eat." It was the least he could do.

Haruhi beamed, "Okay!" She went and took hold of his arm. "Lead the way."

* * *

><p>In the base that Lina had set up somewhere nearby Youkai Academy, the White Cicada Cyborg was staring at an old picture of herself and Kuro. In that photo, she was smiling cheerfully, whereas Kuro looked somewhat confused at best. Considering that she had to make sure that no one else suspected anything, she was dressed in the Youkai Academy uniform. As she was staring at the picture longingly, Atlas suddenly barged into the room. "14! 14!" he shouted before he was slammed forcefully against the wall by a telekinetic force.<p>

"What is it?" she asked. "Did you find him?"

"Yeah, he was in Mononoke Arcade," he said, groaning slightly as he picked himself from the wall. "I was almost beaten too but I escaped!"

"Almost?" she questioned.

"He used that upgrade but it malfunctioned," he clarified.

"Really?" Lina said, cocking an eyebrow. In a flash of red lightning Atlas changed into an average looking young man. He had spiked up green hair and vibrant blue eyes. He too wore the academy's uniform.

"So, you know what could've happened?" #18 asked, "I mean, you know 13 better than the rest of us."

Lina was thinking of Atlas' words. They had been told that BLACK 13 had access to a more powerful form, capable of being a threat to them. But to see it malfunction... "I'm not sure actually. Maybe this could use a bit of, uh... investigation."

* * *

><p>The girls had woken up, the effects of Atlas' hypnosis having worn off after his departure. After what happened, they decided to call it a day and were now riding the bus back to Youkai Academy.<p>

Shinichi sat near the window, looking out at the scenery which passed him by. Clutched in his hand was the Legacy Driver. What had happened? He had attempted to execute a finisher but suddenly the Legacy Driver had malfunctioned, causing him pain as it cancelled out his transformation.

What was the reason for it?

* * *

><p>Leon finally had a lead. The reason that ANTI-THESIS could move so easily in the school without interference, how they had gained so much power and influence without notice.<p>

A member of ANTI-THESIS was in the student government.

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER DATABASE<strong>

"I just can't catch a break, can I?" Shinichi complained. He realized he was on camera. "Oh, hi! Sorry! Anyway, welcome to another entry of the Kamen Rider Database! I'll be your host for this entry!"

He continued, "Well, my day out with the girls was rudely interrupted when one of GIN-SHOCKER's newest cyborg super-soldiers suddenly showed up. Who am I talking about?" The screen behind him showed Atlas. "#18: Kamen Rider Atlas."

A full body picture of Atlas was displayed next, "As his name suggests, he is modeled after the Atlas Moth. He's armed with a pair of shoulder-mounted Gatling guns and a pair of sprayers on his arms connected to a tank on his back which spray explosive powder. Believe me, it's painful since I ended up being the target of that powder. Now, as you can see here, you might be wondering what the deal with his wings is? I'll tell you. He can use his wings to generate a hypnotic wave. That was how he emptied the street so quickly and knocked out the girls. For some reason, his hypnotic wave had no effect on me."

Shinichi concluded, "Well, that's all I can about Atlas. What he does in the future, you'll just have to read on, won't you? See you all next time! Bye!"

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: It looks like ANTI-THESIS is targeting the former NUMBERS, acknowledging them as threats. They even got their hands in G-Shock? Oh, and what's this? Looks like Daichi is opening up. And not forgetting, #18: Atlas has been introduced as well. Boy, things are heating up, aren't they? Well, hopefully you guys can keep reading and reviewing. Oh, and we got Mononoke Arcade introduced here as well.<strong>


	53. AntiThesis: Hunger

**Chapter 53: Hunger**

Zero was flying above the gymnasium, once again performing his nightly patrols. At that moment, his antennae picked up some disturbing noise. It sounded like someone screaming out.

"Isn't that... Misato?-!" Zero realized. "She must be in trouble!" Beating his wings at full speed, Zero plunged straight towards one of the gym's windows.

* * *

><p><strong>One hour earlier...<strong>

It was the evening when Shinichi and Misato confronted each other. They brought nothing but the clothes they wore and the swords in their hands. His weapon of choice was his Laser Saber while hers were her twin rapiers, the Bloody Tears. They silently nodded at each other before rushing to clash in the middle. Sparks flew as their blades connected with each swing they made. Misato was a master of dual-wielding swords but Shinichi was not a novice. He too was a master of his own blade.

Shinichi was able to relieve Misato of both her swords but a swift kick from Misato disarmed him as well.

However, their swords weren't the only weapons they had. They themselves were weapons.

After a quick bout, Misato managed to reclaim her swords and stood behind Shinichi with both her blades crossed over his throat. She could pretty much scissor his head right off but that was when Yuji entered the gymnasium, arms crossed and leaning against a set of bleachers.

"Why wasn't I invited?" he inquired as Misato withdrew her swords, much to Shinichi's relief.

"Just a little spar," she said as she twirled her rapiers and sheathed them back into the scabbards behind her belt. "Jealous?"

Yuji didn't answer, a little peeved at the jab Misato made. Put simply, he was definitely jealous.

Shinichi was still massaging his neck as she commented, "You lost focus for a moment there, Shin."

"I have homework to do," he said abruptly before bowing to Misato. He then left the gymnasium in a hurry.

"He's still messed up about the whole Lina situation," Misato informed Yuji. "I can tell from his fighting style. Even if it was just a spar, he wouldn't have been so easily beaten."

Yuji answered, "He's good at hiding it. But I wouldn't have noticed. You know, since I didn't know you two were here."

"Sorry about that, Yuji. But we needed some private time ourselves. Don't worry, though, he's not the man I want." She caressed his face and licked her fangs. "May I?"

"Well, you coulda just told me," he pouted before pulling the his collar to bare his neck for her.

Misato whispered, "I know, but it was something I needed to see for myself." She then sank her fangs into the flesh of his neck and drank.

"Well...sorry for worrying about you then," Yuji grunted. His blood started pumping a little more and Misato sensed this.

Yuji's blood had a very interesting effect on Misato. It put her into a state of heat, meaning she wanted to ravage Yuji right on the spot. However, she would need to respond to his comment.

Suddenly, Yuji was lying flat on the floor with Misato straddling him. "Don't be sorry. You care about me. Just remember I'm a big girl and this big girl has needs." She rubbed her crotch against his. "So, care to scratch this bitch's itch?"

The request made Yuji laugh, calming down as he leaned up and hugged her. "I'll do more than that if you want..." Misato kissed him and Yuji got into a sitting position with her in his lap. She unzipped her leather jacket, showing that she wore only a bra and tossed it away.

"No clothes, huh?" Yuji grinned. "Kinky."

"These floors won't be clean after we're done," she said before claiming his lips once more. He could taste the coppery flavor of his blood but also the sweetness of her saliva as he had let himself succumb to her feminine wiles.

* * *

><p>"That... was fun..." Misato breathed with a flush on her cheeks as she sat up. "So glad that I got to have some solo time with you."<p>

"Glad I didn't disappoint," Yuji said with a satisfied grin. Misato quickly got on top of him again. "What? Round two already?"

"Better believe it," Misato smirked.

When suddenly...

**CRASH!**

The glass of one of the windows shattered as Zero smashed through. He rolled along the gym floor before getting up on one knee with his arms pointing straight forward and the stingers out, "FREEZE! FROM THE COMMAND OF STUDENT POLICE CAPTAIN LEON SMITH, I'M PLACING YOU UNDER..." He stopped his speech as he saw the naked forms of both Yuji and Misato before him. Both looked at him blankly as Misato was still very much straddling his waist, and their cum all around them.

…

…

…

Misato quickly broke the awkward silence with a death glare at the Wasp Rider, her tendrils flowing out her hands menacingly, "Shogo, I know you're just doing your job, but unless you want to experience a second death I suggest you leave right now." Zero stood up, saluted, and then flew out of the gym as fast as his buzzing wings could carry him. Misato sighed as she retraced her tendrils. "And with that, I think we're done for the evening." She gasped as Yuji suddenly squeezed her ass.

"Did I ever tell you how hot you are when you're mad?" he asked rhetorically.

"You did, but you were drunk that time," she reminded him.

"Hey, I meant it didn't I?" he grinned.

"Are you just trying to butter me up?" she asked with a smirk.

"Is it working?"

"Take a wild guess," she answered before turning over to kiss him fiercely.

* * *

><p>Shinichi didn't immediately go back to the dorms. He went for a ride, instead. A lone ride on his Cyclone-X3. The area containing Youkai Academy was vast and with the offroad configuration of his bike he would have no trouble racing along the dirt.<p>

'_Lina-chan, what happened to you?_' thought Shinichi. He and Kuro were two parts of the same whole. While they shared the same emotions and memories, Shinichi was the one able to express them. They were separate entities too, which allowed them to converse with each other.

"_Reprogramming_," Kuro answered and Shinichi looked at his side mirror to see Kuro staring back at him. _"In order to make her more obedient they reprogrammed her during the cybernetic conversion process."_

"She's still the same person," argued Shinichi.

"_But with loyalty to GIN-SHOCKER. Loyalty which we abandoned long ago."_

"Yeah, I'm messed up. I'm talking to a voice in my head whose face is in the mirror. Thank God it's just you_._"

"_Not exactly. The other Riders are in here as well. They just don't talk with you unless you come inside your subconscious yourself."_

"Thank God it's just you." He sighed, "I should schedule another meeting with the counselor again." He was talking to himself, which was a sign of schizophrenia. Of course the fact was that he really did have someone living in his head.

_"I do not understand why you cannot confront Lina_," said Kuro.

"It's about feelings. Not exactly your strong suit."

"_Feelings, yes. Agreed. It is what drove us mad in the first place. The emotional inhibitor was unable to contain it and_-"

"The dam broke," Shinichi finished. "And we became a tidal wave of death and destruction."

"_However, it is quite clear that she will not give up her attempts. It is only logical that we find her before she comes looking for us," _Kuro said.

"I can't. I have homework," said Shinichi.

"_I do not understand why you would need a secondary school education,"_ said Kuro. _"Because of Dr. Gebok-"_

"Don't say his name!"

Kuro ignored him, _"He gave us an education which makes us far superior to the ones in this school."_

"School is more than about the grades, Kuro. It's the social interaction. Like when we were in the NUMBERS. The bonds."

"_Ah, understood. Bonds are important. Like the bonds with those girls you have befriended."_

"Yes," nodded Shinichi. "And I need to look after them. Lina might go after them."

"_It is only logical. She would eliminate obstacles to her missions." _Shinichi's eyes widened as he put on the brakes, did a turn, and went straight for the dorms. _"Why the sudden need to return to the dorms in haste?"_

"Can't talk now! Gotta check on the girls!"

* * *

><p>Shinichi was knocking on Moka's door. "Come on! Come on! Come on!" He heard footsteps, the door being unlocked and unlatched, and he stepped back as Moka opened the door, wearing a bathrobe and drying her hair.<p>

"Shinichi-kun?" she asked and he pulled her into a hug. "Huh?"

"You're OK!" he said, relieved.

"Of course I'm OK," she said with a blush as he held her in her arms. "What's wrong?"

"I was thinking about Lina," he admitted, making her frown. "I was afraid she'd come after you."

"Why would you think that?" she asked.

"She's been reprogrammed and sent by GIN-SHOCKER. If I were her I would eliminate all obstacles to my mission. In this case, the obstacles are you and the other girls."

"Shinichi-kun, relax," said Moka soothingly. "You don't have to worry too much."

Shinichi sighed and let go of Moka. "I'm gonna go check on the other girls."

"You could always call on them," suggested Moka.

"Sorry, but right now I can't totally rely on radio communications. She could intercept and tell me, in Kurumu, Mizore or Yukari's voice, that everything was OK," said Shinichi.

"She can do that?" asked Moka.

"Voice changer. It's standard equipment in our helmets," said Shinichi. "I need to see them face-to-face, and touch them."

"Touch them?"

"To confirm they aren't holograms to confuse and trick me."

"Shinichi-kun, you're being paranoid," she told him.

"Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean she's not out to get you!" he shouted. "I love you girls, I love you girls so much. If anything...anything were to happen to you...I'd die." He concluded, "OK, let's round up all the girls. Tonight you're all sleeping with me."

Moka replied, "Pardon?"

"I'm not letting you out of my sight. From tonight onwards until this whole Lina mess is resolved we're all staying in my dorm room. Pack up your overnight bag then follow me."

"Shinichi-kun, I doubt your room has enough space," said Moka.

"You're right," understood Shinichi. "I'll call Dr. Magi. We'll sleep in the Hive Queen. It's more secure."

* * *

><p>The Warp Portal opened, allowing Shinichi, Moka, Kurumu, Yukari and Mizore access to the Hive Queen's managed to assemble the girls, though both Kurumu and Mizore expected a bit more. Even Yukari did as well. She thought that a threesome between herself, Shinichi and Moka was going to happen.<p>

"_Welcome back, Shinichi_," Phyllis welcomed.

"Hell to You too, Phyllis," said Shinichi.

"Is this really necessary?" Kurumu asked in an annoyed tone. "No offense, Shinichi, but we can take care of ourselves."

"Not against Lina," said Shinichi. "Definitely not against her."

"What's the worst can she do anyway?" Yukari asked.

"Make your brains explode without breaking your skulls," he answered. "Or make your brains implode. Either way, it's not a pleasant experience. I've seen her kill a hundred people, in a second, with a blink."

The girls paled, even Mizore as she turned white as a ghost.

"Y-y-you're exaggerating, right?" questioned Kurumu.

He answered, "There's no need to exaggerate her skills with her psychic powers. We were an unstoppable force back then, leaving nothing but death and destruction in our wake. Every army that went against us fell in only a matter of five seconds. I was mostly the brawn but as an assassin...well...if you can kill a man by inducing heart failure through eye contact well she wins Assassin of the Year." He added, "And that was before she was cybernetically augmented. Now she can fight both physically and mentally. No offense, but Lina's a trained soldier. You girls...aren't."

"Doesn't mean she can't be beaten," said Moka.

"Moka, I know what you and inner you are thinking," said Shinichi sternly. "Don't try to fight her. **Don't**. She's my problem."

"Hey, Shin-"

"WAH!" Shinichi spun and fired his gun.

"Gak! Sonovabitch!" Yokoshima grunted as he was stunned before dropping to the floor.

"You shot him!" Moka cried, pointing at Yokoshoma's prone and rigid form.

"Stun rounds," said Shinichi. "Perfectly harmless, though they sting." Kurumu put her hands around the gun.

"Shinichi, please give me the gun and calm down," Kurumu said soothingly.

"I'm just...I'm scared..." Shinichi said as he relinquished the gun to the blue-haired Succubus. "She can do anything to me, but it's you girls I worry about. Right now she's holding back because she'd want me alive."

"She... really is still in love with you, isn't she?" Mizore asked slowly.

"Yeah..." Shinichi slowly nodded. "Kinda like 'Fatal Attraction' meets 'Terminator'. But... I don't have those same affections for her. I don't know what she would do if I told her that."

"Probably beat you until you're black and blue before dragging you off," said Yokoshima who was still lying on the floor.

"Are you still conscious?" asked Yukari.

"Yes, but I can't move and I think I need to use the bathroom," he answered. "Could someone help me? It's No. 2."

"Since this is my fault...Kurumu-chan, Mizore-chan, grabs his arms. Moka-chan and I will hold his legs. Yukari-chan, please lead the way," instructed Shinichi.

"Hai!" the girls chimed. Kurumu and Mizore took hold of Yokoshima's arms while Moka and Shinichi took his legs. Yukari went to the front to lead them to where the bathrooms were being held.

"Hey, Yokoshima," Shinichi began as the group went on their way. "What are you doing here in the Hive Queen anyway?"

"Hey, can't a guy train?" Yokoshima complained.

"Well, yeah, desu. But you have to have noticed how late it is," Yukari pointed out.

"Something you aren't telling us?" Mizore asked.

Yokoshima sighed, "Alright. Back when Netto and I were dealing with that crazy nurse woman, I got thrown so hard I crashed into this girl's dorm. She took one look at me and then shoved me onto her bed and tried get it my pants."

"Hold on," Shinichi blinked, "You were nearly raped?"

"Raped?" Yokoshima repeated. "I wouldn't call it tha-"

"If someone tries to force themselves onto you without your consent, it's rape," Shinichi interrupted, "It doesn't matter if you're a man or a woman. It counts on both sides."

"Gah, you have a point," Yokoshima sighed. "Just don't tell Misato. She'll never let me hear the end of it."

"Who was the crazy girl, anyway?" Mizore asked.

"Well..." Yokoshima sighed as he looked back. "She was actually pretty cute. She had white hair and purple eyes. She's freakishly strong too. She managed to pin me down to her bed. She also called me her 'Destined One'."

"Huh?" Kurumu blinked, halting the march to the bathroom. "What did she call you?"

"Her Destined One," Yokoshima said. He then realized the relevance of being called that. "Hey, does that mean she's Succubus like you?"

"If she is, then she wouldn't have that freakish strength like you just said. But then that would mean she's a... oh," Kurumu seemed to pale.

"What is it, Kurumu-chan?" Moka asked.

"She would have to be an Amazoness," Kurumu paled.

"Amazoness?" Shinichi asked. "What's that?"

"It's short for 'Amazon Demoness'," Kurumu explained. "Amazonesses are types of Succubi who are known for their aggressiveness and strength. Their ways of finding their mates is completely different from ours. They don't have the Charm ability, so what they do when they find a man they like is do whatever they want with him."

"What do you mean by that?" Shinichi asked.

"If this girl tried to rape Yokoshima on the spot, then it means she's an amateur at finding men," Kurumu answered.

"Oh, thank Kami-sama," Yokoshima sighed.

"...A wiser Amazoness would've first knocked him out, and _then_ rape him," Kurumu finished.

"WHAT!-?" Yokoshima gawked.

"Seriously!-?" Yukari gaped. "They do that!-?"

"I did say they were aggressive," Kurumu said. "Funny thing is that after they are done having their way with the man of their choice, said man ends up falling for her anyway."

"Wow," Moka remarked. "How unbelievable."

"How did you get away?" Mizore asked.

"I transformed and rolled out of there like a bat outta hell!" said Yokoshima.

"So, a girl was literally throwing herself at you, and you ran?" Shinichi deadpanned.

"Hey, I'm not you, Shinichi! I'm no man-whore!" Yokoshima said defensively.

"Wait, WHAT?" Shinichi gaped.

"Hey, Shinichi isn't a man-whore!" Kurumu snapped. "You take that back!"

"Oh, he's totally a man-whore like Daichi said," justified Yokoshima.

"Wait, Daichi calls me a 'man-whore'?" Shinichi asked, his left eyebrow twitching.

"That, and an extreme mama's boy," Yokoshima added.

"Well, that's not exactly fair! I haven't seen my mother in years!" Shinichi retorted.

"Hey, it's what he said," Yokoshima stated. "I'm just a messenger."

"Daichi's just jealous, darling," Kurumu said to Shinichi. "Unlike you, he doesn't have that much luck with women."

"Doesn't he have that Haruhi girl chasing after him?" Mizore asked.

"I mean not as much luck as Shinichi by comparison!" Kurumu clarified. "I mean...look at _me_! I'm gorgeous and great in bed!"

Yukari coughed, "Slut!"

"What'd you say?-!" Kurumu growled. She was about to lunge at the Witch, but Shinichi held his arm out to stop her.

"Yukari-chan, that's not something you should say!" scolded Shinichi.

"She kinda is," said Mizore.

"Hey!" Kurumu snapped.

"Not you too, Mizore-chan..." Shinichi groaned.

"That's right! It's like the pot calling the kettle black! You wanna bed him every chance you get too!" Kurumu pointed out.

"Only so I can have his babies," Mizore said.

"Is this the type of conversations you have all the time," said Yokoshima. They finally found the bathroom. "Oh, thank god."

"Can you move now?" asked Shinichi.

"Yeah, I think I got feeling in me-"

**THUD!**

"Ow..." Yokoshima let out as he was dropped on his back. He picked himself up. "Did you have to let go of me like that?" he complained as he rubbed his back.

"Just go in and do your business," Shinichi ordered, pointing to the bathroom door. He was obviously still peeved about being called a man-whore. "Girls, let me show you to your rooms."

"Shinichi-kun, I just need you to be clear on this. You are going to be keeping us here until this whole issue with...your ex is resolved?" Moka asked.

"Not all the time. We can still go to school and the newspaper club. You'll only be staying here the rest of the time, even the weekends, until I take care of this," he said. Moka caressed his face.

"Shinichi-kun, I, we love you. Your problems are our problems. We all share them together," said Moka. He pulled her hands away.

"That's the thing. I don't want you to share my problems. I don't want my past to catch up to me and you ending up being caught in the middle. What I want is you to be safe." He turned around, "There's been too much death and misery already for me. Goodnight." Shinichi left to his chambers as the girls watched him go with worry.

* * *

><p>After avoiding Misato's wrath, Zero stood on one of the buildings of the campus overlooking the area. Normally, he was focused and dedicated. However, what he saw just before was something that he wouldn't get out of his head for a long time to come.<p>

"Of all the places they had to do it, why did it have to be the gymnasium?" Zero muttered under his breath. "They have rooms, don't they?" They were lucky that he was the only to see them like that. They may have become lovers before arriving to Youkai Academy, but they could have gotten into real trouble if they were caught by anyone else.

"_All is quiet on the front," _a voice in his helmet spoke.

"Ah, Katsumi-san," Zero answered. Shogo wasn't the only night patrol officer around the campus. Katsumi, the girl from his math class and the referee from the Tournament had also volunteered. While he could see almost everything from a bird's eye view, it was more ideal to have more then one patroller keeping everything in tabs in case something happened. "Right, nothing to report on my end. Let's give it one more run before we turn in for the night."

"_Hai."_

Zero walked to the edge of the roof before dropping down. He fell into a swarm of trees and quickly returned to his human form as he came out, landing with a crouch before standing back up and started to trek around.

Earlier today, Daichi had told him that he was attacked by the second-in-command of ANTI-THESIS, a kid named Kiria Yoshi. This must mean that ANTI-THESIS is not only targeting Shinichi anymore. It's very likely that they are now coming after all the Kamen Riders in the school. Everyone now had to be extra careful, mostly since they had already seen what some of the members were capable of doing. Not only that, but it also appears that Lina wasn't the only Jager in the campus anymore. Shinichi and his girls were attacked by #18, A.K.A. Kamen Rider Atlas, around the same time Daichi was dealing with Kiria. This might mean that the other Jager Unit members may be hiding somewhere in the campus, waiting for the opportunity to attack them.

With enemies now on two sides, things were beginning to become more hectic than Shogo realized. And to think, they came to this school so they could live like normal teenagers for once. Looks like they weren't going to live normally anytime soon.

Hearing a shuffle around the trees behind him, Shogo quickly turned around. Nothing was there.

"Must be the wind," he concluded. He turned around to the front, only for his eyes widen as he jumped backwards in instinct. Before him was a man with unkempt black hair with dark eyes, wearing a jacket over black clothing. He was casually lighting up a cigar as he eyed Shogo with dark ambition.

"Who are you?" Shogo remained. "You don't look like a student here."

"Yeah, maybe I'm not," the man shrugged, putting away his lighter. "I was just really getting hungry, ya know. I heard this place has some good stuff to eat."

"That's a dumb reason to be trespassing here," Shogo frowned.

"Maybe to you," the man said, sharp spikes appearing on his arm, "But for me, it's essential!" he slashed across Shogo's chest, causing the blood to spill out. Shogo gagged slightly as he staggered backwards, holding his chest.

"Are you... one of the Outcast Ayashi?" Shogo demanded hoarsely.

"Me? An Outcast? Do your homework pal!" the man seemed to grow to a longer height, but then Shogo realized that his legs were like that of a centipede. He was briefly reminded of Goemon's Centipedroid. If the Centipede Cyborg were here right now, he'd make some kind of wiseass remark about this guy.

"I'm an Oomukade," the man explained, his eyes gleaming hungrily at Shogo. "And I've been holding back my hunger for too damn long! I was assigned to kill you and your friends. I heard from the boss that you were some kind of robot bugs. I wonder what you guys taste like..."

Shogo's eyes widened as he realized what the the Oomukade was talking about, "You... eat people?-!"

"So you finally figured it out, huh?" the Oomukade grinned. "A little too late for that. You're my prey now, and prey only needs to be eaten obediently. Now hold still..." he shot the pincers of his tail directly at Shogo. A normal person would have been caught easily, but Shogo was far from normal. He was a Wasp, one of the fastest insects in existence. He vanished before the tail could touch him, resulting in the dirt being shot upwards.

"He's gone?" the Oomukade frowned. Looking behind him, he saw Shogo making a break for it in the forest. Grinning, he licked off the blood from the spikes of his arm. "Trying to get away, huh? It makes no difference! Your blood tastes like a bee, so like it or not I'm gonna see what the rest of you tastes like!"

Shogo ran as fast as his cybernetics could carry him, which was faster than a speeding bullet. He suffered from injuries like a slash on his chest before, as well as other injuries that were worse than that, so it didn't really bother him all that much. But it looked like what he predicted was correct. ANTI-THESIS was coming after their lives.

Shogo came to a stop under a tree, trying to come up with a strategy for fighting this monster. He didn't know much about Youkai, so he needed to think of a plan that would involve him not dying, or in this case, not getting eaten. As the main strategist of the NUMBERS, he could think of two hundred and fifty plans in his head that would result in victory.

"Shogo-san!" Shogo looked up and saw Katsumi running towards him with a panicked look on her face. She had heard the commotion and went to investigate it. Her eyes widened as she saw his blood stained uniform. "Y-you're hurt!"

"Don't worry about it, Katsumi-san," Shogo reassured.

"'Don't worry about it'?" Katsumi repeated, flabbergasted. "Look at yourself!" She walked towards him and examined the cut closely. She blinked as she noticed something off. "How odd... there isn't much blood loss. An injury like this normally needs immediate medical attention."

"Trust me, I've suffered worse than this," Shogo told her.

"Still, I don't like it," Katsumi said stubbornly. "Good thing this forest has some healing remedies I can use. I can have you patched up."

The tree behind them was suddenly ripped apart, prompting the teenagers to turn around. In the place of the tree, the Oomukade stood towering over them with an imitating grin. "You're only delaying yourself kid. I can smell your blood from miles away."

"Che!" Shogo frowned.

"Oh?" the Oomukade's grin widened as he noticed Katsumi looking at him in shock. "And a pretty girl too? Even better!" Katsumi screamed as she was caught by surprise as the Oomukade's tail suddenly grabbed her and trapped her in his legs.

"Katsumi-san!" Shogo gasped. He glared at the Oomukade. "Let her go, damn it! It's me you're after, isn't it?-!"

"To be honest kid, I enjoy the taste of young girls even better," the Oomukade grinned, stroking Katsumi's face as she shuddered. "You wanna know a secret? I used to be a student in this school before I went to live in the Human World. It was really frustrating that I couldn't eat the humans walking about aimlessly. And it was especially awkward whenever I was with my girl." His long tongue snaked out of his mouth, "I wanted to eat her, to dig out her guts, to gnaw her bones, to drink her fluids... you know how mad that drove me?"

"I wouldn't know," Shogo glared. "And I don't think I ever will. Now, let. Her. Go."

"Hmm... I don't think I will," the Oomukade said, the grip of his legs tightening around Katsumi, "I think I'll just eat you both."

Katsumi coughed as she opened one of her eyes, looking at the Oomukade, "Are you done?"

"Hm, yeah. I'm done," Oomukade answered, licking his lips.

"Good. Because now I can do this." Katsumi suddenly vanished from the Oomukade's grip, shocking him.

"Wha... what the?-!" the Oomukade gasped. Just then, the legs that once bounded Katsumi suddenly snapped off and blood spued out wildly. "GYAAAA...!"

Katsumi reappeared next to Shogo, skidding along the ground. "Katsumi-san!" Shogo gasped. "How did you...?'

"He caught me off guard, so that was my fault," Katsumi smiled sheepishly, clocking her head. "He seems quite weak though. Shall we detain him?"

"Yes. Let's go," Shogo nodded as his belt formed. "Henshin!" the crystal in his belt released a swarm of wasps made of light that enveloped him before solidifying into his suit. As soon as he was done transforming, his stingers slid out of his gauntlets.

"I haven't seen anyone transform like that before," Katsumi remarked, looking at his suit up and down. "It looks nice." She then faced the Oomukade and then crossed her arms as she emitted a low growl. Zero and the Oomukade watched in alarm as an intense blue aura appeared around her. She released a loud, wolfish howl as her Youki exploded. Zero was pushed backwards and nearly got thrown off his feet. The Oomukade was not as lucky as he got thrown into several trees from the force. When the Youki subsided, they both saw that Katsumi had changed form. Her hair color had changed from black to ruby red. Dog ears appeared on her head and and a matching bushy tail swished out from under her skirt. Her eyes turned blood red with black slits, claws had lengthened from her fingers, and a pair of fangs could be seen out of her mouth.

"What... an Inugami...?" Oomukade whispered slowly. "That girl is an Inugami...?-!" The confident malice from his face was now gone, and was replaced with a look of cold terror. "Sh-shit! She's a different Werewolf breed! An S-Class Youkai!"

"Really?" Zero asked, looking at his friend. "I guess she can take care of herself after all."

Katsumi looked at Zero, "Ready, Shogo-san?"

"This will only take a nanosecond," Zero nodded.

The Oomukade backed up slowly in fear as the Wasp Cyborg and the S-Class Dog Youkai stalked towards him. The only reason he took this job was to grab some snacks. He thought it would be simple, he didn't expect to run into this predicament! But like a caged rat, he struck and spat acidic webbing at the pair. Both Zero and Katsumi moved about in bullet speed, avoiding the acid thrown at them with ease.

"Take this!" Zero thrust his right arm at the Oomukade and fired a beam of yellow energy. The beam struck the man-eating Youkai directly in the chest. The Oomukade screamed out as he was thrown backwards. "My Sting Beam works as well as my stingers."

"Okay, my turn!" Katsumi blurred out of sight as she rushed at the Oomukade, slashing her claws at the beast. He continued to scream and thrash as blood spilled out from his wounds. She knocked him down by the head, picked him up and threw him into the air.

Zero looked up as the Oomukade went soaring upwards before ejecting his wings and flying after him. He flipped in midair before putting his Stingers together, causing them to spark, and aimed at the monster. **"Zero Storm!"** he called out, firing a huge laser beam at his target. The beam connected and shot the Oomukade down hard, sending him crashing on the ground with a loud rumble. The beam died down and Zero landed before Katsumi, who was waiting for him. His armor canceled out in the form of wasps flying off his body. "Good looking out," he said to her.

Katsumi blushed softly, and smiled as she nodded.

* * *

><p>Some time later, Shogo sat against a tree as Katsumi applied some sap and herbs that she found on the trees. The herbs stung slightly, but Shogo bore through it. Katsumi, meanwhile, blushed very hard as she was very much feeling up Shogo's highly toned chest. She had never seen such a chest up close before, and it was very hard to look away from it.<p>

Her work done, Katsumi moved back and sighed. "It's done. It'd heal within twelve hours, but it will leave a scar. For now, don't try to move around so much."

"Thank you, Katsumi-san," Shogo said gratefully. "I guess it's a good thing you decided to join the Student Police. You're very intelligent about these things."

Katsumi blushed as she looked down. "I'm... not that smart."

"What do you mean?" Shogo asked, bewildered. "Why would you say that about yourself?"

Katsumi sighed, "I don't really have that many friends. Because I'm always getting good grades, other people shun me, thinking that I'm too smart for them. It's even worse since I'm an Inugami. Lower class Youkai tend to judge me without even knowing me."

Shogo looked at Katsumi sympathetically. It was sad to see someone unable to make friends because of what people thought of her. And others are even afraid of her because of her S-Class status. Gently, he placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'll be your friend."

Katsumi looked at Shogo, surprised. "R-really?"

"If you want me too," Shogo nodded. He blushed as he scratched the back of his head. "And, your true form is pretty cute."

Katsumi blushed even brighter upon hearing that. Slowly, she leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. Shogo blushed and looked at Katsumi, surprised.

"K-Katsumi-san!" Shogo exclaimed, blushing.

Katsumi giggled, her tail wagging back and forth, "I'm sorry! I don't know what came over me!" Shogo staired as Katsumi continued to laugh cutely. Slowly, he found himself smiling.

Standing on a tree that was some distance away, the Headmaster stood on a branch as he watched the two teenagers laughing together. Hefted on his shoulder was the defeated Oomukade, still unconscious from Zero's finisher. Good thing for him that Shogo was holding back, or else the Oomukade would have fried, or at least have a hole in his stomach.

"Well, that was quite a show you both put up," the Headmaster smiled to himself. "I'll have to see what else you Kamen Riders can do."

* * *

><p>"Come on, pick up, pick up, pick up, pick up," Shinichi repeated as he paced back and forth with the cell phone to his ear. It was ringing for a few moments before he received an answer.<p>

"_Hello?_" Shiori's voice came.

"Kaa-chan," Shinichi was with relief. "You're OK, right?"

"_Of course I'm OK_," Shiori answered. "_Do you mind switching to speaker and video? I wanna see you!_"

"Sure," Shinichi said as he removed the phone from his ear and pressed the option to reveal Shiori's face on the screen. "Hello, Kaa-chan."

"_Hi~!"_ Shiori waved happily. _"Where are you?"_

"Oh, on the Hive Queen, to do some late night training," he told her. "I need to keep in shape."

"_It's getting pretty late, isn't it?"_ Shiori asked. _"Are you alright? You seem nervous."_

"Just...wanted to check up on you, that's all," said Shinichi. "I'm glad you're doing alright."

"_And how are you doing, __Shinji__?"_ asked Shiori.

"I'm fine," Shinichi lied.

"_Well, that's good. And the girls?"_

"They're fine too."

"_They aren't pregnant, are they?"_ she questioned.

"Kaa-chan!" he exclaimed in embarrassment. His twin ahoge straightened upwards.

"_I know, I want grandchildren, but not too soon,"_ she said. _"But at least by the time you're in your mid-twenties."_

"If Mizore-chan had her way it'd be sooner," mumbled Shinichi.

"_What was that?"_ Shiori asked for clarification.

"Just saying that the girls and I practice safe sex," he said.

"_That's good. That box of condoms I gave you hasn't gone to waste. The girls must love them too. They're ribbed for their pleasure,"_ Shiori told him. Shinichi had to blush a bit since his mother was talking about a sensitive issue so openly with her son. _"Just remember what I told you. Sex is about mutual satisfaction. Even if you had an orgasm first, keep going until she does so she'll be happy."_

"I know!" he retorted. "Anyway, I just hope you stay safe."

"_Oh, I will. I have Carl to look after me,"_ she said.

Carl? "Wait, who's Carl?" Shinichi asked.

"_My new boyfriend,"_ she answered. _"I want you to meet him over the break."_

"Wait! Boyfriend!-?" Shinichi yelled. "Kaa-chan!"

"_I have to go now. I have this new manuscript I really need to finish. Bye! I love you! And tell me when you have your School Festival so I can come!"_ She hung up after that.

"Wait!" Shinichi shouted and he tried to call back only for his phone's battery to be low on power. He asked himself, "When did she get a boyfriend?" He felt that trying to think up an answer at the moment would cause him to lose sleep so he shelved the issue for later and went to his quarters.

As he lay in bed, the door slid open as a female figure tiptoed towards his bed. She stared at his face and caressed it gently before climbing into bed with him. He was so distressed and she thought that she could make him feel better just by being there, and being the first face he saw when he awoke.

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: Well, whaddya guys think? Shinichi's freaking out and it seems that Shogo had to battle against a centipede demon. What is the Headmaster planning exactly? I wonder...well, hopefully you enjoy this chapter that we've just finished.<strong>


	54. AntiThesis: Into the Heat of the Sun

**Chapter 54: Into the Heat of the Sun**

Outside, in front of one of the school walls, a young man dressed in a jacket over his white shirt, jeans, and a cap leaned on the wall, smiling to himself as tossed a spraycan up and down. He got off the wall and turned around to face it, shaking the can fiercely. With surprising speed, he sprayed on the wall, his hand going as if to write a message. His job done, he grinned as he admired his handiwork before going off on his roller skates.

The message on the wall was ominous. It said in bloody red paint:

"**THERE IS NO FUTURE, RIDERS. THE SCHOOL FESTIVAL WILL BE A RAIN OF BLOOD."**

* * *

><p>Students were crowding around in front of a wall, which was something Shogo and Yuki both noticed. Shogo decided to get their attention the only way he knew how. Using his Spark Core, he activated a partial transformation which summoned his helmet over his head. He activated the voice amplifier and spoke into it. Yuki, knowing what he was planning to do, took a few steps back.<p>

"ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT! IT'S FIVE MINUTES UNTIL THE BELL RINGS!" Shogo shouted, which shocked the students, causing a few of them to yell out in response. "WHAT'S GOING ON HERE!"

It was Chiaki who stepped forward as he answered, holding up one of his signs to communicate, **"Someone defaced the wall."**

"What?" Yuki blinked. "Let me see."

* * *

><p>Leon was looking at the photograph and frowning. With him were Yuji, Shinichi, Netto and the rest of the ex-NUMBERS. This concerned all of them as the message was directed towards them.<p>

"'_There is no future, Riders. The School Festival will be bathed in blood'_," Hana read. "Well, at least it wasn't painted with real blood."

"That's not all," Shinichi continued as he held up one of the articles from the newspaper. "This was snuck into my final draft somehow. It says and I quote: _'We strongly object to the festival on October 29th. We plead for the school management to stop operations, or else blood will be flowing.' _Humph, tough crowd."

Leon rubbed his chin, "This may wind up as a problem. The School Festival is coming up and to a lot of the students it's a big deal." Leon had seen the students beginning their preparations already. "The students need this to boost moral."

"And make some cash," said Yokoshima. "Daichi and I are doing a game stand."

"People are gonna throw stuff at a target and Yokoshima gets dropped into a huge tub of water," Daichi added. "I call it 'Dunk the Dope'."

"Well, we gotta figure out who put this message up on the wall," said Netto.

"I think it's pretty obvious," said Michiru. "It must be those ANTI-THESIS creeps."

"We can't know that for sure," said Leon. "It could also be the Jager Unit responsible for this. However, Michiru does have a rather sound point. Shinichi, Netto, Yokoshima, and Daichi have all had close encounters with ANTI-THESIS and as far as we know there could be agents already hidden in this school as we speak. They are against the school's peaceful policies, assuming that violence is the only way to run things. They must see us all as threats to whatever they have planned, and they want us out of the picture. We need to stick together, so I don't recommend anyone being out alone. A wise move is to always have backup in contact."

"So ANTI-THESIS could attack as at any moment," Yūji frowned. "Ain't that swell. And here I though the Jagers would be our only problem."

"So, what are you going to do about the vandalized wall?" Yokoshima questioned.

* * *

><p><strong>After School...<strong>

"I had to ask," Yokoshima sighed as he was wearing overalls over his white shirt. Chiaki was dressed the same too. They both had paint buckets and brushes. "Paint over it?"

"**Whoever did this used paint that couldn't be washed off," **Chiaki signed. **"The only other way was to paint over it."**

"Well, painting over it won't be as hard as trying to clean it, I guess," Yokoshima admitted. "The sooner we get done, the sooner we can head home."

"**How's your girl trouble?"**

"Haven't seen the crazy chick in school. Guess she hasn't managed to find me. I'd much rather date one of the girls in my Cosplay Club. But..."

"**You get nervous and tongue-tied when you try to ask any of them out."**

"I'm not Shinichi, Yūji, Leon or Netto. They're all ladies men. Me, not so much. Now I have a crazy girl who wants to kidnap and rape me. That would be one way of getting laid."

"**You might enjoy it."**

"I'm not a masochist."

"**Could've fooled me."**

* * *

><p>"So, who's the Student Council president?" Shinichi asked as he walked towards the Student Council building with Moka and Leon.<p>

"His name's Hokuto Kenshiro, and he's a 3rd year student," said Leon. "I met him after I became Captain of the Public Safety Committee."

"And what do you think of him, Leon?" Moka asked.

Leon answered honestly, "Well, I think he honestly believes that he's working to make the school better for all students."

"That's good," Shinichi smiled. "At least we know there are politicians we can trust."

Leon gave Shinichi a levelled look, "Are you serious?"

"I deserve to be an optimist some of the time, don't I?" Shinichi deadpanned with a sweatdrop.

Leon sighed as he rubbed his head, "Yeah, it is good to look at the bright side of things. Sorry about that. My older brother Naruto always did say that I was too serious for my own good."

"You have a brother?" Moka blinked. This was a surprise. Then again, the only family Leon has ever mentioned was his father and uncle.

"Let's just say that I have one big happy family," Leon said cryptically.

* * *

><p>"Finally!" Yokoshima sighed in relief. "That took forever!"<p>

"**You're exaggerating,"** Chiaki signed.** "It wasn't that bad." **

"Says the guy who comes from a family of artists," Yokoshima retorted.

"**Yeah, yeah," **Chiaki shrugged.

Both Cyborgs had finished up painting over the graffiti wall. Since the graffiti had taken up a good portion of the wall, it took a while to fill it all. Still, they managed to get the job done. Yokoshima looked exasperated while Chiaki didn't look all that troubled.

"Anyway, I'm gonna go back to my dorm and take a long, hot shower," Yokoshima sighed.

"**A good shower sounds nice right about now," **Chiaki admitted. He turned the sign and continued, **"Try not to get kidnapped and raped on your way back."**

"Oh, ha-ha. Very funny, you smartass," Yokoshima glared up at him.

"**Who would you rather have mocking you? Me? Or Misato?"**

"I prefer neither, thanks," Yokoshima retorted.

* * *

><p>The Student Council meeting room in the building was huge, with a conference table, and tall windows to let in the light. The members of the Student Council were present but they were waiting for others such as Club Presidents and Class Representatives to arrive as well. The meeting would be about preparations for the upcoming school festival.<p>

The President, named Hokuto Kenshiro, was a young man, who was taller than Shinichi by almost a foot with neatly combed brown hair and black glasses worn over his black eyes. He wore the standard Youkai Academy uniform but with an armband designating him as the Student Council President.

"Ah, Smith-taichou," Kaneshiro welcomed Leon. "It's so nice to see you again. And these are...?"

"Shinichi Banabara, Yoroshiku," Shinichi introduced himself. "And this is Moka Akashiya."

"Hello," Moka greeted with a polite bow.

"Shinichi Banabara," Kaneshiro repeated. "I've heard a lot about you, but this is the first time we've met. It's so good to finally meet you."

"Thank you."

"Let me introduce you to the rest of the Student Council, and once the other Class Representatives and Club Presidents have arrived, we may begin."

* * *

><p>Chiaki and Yokoshima had only turned their backs for a second when a breeze blew past them. Curious, the two turned and were stunned at what they saw.<p>

"NO! ALL OUR HARD WORK!" shouted Yokoshima, pulling at his hair.

The message they had worked so hard to paint over was back. Someone had painted over their hard work instead. What startled them was that it had just been done in the blink of an eye.

"**Yokoshima, calm down**," Chiaki signed.

"CALM DOWN? WHAT DO YA MEAN! NOW WE HAVE TO START ALL OVER AGAIN! AND I HATE DOING WORK!" Yokoshima continued to whine.

"**Then how about we go after the one who did this?"** Chiaki suggested. **"From the way this was done so quickly, I'm guessing that the one responsible has super speed. Still, they couldn't have gotten too far."**

"So we go after this guy and make him cut the crap," Yokoshima smiled, punching his palms, "I like it. Let's Roll!"

Chiaki sweat-dropped and signed, "**Must you really say _that_? All the time?**"

* * *

><p>Kaneshiro listened to the latest news, about a group protesting about the School Festival and trying to stop it. "This really is disturbing news."<p>

"Yes, and a lot of the students have been looking forward to the School Festival," said Shinichi. "Myself included."

"Yes," Kaneshiro nodded. "Smith-taichou, do you have any plans on how to prevent the School Festival from being cancelled?"

"We're starting an investigation, and as of now we have a list of suspects," said Leon.

"I've also heard that some people have broken into the barrier and are causing trouble," replied Kaneshiro. "And it's been going on since the beginning of last term. Could this be related to the threat against the School Festival?"

Shinichi frowned regrettably. It was because of him that GIN-SHOCKER managed to find Youkai Academy and somehow they managed to gain entry. With their science and technology, it wouldn't be hard for them to find some kind of weakness to exploit in order to send in their agents.

"We have no reason or evidence that the incidents from last term are connected to the School Festival. Not yet at least," Leon answered. "We don't know much about these intruders or what they are after. I think they may come from an outside party."

"So you mean that these people might not have anything to do with ANTI-THESIS?" a squinty-eyed boy asked curiously. He had messy black hair and was wearing a vest with a striped shirt.

"I refuse to believe that!" a tall and dark man rebutted. He had wavy white hair and and was dressed in a fine, white suit. "Who else could have known about this school? This academy was hidden from human eyes for thousands of years! How could have we been discovered only now?"

"What about that huge giant fight that happened last term?" a cloaked person in a grinning mask asked. That was something that no one was likely to forget for a long time.

"Didn't the Headmaster say that it was a test to check the strength level of the barrier?"

"But why a kaiju fight? Was that all really necessary?"

Shinichi frowned deeper as the Council members continued to argue, but didn't say a word. He really didn't need to implicate himself about what had happened. Not many knew about his ability to assume the form of Kamen Rider J and using his Jumbo Formation ability.

"That's enough!" Kaneshiro barked, slamming his hands down on the table. This got everyone to suddenly shut up and look up at Kaneshiro. "Everyone, I am very much aware of the threat that ANTI-THESIS and this unknown outside organization pose. Aside from that, the violence in this school has increased and because of that people around us are getting hurt! However, we cannot allow this to carry on any longer!" Kaneshiro breathed out several times from the rush of his words. After a short moment of silence, he stood up right and continued. "Everyday, I have always heard of fights and wars that caused the deaths of many people who didn't deserve to die. Even here, Youkai Academy is not immune to that. Since I was a boy, I dreamed of a peaceful world, a world where both Human and Youkai kind can move past their differences and live together peacefully. This is the foundation that Youkai Academy was built on! And to uphold that foundation, we can't allow ANTI-THESIS or anyone else to tell us otherwise!" He slammed his fist on the table, "We WILL continue with the festival as planned, and continue to usher in the peace that it symbolises! No one can stop us! No matter what they try to do!"

Shinichi found himself moved by Kaneshiro's heartfelt speech, so moved that he found himself applauding. It wasn't long before Moka, Leon, and the other members applauded with him. Soon, the room was filled with only the sound of applause.

'_Kaneshiro-kaicho... sugoi ne,'_ Shinichi mentally spoke in awe.

* * *

><p>"Looks like our anonymous tagger left a trail for us," Yokoshima pointed at the tracks in the path. He was about to go ahead when Chiaki held him back by the shoulder, shaking his head. "What's wrong? There's two of us. We can handle it."<p>

"**Super speed, remember?**" Chiaki signed. He flipped the sign around. "**Doesn't matter how many of us there are if we can't land a hit on him**."

"And that's why we got you. You can stop him in his tracks," said Yokoshima confidently.

"**Won't do any good if we can't hit him, but I'll try. You just do what you gotta do.**"

* * *

><p>Leon, Shinichi and Moka were leaving the Student Council meeting. The Shinigami advised, "You should keep to a low profile right now, Shinichi."<p>

"Isn't that what I've always been doing?" Shinichi retorted.

"No, not really," Leon shook his head. "I mean the Student Council is now aware of what's going on and if they think you're responsible, they can get you kicked out if it keeps the school safe."

"But that's not fair!" Moka argued.

"I know, but even if it isn't Shinichi's fault, GS found this place through him. I know there's no fixing what has already happened, but Youkai Academy can't risk another attack from that organization right now," said Leon.

"I understand," said Shinichi.

"By the way, what do you think of the Student Council?" Leon asked.

"Weird and creepy, but normal by this place's standards," said Shinichi. "But Kaneshiro-sempai was pretty cool with how he handled everyone. If looked up the dictionary for the word 'leader' you'd see his face as an example." He saw Leon's eyes narrowed in suspicion, "What's up?"

"The Headmaster thinks that one of them is a member of ANTI-THESIS; a mole to be precise," said Leon. "I was supposed to see which one it could be, but they're all suspects from what I can see."

"Well, that's one way to start an investigation," said Shinichi. "So, we find the mole and get him to talk?"

"Yes, and this time we're going to make sure he doesn't get killed, or his memory wiped," Leon added. He checked his watch and said, "Anyway, I'm a bit late in picking up Tamao from daycare. Later."

* * *

><p>The trail led Yokoshima and Chiaki towards the remains of an old building. The roof was gone, windows were broken, and the outer walls were decorated with graffiti.<p>

And there they found their suspected tagger, leaning on the wall and playing with a spraycan.

"Yo!" he greeted.

Yokoshima decided it was time to make a stand. Standing in front of Chiaki, he pointed, "OK, buster! Who the hell are you and why did you have to ruin all our hard work?-!"

The youth answered, "Why? You gotta ask why?" He gave a snort, "Seriously, is that even the question you wanna ask?"

"I asked, didn't I?" Yokoshima retorted.

"Of course I had to do what I had to do because we're trying to send a message to all you bozos!" the youth declared. "Don't you get it?"

"**We understand that you want to disrupt the preparation for the School Festival," **Chiaki signed.

"Hey, what's with the signs, dude?" the tagger demanded.

"He doesn't talk, period. And even if he did, he wouldn't spare any words for vandals," said Yokoshima.

"You guys are all the same. Self-righteous fags," the youth scoffed. "This school needs to change and we, ANTI-THESIS, are gonna make that happen!"

"Change? Change what?" Yokoshima asked. "Sure this school has some shady characters, but what you're doing shouldn't involve violence! You know how many people got hurt from what you're pulling?"

The tagger simply smirked. And then, with startling speed, he swerved around both Cyborgs, swinging his legs so fast, they appeared as blurs. He skid to a stop behind them and before both boys could react, cuts splashed from their bodies.

"Ah!" Yokoshima flinched as he held his chest. He and Chiaki were used to such injuries, so they stood their ground. "What the hell? What did you do?"

"Haha!" the youth laughed. "What a slow reaction time! With speeds like that, you both will never keep up with me!"

Chiaki looked and saw something odd with the tagger's legs. His feet had turned into sharp, bony rollerblades, with the emphasis on blades. They looked like they could cut through soft flesh easily. **"You can turn your feet into skates?" **Chiaki signed,** "So that's how you can move so fast."**

"So you figured it out, huh big man?" the Graffiti Demon smiled, "A little too late since you're both gonna die now."

"Sorry to tell you, both it'll take more than just flashy moves to kill us," Yokoshima smiled. Both he and Chiaki formed their Spark Cores, "Henshin!" Blinding flashes of light erupted from their belts, causing the Graffiti Demon to recoil backwards from shock. Once the light died down, both Armadillo and Slasher remained.

The Graffiti Demon frowned, "I heard from the higher ups that you guys were some armored bugs or something. Guess they were right. Just what are guys?"

"It's like you said before, we're Kamen Riders!" Armadillo pointed, "And this school is under our watch! You ANTI-THESIS assholes are going down!" Slasher nodded, his helmet giving out several beeps.

"What, now he's talking like R2-D2?" the Graffiti Demon asked, annoyed.

"It's binary," Armadillo explained, "Whenever he's transformed, he communicates with that. Me and several others are the only ones who can understand him. I'd tell you what he just said, but it wasn't very pleasant."

"Oh, is that right? Guess I'll have to pay him back for it!" the Graffiti Demon shouted as he speed towards them. Slasher charged forward to meet up in the clash, his hands turning into chainsaws. As they met up in the center, the Graffiti Demon was faster to act as he avoided the saws and kicked Slasher on the chest. The blades scrapped across and the Termite Rider stumbled backwards.

The Graffiti Demon cackled, "Nice try freakshows, but I'm the fastest member of the Anti-thesis group!" at this the speed demon rushed again.

"Oh yeah! Well in GIN-SHOCKER I was considered the strongest defense-wise, SO BRING IT ON, DICKHEAD!"Armadillo roared as he jumped in front and punched the Graffiti Demon, sending him stumbling back.

"You don't scare me," Graffiti Demon scoffed as he used his super speed to deliver several quick strikes. With the heavy armor, all the attacks did was send sparks around, and annoy Armadillo.

"You're starting to piss me off!" Armadillo yelled before sending his fist at the Graffiti Demon's head. The punch sent him flying back again and landing face-down on the dirt.

The Graffiti Demon got back up to his feet and glared at the approaching heavy armored Cyborg. "What is that armor made of?" he frowned. "I couldn't get a scratch on him." Before he could move again, whitish gunk spart out of nowhere and landed on the blades of his feet. "GAH! what the hell is this stuff!" he shouted. He tried twisting out, but he was glued to the ground.

"Don't you know? The soldier termite can spew their own version of glue," Armadillo stated as he came to a stop in front of the Graffiti Demon. "Tell me, do you know what my favorite movie is?"

"What?" the Graffiti Demon asked.

"Crank." At this, he pulled him out of the glue by the leg and started to bash him onto the ground violently, and even began stomping on him.

While Armadillo was thrashing the Graffiti Demon, Weapon D was standing on the roof of the building with her arms crossed underneath her chest. "Hmm. Looks like #09 isn't such a bad fighter, despite what most of the higher ups say about him," Weapon D observed. She was sent by Kyofu to observe the mavericks and their allies to see how they fight for future confrontations. She was also sent to see what enemies they are fighting to be made aware of those enemies on what to do. Still, she wished to fight Yūji Fudo once more for some reason, but she wasn't given orders yet to do so. Kyofu did mention she needed to observe the other Riders in battle, so this was a good chance to start.

Meanwhile, Armadillo finished thrashing the Graffiti Demon to the ground. After the thrashing, the Graffiti Demon was wearing torn clothes while suffering some bruises.

Armadillo leaned forward and asked, "Give up?"

The only reply he got was getting a barrage of kicks to his face by the speed demon, sending the Pillbug Cyborg skidding backwards.

The Graffiti Demon then got back up and said, "Not yet!" He ducked under Slasher's swing and ran backwards to make some distance between them.

While the Graffiti Demon was confident about his speed, he was actually a little bit nervous inside. There was not much info on these two bugs, whatever they were. And the shorter one could take his hits without flinching. What kind of Yōkai were they supposed to be?

Meanwhile, Slasher was beeping and Armadillo nodded as he got the message.

* * *

><p>Shiroha, the Amazoness, could smell her prey and knew where to find him. Soon, he would be all hers and he wouldn't be able to protess. Seriously, how could he resist her? She was going to teach him not to run away and break a girl's heart like that.<p>

She found the spot but not her chosen mate. The one she did find was a tomboyish girl who seemed to be looking around for something...or someone. The Amazoness' eyes narrowed. '_This girl better not be trying to steal my man.'_

Gemma actually came to see how Chiaki was doing. He was missing their usual club meeting and heard that he'd been told to get rid of the graffiti. She found the wall, still marked with graffiti, and two buckets of paint with paint brushes, but no sign of her club member.

"Wonder what happened to Yukinojou-kun?" Gemma muttered to herself, scratching her head. Looking down, she noticed a trail of footprints leading away from the wall. "What's this?"

"Hey!" Gemma looked to see someone coming towards her. Shiroha questioned, "Have you seen a cute guy with spiky brown hair around? I heard he was supposed to be here."

"I'm looking for someone also," Gemma nodded, "A tall student who uses signs to speak."

"Oh," Shiroha blinked. Looks like she didn't have to worry about her after all. "I've seen them both together a couple of times. How about we look for them together?"

"Don't see the problem with that," the Minotaur shrugged. "I'm Gemma Ishikawa, by the way. Second year student."

"Shiroha Himegami. First year," the white haired girl introduced. "So, this guy you're looking for? He got a name?"

"Chiaki Yukinojou," answered Gemma. "And as the one you're looking for, his name is Yokoshima Ryuunosuke-Magi. I've seen them together a few times."

Shiroha smiled, "Hm...Yokoshima, huh...?" She wanted to know more about the young man she'd become smitten with, intimately.

"I think they went that way," said Gemma, gesturing to the footprints. Shiroha grabbed her wrist.

"Well, then let's go find those boys!" exclaimed Shiroha eagerly as she dragged Gemma along with her.

* * *

><p>The Graffiti Demon gritted his teeth as he was slammed backwards against a wall. Things were not looking up. While he had speed on his side, these guys wore armor that was able to withstand his attacks. Fortunately, he had something to even things up. Reaching into his pockets, he pulled out several glowing blue pills, which both Armadillo and Slasher quickly took notice to.<p>

"Huh?" Armadillo blinked. "Where the hell did you get that?"

"You'd be surprised what kind of stuff you can get in the Yōkai World," the Graffiti Demon retorted. "Word on the street is that they could give Yōkai a huge boost of power. With this stuff, a D-Class Yōkai could get as strong as an S-Class. How about we test that theory?"

"Don't do it, man!" Armadillo shouted, "That stuff's gonna mess you up!" Slasher nodded with several beeps coming from his helmet.

"Can it, R2-DBag!" The Graffiti Demon popped the pills into his mouth and swallowed. As soon as he did this, he suddenly hunched down before letting out a loud roar. His body became more muscular as his veins and eyes glowed bright blue. With the transformation complete, he slammed his fists onto the ground, causing the ground to shake as cracks appeared, before vanishing out of sight.

"Where did he-?" Armadillo looked around frantically before he suddenly screamed as sparks flew from his chestplate as he was slashed repeatedly. One last blow caused a massive eruption of sparks before he was thrown backwards, crashing into a nearby graffiti-covered wall before landing on his back, groaning in pain.

Slasher beeped frantically before he too was hit and sent reeling, cuts instantly appearing on his armored torso. Sparks flew off his helmet as he was kicked across the head and sent sprawling onto his back.

The Graffiti Demon reappeared in the center of the carnage to gaze at his handiwork. He looked at his arms, and then at the fallen Riders. He let out a soft chuckle, and then let out a full blown laugh. "Hehehehehe….HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I got this strong all from just popping a few blue pills? Man, what a riot! Hell, I can even take down those arrogant, high-class Purebloods if I want to, and they won't be able to do a damn thing about it! Werewolves brag about being the fastest species, but wait till they get a load of me!"

Armadillo groaned as he picked himself up. He glared at the Graffiti Demon's back. He didn't like being humiliated. Being put down as being the weakest and slowest of the NUMBERS with the most predictable attack pattern had been enough for him.

"Alright, time to bring out my weapons," said Armadillo as he summoned a pair of spiked maces, gripping them tightly in his hands. "I am so gonna smash that guy's cocky grin right off his face," he swore. Armadillo was known as the team's wrecking ball and he was going to show this guy why. Curling himself into a ball, he started to roll in place before shooting towards the Graffiti Demon at high speed. He then launched into the air and came down, uncurling himself as he let out a loud shout. The Graffiti Demon saw him coming and smirked.

Armadillo swung his maces down and the force of the impact made a crater. However, his target had vanished. He expected an attack to come at him and received a kick in the chest. However, his thick armor protected him. "Gonna have to do better than that!"

Meanwhile, Slasher was starting to recover. He shook his head, groaning, and then looked up to see Armadillo defending himself against the onslaught of the Graffiti Demon. He looked through his HUD, trying to get a lock on their opponent. He was moving faster than the eye could follow but their helmet's scanners could be useful in taking down their opponent. With his HUD locked on to the target, he took aim and fired his glue.

The glue landed on to the Graffiti Demon's back, grabbing his attention. "Glue again?" The glue wasn't a single glob. The glue was a single string connecting the Graffiti Demon's back to Slasher's helmet. He tossed his head to the side, swinging the Graffiti Demon through the air as he yelped before smashing him into the nearest wall. The glue string dissolved and Slasher went to his comrade, beeping in worry.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," said Armadillo as he pounded his chest plate. "I'm the super tough, unbreakable one, remember?" The rubble began to move. "Oh, come on!"

The Graffiti Demon began to climb back to his feet with pieces of rubble flaking off him. He dusted himself off as he angrily snarled at them, the blue glow on his veins and eyes becoming more prominent than ever. "OK, no more Mr. Nice Guy!"

"Since when were you a nice guy!" snapped Armadillo.

And all of a sudden, they heard a female voice shout, "Yukinojou-kun! Yukinojou-kun!"

"Who's that?" Armadillo asked and Slasher beeped the answer. "Gemma? As in the one from your art club?" Slasher nodded. "OK, we so didn't need this." He saw Gemma, and someone else coming, and he paled under his helmet. "Oh crap, not _her_." It was his would-be rapist, the Amazon Succubus that wanted to have her way with him.

Shiroha had only caught a glimpse of Yokoshima's armored form, but she recognized his bulky appearance which he'd assumed to escape from her in the form of a huge ball. Smiling, she gave him a flirtish wave, "Hey Yo-kun! What's up?"

"Of all the time in the world, why did it have to be this?" Armadillo mumbled to himself. "I'd be really turned on by her if I wanted to have sex willingly."

"Hey, think fast!" the Graffiti Demon shouted before kicking his legs up. The friction from the kick caused a large spinning blade to shoot towards Armadillo and Slasher. Slasher blocked with his chainsaws but the attack simply shattered his main weapons. He let out a silent scream as he was forced to retract the damaged blades, replacing them with his hands. His arms stung from the pain, but since his chainsaws were a part of him, they would repair. Still, he went on to the attack and tried to tackle the Graffiti Demon but was sent reeling by a slash kick and then he collapsed to his knees after receiving a brutal blow to his stomach.

"Alright, bad move fuckface!" Armadillo roared as he rolled over to the Graffiti Demon at full speed. The Graffiti Demon grinned maniacally before dashing towards him and sending a blue-hued drop kick on to the giant ball, sending him crashing into the old building. The power of the impact caused the roof to collapse. D, who was still standing on top of it, reacted quickly and jumped to a safer distance.

Gemma rushed to Slasher's side, checking on him. Somehow she knew he was a good person despite his appearance and not knowing who he was. Recognizing flashed in Slasher's eyes behind his visor as he let out a few beeps.

"What are you saying?" she asked and he realized she couldn't understand him. He whipped out a wooden sign, an obvious tell-tale of his true identity. "Yukinojou-kun?" Nobody else communicated with signs like him in Youkai Academy.

Meanwhile, Shiroha had gone into the building, pushing away the debris that got in her path. "Yo-kun! Hey, Yo-kun! Are you there?" she called out. She hacked and coughed lightly as some of the dust got into her throat. She heard some groaning in the distance and continued to push her way through. Kicking off the last bits of debris, she saw Armadillo push himself out or the rubble. She grabbed onto his hand to help him out, "Yo-kun, you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm swell," Armadillo commented, shaking some of the ringing out of his head.

"What's going on?" Shiroha asked. "How come you and that big guy are fighting with that rollerblade maniac?"

"He's part of a gang that's trying to wreck the School Festival," Armadillo told her. "We tracked him and this is how things turned out. You and that other girl should get out of here while you've got the chance."

"Why should I?" she frowned.

"Because he'll definitely try to kill you!" Armadillo argued. "It was bad enough that he was too fast to keep up with, but with those performance enhancers he took he's gotten a lot stronger! You need to get moving!"

"Uh-uh," Shiroha refused, shaking her head. "I'm not leaving my man behind!"

A loud shake interrupted their argument, prompting the two teens to run outside to see the commotion. The Graffiti Demon was still up and about, with Slasher defending against him with his chainsaws. Gemma, now in her Minotaur form, was assisting against the aggressor.

"Hey, how strong are you?" Armadillo asked.

"You'd be surprised," Shiroha answered. "Why?"

"Because we need to get rid of this irritating pissoff," Armadillo told her. "He's the one tagging the school grounds. Well, I'm not gonna let him do what he wants," he swore as his anger rose, "Not anymore. This school is the closest thing the others and I have to a normal life, and I won't let these bastards ruin it...!"

**Music - "Kakugo" by Toshihiko Sahashi**

Shiroha gasped as she saw wisps of sparkling yellow flames flaring out of the gaps in his armor. "Yo-kun, what's happening to you?"

"Huh?" The Pillbug Rider looked down, seeing the shining flames flaring off his hands. "Fire...? But it doesn't hurt..."

"Hey, what's going there?" the Graffiti Demon demanded as he went for another attack. He got the shock of his life when Armadillo got in his face and sent him reeling back with a headbutt, his forehead bleeding from the impact. "What the fuck!"

The two female Yōkai and fellow Rider all gaped at the demonstration of Armadillo's surprising speed. Slasher himself was extremely shocked as he's never known Yokoshima to be that fast. He was always the slowest (in terms of mobility) but the toughest in defensive combat but this development was definitely new to him.

"What is that?" D asked herself. "This is not in any of the data files on #09."

"Then you know nothing of the Mafia World, my dear."

D turned to see Bianca standing several feet away from her, smiling as she watched the battle. "You... you're that woman from the night before."

"You should focus on the fight," Bianca dismissed as she kept her eyes on the battle. "Yokoshima's doing it."

"Doing what?"

"He doesn't realize it yet, but he's ready to fight with his Dying Will," Bianca smiled.

Yokoshima stared at his hands, and seeing that his body was flaring with the strange golden flames. One second he saw the Graffiti Demon ready to move and he was in front of the enemy the next and counter-attacked. Grinning to himself, Armadillo decided to use this new development and cracked his knuckles, "Well then, time to kick some ass!"

The Graffiti Demon scowled as he blurred out of sight, Armadillo following after him as the two hit each other at blurring speeds all over the place, the blows they traded thundering all over the place. Even Slasher could barely keep up with their movements while the girls were simply blind to the high-speed battle that was going on around them.

"I don't understand," the Graffiti Demon growled, "How can you keep up with me!-?"

"Dunno myself, but I'm glad I can!" Armadillo countered. He darted ahead and grabbed his opponent's ears, pulling them quickly and slamming his palms against him as the Graffiti Demon cried out in shock. "Mickey Mouse!" He then fed him a knee to the gut that made the Graffiti Demon double over in pain before Armadillo elbowed him in the back, making the evildoer drop to the floor. "How you like me now, huh!" He grabbed the Graffiti Demon by the legs and started tossing him around like a ragdoll, slamming him all over the ground. "Had enough?"

"Fuck...you," he spat as he couldn't move from the intense pain that coursed through his body.

"Well, sucks to be you then," he shrugged as he dropped his body. "Chiaki, would you mind?" Slasher nodded and spat more globs of glue, covering the Graffiti Demon's body and immobilizing the vandal. Armadillo nodded and jumped with all his might, curling himself up and rolling even faster than usual as he came rocketing back down. **"Cannonball!"**

"NO-NO-NO-NO-NO-NO-AAAGHH!" the Graffiti Demon cried as Armadillo had dropped right on his back, effectively breaking the poor sucker's back as he went out like a light.

**End Music**

Shiroha had never seen someone fight like that. Not many Yōkai could have yellow flames erupt around their body and suddenly move at speeds that rival most powerful Yōkai. This was something completely new and never before seen. Whatever Yokoshima was, he was definitely worthy of a warrior to be his girl.

"Wow~," Shiroha gushed, a red blush on her cheeks, "Now I'm really in love."

Gemma's eyes went wide as she just witnessed Yokoshima defeating the Graffiti Demon almost effortlessly, and with the aid of golden flames. Was this his special ability? But what kind of insect erupts with golden flames?

"HAHAHA! My, I've never seen Sun Flames used quite like that before! Wouldn't you say, Chamille?" Bianca laughed, addressing her pet chameleon as she was indeed pleased with the results of the battle.

"Sun Flames...?" D questioned, turning to the suit-wearing woman. "What is that?"

"Sorry, can't tell," the female hitman denied as she turned to leave. "I hope to see you around again, sweety."

D watched as Bianca walked off merrily, and then turned back to watch Yokoshima and Chiaki cancel their armors with both Youkai girls joining them with a heavy frown. She'd never heard of the NUMBERS fight like how she just saw; truly something new that GIN-SHOCKER has never recorded in their research. She needed to report to Professor Kyofu of this new development. GIN-SHOCKER could not afford to leave any new and unknown variables alone for long.

* * *

><p>"And then I was like FLASH! And I then I went BAM! And he was like OW! It was such an amazing rush, I felt like I was as light as a feather!" Yokoshima beamed as he finished telling his tale. Shiroha and Gemma were with the crew since they had been sort of involved in the incident.<p>

"I...can't believe it," Daichi blinked, his mouth agape.

"Did Yokoshima really do what he says he did, Chiaki?" Shogo questioned.

"**I saw with my own eyes,"** Chiaki signed, **"Yokoshima was moving almost as fast as, or even faster than, BLACK 13. It was hard to tell, but he was fast as hell."**

"Yokoshima," Yūji called, "You said yellow flames were oozing out of your body?"

"Yeah, it was totally crazy," Yokoshima nodded. "This never happened before and it just came up as I got angrier at the guy for messing up the school."

"Then that means..."

"Yokoshima is able to wield the Dying Will Flames of the Sun," Bianca answered as she had appeared from out of nowhere and starling the two girls.

"Who are you?-!" Shiroha gasped.

"And where did you come from?" Gemma growled.

"It's alright, she's with us," Yūji placated the two. "Bianca, you were watching the fight?"

"From start to finish," she nodded, "So I can confirm as well; Yokoshima has proven he has the ability to harness Sun Flames."

Yokoshima blinked, "Sun Flames? What's that?"

Yūji demonstrated by conjuring a Sky Flame from his ring, "It's one of the seven Sky Flames that's a symbol of power in the Mafia World. It holds the Activation characteristic, which has the power to induce and improve the efficiency of any type of activity. In your case, Yokoshima, the Sun Flame's Activation power gave your body the boost of speed it needed to beat that guy."

"So...what does this all mean, exactly?" Yokoshima asked. All this talk of flames and characteristics was starting to hurt his brain.

"It means my suspicions about you were right," Bianca smiled as she patted Yokoshima's shoulder. "You are the one chosen to be Yūji's Sun Guardian."

"Huh?"

"Welcome to the Mafia," she smiled.

"...HUUUUUH?" he cried.

* * *

><p>As Leon was walking Tamao home with him, he bumped into Hime. "Oh, it's you."<p>

"How long are you going to keep it a secret?" she asked.

"Secret?"

"Riza's brother," Hime clarified. "She's been looking for her brother and doesn't know yet that she will never find him. You owe her an explanation."

"I know," sighed Leon. "I just need to find the right time to break the news."

"The longer you delay, the worst it gets," Hime advised. She looked down at Tamao and smiled, "Have you been a good girl for your papa?" Tamao gave a cheerful nod and beamed. "That's good," nodded Hime. She then walked past Leon who watched her go as he looked over his shoulder.

He knew he needed to tell Riza and explain what happened, but he also knew once he confessed to her, she wouldn't be in the mood to listen to an explanation. He'd killed her brother, plain and simple.

"Papa?" Tamao asked as she tugged on his hand. "What's wrong?"

Leon smiled softly at her, "Nothing's wrong, Tamao."

* * *

><p>The Headmaster was looking out the window with a glass of wine in hand. "It seems that those new students are really starting to shake things up in this school." He smiled widely. "Ah, it's been awhile since anything interesting happened in this school of mine. I thought things were going to be boring this term. I'm glad I was wrong." He checked his pocket watch, "It won't be long now. All the pieces are already in place. It'll only be a matter of time."<p>

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER BUSHIDO: And Yokoshima displays his Dying Will Flame; the brilliance of the Sun! How will this affect him in the future? What are Bianca's plans for him. Maybe we'll find out later, yes?<strong>


	55. AntiThesis: Suicide Runner

**Chapter 55: The Suicide Runner**

At the conference table sat the high-ranking executive officers of GIN-SHOCKER. With them was Dr. Gebok, head of GIN-SHOCKER's Science Department. Nagazawa sat at the head of the table. Many other members were hidden in the shadows but a few allowed their identities to be revealed. Among them was their new member, Madame Medusa, whose face was also hidden in the shadows.

Admiral Ankokou was another high-ranking GIN-SHOCKER officer, wearing a green Bowler hat, with black gloves, grey pants and on his coat was a medal with an emblem that resembled the fusion of a lobster and bat. He had a reddish nose with a black imperial mustache.

Warden Anju was head of the largest GIN-SHOCKER human-to-monster altering plant and prison. She was a woman in a red kimono-like belly top, blue slacks and wearing dangling orbs as earrings spoke. She also wore a black leather belt around her waist with a Mayan calendar-styled belt buckle and a modified warden's hat and cowboy boots.

Colonel Gongyang was head of the Chinese Branch. He was wearing a gray militaristic army uniform with GIN-SHOCKER's symbol etched on the back of his uniform. On his hands he wore fingerless gloves and on his head was a military hat.

Count Gregor the Unspeakable was head of the American Branch. His skin was so pulled back you thought his skin was stretched over a skull too big for it. He had combed black hair on his head and was wearing a tuxedo jacket over a white shirt and black pants with a medallion depicting a python hanging from his neck.

There was also Lady Isis who headed the Egyptian Branch. She was a woman with bandages wrapped around her face, revealing nothing except for her eyes and mouth. She was wearing a golden necklace and a white dress.

"Thank you all for coming on such short notice," said General Nagazawa. "We seem to be having some problems, recently."

"Damn right we have!" Count Gregor shouted. "A lot of our facilities are being destroyed by children!"

"These are no mere children, my dear Count," Dr. Gebok said. "They were as powerful as our elite soldiers."

"And they've turned on us! Death to all traitors!" spat Count Gregor.

General Nagazawa brought down the gavel to quiet the count down.

"As I was saying, we seem to be having some problems, recently. When we first joined this organization, we were promised many things, our heart's desire. However, in our thirst for power we literally created our own worst enemy." General Nagazawa was glaring at Doctor Gebok.

"Is this about BLACK 13?" he asked.

"What do you think?" General Nagazawa questioned.

"Just admit it," said Anju. "You fucked up, Gebok."

"I agree with Anju," said Ankokou. "Not only is Project BLACK 13 a failure, but he's turned against us."

A hologram of Shinichi Banabara appeared, showing him before the executives.

"He's kinda scrawny, ain't he?" a man said. He had coal black eyes, tanned skin, black hair and a chiseled face. He wore a white great coat, black snakeskin shoes and an air-force cap on his head. He was Air Commander Juro.

"But you must remember, Juro, that some of the deadliest things in the world come in surprisingly harmless looking packages," another man said. He wore black robes and a turban on his head. The centerpiece of the turban was a skull-shaped gem. He also had pale-white skin and red eyes, with a skinny appearance that made him look skeletal. He was Priest Venom.

"Makes perfect sense! After all, I'm one of them!" a beautiful woman spoke. She had black hair and violet eyes. Her choice of dress was a red satin dress with opera gloves. Her name was Countess Lovesoul.

"Kuh! I could defeat him easily," snorted another man. The next speaker wasn't even human. He was a blue-colored mechanical man-wolf. His brain was encased in a clear glass dome on his head and the face of a mechanical wolf was depicted on his chest. He had metallic claw-like hands and thrusters on his back. He was known as Fierce Fighter Evilbrood.

"Underestimate him at your own peril, Evilbrood," Baron Yukanon said. He had a fat body with spindly arms and legs, a mostly bald head with flared out sideburns and hair on the back. He had a lazy look in his eyes and a snub nose. He wore a black and red jacket with matching pants, Jazz shoes on his feet, and around his waist was a black belt with a silver Four Aces belt buckle. He wore a sovereign ring on his right ring finger that sported the GIN-SHOCKER seal and a solitaire ring on his middle finger with a red ruby in the centre. On his bald head he wore a French military hat.

"Order! Order!" General Nagazawa commanded, pounding his gavel. "Originally, BLACK 13 posed a threat to us, but now his forces have grown. But they are but children to us."

"Didn't one of these children defeat and humiliate you?" Evilbrood inquired, almost sneeringly. If General Nagazawa's glare could kill, Evilbrood could be dead ten times over.

"It is obvious that we cannot underestimate these children. Last summer they managed to stop our plans for Witch's Hill," said General Nagazawa. "And it's all thanks to Dr. Gebok's creation who he still refuses to kill."

"I still think we can use BLACK 13 by capturing him," insisted Dr. Gebok.

"We've wasted resources, Gebok," said Lady Isis. "How many Cyborg Mutants and GS Soldiers must we go through before we capture your prized project?"

"I propose that we replace Dr. Gebok with a more competent individual to head the Science Department," Ankokou suggested. "I think Dr. Kyofu has potential."

"That hack!-?" Dr. Gebok shouted. "Why would you replace me with him!-? I'm the greatest scientific mind there is!"

"That's a laugh!" snorted Juro. "Your 'ultimate weapon' flew the coop months ago and you haven't even gotten close to capturing him!"

"I'm just observing him for now," Dr. Gebok said.

"Oh, don't make excuses," Priest Venom spoke up. "Face it, you can't control him anymore."

"That is true," said General Nagazawa. "Dr. Gebok, you have lost control of BLACK 13 a long time ago and using our resources to capture him is wasteful. You should focus more on improving the Jager Unit."

"But BLACK 13-!" Gebok argued.

"Oh, shut up already!" Yukanon snapped. "We all know what this is all about! You're just using the boy to replace-"

"Finish that sentence and you'll have a very early retirement," threatened Dr. Gebok.

"May I speak?" requested Madam Medusa.

"You have the floor, Madam Medusa," said General Nagazawa.

"BLACK 13 was a student of mine," she began. "So I know him quite well as a student of Youkai Academy. I myself have studied his artwork and the emotions he put behind them."

"So what's your point?" asked Juro, bored.

"He's emotionally fragile," she continued. "And protective of those he cares for to an extreme degree. His emotions make him strong, but they are his greatest weakness. One way to control him is to control his emotions by threatening those he cares for."

"Wow, like that was never thought up," Anju rolled her eyes. "How many of your Mikura (Cyborg Youkai) have perished now?"

"Only a few, and we still have more," Madam Medusa said. "And what I am suggesting is not to threaten BLACK 13 by killing them. We just need to take a hostage so we can force him to be compliant."

"One of those girls he's with?" Countess Lovesoul asked.

"His own mother," Madam Medusa grinned. "And we also have WHITE 14, aka Phantom. Her presence is already starting to affect BLACK 13 as we speak."

"He won't dare to hurt her," Dr. Gebok added confidently.

"That sounds simple in theory," said Gongyang, "But what of the boy who defeated General Nagazawa?" A hologram of Yuji Fudo appeared before the executives in response to this.

"He's not just a Kamen Rider, is he?" Gongyang smirked. "He can fight without his Rider System and he completely dominated you, General." He was suddenly suspended into the air by a vine around his throat.

"I can still crush you right here," snarled General Nagazawa. He released Gongyang, dropping him to the floor. He hated to be reminded of his defeat.

Lovesoul's attention was drawn to Yuji's image, smirking as she considered the possibilities with him. "Dominate you say? He sounds like an interesting young man. General, maybe I could-"

"I underestimated his power. That is all. But never again. Next time, that boy's head is mine," Nagazawa interrupted. "And he's not the only other Rider we need to worry about. There are still others."

"Can we just officially mark the renegade NUMBERS and their allies as threats and get on with this meeting?" requested Juro, bored. "Let's just wipe them out. It's as simple as that."

"Not until we review all of them," General Nagazawa told him. "We have Netto Kusanagi, aka Kamen Rider Mega, and Leon Smith, aka Kamen Rider Necros-"

Suddenly, a loud voice boomed, "**DESTROY ALL RIDERS!**"

"GREAT LEADER!" General Nagazawa cried out in terror. It was the voice of their lord and master, the Great Leader of GIN-SHOCKER. The other executives trembled in their seats, frozen in fear.

"**THE RIDERS ARE A THREAT! THE RIDERS ARE OUR ENEMIES AND THEY MUST BE DESTROYED! NO QUESTION!" **You could feel the hatred radiating from the Great Leader despite it being just his voice. He was unseen, but they felt his presence, and it was terrifying.

Then there was silence and they felt the presence of their Great Leader leave. He never stayed long, but there was still a lingering sensation of his presence.

General Nagazawa, despite being shaken, continued, "Netto Kusanagi, also known as Kamen Rider Mega. From the data Gebok has shown us, he somehow emits a high frequency of energy; energy so vast that it can power a country for eons. Also, there is Kamen Rider Necros who has demonstrated a similar ability to BLACK 13; he can assume the forms of other Kamen Riders as well. He is also allegedly a Grim Reaper." Holograms of both Netto and Leon replaced Yuji's.

"A personification of death, really?" scoffed Dr. Gebok.

"You do not believe, Gebok?" asked Yukanon.

"It's just superstitious nonsense," Dr. Gebok waved off. "Honestly, a Grim Reaper, a mythological guide to the Afterlife, who is also a Kamen Rider. What a joke."

"So were Youkai until you found physical proof of their existence," retorted Madame Medusa.

"That's different!" he snapped.

"Superstition or not, it is obvious that Leon Smith is also a high level threat," General Nagazawa stated.

"Kamen Riders are starting to sprout like weeds, and whose fault is that?" Ankokou glared at Dr. Gebok.

"You're blaming _me_?-!" Gebok was aghast.

"Dr. Magi escaped with #00, #02, #08 and #09. You even sent #04, #07, and #11 to assassinate Yuji Fudo but they defected as soon as they met with their target! Even #05 vanished!" Ankokou exclaimed.

"I'll admit that I wasn't expecting for #04, #07, and #11 to defect, but you honestly don't expect me to know what would happen, do you?" Gebok snarled.

"You claim to be a genius, Gebok! You _**should **_expect these things!" Ankokou argued. "Just like how you should've expected that your experiment with BLACK 13 would backfire!"

"Enough!" General Nagazawa boomed, shutting the both of them up. He turned to Ankokou, "Admiral, although you brought up some good points, you can't expect for even a genius of Gebok's caliber to correctly predict the end result of his experimentations all the time. Being a scientist is about trial and error."

"Thank you, General-" Dr. Gebok began gratefully.

"But you should've seen it coming due to his reaction after you made him kill the NUMBERS the first time," General Nagazawa finished. The others laughed as Dr. Gebok scowled.

Juro coughed, "_Dumbass!_"

"Dr. Gebok, what guarantee do you have that WHITE 14 won't simply defect due to her feelings for BLACK 13?" General Nagazawa questioned.

"Yes, I did think about that possibility," Gebok frowned, still seething at the mocks. "Do not fret, General. I have modified her to the point where she won't even consider leaving."

"You made a similar promise regarding BLACK 13's loyalty," General Nagazawa reminded. "How can we be sure this won't be another one of your failed promises?"

"Trust me, it _won't _happen," Gebok spoke sternly. His mistake with BLACK 13 had been because he'd tried to give his creation the powers and abilities of the Showa Era Riders. Those powers, however, also contained the feelings and memories of those Riders. Gebok should've known better. Those powers had contaminated BLACK 13.

"Pray that it doesn't," General Nagazawa told him. "Continuing on. Despite Netto Kusanagi being one of our adversaries, his energy frequency cannot be ignored."

"Sounds to me like we can find this kid useful for something," Juro commented, notting the tone of Nagazawa's voice. "He doesn't look like he'll be willing though."

"So, he's untamed," Anju grinned. "Sounds...interesting."

"Where are you going with this, Warden?" Gongyang asked.

"Obviously, this Netto is a naughty boy who needs some obedience training," Anju grinned, "I think I'll be the perfect woman to curb his behaviour." She licked her lips, "And a handsome specimen too. I always do like them young." The executives all groaned at her comment.

Warden Anju had a nasty habit of disciplining her prisoners with whippings. There were even rumors that the most attractive ones were kept as her own personal harem. Most of her prisoners were young teenagers even. She always preferred to be the dominant one, on the battlefield, and in the bed.

"Very well," General Nagazawa nodded, pretending not to hear that, "That still leaves Leon Smith. Any takers?"

"Killing a Death God should be fun!" Ankokou cackled. "I'll try my hand at him!"

"Feh! Combat junkie!" Evilbrood scoffed.

"And now for these," Nagazawa continued. Holographic images of the teenaged Youkai appeared before them. "The allies that the mavericks have gained over the past several months. As stated before, each one of them are supernatural monsters. Each with a unique power that can cause problems for us all."

"They are still just inexperienced children," said Lovesoul. "What could we possibly expect from them?"

"Do not underestimate these children, Lovesoul," chided Nagazawa. "Most of the children are Youkai of legends, ranging from Vampires to Dragons. As young as they may be, they are still quite strong. Two of the girls were able to defeat an army of our soldiers single handedly; just two girls. And they were only using fractions of their full power at the time."

"Really?" Countless Lovesoul's eyes narrowed. "Why are we wasting time capturing the traitors when we could be recruiting more powerful Youkai then?"

"Because we need to select the right kind of Youkai," justified Madame Medusa. "And believe me, it's not such an easy process."

* * *

><p>"I just need more time," Lina spoke into her comlink. "It's not that simple. He has allies here and I doubt I can get out of here with him with them around. Yes, I understand how important it is. Yes, I can handle it, Dr. Gebok. Yes, I know how important it is to bring BLACK 13 back. Yes, sir. I understand, sir. WHITE 14 out."<p>

"Was that Dr. Gebok again?" Celeste asked, walking up to her.

"I've got until Halloween," said Lina, frowning sadly. "I don't know why that's important."

"You know how impatient he gets," Celeste said, "Maybe you should call the rest of the team."

"No," Lina shook her head. "Some of them are just nuts and might kill him."

"Well, does it matter?" Celeste questioned. "With that Spark Core of his, I doubt death will be permanent."

"Still, it looks like I'll have to try a bit harder," Lina frowned. "Don't wait up. I'm going out again."

"Fine," Celeste shrugged, "If you need me, I'll be scouting again."

* * *

><p>Shinichi was walking alone to school today. The girls had gone up ahead without him since he needed more time to prepare themselves. The girls still wanted to walk with him to school but he told them that he just needed to be by himself for a moment. Moka understood that Shinichi might need some time alone to gather his thoughts and a lone walk to school might be what he needed. As he was walking, he spotted Reiri and Hime up ahead, walking along the same path.<p>

"Hey, Hime-chan! Reiri-chan!" Shinichi called.

"Oh, good morning," Hime greeted as she turned and Shinichi froze before screaming like a little girl. Because, in Hime's hand was a creepy looking doll with unblinking eyes.

"Please, keep that away from me," Shinichi urged as he backed away from the doll in Hime's hand. "Why do you even have that anyway?"

"I was hoping to give it to Leon so he could present it as a gift to his little fox kit," Hime answered. She knew why Shinichi was reacting this way.

"Couldn't you just keep it in your bag instead of holding it out in the open?" he pleaded.

"Oh, you're still scared of dolls?" Hime teased, waving the doll in his face. Shinichi cowered as his twin ahoge fidgeted, his hands keeping the doll within as much distance as possible.

"Who's afraid of dolls?" Daichi asked as he walked up after overhearing with Yokoshima in tow.

"Don't you dare," Shinichi warned.

"Oh, Shin-chan here is still afraid of dolls," Reiri answered, causing Shinichi to scowl.

"You're afraid of dolls?" Yokoshima laughed. "Man, that's pathetic!"

"Yeah, makes Yokoshima's fear of bats less pathetic," Daichi remarked.

"There are bats here!-?" Yokoshima freaked, looking about.

Reiri explained, "It was when Shiori-san took the three of us to a doll museum one weekend. Shin-chan held onto her hand so tightly and was shaking like a leaf."

"Those dolls were EVIL!" Shinichi snapped. "Their eyes were just staring at me and I swear that a few one of them moved!"

"You were just a kid with an overactive imagination," Daichi deadpanned.

"Oh, yeah, like you don't have anything that scares you the most," Shinichi frowned. "What about you and your fear of snakes. You claim to be an animal lover, but you hate snakes. What's up with that?"

"Hey, at least I've got an excuse," Daichi remarked. "Most snakes are poisonous and others can crush you till you suffocate so they can eat you whole."

"You still freak out whenever you're in Reiko-sensei's class," Shinichi pointed out, "You haven't been skipping out on your math, have you?"

"Hell no!" Daichi snapped.

"Wow, you were so quick to answer that too," Shinichi whistled. "How come I don't find that believable?"

"Screw you!" Daichi barked.

Shincichi gave Daichi a teasing grin, before suddenly a sharp sting rang through his head, coming from his scar, causing him to fall on one knee, "ARG! What...?"

"Shin-chan!" Reiri gasped in shock.

"Shinichi! What's wrong?" Yokoshima asked.

"She's here...!" Shinichi grunted in pain as he he held his head. "Everyone get down!"

As if on cue, a huge boulder flew through the air and was heading straight at them. The four quickly jumped out of the way, avoiding the large rock as it crashed into their former spot.

Daichi stared at the boulder, and then turn to where it came from. Frowning, he saw the one responsible. "It's her."

Lina was standing several feet away from the group. She pointed at them, and then gave a thumbs down gesture. She then turned around and disappeared into the forest.

Shinichi growled, getting back to his feet. "Alright, it's now or never." He was about to to pursue her, when Hime grabbed his shoulder.

"Shinji-kun, wait!" Hime said, "She could be trying to lure you into a trap. Are you going to take that risk?"

"Trust me on this, Hime-chan," Shinichi sighed, "I have no other choice in the matter." He brushed her hand off him and chased after Lina.

"And there he goes," Daichi frowned. "Come on, we'd better get some help before he bumps into his psycho ex-girlfriend again."

"I'll go find Leon," Reiri nodded. She levitated in o the air before turning into a swarm of bats and flying off. This, of course, caused Yokoshima to freak out.

* * *

><p>Lina skidded across the grass as she watched Shinichi jump out of the trees. With a roar, he threw a punch which slammed into a barrier Lina erected with her psychic powers, leaving her unharmed. She repelled him and he went skidding back, kicking up dust.<p>

"Just come back," she beckoned. "Then things can be like they were."

"They can't, Lina. We've changed so much. I've changed so much," Shinichi told her, shaking his head negatively. "I'm not the same person I was back in GIN-SHOCKER."

"You can be," she replied, "Just come with me, Kuro-kun."

"And don't call me _that_!" he snapped. "That's not my name! Not anymore!"

Lina's eyes narrowed and she threw him into a tree with a telekinetic blast before teleporting to hover in front of him. He looked back at her and said, "Lina...try to remember...you once asked...if there was a life outside GIN-SHOCKER. I can answer that now. There is. There absolutely is!"

"Not for us, Kuro-kun," she said with a sad smile, landing before him. "We belong to GIN-SHOCKER, from birth to death."

"Then I choose death," he said before kicking her back and sending her flying. "Because I'm not going back! I ran away for a reason! I ran away because they used me! I ran away because they sealed away my heart!" Shinichi stood up, staring at Lina definitely. "Not anymore, Lina. I'm not a weapon, anymore. I...am...A KAMEN RIDER!" He performed his pose. "Let's Ride..."

Lina also performed her own transformation pose, "Hen..."

"SHOWA!"

"...SHIN!"

In a flash both transformed and then they became blurs of white and black which collided at high speed. The two were moving fast, matching each other's speed, step-by-step.

Showa threw a fist at Phantom who caught it and he followed up with a kick to her solar plexus. She was knocked aside but was ready to block another punch from Showa with a psychic barrier. She drove him back and went for a frontal snap kick which sent him staggering back. Crossing her arms, she released her psionic energy blades and went on the assault anew, swinging furiously. Showa retaliated with his own Laser Saber, deflecting her swings with sparks dancing around them and raining at their feet. She then disarmed him and performed a backwards flip kick, hitting him in the jaw. He did a backflip and landed on his feet before summoning his Gravity Hammer.

Showa slammed the Gravity Hammer down and generated a gravitational field which pulled Phantom towards him. He pulled back to hit her but she teleported and got behind him to hook her arms under his. She then bent backwards and performed a surplex, slamming him headfirst into the ground. She let go and turned to grab his legs and spun around and around before tossing him high into the air. Using teleportation, she joined Shinichi and hooked her arms around him again for an airborne piledriver.

**CRASH!**

The ground shook from the violent impact which would normally kill a regular person from that height, but neither was a regular person. The dust cleared and Phantom expected to see an injured and unconscious Shinichi, ready to be retrieved, but he was nowhere in sight. She did see a blue puddle and her eyes widened as she realized what that puddle was. It instantly reformed into Biorider and he attacked with a roundhouse kick that knocked her backwards.

"I'm not going back to GIN-SHOCKER, Lina. And if I have to convince you by force then..." His fists clenched, "So be it."

Phantom stood up and brandished her Energy Stave as he held his Bio Blade tightly. She thrust forward and he dodged to the side before going for a frontal assault. She blocked the Bio Blade and slashed, but only managing to temporarily bisect Biorider's fluid body which reformed soon after. He dashed forward with several kicks, which she easily anticipated and blocked with her weapon. Seeing an opening she hit him across the face with the butt of the weapon before swinging down, only for him to avoid the strike by turning into liquid.

The thoughts running through Shinichi's head were going at a mile a minute. He didn't want to go! He wanted to stay! And if he had to defeat Lina in order to convince her then that was what he was going to have to do. If she wasn't going to listen to reason, then he had no choice but to use his fists to make his case and get her off his back.

The Bio Blade and Energy Stave clashed violently, both fighters determined to end the fight in their favor. However, both were also reluctant to use their full power. Old feelings of affection was effecting how they were performing in this fight. The one who truly had focus would be the winner.

* * *

><p>Yuji and Leon, after hearing what had happened, quickly went to look for Shinichi. The 20th heir of the Vongola Family cursed under his breath, "Dammit, Shin." Why did Shinichi always resolve to solve his problems all on his own? Didn't he trust them? Any of them? Was he just so damn stubborn to ask for help?<p>

As for Leon, while he showed no emotion, deep down he was concerned about Shinichi's wellbeing as well. He could sense Shinichi's stress and paranoia. The young cyborg simply felt that all the horrible things he did in the past were his fault and all these things happening now were his fault as well. He blamed himself for getting his friends involved and put too much burden upon his shoulders.

And now, he was probably about to get himself killed. Or, he would experience a fate worse than death.

* * *

><p>Showa swung at her but she ducked out of the way and struck the Spark Core in his belt. This caused Showa to spasm and tremble painfully as he fell onto one knee. Picking himself up, he attacked again but was disarmed and then Phantom struck his Spark Core with the Energy Stave once more.<p>

The Spark Core was a vital piece to the NUMBERS construction. It was the source of their power and the thing that kept their cybernetic running smoothly. It was also their main weak spot, which was left totally exposed. While indestructible, the Spark Core energy flow could still be disrupted with precise and direct strike.

Phantom jabbed her Energy Stave into the Spark Core and sparks exploded before Showa was thrown backwards, his feet skidding along the ground before he fell on his back. That last hit knocked him out of his armor which shattered into broken puzzle pieces that faded into thin air.

Phantom sighed. "Kuro-kun, it didn't have to come to this if you just surrendered peacefully."

"Sorry..." Shinichi groaned before coughing, "I just enjoy my freedom too much to give it up." He picked himself up and clenched his fists. He roared and charged at her. Phantom sighed and blasted him with telekinesis but he didn't fall. He was just driven backwards before he ran at her again. She blasted him again but this time he dodged and once he closed the distance he threw his fist and slammed it against her helmet-covered head.

It didn't hurt, though. The armor absorbed the force of the punch and protected her. There was a bit of a ringing, though. Shinichi didn't injure himself either due to his enhanced body but he wasn't doing any damage either. He would still struggle, though.

He put his Vulcan Shooter against her stomach and she stared at him in surprise. "You would kill me again?"

"No," he answered. "I'm going to save you." He squeezed the trigger.

* * *

><p>Leon and Yuji had been nearby when they heard the explosion and felt the shockwave. "Shin..." uttered Yuji in horror. Was Shinichi dead? No, that couldn't be it. They'd only just gotten to know each other as cousins. He couldn't lose someone from his family shortly after discovering their connection.<p>

Leon felt out for Shinichi's spiritual energy signature and ordered, "Follow me." He'd just pinpointed Shinichi's position.

* * *

><p>Lina was propping herself up against the tree, injured by Shinichi's action. However, Shinichi had gotten the worst of it as he lay facedown on her lap. His clothes had scorch marks and his hair was burnt slightly at the tip. Her armor managed to protect him from Shinichi's suicide move. "So...you didn't wanna suffer...so you wanted to kill the both of us, Kuro-kun," she concluded, stroking his head. "Better to die than be part of GIN-SHOCKER. That's a pretty strong resolve you got there."<p>

She could barely stand and it hurt to even move. Shinichi had just rewired his gun so that instead of releasing bursts from the barrels, the gun would overheat and explode. The area they had been fighting in was now scorched earth and the trees which had been nearby were incinerated by the explosion.

"Well, at least now I can bring you back," said Lina but then she heard movement. People were approaching. "Shit!" She was too weak and injured to use her power to escape. She'd be caught for sure.

"WHITE 14!" she heard and saw Atlas running towards her. "Let me help you," he offered as he took her hand, dropping Shinichi from her lap.

"Wait! Kuro-kun!" Lina pleaded.

"There's no time! We can get him later!" They then took off before anyone could find them.

As they both made their hasty retreat, a sole spectator to the battle watched them go, and then turned his short attention to the unconscious Shinichi. His glasses shining in the sunlight, he turned away and walked deeper into the woods.

* * *

><p>Atlas took Lina back to their secret lair where she took out a medical kit and began treating her injuries as #18 stood guard outside. She'd stripped down to her tanktop and panties. As she was applying her bandages, #18 came in. He blushed as he saw the state she was in but recovered and acted professionally.<p>

"WHITE 14," he called.

"Yes?" she responded, looking up at the Moth Cyborg.

"We have guests," he answered.

"Guests? From GIN-SHOCKER?" Now who would be coming?

"Yes, and they wanted to see you," informed #18. Two armored figures walked past him, and her eyes widened as she identified them.

"19 and 20? What are you guys doing here?" Lina asked as she saw the two members of the Jager Unit stand in front of her.

#19, Storm, wore a midnight blue bodysuit under a slim, metallic blue chest plate that was segmented and trimmed in silver to look like the back of a beetle. He also had on round metallic blue shoulder pads that had silver trim on the edges and with the Roman numeral XIX on the right shoulder pad. On his gauntlets were metallic blue forearm guards with two silver bumps reaching the entire length of both sides and metallic blue plating on the back of his hands. His legs sported metallic blue shin guards on the black boots and knee pads. He had armor plating on the thighs and upper arms. The midnight blue helmet he wore was modeled after a Kuwagata Beetle with silver compound eyes. The mouth plate on the helmet had a single line running down its centre to resemble the shell of a beetle. On his back was a metallic blue backpack that was shaped like a stag beetle with two handle grips in place of the horns. Around his waist is a blue belt with a silver oval buckle with XIX in the center.

#20, also known as Dynamo, Storm's older and bigger brother, wore a maroon bodysuit under a box-like, metallic red chest plate that was segmented with gold trim to look like the back of a beetle. He also had on square metallic red shoulder pads with an X on the front of the pads. On his gauntlets were rectangular metallic red forearm guards with gold trim, metallic red plating on the back of his hands, black gloves. His legs had rectangular metallic red shin guards on the black boots with gold trim and knee pads with armor plating on his thighs and upper arms. His helmet was modeled after a Rhinoceros Beetle with a long metallic horns that bisected the mouth plate and gold compound eyes. Around his waist was a red belt with a gold rectangular buckle that was marked XX. On his back was a metallic red backpack, shaped like a rhinoceros beetle with the horn actually being a red shaft with a grip. He was also quite tall, standing at over 7 feet, and dwarfing the others in the room.

"We heard you were having trouble," said the Stag Beetle Cyborg.

"Who told you?" demanded Lina and she glared at #18 accusingly.

"It wasn't me," said #18, backing up slowly.

"Don't blame him," said Storm. "It's was Dr. Gebok. He said you were behind schedule so he sent us."

"I've been having some trouble," admitted Lina as there was no point in lying anymore.

"Old feelings?" Dynamo guessed. "That _is_ why you were sent, to keep him off balance. But Dr. Gebok wants results."

"So, you're both going to fight him?" Lina asked.

"That's what we're here for," said Storm as he hung from Dynamo's shoulder.

"Don't worry, though. We won't hurt your boyfriend too badly," said Dynamo.

Lina sighed, "Alright. I guess I'll leave it to you two. But you better not do anything permanent to him, otherwise..." her eyes glowed neon blue, "I'll blow up both your brains."

"Alright, alright! Take it easy!" Storm panicked, holding his hands defensively. "No need to go all dramatic! We said we wouldn't hurt him too badly, right?"

"Yeah, no problem," Dynamo said in a more calm manner. "Just relax and you'll have him back in no time." Offensive wise, Strom and Dynamo were the heavy hitters of the Jager Unit, making them two of the strongest members of the team. However, Lina, also known as WHITE 14 and White Cicada, was still much stronger than the both of them. Add the fact that she had been in GIN-SHOCKER much longer than all of them had, and none of them really wanted to pick a fight with her. Despite being the second youngest next to Storm, they were all rather intimidated by her, especially since she could make their heads explode with a simple stare.

The glow from Lina's eyes dimmed, but her look didn't waver. "Fine. You both best get going then."

"Leave it to us!" Storm said proudly, slapping his fist on his chest.

After the two brothers left the room to start their mission, #18 bowed to Lina, "If there's nothing left. I'll remain on guard." He turned to leave, but then she stopped him.

"Hold on #18," Lina ordered, making him turn around to listen. "Call over Celeste. Have her make sure no one interrupts."

"Roger," #18 nodded before leaving the room as well.

* * *

><p>"I found what's left of his blaster. I checked it and from what I can see some wires were crossed so that the thing would overheat and explode," said Yuji. "Now why would he do something like that?"<p>

Yuji and Leon had found an injured Shinichi and called for a Warp Portal to the Hive Queen. The facilities in Youkai Academy's hospital or dormitory wouldn't be able to fix the damage he'd taken. They just didn't have the right equipment. Dr. Magi was performing repairs on the Black Cicada Cyborg as the Volcano Manakyte and Shinigami stood outside the operating room, waiting, just waiting, and talking to pass the time.

Leon answered, his conclusion based on the clues, "It was a suicide move. Plain and simple. Shinichi refuses to go back to GIN-SHOCKER, and he also refuses to let someone he loved remain as their pawn." If it had been any other opponent, Shinichi wouldn't have gone to such lengths, but Lina was here so it only made sense that Shinichi would take this route. "So, he decided that the best way out of this was to kill himself and her at the same time. He wouldn't need to feel pain and regret ever again and knowing that GIN-SHOCKER would never get him was just icing on the cake."

Yuji glared and argued furiously, "I think you're missing the point that my cousin just tried to KILL HIMSELF!"

Leon gazed at Yuji seriously, "Do you know what a cicada is? Shinichi's armor is based on the cicada and he's the same as the creature too. Cicadas spend most of their lives underground, trapped in the dark. That's what his life was like. He was trapped in GIN-SHOCKER's darkness. But then like the cicada he decided to change. He dug himself out from the darkness to see the light. However, cicadas don't live for very long but despite the time they have they can still live full lives. Shinichi found his life here, at this school, made friends whom he loves dearly, people he would gladly give up his life for. I doubt he was even hesitant about it. I think the most important thing in his mind was that he would not be used to harm what he cherishes. He chose to die without regrets than live carrying them."

Yuji shouted back, "And what am I supposed to tell his mother, Leon!-? What!-? I decided to be responsible for him and he goes and pulls this shit! I don't wanna lose him, Leon! I refuse to lose him!"

Phyllis spoke up, "_Yuji Fudo, please lower your voice. Dr. Magi needs full concentration to operate and perform repairs on Shinich_i."

"Sorry, Phyllis," Yuji apologized.

Leon sighed and leaned against the wall as he replied, "You can't be responsible for all the decisions Shinichi makes. It's his life and it's his decision as to how he gets to live it..."

"But not how he chooses to end it," interrupted Yuji. "Life is a gift, Leon. It's not something you should just throw away for any reason. Our lives are given to us by God and if we end our own lives it's like disrespecting God and spitting on the precious gift he's given us. I refuse to let Shinichi throw his life away."

"Then would you give up your life in exchange for his?" Leon questioned.

Yuji answered, "I'd find another way. There's always another way. You just have to be willing to look."

"But everyone has a different answer," replied Leon. "Shinichi knew what GIN-SHOCKER would make him do, what they'd turn him into, and to save the world, to save all 6,000,000,000 people in this world, he's willing to take his own life. Could you choose? One life for 6 billion?"

Yuji sighed, scratching his head uncomfortably, "I don't know... _This is fucking bullshit," _he growled in English. "Why do fucks like GIN-SHOCKER exist? I swear, those faggots have no lives!"

"It's how the world works, unfortunately. There's good because there's evil, and there's evil because there's good," answered Leon. "It's an endless cycle. Good and evil exist so we can tell them apart and make moral decisions. However, it's the views of good and evil that has people see things in black and white, rarely in shades of grey."

* * *

><p>Yuji entered the Hive's infirmary and found that Shinichi had regained consciousness and recovering from the aftermath of his and Lina's battle. Shinichi was just lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, appearing numb.<p>

"Shinichi, I know what you tried to do," Yuji began, not receiving any response from Shinichi that indicated that Shinichi heard him. Regardless, Yuji continued, "Were you seriously trying to kill yourself and take Lina with you? I mean what were you thinking? I...I honestly can say I have no idea what's going through your head right now? What is wrong with you? Do you hate yourself so much that you thought you could solve all your problems by dying?" Shinichi didn't respond, agitating Yuji further. "Come on, speak up! Say something! Justify your damn action! Shin, I order you to tell me what you think you were doing?-!"

Shinichi's eyes focused on Yuji and he answered, "It's as you've said, and it's the right thing to do, isn't it?" Yuji angrily stepped over to him.

"Shin...STOP BEING AN IDIOT!" Yuji punched him in the face. He then took hold of his collar and pulled him close. "Do you really think dying is going to erase all those sins you _claim_ you've committed? If you regret them so much than live on to make up for them! The Shinichi Banabara I met that day isn't you at all! He's not the kind to give up!"

"But isn't a Rider...supposed to put his life on the line to protect others? To fight for justice?" Shinichi argued.

"We're all that, but life isn't something you can just throw throw the fuck away!" Yuji continued, "You can never erase the sins you've committed or the mistakes you've made. They're a part of you, whether you like it or not. All you can do is bear them, even if it's all alone. All you _can_ do, all you _have_ to do, all you _need_ to do is to continue fighting for as long as you live, so you can protect everything and everyone that's important to you, so you have a place to go home to." Shinichi's eyes widened. "Ain't that what a Kamen Rider is supposed to be, cousin?"

"Ani...ki...?"

"You're my baby cousin, Shin," Yuji smiled, hugging Shinichi close. "You're like the little brother I never had and I can feel it in my bones. Just stop trying to do everything on your own, Shin..."

Wasn't a Rider supposed to fight and bear the burden alone? Looking back at the history, that wasn't entirely the case. Even if Riders started their fights alone, they were joined by allies. Kamen Riders forged bonds with the people they saved and the people who supported them. And also, Kamen Riders were never meant to be alone anyway. They fought together to fight for peace and justice. That was why he had comrades. He needed people to watch his back and support him. But he just didn't want them to get hurt for his sake.

Maybe it was best if he never got his memories back. The memories made him see him at his worst, and made him think of himself that was expendable for the good of the world and humanity. He sometimes felt he was better off dead. The nightmares were also horrible. Just having to see all those things he'd done in the past through Kuro's own eyes, and to know that so many innocent lives were ended by GIN-SHOCKER through him.

"Your girlfriends will be arriving soon," said Yuji. "We haven't told them much except that you and Lina fought and you got hurt. We didn't tell them you tried to kill yourself. Oh, and before I forget, please start considering their feelings before you even think of trying to pull a stunt like that again." That last statement was a warning and something Shinichi needed to think about before throwing his life away. "You might hate yourself, but there are people around who still care about you. Don't forget that."

Yuji left the infirmary and Shinichi to his thoughts.

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: Well, this is chapter 55. Lina and Shinichi once again has a confrontation which leads to a fight to the death. Shinichi tries to kill the both of them but fails and now two new Jagers have arrived to assist our dear Lina. What can they do? How dangerous are they? We shall see.<strong>


	56. AntiThesis: The Beetle Brothers' Assault

**Chapter 56: The Beetle Brothers' Assault!**

Kyofu sat in his office analyzing data files on several of the Youkai species which Dr. Gebok had managed to collect. He had to admit to himself, his rival managed to put in a lot of work into all of this. Of course, this only meant that there was one more window of opportunity that he can use. The door behind Kyofu slid open and Weapon D entered. Kyofu whirled his seat around to see Weapon D face to face.

"Ah my Weapon D, what do you have to report?" Kyofu smiled.

"Prof. Kyofu I bring you information that is new and unknown, something that may pose a threat to GIN-SHOCKER," Weapon D reported.

"What, a new threat?" Kyofu snapped to attention. Now he really wanted to know.

"Yes, a new threat," D nodded.

"Explain," Kyofu ordered.

Reaching into her blouse, D pulled out a memory card. "It would be better if I showed you. I had everything recorded." Walking to the computer, she inserted the card through the reader and typed in a few keys. A window opened on the screen and showed Armadillo's fight with the Graffiti Demon. Normally, Kyofu could care less about the Pillbug Cyborg. He was the least amount to succeed in anything in his opinion. However, after seeing him fight with sudden speed that he had never showed before, Kyofu became concerned.

"This is troublesome," Kyofu stroked his beard as he stood up. He had not expected one the ex-NUMBERS (excluding BLACK 13), nonetheless #09 of all people to gain an upgrade. "Do you know anything about this, Weapon D?"

"A woman who was also there on the night I first infiltrated the school," D explained. "She said that #09 was using... Sun Flames."

"Sun Flames?" Kyofu repeated, "So #09 was somehow harnessing the power of the sun itself. I may need to do some research on these 'Sun Flames' but one thing is clear. They are growing stronger and becoming dangerous to us. We need to quickly annihilate our enemies as soon as possible before they destroy our organization." He also wanted to wipe out the renegades before the Jagers do it for his own promotion. He had seen their powers, what they could do, and was becoming worried. He had not anticipated them to be so powerful. He had created Weapon D to outclass the first generation NUMBERS, but this new generation was more powerful than he anticipated. Still, he was confident in Weapon D's abilities.

"Hai, Professor Kyofu. I will make sure I will defeat Yūji Fudo as soon as possible while making sure not to lose a second time," Weapon D nodded. "For the good of GIN-SHOCKER I will not fail."

"You better, because we cannot afford anymore failures," Kyofu sternly spoke. "You are dismissed now."

* * *

><p>Yūji returned to his room and dropped himself onto his bed, groaning into his pillow in frustration thanks to the day he had. GIN-SHOCKER, this ANTI-THESIS, and now this whole Lina situation was just making a mess of everything. There was Reiko to think about as well; another Psychic Duelist like himself. Though she had retreated after his victory, Yūji had a feeling Reiko was still around; probably observing things in the Academy.<p>

To top things off, Shinichi tried to kill himself. Just wonderful. He'd hoped things were looking up; from meeting Shinichi, meeting Ruby and the others, joining in the fight against GIN-SHOCKER, and even discovering that he was a candidate in becoming a mafia boss. Unfortunately, Lina showing up just made things worse and Shinichi was in an even worse state than before.

"You're not just going to leave things as they are..."

Yūji turned to see Bianca standing by his door, leaning against the frame and smirking at him. "Are you?"

"_Fuck no,"_ Yūji frowned, speaking clear English seriously, "This chick is fucking with my cousin's head. I'm not gonna let that shit slide."

"Then you'll fight her?"

"I'll do more than that, I'll kick her ass! I got no problem with fighting a girl," he informed.

"True, you don't. Just be careful," Bianca warned, getting serious. "She's got power and knows how to use it. You may need all of your tricks just to stay alive."

"Whatever it takes, I'll make her sorry she fucked with my family," Yūji swore

* * *

><p>"Girls, please," Shinichi urged. "I'm fine." Moka, Kurumu, Yukari and Mizore, just as Yūji had informed him earlier, had come to see him. When he did not turn up for school, they feared the worst. It was only from Yokoshima that they learnt what had happened.<p>

"But you're hurt," said Moka.

"Yeah, let us help," added Kurumu.

"I...I'm fine," said Shinichi.

"I want to freeze her," said Mizore coldly (no pun intended). She hated Lina. That girl was trying to take Shinichi away from her. Even if Shinichi and Lina had history, that was all in the past. Mizore wanted a future with Shinichi, and the child she would carry for him.

"Don't," Shinichi said to Mizore, eyes narrowed.

"But, Shinichi-kun, she hurt you," said Moka.

"And that girl's still out there. She might be as hurt as you. We can take her," said Kurumu.

"I brought this on myself," he admitted. "And no," he warned them. "Lina was, and is, one of the most dangerous psychics GIN-SHOCKER has."

"Then I can use my magic," said Yukari. "I bet she's never experienced magic's effects before!"

"I know you're strong, Yukari-chan," Shinichi told her. "But Lina's got military training, the same as mine. Even before she got her cybernetic enhancements, she was a match for me. Now not only does she have a powerful mind, but a body to match as well."

"So, what do you expect us to do?" Moka questioned.

"Focus more on the preparations on the school festival," he told them. "We still have twelve days left to prepare, and we have to make sure that nothing else gets in the way. It's bad enough that ANTI-THESIS wants to tear the whole thing down."

"And let you face Lina on your own?"

"I want to save her, Moka-chan," he said, full of resolve.

"But is there even still hope for her left?" Mizore asked. "Do you think she can still be saved?"

"I won't give up on her. I can't. I owe her that much after what I...what GIN-SHOCKER did." The organization which had ruined Shinichi's life was still out there. Just when would they leave him alone? Why couldn't they just forget him? He would be OK if they just leave him alone. That way he wouldn't be fighting them. He would prefer someone else to fight them, but he couldn't, not anymore. They were the ones that made the first move, pulling Shinichi into their wicked game. And if he was forced to play, he would play to win.

"I need to go," said Shinichi as he got out of bed. "I still have that article for Gin-sempai."

"Is this really the time to be worrying about our newspaper?" Kurumu asked sardonically.

"I need something to do, focus on other things. And even if Gin-sempai is a pervert, he cares a lot about the Newspaper Club. He stayed around even after what the old Student Police did," Shinichi said. While he didn't completely respect Gin, he could respect the Werewolf's dedication to the Newspaper Club.

"So, we're heading back to the dorm?" Kurumu asked. "Or are we staying here again, tonight?"

"And what's wrong with the Hive Queen?" asked Shinichi.

"It's just too...unnatural," said Yukari. "Too mechanical. I'm sorry."

"Yeah, and I'm sorry too," said Shinichi. "I let my fear and paranoia turn you all into prisoners because I was afraid of letting you get hurt. Still, I'm afraid of what Lina might do."

"How about we all stay together in the same room?" Moka suggested.

"Yeah, like a slumber party!" Yukari cheered. She added, "Or an orgy!"

"YUKARI-CHAN!" Shinichi cried, blushing as his antennae straightened upwards. For a little kid she was sure perverted.

* * *

><p>"Well, shit," said Netto as he and Qiao had a meal with Yūji. "Did that really happen?" It was dinner time and Netto had cooked some curry, inviting Yūji over to share with them.<p>

"All of it is true," sighed Yūji. "I mean Shin's a genius in school and warfare, but when it comes to considering the feelings of others, he fails miserably." He'd just informed Netto of Shinichi's attempt at suicide.

"Considering his upbringing, that isn't a surprise," Netto responded. Yūji cocked an eyebrow. "Yūji, think about it. For over a decade he had his emotions sealed. He's emotionally stunted. After freeing himself from GIN-SHOCKER he finally regained the ability to express emotions. What he hasn't learnt is how to deal with things emotionally. GIN-SHOCKER stunted his emotional growth and it's still affecting him even now."

"Which is why I'm going to burn them," he swore.

"And what about Lina?" Netto questioned further. "When you think about it, she's in the same boat as Shinichi. Only difference is that she hasn't had her emotions sealed off."

"Yeah, I'm still gonna kick her ass when I find her," he added. "She fucked with my family too so she needs to pay the price. I won't kill her, of course. I'll just beat her ass and make her apologize." He paused for a moment, "...Did that sound weird just now?"

"It kinda did," Qiao agreed. "Guess you and Shinichi are related after all."

"And what about these ANTI-THESIS guys?" Netto asked.

"I'll kick their asses too, if I have to," Yūji added again. "Those fucks are screwing with us and we need to beat their asses to show them what's what around here. A Boss has to look out for the Family, after all."

"Yeah, well it doesn't seem like those guys are beginning to take any chances," Qiao said. "We've already seen that they got their hands on this G-Shock stuff, and they don't care what happens to them as long as those drugs make them stronger."

"Qiao-chan's got a point about that," Netto nodded. "As far as we know, the entire gang could be packing."

"Well, it doesn't matter," Yūji answered. "If I have to, I'll take'em all down."

* * *

><p>"So...well...futons go on the floor, and well it looks like one of you has to take the bed," said Shinichi. He couldn't win an argument when the girls vehemently insisted they sleep with him in his room. So, he had to compromise, somehow. He then spotted the girls playing 'Rock, Paper, Scissors'. He tilted his head to the side, curiously. "Er...what are you girls doing?"<p>

"We're trying to decide who gets to share your bed with you," said Mizore.

"I...I don't think that would be...appropriate," said Shinichi, while fighting the urge to let one of the girls sleep with him in the same bed. He had a need for human contact, something he'd been deprived of for most of his life and was enjoying after freeing himself from GIN-SHOCKER's bondage. He just liked the feeling of having a warm body pressed against his, especially a warm and soft female body. It reminded him of the feeling he had when he used to sleep with his mother as a child.

"Come on, girls," said Moka. "You should take a bath."

"And what about you?" Kurumu frowned.

"I'll bathe later. You know, because I can't really bathe in normal water and I don't wanna inconvenience anyone." It was a clever excuse, really. It would give her some time to be alone with Shinichi.

Kurumu narrowed her eyes. While she and the girls had agreed to share Shinichi, the Succubus still considered the Vampire to be her rival for Shinichi's affection. But after all he'd been through, fighting over him would just burden him with unnecessary stress. Mizore also could see what Moka was up to but wasn't bothered. Yukari supported the two.

The three girls went to take a bath in the bathroom, leaving Shinichi and Moka alone. Now, alone, the two could talk. Well, before that, Moka put her arms around Shinchi and bit his neck. Shinichi shuddered as she took some of his blood. At first it hurt but then he got used to it, and then he started to enjoy it. Was his brain compensating and changing the sensation of pain to pleasure?

Moka removed her lips and fangs from Shinichi and apologized, but then gasped as Shinichi pulled her to him and kissed her neck. She moaned, grasping his sleeves as he planted kisses on her neck. She then gasped as she felt him nibbling on the spot before sucking on it.

This was Shinichi's form of revenge for her always biting on his neck and leaving a mark. Now he was gonna leave a mark on her. He removed his lips from her neck and smiled at her. But then, all of a sudden, he was tackled to the floor by Kurumu who was clad in a towel.

"I knew it! Dammit!" Kurumu shouted.

"Kurumu-chan!" Moka cried.

"Shinichi, give me a hickey! You can even leave a mark on my breasts!"

* * *

><p>After the girls had bathed, Shinichi took a bath himself. He made sure to keep the door locked so the girls wouldn't barge in on him. The girls were just on the other side of the door and well if they did barge in on him he doubted he could relax. However, their presence was not unwelcome. He needed to have them around. They might feel that they needed him around, but the truth was that he needed them more.<p>

Drumming his fingers against the rim of the tub, Shinichi wondered how he was going to save Lina. After thinking about what he'd tried to do (perform suicide while taking her out), he realized how stupid the plan had been. It wasn't guaranteed that they would be revived if they had died.

"_Please start considering their feelings before you even think of trying to pull a stunt like that again." _

Shinichi started to consider his cousin's words and the girls' feelings after that. He just thought that they would move on but sadly, after thinking about it, he knew that it would be a stupid assumption to make. He'd be hurting them more than Lina ever could.

What had GIN-SHOCKER turned him into?

* * *

><p>Kurumu opened up Shinichi's closet and grinned as she grabbed one of his shirts. She then sniffed it and sighed.<p>

"Kurumu-chan, put that back!" Moka scolded.

"Come on, Moka. Don't you want to do it too?" Kurumu teased as she waved the shirt in front of her. She then shouted, "Hey, Mizore!"

Mizore was sniffing Shinichi's pillow. "...What?"

"Girls, please, we mustn't-Yukari-chan, put those back!" Moka shouted.

Yukari was waving a pair of Shinichi's boxers, a look of perverted delight on her face.

* * *

><p>Days later, students were busying themselves with preparations for the upcoming school festival.<p>

"Whaddya think, Shinichi?" purred Kurumu as she showed off her outfit. It was a sexy French maid outfit that was in two pieces, exposing her midriff and letting him see her flat and toned stomach. It also exposed her shoulders. The outfit was black, with a short miniskirt and apron hanging from her waist. The top also exposed much of a cleavage and she wore thigh-high stockings. And to top it all off, a maid's cap on top and a ribbon around her neck.

The class was doing preparations for the Kamen Rider Cafe. Masks were put up along the walls near the ceiling, each one a different Rider.

"It's...great," he said as he looked her up and down, distracting and dirty thoughts popping up in his mind. Seeing her in that outfit made him want to take an early lunch break with her, inside the infirmary, with the door locked, and she could have his sausage to herself.

"Excuse me, but we're supposed to do a Kamen Rider Cafe, Kurumu-chan," Moka admonished.

"Well, that's easily fixed," said Kurumu. "All I need is a scarf, fancy belt, a mask, and me _riding _Shinichi." She rubbed herself against him shamelessly, earning him jealous glares from the male classmates.

"HA!" Yūji laughed from the door before coming in.

"Ah, Aniki!" Shinichi greeted. "What brings you over?"

"Just checking in when I heard Kuru-chan's crack," he answered before high-fiving Kurumu. "That was a perfect set-up, girl!"

"Who said I was joking?" Kurumu grinned. She was suddenly shoved aside. "Hey!"

"You need to cool down," said Mizore. She was wearing a costume which Shinichi recognised.

"Denpa Ningen Tackle?" Shinichi asked. It was similar to the suit she'd worn when Shinichi had used Form Ride on her.

"Do you like it?" Mizore asked hopefully. She even had the helmet tucked under her arm. "Yokoshima asked the Cosplay Club to make it for me."

Shinichi smiled, "You...you look great!" Mizore looped her arms around him and hugged him close.

"Thank you for saying that, _anata_," Mizore whispered.

"Aw~ now ain't that sweet~! So, what's going on right now?" Yūji asked.

"Oh, just doing some preparations. Chiaki is working on the signs and artwork for our cafe and Daichi is doing the music for the atmosphere."

Chiaki stepped over with a sketch to show Shinichi. It was Kamen Rider Ichigo, the first Rider. Shinichi nodded approvingly, "Nice!" For their cafe, they would have portraits of the Kamen Riders from long ago put up on the wall with some informational bits.

"And what about Yokoshima and Shogo?" Yūji asked.

"Yokoshima has to practice for a play he's doing with the Cosplay Club and Shogo has PSC stuff," Shinichi answered.

"And what about Misato, Michiru and Hana?" Yūji asked further.

"Promoting the cafe," said Shinichi. "I think they left in their suits, minus the helmets. They're putting up fliers as we speak."

"Cool, now excuse me while I go check on my ladies. Keep up the badassery and lemme know if you need Liger," Yūji offered as he left Shinichi and the others.

"You know, he could pose for photos," Shinichi murmured, rubbing his chin as he pondered the idea.

The door slid open and Gin showed up with a camera. "Hey, everybody! Just came here to check out how things are coming along!"

"Ah, sempai," Moka smiled.

Gin smiled at her then spotted Kurumu, whistling, "And that is one awesome outfit you got there! It really shows off your curves!"

"Back off, Gin," Kurumu growled as she clung onto Shinichi's arm. Suddenly, there was a draft from one of the open windows which flipped Kurumu's short skirt up, giving Gin a good look at her panties. Quick as a flash, he took a picture.

"Now that is gonna go into my new collection!" Gin grinned. He heard a growl and turned to see Shinichi glaring at him with glowing red eyes. "Uh..."

* * *

><p>"And how are my honeys?" Yūji asked as he hugged Michiru from behind.<p>

"Just passing out fliers," Hana answered as she gave one to Yūji.

"Hmm...I have no idea what I wanna do for this thing," Yūji frowned as he read the flyer. "I wish Kat and the others were here so we could do a concert..."

"I remember," Misato recalled, "That was a good thing you did for Michiru. Wonder what else you'll come up with for..."

Yūji blinked, "For what?"

"Well, you did that for Michiru's birthday," Misato reminded, "So..."

"You're birthday's coming up," he guessed.

"Halloween," she specified.

"I'll see what I can do." Yūji then received a kiss from Misato, slipping some tongue as well as she tasted the inside of his mouth for a bit before letting him go.

"I'll be waiting," she smirked.

'_Why do I get the feeling I just fucked myself over...?'_

"Hey, I wanna kiss too," Michiru pouted as she pulled Yūji in for a smooch.

Suddenly, they heard a loud scream and Gin ran past them at full speed. Following him were twin beams of red energy which pursued him, chasing him around the corner he'd turned into. There was an explosion which followed and then smoke.

"I think I better go back to see what's up with Shin," Yūji said quickly.

* * *

><p>The glow in Shinichi's eyes subsided and he realized that his classmates were all staring at him in shock. Sure, they were a school for monsters and everyone had special abilities, but they didn't openly use them like that. To see Shinichi shoot lasers out of his eyes had been shocking.<p>

Yūji came in and grabbed Shinichi, pulling him away as the two went past students as they started muttering amongst themselves. "Nothing to see, kids; nothing to see," he smiled and laughed nervously. He pulled him around the corner, the girls waiting for them. _"¿Estás loco o algo así?-!" _Yuji demanded.

"Did...you just speak Spanish?" Shinichi blinked.

"Wow...must've caught something from Flannery after that time Riza and I banged her," Yūji blinked.

"What were you thinking, using your laser vision like that, Shinichi?" Hana demanded.

"Are you crazy or something?" Misato asked. "...On second thought...don't answer that."

"Sorry, it's just Gin took a picture of Kurumu when there was a draft and...you can understand why I did it," Shinichi apologized while rubbing his neck, trying to justify his act.

"Hey, do you think Gin will take pictures of us for Yūji-kun?" Michiru asked hopefully. "We could put on a whole bunch of outfits and Yūji-kun can watch!"

"Yūji-sama watching me pose in degrading outfits..." Ruby blushed, appearing out of nowhere, "Oh...just thinking about it is making me nervous~"

"Yeah, sure. _I'm_ the crazy one," Shinichi sighed, his eyes rolling. He spotted Gin staggering out from the corner, scorched from the laser bursts he'd hit him with. "I think I should head back to class and oversee the progress of the preparation."

"Yeah, you do that," Yūji nodded. "I've got shit to take care of right now. Don't wait up." He walked down the hall in a rather hasty matter, which Shinichi and the girls took notice of.

"Something bugging him?" Shinichi asked them. The girls' only reply was a shrug of union.

* * *

><p>"<em>Dammit, dammit, dammit,"<em> Yūji muttered as he paced down the hall, students gave him a wide berth, as if noticing the aura of anger and irritation wafting off him. "_Fuck_, what the hell am I supposed to do?" Misato's birthday was coming up soon and it had completely slipped his mind. He didn't even have a present for her yet.

Needing some air, he walked straight towards the roof's exit. Some fresh air in the wide open spaces might do him good. Hell, being on his D-Wheel would do him some good too, if he actually brought it with him.

Now, what would Misato want for a present, from him? She hadn't hinted anything, had she? I mean, when had she brought up anything involving her birthday? Or maybe the issue just slipped his mind? A lot had been going on and well Yūji had to do so much all at once.

"OK, she likes blood; I know that much," he muttered. "Maybe I'll let her suck more from me... No, that's stupid," he denied. "Maybe...a bathtub filled with blood that she could bathe in! No...that's just stupid! Not even Misato would consider doing that. Oh, _goddammit!_" he cried as he fell to his knees. _"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!"_ he cried as he smashed his head into the roof's floor repeatedly, not even minding the blood dripping from his forehead.

"Are you OK? Because it looks to me like you're having an argument with the floor."

Yūji looked up to see a young boy looking down at him, dressed in a jean jacket and matching pants and sneakers. His skin was a little dark and his eyes were a bright blue as his hair was cobalt-blue and tied back in a short braid.

"Who're you?" Yūji asked.

"Takeru Raimei," the boy smiled. "Couldn't help but notice you cracking your head against the floor. it was funny," he laughed before handing him a towel. "You're head's bleeding, by the way." Yūji accepted the towel, wiping the blood off his head. "So, what's wrong?"

"Not for nothing, but I doubt a kid would understand," Yūji dismissed.

"I'm 15," Takeru informed.

'_Might as well entertain this kid so he could leave me alone.'_ Yūji got back up and sat against the fence, Takeru joining him. "My girlfriend's birthday is coming up and I don't know what to get her."

"Is she special?" Takeshi asked.

"You could say that," Yūji nodded. "She's the type that's satisfied when she gets what she wants. Most of the time it's sucking my neck and so I let her at me so she could take as much as she wants.

"That's creepy," Takeru shivered, "She a Vampire or something?"

"Again, you could say that," Yūji admitted. "She's smart, beautiful, strong and quite irritable, so I do my best to stay on her good side and not piss her off."

"Sounds like you really like her," Takeru admired. "Hey, why don't you do whatever she wants then?"

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Yūji blinked.

"Take her out and whatever she wants to do or wants you to do, you do it," Takeru elaborated. "I read that girls love being pampered and showered with affection, most of the time."

The boy's words had some truth to them. Yūji could always do something just with Misato and tend to whatever needs she presented during the time. It'd be a good opportunity to pamper the vampiric cyborg and treat her like a princess for once.

"I can't believe I'm taking love advice from a kid, but you've got a solid plan," Yūji smiled as he ruffled Takeshi's hair. "Thanks, kid. You're smarter than you look."

"I read a lot," Takeru giggled, "Just thought I'd help out a guy in need." He stood up and stretched, "I better get going; Onii-chan said he'd be taking me out later. By the way, what's your name?"

"Yūji Fudo," Yūji introduced.

"Nice talking to ya," Takeru grinned as he made his way for the stairwell.

"Nice kid," Yūji smiled. It's good that there were youthful teens like Takeru that were well-mannered. But something clicked as he blinked, "Wait...I've never seen him around here before." Then again, Yōkai Academy was a big school and Yūji couldn't have met all the students yet.

* * *

><p>Gin grumbled, still scorched but he had recovered from his earlier ordeal. He was walking alongside Shinichi.<p>

"I said I was sorry for zapping you! But you should apologize too for taking photos like that!" Shinichi exclaimed.

"Hey, I can't fight my true nature!" argued Gin defensively. "Plus she was in the ideal position."

"Continue on this path, and my foot will find an ideal position up your ass," Shinichi threatened.

"I just don't get how you can bag girls without even trying!" yelled Gin in exasperation.

"It's simple. They pursue me, and unlike you I actually have genuine feelings for them. I don't think of them as just pieces of meat," Shinichi told Gin honestly.

"You think I do this just to get ass?-!" Gin howled. "I got feelings too, ya know! It's just fucking hard for me to control myself!"

"You should meditate then," Shinichi advised.

"Oh, please, that shit never works," the Werewolf scoffed. "If meditating could solve my problems I would've done it a long time ago! Damn, sometimes I blame my mom for these hands..."

"Your mother?"

"She always had a habit of being grabby with Dad," Gin explained. He then fished a photo from his jacket's inner pocket and gave it to Shinichi..

Shinichi eyes went wide, "Why do you have a picture of your mother, reclining in a bed, in her lingerie?"

"My Dad gave it to me," said Gin.

"Again..._why_?" Shinichi was a bit disturbed, but he had to admit that Gin's mother was attractive. The woman was thin, trim, but she seemed very fit rather than just skinny like many other models are. She was actually very busty with curves sloping in the perfect places. Her hair was very long and reached down to her backside and she was running her hands through the long and wild tresses. Her eyes were an earthen brown and held a wild sparkle in them. Her posture exuded wild energy which would make any man want to howl like a wolf in her presence.

"She's hot, right? A total babe; my mom's the best," Gin boasted with a wide grin.

"I dunno. My own Kaa-chan doesn't look half bad in a bathing suit to be honest," said Shinichi.

"I can totally agree with you on that," Gin laughed. He had never expected to share anything in common with Shinichi, but talking like this actually felt right for once.

"Why don't you talk to Aniki?" Shinichi suggested. "He's lived in the Human World all his life and he's older than either of us. I'm sure he can help you out with your girl problem."

"You mean your cousin?"

"Who else would I be referring to? I don't have anyone else I would call 'Aniki' in this place. Nobody has earned that much respect from me."

Gin took the suggestion into mind. It was certain that Yūji knew what to do around women, and he was currently in a relationship with 5 women (even a half-breed Werewolf); which was even more than what Shinichi had to deal with. If he could get advice from the Volcano Manakyte, then maybe there's hope for Gin yet...

"I'll think about it," Gin accepted as he walked away. "Yeah, yeah...I'm gonna need to think hard this time."

"Well, think on your own because..." he clapped his hands together, "I got duties to perform." He pointed towards his classroom and snapped his fingers. "See ya!" As Shinichi walked towards his classroom, Takeru walked past him. For a brief moment, Shinichi went stiff and spun around only to see the students hanging around in the hallway.

'_What the hell was that?'_

* * *

><p>"Why do I have to lift these boxes by myself?" Yukari grumbled. Maybe she could've asked her classmates but she wanted to show that she could contribute without magic. Of course she was now regretting her decision.<p>

As she was climbing up the stairs, she slipped on one of the steps and screamed as she fell backwards.

"Look out!"

A loud thud rang as the two fell, Yukari's body protected by her savior as he'd crashed on his back. She opened her eyes and looked to her savior. "I'm so sorry..."

"It's OK," Takeru groaned, "But you should...be careful..."

The two children had their voices caught in their throats as they gazed into each other's eyes, violet meeting blue as their cheeks became flushed with color.

"I'm sorry," Yukari finally apologized as she found her voice. "Are you hurt...?"

"I've been through worse," Takeru dismissed. "Um...I'm Takeru; Takeru Raimei."

"Yukari Sendō," the Witch returned.

"Looks like we left a mess," said Takeru as he saw the stuff that had been in the box littered all around them.

"Oh no!" Yukari gasped. All of this was meant for her class' attraction. They were going to do fortune telling and needed materials for decorations and props.

"Let me help you pick them up," offered Takeru. "It's the least I can do."

"Thank you, Raimei-san."

* * *

><p>"Is something wrong? You've been scratching your scar a few times already in the past minute," observed Mizore.<p>

"It just gets irritated from time to time," Shinichi told her. That scar, that mark, that brand would forever be on him, a symbol of his past that he could not erase.

Mizore placed her fingers against the scar and cool sensation of relief washed over the mark. "Ah...arigatou, Mizore-chan."

"A wife needs to take care of her husband," she said and Shinichi blushed. Mizore wanted him to not only be the father of her children, but her husband. Her mother approved of him and Mizore was overjoyed that she'd found someone who she could love that returned her feelings. He didn't treat her any differently from the other girls who he'd grown close to, even when she'd tried to freeze him before. The fact was that he understood loneliness but he also understood he needed to reach out to her as well. She really couldn't imagine Shinichi being cruel like how GIN-SHOCKER had made him to be.

Shinichi didn't think they needed to rush into commitments like marriage. They were still young, but he had to consider the fact that Mizore, as a Yuki-Onna, had a limited window of opportunity for fertility. They could only bear children between the ages of 17 and 25. After that, there would be no more chances to have children. Another problem was that the females of her race outnumbered the males 3:1. With such a low male population, Yuki-Onna went out to find mates from other races, sometimes even humans which gave birth to the stories of Yuki-Onna kidnapping young men who were never seen again. Every myth did have some grain of truth in them. It was a little biased as humans saw Youkai as dangerous creatures. Shinichi just saw them as people, capable of good and evil. They weren't any different from humans, really. However, if he were to make that comparison outloud he would probably offend a lot of people.

Shinichi found himself lost in Mizore's ice blue eyes. She was a really a beautiful girl. The reason most people seemed put off by her was due to her eccentricities. Normally, she was introverted but whenever she went after something she wanted, she could rival Kurumu in terms of passion.

"Come on, there's still more work to do," Shinichi prompted.

Mizore had felt guilty about trying to take him against his will and force him to become her husband. After finding out what had happened to him and what Gebok had done to him, the memory of that horrifying footage was still fresh in her mind, she decided that she wouldn't do something like that to him. It'd just been the cruelest thing she'd ever seen, though it had probably been only the tip of the iceberg. There could've been more footage like that, but for Gebok to casually torture a child like made her hate the scientist and sympathize with Shinichi more.

* * *

><p>Hearing the explanation he received, Yūji could only respond the only way he knew how. "What?"<p>

"Come on, help a guy out," Gin begged, "Shinichi told me you'd be the best man to help! And a teacher is supposed to help his students, right?" He was on his knees before the new teacher, girls giggling as they passed by the spectacle.

"Alright, just stop begging," Yūji ordered. "You're making a scene. So basically, you're having girl trouble."

"Yeah..." Gin admitted, hanging his head low. "I've been practicing the art of picking up chicks longer but Shinichi does it without even trying. Heck, without even realizing it."

"Don't get droopy on me now. It doesn't suit you."

"I just wanna know his secret! And your secrets!"

"As far as Shin is concerned, he's basically a natural at being a nice guy and actually caring about someone. Me; I'm more or less the same, but I also had "training" from my Uncles." He shivered for a second and muttered, "Never drinking again... And another thing, maybe you're just not compatible with the girls here. I mean, you don't even know what a solid majority of them are."

"Then what am I supposed to do?" Gin demanded.

Yūji took a moment to think, coming up with a possibility, "Ever thought of trying to get with a human girl when you get a chance?"

"Seriously?"

"Well, a girl is still a girl, no matter the race. Least that's how I see it," Yūji shrugged, "And from my personal experience, they're nice and tight; especially the virgins. Oh, goddammit, now I'm sounding like Uncle Crow... Anyway, just listen, the most popular girls in school are always either taken, or they turn out to be total bitches. What you gotta do is just dim down the dial a bit, maybe even find a girl who's sweet, gentle and quiet. Unless...you're into those adventurous types?"

"I'm a Werewolf," he grinned, "Whaddya think?"

The Manakyte took a minute to think before something came to mind. "...I think I know someone."

He fished out his wallet and pulled out a photo of him and his sister, their heads locked under the arms of an older-looking girl with wild-looking black hair, with the black layer fanning to the sides and the front layers separated into three bangs (2 framing her face and one covering her forehead), silver eyes, fair skin and a right fang poking out from beneath her upper lip. She also had an impressive bust, judging by the cleavage that the picture cut off.

"Who is that!" Gin cried, his eyes focused wildly on the photograph, "She's gorgeous!"

"That's Kumiko, a third-year student from my school back home,"Yūji identified.

"Nice..."

"She's the school's captain for the basketball team. From what I hear she's repeated classes for the past 3 years since I graduated, just because she wanted to."

Gin commented, "She must _love _school."

Yūji agreed, "Well, she does whatever she can to have fun, even if it gets her in trouble as long as nobody got hurt. She was kinda like a big sister to me and Yuki while we were in school."

"Got her number?" he asked hopefully.

"Slow down there, cowboy. You gotta meet her first. If you call her out of nowhere then she's gonna think something's up. Kumiko has a good nose for sensing danger but she might mistake you for a creepy stalker."

"What am I supposed to do then?-!" he cried.

"Just sit tight until we take another trip home," Yūji advised, "I'll get us to Neo Domino and I'll even introduce you to her. She considers Neo Domino her "territory" so she'll definitely be at Duel Academy."

* * *

><p>Leon, along with members of his PSC were performing their rounds, patrolling the school grounds and making sure the students were doing what they were supposed to and not goofing off. Some of them were using dangerous tools and they could accidentally hurt themselves. He really didn't need someone to accidentally break their thumb with a hammer or cut themselves with a saw.<p>

Up ahead, he spotted Riza talking with Ruby. He frowned. He still hadn't told her about her brother's fate. As far as Riza was concerned, her brother was still alive and she would find her. Yūji had promised her that he would help her find her brother. Unfortunately, that was a promise he would not be able to keep.

The right time hadn't come up and yet Leon didn't want to delay any further. But right now, everyone was preparing for the School Festival, plus there was still ANTI-THESIS to worry about, plus these Jagers who'd come into Youkai Academy.

Leon knew he would need to head out and check out the festival grounds too. Exiting the building, he saw students hard at work, carrying supplies. He spotted Daichi and Yokoshima working on their dunking booth. That was a common carnival game and people would love to see someone dropped into a tub of cold water in their swimming trunks. Would be a sight to see.

Leon looked around, eyes narrowed in suspicion as he read everyone. Anyone could be a member of ANTI-THESIS, anyone could be a spy. He hadn't found the one working in the Student Council but he was narrowing down the suspects.

"Papa! Papa!"

Leon turned and spotted Aphrodite walking over with Tamao, hand-in-hand. The Kitsune child let go of her hand and ran to Leon, jumping up to be caught by him.

"Shouldn't you be in daycare?" he glared playfully.

"She misses you," said Aphrodite.

"It's still school hours."

"Oh, we don't have classes this close to the festival, so I just thought it'd be nice to bring Tamao here to see you work," dismissed Aphrodite. "And well you're usually grumpy and all-business if you don't have Tamao around."

Leon cocked an eyebrow and looked down at Tamao who was nuzzling his chest. "OK, but let's not make this a habit," Leon warned.

"I make no promises," Aphrodite argued. "Oh, and I was thinking we could have a bit of a lunch break."

"Fine..." sighed Leon. "Come on. I know a nice little spot where we can enjoy our meal together."

As the three walked off, Leon spared Riza another glance before focusing his attention on Tamao.

* * *

><p>Misato cocked a brow to Yūji's request, "A date?"<p>

"Yup," he nodded.

"But we're in a school," she contradicted. "Where are we supposed to go?"

"Shin told me about this spot called the Mononoke Arcade," Yūji said. "Supposed to be a good place to chill and hang out during breaks and days off. I figure we could go check it out; together."

"Wow, you learn something new about this place everyday," said Misato.

"So, I figure we can go before or right on your birthday (which is on Friday) and we (I mean me) will do whatever you want for the day; just us," Yūji explained. "Whattya think, babe?"

"Sure, I don't really have anything planned," she shrugged.

'_Aw, fuck, I don't think she likes it,'_ Yūji feared, _'Or...is she messing with me? I mean, maybe it's because of all the bullshit fighting we did before and if we go out, we'll just get fucking ambushed again! Sure, we could take down anybody trying to fuck with us but then the day would be ruined and then Misato's gonna be pissed, then __**I'm **__gonna be pissed, then __**Abyss**__ is gonna be pissed, and then everyone dies! FUUUUCK!'_ All this thinking had made Yūji sweating bullets as he couldn't think of anything to say. He wanted to do this for her, but he didn't want anything to go wrong and things usually did. Even his eyes were spinning and he felt like he was gonna lose his mind.

"Are you OK? You're sweating like crazy," Misato pointed.

"Yeah, I'm OK...I'm good...everything good," Yūji ensured, still sweating nervously. "I better go...classes starting...don't wanna make you late. Um...later then!" He was gone before Misato could say anything, watching him run down the hall as she could still hear him swearing in English as students practically jumped out of his way.

"But classes are cancelled," Misato murmured. "Wait, was he trying to ask me out on a date for my birthday?"

* * *

><p>"<em>Shit, shit, shit, shit!"<em> Yūji cursed as he repeatedly slammed his head into a wall, worrying students passing by as he was starting to put a hole in the wall while he was bleeding from his head again (again not noticing). "I totally bombed that shit...! I fucking bombed!"

"Uh, sensei," a girl tried to call, "Are you alright?"

"I'm good!" he snapped, scaring the girl as she turned tail and ran. "Wait! ..._Dammit!_" He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see Misato staring at him. "Oh...Misato..."

"OK, normally when you ask a girl out you don't freak out. So, what's the deal?" she asked, hands to her hips with a critical expression on her face.

"I dunno, I just got nervous," Yūji slumped as he dropped to the floor. "You didn't seem interested and I panicked..."

"Sorry, mind was elsewhere," she said. "We got a school festival coming up after all."

"Right... There's the festival, so there's not really any time for dates," he sighed.

"Well, we could hang out together during the festival," Misato suggested. "There's gonna be a ton of things to do. And you can help me get Yokoshima dunked into a tub of water, repetitively."

"Alright, yeah," Yūji nodded as he started to calm down. "We can do that. It's just...I don't want anything to fuck up your birthday."

"If anyone or anything tries to mess up my birthday..." She took out one of her rapiers, "You'll know I'll make them pay, with interest."

"God, you're hot," he grinned.

"And don't you forget it," she teased. She patted his shoulder, "Anyway, you should relax. Maybe get some fresh air."

"...Right, fresh air,' Yūji agreed and Misato smiled before walking away. Yūji opened the window and poked his head out to inhale when he spotted someone walking into the forest from the corner of his eye. Normally, he wouldn't pay much mind to that. But there was something that the person wore that did.

A fedora with a white coat.

Narrowing his eyes, he silently went to follow the figure into the forest. Maybe he could get the stress release he needed.

* * *

><p>"A school festival wouldn't be such a bad thing to go to," said #18. He was monitoring the computers that they had set up in the base, with Lina overlooking him.<p>

Lina cocked an eyebrow, "And risk exposure?"

"Like anyone could hurt you," he countered. He heard something, "Someone's coming." He quickly got up from his chair and lit up his fists with red lightning as someone came into their lair, only to see the familiar white coat and fedora of...

"Dr. Gebok!" Lina gasped.

"Hello, WHITE 14," Gebok smiled. He addressed #18 as well, acknowledging his presence, "And you too, #18."

"Hello, Doctor," returned #18, dismissing his lightning.

"What brings you here, Doctor Gebok?" Lina asked.

"I came to collect your progress report in person this time," said Gebok. "From what I heard before you're not even close to capturing BLACK 13."

Lina frowned, "We've met with some complications, Doctor Gebok."

"Let me make myself perfectly clear, WHITE 14," Gebok said, his face becoming more serious, "The executives are thinking of having me replaced. They think it's a waste of resources for us to be going after BLACK 13 and think the best course of action is to kill him and leave him to rot."

"No!" Lina protested.

"Then, you know what must be done," Gebok nodded. "And I'll be sending the rest of the team too. We can't make anymore risks this time. We need to have BLACK 13 back as quickly as possible."

"The hell you are, Fucktard!"

Gebok and the two teenaged Cyborgs turned around at the sudden voice. They'd been followed? How could they have been found out? Out from behind the doorway, Yūji stepped out. His hands were in his pockets and his face wore a frown.

"You..." Lina scowled, her eyes glowing.

"Ah, Yūji Fudo," Gebok grinned, his expressions making a complete 180, "It's been a long time, boy. I've heard you have become a teacher here. Congratulations."

Yūji glared at Gebok, the man who'd caused his aunt grief and his cousin years of suffering. Here was a true monster who did not care about anything except to contribute something to science, even if it went against human ethics.

"You know, I've been waiting for this moment for a long, long time," swore Yūji , his fingers flexing.

"Ah, yes. Vengeance against me for what I did to BLACK 13..."

"His name is _Shinichi_, and he happens to be my cousin, _you Fucktard__!_" Yūji took out his belt and strapped it on. "I'm gonna fucking tear you to pieces, you piece of shit!"

"Cousin?" Gebok grinned wider, even more than humanly possible. "Really now? What a surprise. Speaking of which, do you know where your _cousin _is right now?"

"Safe, at school," answered Yūji . "Where you or your lackeys can't touch him."

"Oh, you couldn't be more wrong," Gebok said merrily. Yūji's eyes went wide.

"What did you do?" Yūji demanded, grabbing the mad scientist by his collar.

"It's not what I'm doing, it's what _they _are about to do to him," Gebok replied without showing an ounce of fear, still wearing that stupid grin on his face. Yūji's fangs bared as black smoke seeped out of his nostrils. He so desperately wanted to incinerate the bastard right here and now. This was his chance to do it, but he needed to hear the information first. "If you leave now, you might be able to save him. But odds are you'll be too late."

Snarling, Yūji removed his grip from Gebok, allowing the man to straighten out his coat. He glanced at #18 and Lina before taking off.

"Looks like we're gonna need a new hideout," said #18. "But are you sure it was fine to let him go, just like that?"

"Don't worry," Lina waved off confidently. "Celeste won't let him get too far."

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Shinichi had gone to dispose some garbage in the back of the school when his feet stepped on something metal. Looking down, he inspected the metal dish with glowing light in the centre. "Hey, this looks just like a-" He vanished in the blink of an eye only to reappear in a clearing in the middle of the forest, standing on top of an identical dish. "-TransMat dish." He blinked as he realized he'd just been transported. "Crap."<p>

His twin ahoge twitched about as his danger senses alerted him and he spun to the side, making a lightning bolt flew past him, striking a tree which caught ablaze in a flash. Shinichi followed the trajectory of the lightning bolt to see his opponent, a male clad in blue armored modeled after a stag beetle.

"I guess you're my opponent," said Shinichi as he noticed the numeral on his opponent's shoulder. "XIX? #19, huh? Well, I'm #13, but you can call me..." He transformed, "Let's Ride: Showa!" He changed in a flash and took out his signature weapons, the Laser Saber and Vulcan Shooter. "Game Start!"

The stag beetle Rider reached for the handles on his pack and pulled, and once the handles were in his grip they generated swords of energy, which were curved. The edges were covered in serrated spikes and Showa realized that the blades crackled electricity.

"I'm #19, Kamen Rider Storm," the Rider identified himself in a deep voice. With that said, he dashed towards Showa at lightning speed. An extra laser blade shot out from the bottom of the Laser Saber's handle and Showa blocked the strike of both lightning blades, causing sparks to violently fly off on impact. He struggled before shoving his opponent backwards. Taking aim, he fired but the shots from his Vulcan Shooter bounced off Storm's swords as he used them to deflect the lasers. Rushing forward, he swung and sliced a sword in half as Showa rolled out of the way. The two then were locked in brutal combat, their respective weapons clashing.

Storm managed to knock Showa's weapons out of his hands but before he could move in for the kill Showa summoned the Gravity Hammer. With a swing, he sent Storm flying a far distance, knocking down trees as he went soaring. Showa chased after him and stopped at another clearing. He gripping his Gravity Hammer, scanning his surroundings. "Now...where did you go...?" His antennae picked up Storm's signal and then all of a sudden several figures jumped him from above. "NANI!-? DUPLICATES!-?"

A dozen of identical Storms lunged him swinging their swords. Spinning on his heel, Showa sent them all flying with a strike of his hammer as they exploded in flashes of lightning. He then summoned his Vulcan Shooter and began shooting at them before they could deflect his attack, the beams flying in all directions as they destroyed the duplicates, causing them to explode. The real Storm charged through the smoke and swung his swords as Showa countered with his hammer. The impact caused a violent shockwave that would blow anything, not anchored to the ground, away.

"Let's Ride...SUPER-1!" Showa called before he transformed. "Power Hands!" His silver gloves turned red. The Power Hands gave Super-1 enhanced strength and it was this strength he needed to crush Storm with the Gravity Hammer. Spinning the hammer in his hand like a baton, he smashed it to the ground, causing a wide radius of earth to erupt upwards, sending Storm flying up from the blast. Showa jumped from flying rock to flying rock in order to reach the airborne Cyborg. Once within range, he performed the Megaton Punch and sent Storm crashing to the ground explosively.

Showa landed, reverting back to his default to walk over to the crater he'd punched Storm into. The dust cleared and he found Storm lying on his back. "Well, that was easy," he said before Storm exploded into a burst of lightning. "Aw, nuts!" He screamed as he was slashed in the back and sent reeling forwards. "Dammit!"

"Is that all you got? Because I still haven't shown you all I can do!" His body flashed and he surrounded Showa with half a dozen clones. "Now...**Chain ****Shocker****!"**

The clones struck hard and fast, one by one, not giving Showa any opportunity to retaliate. Showa screamed out as each one struck, leaving sparks on his arm. After enduring the assault, Showa staggered about dizzily. But it didn't stop there as all the clones shot lightning blasts at him. Showa yelled out in pain as he was getting shocked by a million volts of electricity. As the attack died down, Showa fell on his knees and panted heavily.

"Got to... break out of this..." Showa groaned desperately, reaching for his Legacy Driver. Doing his best to ignore the pain, he strapped it onto his Spark Core and twisted.

"**ERROR!"**

"Error?" Showa repeated in shock. A discharge of energy erupted and blasted the Legacy Driver off the Spark Core, throwing Showa onto his back.

"Huh, so I guess it's true," Storm said, dismissing his clones before walking forward. "You really can't use your greatest weapon anymore. All the more easier for me then."

"Damn..." Showa swore, standing up wobbly. His green eyes flickered as he called for his other powerup, "C...Cicadroid!"

The Cicadroid beeped as it appeared out of the air and flew towards its master. With its systems, it can instantly repair any damage Showa took. But before it can get within reach, and invisible wall suddenly knocked it out of the sky.

"Cicadroid!" Showa yelled out.

"Sorry kiddo," another voice said. Turning, he saw a large male in a maroon armor shaped after a Rhinoceros beetle. "But we've got a deadline. No hard feelings. Oh yeah, and it's #20, Kamen Rider Dynamo." His visors glowed bright crimson and he shot his hand forward, knocking Showa backwards with a loud grunt.

* * *

><p>"<em>Shit! Shit! Shit!"<em> Yūji cursed repeatedly as he ran to where Shinichi could be when all of a sudden a figure landed in front of him. It looked like a large purple snake for better lack of terms. It had the upper body of a curved woman and the head of a cobra. The lower part had the tail of a serpent with a rattle shaking wildly. She hissed as she glared at Yūji who skidded to a halt. "Out of my way, _dammit_!"

"No..." the snake woman hissed. "You're not going to get to him in time. I'm going to make sure of it..."

"Woman, you do _not _want to mess with me right now," threatened Yūji but then someone else came and appeared. First he was a black blur but then he stood in place, revealing who he was. "Leon?"

"Find Netto and get to Shinichi," said Leon as he drew his Mobirider and Necros Key. "I'll deal with her."

Yūji nodded and ran past the snake woman. She hissed and slithered to stop him only for Leon to stand in her way.

"I will be your opponent," declared Leon. "I'm Captain Leon Smith of the Public Safety Committee. But I'm also known as..." He placed the Necros Key in the Mobirider and activated it, "Rider Change!"

"**KAMEN RIDER NECROS!"**

Dark energy surrounded Leon and enveloped him in his armor. As the energy dispersed, his eyes flashed and he drew his Ankh Sword. "Kamen Rider Necros!" the Jackal Rider declared. "And you are?"

"Acid Snake," she hissed. "Of GIN-SHOCKER's Chimerae Corps. You were my target to begin with anyway, so this makes it all the more easier for me." She brandished her claws and lunged at the waiting Necros, her fangs baring out menacingly.

* * *

><p><strong>TAILSMO4EVER: <strong>Will Netto and Yūji arrive to Shinichi in time? Who is Acid Snake and will Leon survive against her? Will Lina get the happy ending she wants? These questions will be answered in the next chapter!


	57. AntiThesis: Wake Up the Storm!

**Chapter 57: Wake Up the Storm! The Power of the Dying Will Flames! **

Showa was being crushed by an invisible force as he was on his hands and knees, struggling to resist. '_Damn...my body feels...like it weighs...a ton..._" he grunted as he trembled under the immense force pressing down on him. '#_20...he must...be able to...manipulate...gravity.._.'

Storm and Dynamo stood in the distance, the latter being the one responsible for Showa's predicament.

* * *

><p>Kurumu had been working on painting Kamen Rider faces on the cups they would use to serve drinks when she gasped and the cup fell out of her hand and dropped to the floor. A crack formed along its surface as she stood up.<p>

"Kurumu-chan?" Moka questioned.

Call it telepathy, ESP, or some kind of psychic connection, but Kurumu had the ability to sense danger. Or to be more specific, she could sense whenever Shinichi was the one in danger.

"Shinichi's in trouble!"

* * *

><p>Netto was busy posting the fliers on the bulletin boards, when he felt a pair of a fleshy orbs press against his back and a sensual voice purring in his ear, <em>"Bon après-midi, Netto~."<em>

Netto blinked as he turned around quickly, a blush on his face, "W-what's up Elle-chan?" he smiled slightly. Elle Jacqueline de la Fortescue was Netto's sempai like Kiko. Although while Kiko was around the same height as him, Elle was almost a head taller than Netto. A lot of the other boys found themselves wondering how was it that Netto was always attracting the older and beautiful girls.

Although, Elle had a secret that only Netto, Qiao and Kiko knew. She was a Dragon Princess, the heir to the Sky Kingdom throne in France. And she had picked Netto as her prince after a duel with him. None of them had told the others about this, but Netto knew that it was going to turn some heads when it was revealed.

Elle smiled as she stood up right, her breasts bouncing nicely due to the gravity. "I just wanted to see how my handsome young prince was holding up."

"Everythings fine," Netto answered, smiling, "Qiao-chan and I are setting up a Chinese food stand for the festival. We have a lot work to get done if want people to enjoying it."

"Ah, _c'est merveilleux!"_ Elle beamed. "I hope to try some very soon! Oh, before I forget, Sister Kiko told Sister Qiao and I about your little... performance."

"My... performance?" Netto stretched the collar of his shirt, suddenly feeling warm.

"Yeah... about that," Elle backed him up into a wall and cupped his chin up to met his eyes, "About a week from now I will be hitting that time of the year again. A time where female Dragons like myself enter extreme heat."

"Extreme heat?" Netto repeated, his eyes widening in realization. "Wait, you mean you'll become sexually aroused?"

Elle nodded, "We become, how do you say... out of hand during our time. It is mostly dangerous for most males to get close to us while we are in heat. But if we have a mate chosen already, the mate of our choice can calm our urges."

"So you're asking me to do it with you?" Netto asked. "Sure, I did it with Qiao and Kiko. I like making girls happy anyway."

Elle smiled brightly and leaned down to kiss him full on the lips, slipping her tongue inside the edges of his mouth. She stood back up and gave him a wink. "Glad to hear that, love. I have some errands of my own at the moment. See you soon." She sauntered off and made sure that he was staring at her swaying hips. Netto was still like other guys, and many guys were attracted to women like Elle. And Elle in particular had high points for being a tall girl from France. They say that French was one of the languages of romance, and the Sky Dragon Princess seemed to be proof of that.

"Netto!" a sudden voice called, bring him out of his thoughts.

"Huh?" Netto blinked and then he went, "WOAH!" as Yūji grabbed his wrist and dragged him along. "Hey, what's the rush?-! Yūji!"

"No time to explain! Shin's in trouble!"

"Well, that about sums it up then," said Netto. Ever since Yūji had discovered that Shinichi was his cousin, the Vongola heir had been quite protective of him. Granted, Yūji felt protective about everyone he cared about. It was just the way he was.

* * *

><p>Showa's armor was designed to withstand incredible pressure and endure harsh punishment. However, even it had its limits. The crushing force of Dynamo's gravity manipulation had him pressed firmly to the ground, to the point that cracks were starting to show and he was sinking into the dirt. However, Showa still resisted and fought.<p>

"Hey, what did #14 say about how his condition should be?" Dynamo asked.

"Between barely conscious or a complete coma," answered Storm.

"Well then, knock him out, little bro," encouraged Dynamo.

Storm twirled his lightning blades before jabbing them to the ground. The current travel along the earth before stopping at Showa and zapping him. He screamed in agony as he was being electrocuted again. He gritted his teeth to contain his screams but the pain was still immense.

Dynamo got an idea, "Hey, Storm. Wanna play 'Up & Down'?"

Storm smiled, "Sure!" He stopped his torture and allowed his brother to do what he wanted.

Now, Dynamo's gravity manipulation didn't mean he just made things heavier. He could make things light as well. Focusing, he made Showa float high into the air. "Up, up, up, up..." And then he brought his hands down. "Now, going down..."

**CRASH!**

"Up, up, up, up..."

"_DOWN, MOTHAFUCKER!"_

Dynamo had turned, meeting a clothesline by Yūji as the giant was taken down. He and Netto rushed to Showa's side, hoisting him up as they tried to wake him back to consciousness.

"Shin, talk to me," Yūji pleaded, "You good?"

Shinichi's armor shattered to pieces, revealing the injured Cyborg. His eyes were half-lidded and he looked like he was just struggling to breathe. So much pain was going through his body and his vision was slightly blurry. His legs could barely hold him up and if his bones had not been metal-plated, he knew that they would probably be broken after all the punishment he took.

He was barely conscious too.

"Netto, get him outta here," Yūji ordered, "I'll deal with these two."

"You sure?" he asked.

"This just means I've got more asses to kick," he retorted, glaring at the opposing Riders.

Dynamo's pack opened up and he pulled out his custom Gravity Hammer. It had a red shaft with the end resembling a Hercules beetle's horn and the head of the hammer sported an axe blade on the back. It seemed like a very brutal weapon, made all the more deadly by Dynamo's special ability.

"Yeah...you kids aren't going anywhere," Dynamo denied. He dashed forward, with the help of rockets on his pack and brought his hammer down, the students and teacher dodging from the sides as the earth where they stood was shattered in half and split into a small chasm. "Yeah, still need to work on holding back..."

**Music: "Full Force" by RIDER CHIPS**

"Aniki, they're over there!" Storm pointed.

"Shinichi!" Kurumu called as she came flying down to the boys.

"Kurumu, get him outta here!" Yūji ordered. She nodded and carried her Destined One away from the battlefield, leaving Yūji and Netto with the brothers as they stood together. "You ready?"

"Always," Netto nodded as he readied his belt. "Ryu Henshin!"

**"DIGITIZING. STORM DRAGON."**

This time around, Netto separated in green digital squares before reforming back in a chrome version of his Storm Dragon form. The color of his armor filled from the bottom up before his visors flashed and he had his legs apart with one arm hanging down and the other one held back.

Yūji slipped his Panzer card from his card box, "Henshin!"and inserted his card into the belt.

"**PANZER BLAST!"**

His now lightweight artillery armor materialized, knuckles cracked and neck popped as Yūji was ready to dish out the hurt. The chest armor was primarily black with bits of gold and green, as well as the shoulder guards. On his back was a pair of long, green cannons that reached down to his feet just above the ground. The tops of the cannons were red and had four missile silos for each cannon. The backpack was green and had two fin-like extensions that also had cannons extended along them.

Dynamo felt something odd coming from Liger, a sensation that was eating at the back of his brain. "Storm, take the dragon," he ordered, "The cat is mine."

"You got it, Aniki," Storm obeyed while twirling his Lightning Scimitars. He connected them at the hilts, forming a staff-like weapon and dashed at Storm Dragon with blinding speed as they engaged in their own combat.

"Sorry about roughing the kid up, but we have a job to do," Dynamo stated, "And we have our orders."

"Like I give a fuck," Panzer Blast spat. "You're gonna pay for fuckin' with my family." Panzer Blast was pissed. _Very _pissed. Having your baby cousin almost kill himself in a fight could set anyone off like Panzer Blast was now.

"Family? You mean you and 13 are-" Dynamo kissed Panzer Blast's fist as he staggered back with surprise.

"His name...IS SHINICHI, ASSHOLE!" Panzer Blast roared as he dashed at the crimson Rider. Dynamo swung his hammer to get at him, but Panzer Blasts reflexes kept him from being hit by inches. He threw some punches and uppercuts, but Dynamo's armor was strong enough to prevent any denting. He was then captured in a bear hug by Dynamo as he started squeezing. Panzer Blast struggled a bit before rearing his head back and headbutting the giant, Dynamo recoiling and releasing Panzer Blast.

Meanwhile, Storm and Mega rushed through the forest in a combat of speed, their fists striking each other rapidly blow for blow. Their fists connected to their chest armor and knocked both of them back several distances. Storm charged forward again, this time with his Lightning Scimitars armed and lit with lightning. Mega acted quickly and produced a barrier of wind to block swords. Blue lighting and green wind clashed against each other momentarily before the force knocked both opponents backwards.

"You're pretty good!" Storm laughed. "Never thought there would be anyone who could keep up with me!"

"Yeah? There's a first time for everything," Mega remarked.

"That's true," Storm smiled, dusting his swords, "But I wonder how long it'll be before you finally crack?" Storm started to dash around in zigzags, trying to confuse Mega. What he didn't know, however, was that he could see Storm perfectly with his vision. Bringing out his Dragon Sais, he dashed at Storm and the two Cyborgs seemingly vanished without a trace. Sounds of blades grinding suddenly chimed in the air and trees were sliced by invisible forces before falling down in loud crashes. In reality, Mega and Storm had accelerated their speed at such a rate, time seemed to have slowed down for them. Both traded blows with their blades, taking hits from each attack as sparks exploded everywhere.

"Raagh!" Storm roared, placing an electrical stab on Mega's midsection, sending him flying backwards into a tree. The resulting impact caused him to crash right through it, causing it to blow in an astounding blast before suddenly freezing in mid air. Mega dug one of his sais into the dirt to slow himself down, before launching himself at Storm again. Storm, seeing him come, waited until Mega was within range before striking at him with an X slash. But as soon as he did, Mega vanished.

"Nani?-!" Storm shouted in shock.

"Yah!" Mega yelled as he suddenly kicked Storm on the back. Not expecting the attack, Storm was sent tumbling along the ground. But Mega didn't stop their, taking a martial arts stance, he focused as his hands glowed with Ki. **"Reppuken!"** he shouted, throwing his arm upward. A purple wave a Ki with a hint of green ripped through the ground and went straight at the recovering Storm. Before the Stag Beetle Rider could react, the attack crashed into him with a loud smash and sent him flying onto his back. Time resumed for both Riders and everything around them started to fall down in a heap.

**Music Change: "Rushing Dandy" by Yugen (Kurogane-kan THIRD)**

Panzer Blast and Dynamo were clasping hands, struggling for control before breaking off and jumping back. Panzer Blast bent forward a little and launched several missiles, the projectiles flying at Dynamo before the shook and crashed into each other due to his gravity manipulation. His shoulder cannons dropped down and fired yellow blasts of energy, hitting Dynamo as he could not use his powers on energy-based techniques. Panzer Blast noted this and brought up his larger cannons, holding them with his arms as they fired and hit Dynamo with great force. Thrusters ignited on Panzer Blast's backpack as he dashed toward the subdued Rider before he was met with a clothesline, payback from Dynamo for earlier. The armor didn't break, but the pain was definitely there as Panzer Blast rubbed his neck before rolling away to avoid a stomp by Dynamo.

"You're quick," Dynamo acknowledged, "Guess the report about that armor was for real." He looked to his hand and concentrated, collecting energy as he constructed an orb of black energy (sparking with red electricity) that was the size of a basketball. "Try this on for size," Dynamo prompted, "My **Piercing Void!**"

And he launched the projectile flew at Panzer Blast, the Piercing Void flying at him as he dodged to the side as the attack snapped through several trees, effectively breaking them in half.

"_What the fuck?-!"_ Panzer Blast gaped.

"More where that came from," Dynamo added as he launched more Piercing Void projectiles, tearing through anything that got in its way.

"Aniki, be careful with that," Storm called. "That thing is dangerous after all."

"Don't worry, little man, I got this," Dynamo assured.

"_Troublesome,"_ Panzer Blast muttered. "Better make this quick then!" Both his shoulder cannons and his Callidus Cannons were in position. The cannons mounted on Panzer Blast's armor were pointed at his target, ready to be used. However, Dynamo was not about to let the other Rider have his way...

"_#19, #20, withdraw,"_ Gebok command was heard in Storm and Dynamo's comlinks.

"What?" Dynamo gaped.

"But Aniki and I are winning!" complained Storm.

"_Do not question me!"_ Gebok commanded. _"Withdraw," _he repeated.

Dynamo frowned and looked to Storm, "OK, time to head back..." His pack opened like wings before rockets ignited, the giant Rider taking to the sky as he retreated.

"Man, what a ripoff," Storm sighed before looking to Mega. "Guess we'll be seeing you guys around later..." His own pack opened as well, revealing large, blue, gossamer-like wings as he took off and followed his brother.

**End Music**

"That was rough," Mega sighed as his belt "rebooted" his armor.

"Big guy's got a lot of power," Liger admitted as his own armor shattered and disappeared. "Oh, shit! Leon was fighting some other chick! She got in my way earlier before he took her for me. We better go find him!"

"Really?" Netto blinked. "Alright, let's go."

* * *

><p>Kurumu had taken Shinichi to the infirmary in Youkai Academy. Gently laying him in bed, she pulled the covers over him. The girls had been waiting and when Kurumu showed up with Shinichi in her arms, trembling in pain, they fretted over him.<p>

Kurumu gently caressed his face. "Shinichi, it's OK now. You're safe."

"What happened?" Moka asked.

"I dunno, but last thing I saw was Yūji and Netto about to go against two guys in armor," the Succubus answered.

"They did this to him?" Mizore questioned, eyes narrowed. Kurumu nodded as it was the only logical conclusion.

"I should perform a healing spell on him," said Yukari. That was when the door opened, allowing Hana and Michiru entry.

"That won't be necessary," said Hana. "But he is in great pain."

"Hana? Michiru?" Moka blinked. Hana took hold of Shinichi's hand and bit down on his wrist. "Hey!" raged Moka.

"Relax," Michiru soothed Moka. "Hana-chan's just injecting some painkillers to dull the pain. She does it all the time."

"OK," said Hana, releasing her fangs from his hand. "Now, Michiru, your turn." While Hana started spinning her webs, Michiru put her hands against Shinichi's temples. Her eyes glowed bright pink, signalling that she was using her powers.

"Now what are you doing?" Mizore asked.

"Calming his mind," said Michiru. "I don't just cast illusions in the real world. I can also give a person pleasant dreams. Healing will only work when he's relaxed."

"OK, I have the bandages ready," said Hana.

"But they're made of spiderwebs," Kurumu pointed out.

"Yes, but they have healing properties," said Hana. "Trust us, we're medics. Now, we need to remove him of his clothes so we can properly apply the bandages."

* * *

><p><strong>Music- Spinnin' Around by Takashi Hagino<strong>

Acid Snake was a frustrating opponent. Her body-type allowed her to maneuver fluidly among the trees as she slithered and glided freely. If that wasn't bad enough, corrosive venom dripped from her fangs and claws.

Necros, himself, was not trying to kill Acid Snake. All he was trying to do was subdue her without the need of taking her life. However, she was not making this easier.

Acid Snake stuck close to the trees for cover, spitting globs of acid at the Rider as he evaded the dangerous fluid; the landing acid burning into the ground.

"Let's try this another way; a snake for a snake," Necros murmured as he took cover behind a tree. He opened his palm to reveal the Rider Key he had chosen and nodded.

Acid Snake was looking for her prey. She hissed as she glided along the ground, eyes trained on her surroundings. She tasted the air with her forked tongue.

And then all of a sudden, she heard a loud announcement, "**KAMEN RIDER OUJA!**" Necros's armor changed as he was now clad in the armor of the one-and-only Snake Rider of the Mirror World: Kamen Rider Ouja, rotating his neck as it cracked smoothly. His purple armor was folded from his chest to back, creating the image of a cobra's hood with silver edges. His helmet was similarly styled with a silver face and six slits acting for a visor. The top of the helmet was purple with gold designs adding to it. Silver sockets which were in common with most of the Riders were on his knees, forearms, and purple shoulder pads. In his hand was a staff with a cobra-like head which was in truth his Veno Visor (Advent card reader).

"Hup!" Necros shouted as he leapt at Acid Snake, drawing a card which he slotted into his Veno Visor.

"_Sword Vent!_"

The yellow drill-shaped sword appeared in his hand and dual-wielding the Veno Visor, he struck with the Veno Saber. Acid Snake raised her tail to parry the sword but was jabbed in the chest by the Veno Visor. He jumped, performing a series of kicks in the stomach which knocked her backwards but she recovered to whip him with her tail. He jumped up to avoid her and he tossed his sword at her which she smacked away.

"_Swing Vent!_" A pink, segmented whip materialized in Necros-Ouja's hand and he leapt at Acid Venom, dodging her tail as he crossed the gap between them before lashing her with his weapon. The whip slashed against her scaled skin, causing the female monster to recoil as she hissed painfully.

Acid Snake wanted to attack when a voice was heard in her earpiece. "_Acid Snake, withdraw_." That was a direct command with no room for argument.

"Understood...sir," she obeyed, looking to Necros-Ouja before jumping into the trees and disappearing.

**Music End**

"Leon!" Yūji called as he and Netto approached Necros-Ouja before his armor faded. "You good?"

"I'm fine," Leon nodded. "There's no need to worry, I simply stalled her before she retreated." He asked, "So, how's Shinichi?"

"Not too good," Netto admitted. "We should go check on him."

"Nurse's office then," Yūji directed as the students followed the teacher.

* * *

><p>"Why didn't he call for help?" Moka asked. "I don't understand. He has you all to back him up, so why didn't he call for help." After Hana and Michiru fixed up Shinichi's wounds, all the girls sat down and talked as they waited for him to wake up again.<p>

"Because #13 _never _calls for backup," said Hana. "Even back in GIN-SHOCKER he was like this. On missions, while he'll offer assistance he never asks for assistance. Not once. He's always tried to do everything alone. Then again, we can blame that on Gebok's programming. Even now, free of him, he acts this way."

"Yeah, it's a real shame," Michiru agreed. "Shinichi was always there for us and now he's a lot better than before, thanks to you guys."

"Ironic how non-human girls such as yourselves returned his humanity to him," Hana added. "As an amnesiac, if GIN-SHOCKER had found him, he would've been easy prey to their manipulations. But you all found him, gave him a home, forged bonds with him. He's the man he is now because of you all and what you mean to him. But, at the same time, he feels like you're his responsibility. It's why he fights. His memories are also the reason why he fights. He fights for you, sure, but he also fights so he doesn't need to feel the pain of loss ever again."

"He was hurt when he killed us, and he was hurt when he killed Lina," continued Michiru. "If anything bad were to happen to you all, it'd just kill him inside. There may not be anything left to fix then."

"Nonetheless, he risks his life, he risks even death to protect you girls," Hana went on. "The most important thing you can do now is to be there for him when he breaks down."

"He won't let himself break."

All eyes were on the door as Bianca stood there, smiling.

"How long have you been there?" Kurumu blinked.

"Long enough," she dismissed. "He may not realize it, but Shinichi knows the true meaning of the Dying Will that Vongola represents."

"It's true meaning?" Yukari repeated.

"What is the true meaning?" Moka asked.

"The _**real**_ Dying Will...is the resolution to fight until your body is _destroyed,_" Bianca began, "Fighting until the end, where it's you or the opponent; something has to break. And fighting despite the damage you take is the resolve to see things through until your very last breath. The strength of the Dying Will Flames is merely a reflection of one's resolve. And once you know your resolve, you can use it as a weapon _itself_." Bianca then directed her attention to Michiru, "And then there's you, Ms. Masami."

"Me?" Michiru blinked.

"I've noticed your skill in illusion techniques. It's amateurish, at best, but that's to be expected from a fool who thought he could harness the power of illusions through science alone," Bianca explained. "Prof. Verde would have a field day with him."

Michiru knew the Hitwoman was referring to Montesinos. And while she never mentioned his name, just thinking about him made Michiru shiver.

"My point is that you could never hope to utilize the true power of Illusions," Bianca stated, "Not as you are. However...I can see signs of the Mist in you, all you need is the proper training."

Michiru blinked, "Training?"

"An associate of mine," she tried to simplify.

"That doesn't really tell us anything," Kurumu frowned. "Who is he?"

Bianca sighed, figuring that there was no fooling these kids. "He's our 10th Guardian; Mukuro Rokudo, the Illusion King."

"10th...?" Yukari gaped, "But that would mean..."

"Yes, he's just as old as I am, even older," Bianca smirked. "Despite his grudge against the Mafia, Mukuro was always entertained by Tsuna. They've even fought together on several occasions despite their differences. I'm sure he can teach you what you truly need to know, Ms. Masami. Yūji's grandmother may be able to help you as well. She's especially fond of young girls." The door opened and Bianca smiled, "Good afternoon, Yūji."

"How's he doing?" he asked as he approached the bed. Leon and Netto joined the others, keeping their distance to keep from crowding Shinichi as he slept.

"He's healing," said Hana. "We bandaged up his body with my webbing and Michiru kept his mind calm with her illusions. I also gave him some painkillers."

"She _bit _him!" added Kurumu quickly.

"It's not like he hasn't grown used to it already," retorted Hana, looking at Moka. "Isn't that right?" Moka blushed with a hinge of embarrassment.

"I'm gonna get those bastards for doing this to you," Yūji swore to his sleeping cousin. "Lina too. I'll kick all of their asses for tormenting my family. _I swear on my blood..._"

* * *

><p>"<em>Where am I?" Shinichi wondered as he sat in the middle of an empty room. "OK, this looks like my dorm room, except it has posters of the girls in swimsuits and lingerie all over the walls. OK, now I know I'm in my subconscious."<em>

"_What was your first clue?" Shinichi heard someone quip and he spun around to see the Legendary Riders with Ichigo standing at the very front._

"_Ichigo...sempai?" Shinichi asked._

"_It's been awhile, hasn't it?" questioned Ichigo._

"_Yes, it has. I just need an explanation," Shinichi began. "First of all, how come I can't access Legacy Mode anymore?"_

"_It's because of the doubt in your heart," answered Ichigo. "Ever since Lina first returned to your life you're resolve has been shaken."_

"_It's not shaken. I want to save her," Shinichi argued._

"_I doubt getting you both killed in combat is the way to go," Ichigo retorted. "Even if you're a Rider and that means you need to risk your life that doesn't mean you should throw your life meaninglessly."_

"_Then what can I do?" Shinichi demanded. "GIN-SHOCKER is coming after me, using people from my past, the ones I've killed! They're threatening my friends, my loved ones, my family!" He paused, murmuring, "I just thought I was better off dead." He clenched his fists, "I just can't let anyone else get pulled into my problems..."_

"_And you think dying will make them go away?" questioned V3. "They won't. With the bonds you've made, your problems have become their problems."_

"_You need to have more faith in the bonds you've made, Shinichi," said Super-1. "Each person you've met and saved, each person you've befriended, they're a source of your strength."_

"_And they've understood the risks from the beginning and even so they still fight alongside you," said X. "Even Riders need to ask for help."_

* * *

><p>Shinichi opened his eyes and said, weakly, "<em>Hey...<em>"

"Hey," Yūji smiled. "Try not to move so much. You're still banged up."

Shinichi sat up and noticed that he was in his boxers while he had spiderweb bandages wrapped around his arms, legs and body. "Hana did this, didn't she?"

"It's my job, remember?" reminded Hana as she stood at a corner, arms crossed. "Your body is absorbing the webbing's healing properties. It'll take a few hours, if you don't use your temporal distortion powers to heal. Your welcome, by the way."

"I don't recommend that," added Yūji . "You should save your strength."

"I got beaten bad, didn't I?" Shinichi asked. He looked out the window and noticed that it was getting dark. "How long was I out for?"

"Not long, and it was getting late to begin with," Bianca informed.

Shinichi looked down at his hands, summoning the Legacy Driver. "There's something wrong with me. I can't activate Legacy Mode anymore." He explained, "It started happening since the first time I saw Lina again and each time I try, the Driver rejects me." He asked, "Where are the girls?"

"They went to get food," answered Michiru. "We had to force them out to eat. They would probably starve themselves if they waited for you to wake up."

"They would no doubt get you something," said Leon. "But now I need to know what these new enemies look like." He hadn't seen Dynamo and Storm before. "Yūji and Netto, what did they look like? What could they do?"

Yūji pulled out a notepad from his bag, sketching with a pen quickly as his eyes darted around as he drew. He turned it over and showed them a sketch of Kamen Rider Storm. "Dunno their names, but this guy can generate lightning or electricity from what I saw. He's also got a couple of swords that looked real nasty. Netto could give more details since he fought the guy."

"Yeah, he was really fast too and could generate some kind of clones of himself," Netto confirmed. "It was tricky, but I was able to trace his movements so he couldn't get the jump on me."

"Then...there's this guy," Yūji frowned as he was sketching Dynamo.

Bianca took the pad and observed the detail on Dynamo. "I'm guessing he was rather tall?"

"Taller than Chiaki," Yūji confirmed, "He did some kind of trick with gravity and he definitely knew how to use that power."

"Gravity...!" Bianca paled. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, he lobbed a couple ball of those things at me and almost took my head off," Yūji confirmed. "Bianca?"

'_I need to see this Rider's abilities for myself,'_ Bianca swore, _'If this Rider is who I think it is, then there may be hope yet...!'_

Yūji was concerned for his mentor, taken aback by her surprise as he had always seen her so calm.

Moka, Kurumu, Mizore and Yukari came back to the infirmary. They had brought along some food they had bought from the cafeteria. They bought sandwiches. When they saw Shinichi they rushed for him but Moka was first and stopped the girls. "Wait, let's give him some space!" They were almost crowding around him.

"Hey girls," Shinichi smiled. "So, how are preparations coming along?"

"You're worrying about the festival at a time like this?" Bianca asked as she regained her composure.

"The festival's important too. Everyone's working so hard to make sure it goes smoothly," Shinichi reasoned.

"Right, like sitting in a hospital bed, bandaged up and recuperating from a battle where you got your ass handed to you is obviously less important," she retorted.

"I get hurt a lot, Bianca. I got used to it," he answered.

"He did survive getting hit by a tank shell once, though he did need surgery or else he probably wouldn't be able to talk again because of the shrapnel that pierced his throat," said Hana.

"And this time he could have been crushed if the battle went on any longer," Bianca frowned. "I think it's clear what Shinichi must do now; he needs a new source of power until he can regain control of his Legacy form."

"A new power?" Shinichi blinked. Bianca smirked as she tossed him a familiar ring with a red stone. "This is..."

"I'm going to teach you how to wield your Dying Will," Bianca smiled.

* * *

><p>Leon had ordered the PSC to rain the lair but when they got there, there was no sign of Lina or anyone else. Since their position had already been compromised, they had probably found another hideout. Also, Shinichi had told Leon how he'd just been transported from the back of the school because of a TransMat dish. However, the TransMat dish was fried. It was good only for a single use.<p>

"This is definitely GIN-SHOCKER technology," Misato confirmed as she and Yūji were in the PSC's HQ, standing in Leon's office as she examined the dish. "It's an old model, but I know a TransMat dish when I see one."

"What's a TrasnMat?" Leon asked.

"A sort of transportation technology used to transport objects or people across great distances," said Misato. "It stands for 'Transport Matter'."

"So, it's like teleportation," said Yūji.

"Not exactly. Teleportation only needs the machine and coordinates. With a TransMat you need one station to transport the person and another to receive. This thing was planted to transport Shinichi far from the school and isolate him as well."

"So these assholes can just plant these things anywhere in the damn school," Yūji frowned, _"Fucking great... _More reason to hate these fucks."

'_**Yes, hate them more,'**_ Abyss prompted, _**'Your hatred does fuel me after all.'**_

"Fuck you, Abyss," he muttered. "So, what do we do now? Look for these things and smash'em?"

"For now, it looks like that's our best course of action," Misato nodded. "Who knows how many of these things are still on the school grounds? And if they can transport Shinichi from one place to another in the barrier, there's no stopping them from transporting Shinichi or anyone else back to GIN-SHOCKER."

"Wait, so they could've transported Shin all the way to GS?" asked Yūji . "Why didn't they just do that?"

"Well, the TransMat here is just a short-ranged one and I suspect that they wanted to weaken him before taking him back. They know what happens if they try to take him by force. It wouldn't have been pretty."

"Yes, good point," Leon answered.

"And Shinichi told me that GS has been able to infiltrate the barrier like they found a backdoor. So what if they had been using a beacon to send their members here via TransMat?" Misato asked.

"Well, they had been looking for Shinichi, so that means the only beacon is..." Leon's eyes went wide. "Oh my God..."

"Shinichi's the beacon," Misato concluded. "Our Spark Cores function like that."

"Knowing Shin, he's probably already figured it out," Yūji suggested.

"They did manage to find him this far," said Misato. "By the way, where is Shinichi anyway?"

"I heard from Bianca that she was going to begin training him on how to control his Storm Flames," Yūji told her. "Hope he survives the experience."

* * *

><p>"Bianca-san, is this really necessary?" Shinichi asked. He and the hitwoman were standing in one of the fields that surrounded the school. No one was around so it was the ideal place for training.<p>

"You need to learn to harness your Storm Flames," she spoke sternly. "So, yes, this is necessary. Now, put the ring on and relax. It's a Grade-A Ring, so it won't break easily if you manage to bring out your Flame." She watched as Shinichi removed the ring from his pocket and slipped it on. "Now...clear your mind, and focus on your resolve. Think of what gives you the strength to fight and focus on those thoughts and let them grow..."

Shinichi slid on the ring and closed his eyes. He focused on his reason for fighting. The first thought that came to mind was GIN-SHOCKER and how the organization had ruined his life. Anger and rage bubbled inside of him as he thought of the organization who tried to strip him of his humanity by forcing him to kill his comrades. He thought of the horrible things they made him do and the lengths they went in turning him into their ideal weapon.

His train of thought went towards a different route soon after. Revenge was not the only reason he fought. When he first came to Yōkai Academy he had no memories of his past. So, what were his true reasons to fight? Looking back, he fought to protect Moka from Saizou. He also fought to protect Kurumu, Mizore and Yukari. The source of his strength and resolve were now clear as he focused on them and the memories forged from meeting them.

Sensing the peace around Shinichi, Bianca continued, "Yes, focus. Focus that resolve into being and bring it out through your Ring. Don't be afraid to force it out if you have to!"

He focused more on the girls, and the friends he'd made. He focused on his desire to protect them, to fight for their sakes. He struggled to bring his resolve to the surface, sweating as he felt the power trying to claw through his arms. It was definitely painful, no doubt about that. But Shinichi was determined to attain this new power and make it his own. He had to! There was no other way. Crying out, Shinichi dragged his resolve out before the ring's stone glowed and burst into a blazing red flame. The flame's inner layer was a very pale, somewhat pink-like shade of red-white and the outer edges of the Flame are deep crimson. Shinichi was heaving as he finally brought it out; his Storm Flame of the Sky.

"It's out," Bianca smirked, "This is your resolve in physical form; your Storm Flame. I'm surprised; your flame is actually one of the clearest that I've ever seen, Shinichi. It reflects the purity of your resolve."

"A flame which represents my destructive nature," Shinichi mused. "I so look forward to blasting Gebok with a faceful of my essence."

"...Seriously?" Bianca was somewhat disgusted by that statement. She was sure Shinichi didn't intend for his statement to come out like that, but hearing it was just sick and wrong.

"I heard how you must've heard it so I understand your discomfort," Shinichi grimaced, his antennae hair drooping.

Shaking the images caused by Shinichi's remark out of her head, she raised her hand, where Camille was perched, and the chameleon glowed and transformed, becoming a green and black sniper rifle. "Time to have some fun," Bianca grinned as she took aim and fired a blast of red Storm Flames at Shinichi.

"SHIT!" Shinichi cursed as he performed a side-flip to avoid the blast of red flames. It soared under him as he moved in an arch before landing on his feet. "What the hell was that!-?"

"Your next test will be learning how to evade opposing Flames," Bianca instructed. "You're actually quicker than I though; any higher and that shot would have taken your head if you were still human. OK, play time!" And Bianca shouldered the rifle, pulling the trigger as Shinichi continued dodging shot after shot of Storm Flames as they missed him by mere inches. He could even feel the heat from the attacks and any hit could burn really badly if they hit their mark or even grazed him. "Come on, Shinichi, I'm sure you can do better than that!" Bianca laughed as she continued firing more shots.

'_She's nuts! Then again, who am I to judge? I'm not exactly the poster boy for perfect mental health. Of course, it's perfectly justified for me to have these mental problems! I had my life screwed with!'_ thought Shinichi as he continued to dodge.

"Come on! What're you thinking about, Shinichi!-? I don't think you have time to have wet dreams in the middle of training!" she teased. "Camille!" The rifle glowed before changing shape again, becoming a rocket launcher as Bianca hoisted it on her shoulder.

"Aw, fuck me..." Shinichi paled.

"If you say so," she grinned as she pulled the trigger, firing a larger blast of Storm Flames that flew right at Shinichi.

"Crap crap crap crap crap!" Shinichi screamed as he turned tail and ran. "AN RPG!-? ARE YOU FUCKING CRAZY!-? WHY DON'T YOU BRING OUT A TANK WHILE YOU'RE AT IT!-?"

"Camille can't change into something that big," she informed as she fired another shot.

Shinichi stopped before a tree and turned to see the blast coming right at him before shutting his eyes and letting out a yell. Moments passed and he expected some kind of explosion followed by intense pain. However, it never came. When Shinichi opened his eyes, he found the Storm Flame blast had frozen inches away from his face. Scanning his surroundings, he also noticed that everything had stopped. There was no sound, and looking up he saw that the clouds had frozen in place. The leaves in the trees weren't rustling either.

"What...just happened...?" Shinichi asked.

'_It seems you have just rediscovered our ability to freeze time_,' stated Kuro.

"Freeze time?" Shinichi repeated.

'_It's how you can kill so quickly and efficiently. A target frozen on the spot cannot retaliate or launch a counterattack.'_

"_That's pretty useful and convenient," _commented Shinichi.

'_But limited, because each freeze only lasts for 60 seconds and you just spent 50 of those seconds talking to me.' _replied Kuro.

"Wait, what?" Shinichi retorted as time sped back up and he ducked quickly as the blast hit the tree and destroyed it. "SONOVABITCH!"

"How does it feel to be on the receiving end of a Dying Will Flame, Shinichi?" Bianca laughed.

"Fucking...scary..." he panted. "But...it helped me to regain an old power I used to have..."

"OK, I think that should be enough for now," Bianca allowed. "Right now, the only material you have to harness your Storm Flame is that ring and it's not meant to be used in actual combat. And we don't have any items here and that can harness Dying Will Flames at the moment; only Yuji with his ring and X-Gloves."

"Can't I harness it through my weapons or one of my Rider forms?" Shinichi asked. "As far as I know, Roborider can absorb fire to boost his attack strength and Super-1 contains the Hot and Cold Hands, one of which is a flamethrower."

"They only deal with regular flames," Bianca reminded, "Dying Will Flames have their own special properties and can only be harnessed through special materials that can be made into clothes or metals, like the rings for example. You're lucky the ring didn't shatter just from the output of your flame or else the training wouldn't have went on for this long. For now, just practice on conjuring your Flame until it becomes second nature. But don't practice too long or repeatedly, or else the stone with pop due to overuse."

"Moderation then," Shinichi concluded. "I can do that. Never failed a training exercise in my life as far as I know."

"Come on then, time to head back for dinner," Bianca smiled as she patted his shoulder, licking her lips in anticipation of a big feast.

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER DATABASE<strong>

"Ciaossu! Bianca Di Stefano here, hitwoman extraordinaire!" Bianca introduced with a tip of her hat. "My training with Shinichi went off pretty well if I do say so myself. But right now, let's talk about this guy." She snapped her fingers and in image of Ouja appeared behind her. "While Century King Shadow Moon was legally the world's first evil Kamen Rider, Ouja was the one to really pave the path for those willing to abuse the power given to them. His human alter ego, Takeshi Asakura, was a psychopath serial killer who wasn't a very pleasant fellow and attacked anyone who got in his way. He even went as far as murdering his own family as a child. His arrogant personality resulted with his defense attorney, Shuichi Kitaoka, refusing to represent him and leaving him to rot in jail. Because he was in prison and could not feed his destructive nature, Asakura gladly accepted Kanzaki's offer to join the Rider War and forms a pact with Venosnaker, using his newfound powers as Kamen Rider Ouja to break out of jail and get his revenge on Kitaoka, learning of his identity as a Kamen Rider. Over the series, thanks to Ren helping him fake his death to ensure no interference, Ouja managed to kill off both Gai and Raia, taking their Contract Monsters as his own. But once the police learned he is still alive, Asakura was once more wanted as he attempts to settle things with Kitoka. By the end of the series, Asakura finally got his showdown with Zolda and defeated him. However, he learned only seconds later that the Zolda he killed was actually Goro, resulting with him in utter disarray of being denied the right to kill the man he hated the most as he is gunned down by the police.

"Like all the Riders who existed in the Mirror World, Ouja uses cards as the source of his power. His Contract Monster, Venosnake, also assists him in battle whenever he calls for it. His Final Vent is called Veno Crash, in which Venosnaker launches Ohja at the opponent where Ohja performs a devastating bicycle kick on the opponent. After taking control of both Gai and Raia's Advent Decks, his power grew even stronger, up to the point where the three Contract Monsters merged into one, dubbing the beast 'Genocider'. Even the Final Vent, Doomsday, is something you might really want avoid. In this attack, Ouja corkscrew kicks his opponent into a vortex that materializes on Genocider's torso."

She snapped her fingers again and images of Kamen Riders Storm and Dynamo appeared. "And these two are the last members of the new NUMBERS group," Bianca continued. "#19, also known as Storm, has shown to generate electricity through his body and specializes in speedy CQC. He can also project duplicates of himself made of solid electricity and his special swords are definitely formidable. Next up is #20, aka Dynamo. He's one of the largest individuals by far and like Lina, Dynamo carries a destructive power within; control over gravity. He can remove the gravitational effect on an object and send it hurtling into space or increase its force one thousand fold. This concerns me though," she frowned as she watched a video of Dynamo's power in action. "This power...could this person be... Oh, we're out of time," she realized. "Well then, please stay tuned for more Showa+Vampire. Ciaossu!"

* * *

><p><strong>TAILSMO4EVER: It's taken a while, but we're finally getting closer to the climax of the saga. How will things pan out? Stay tuned.<strong>


	58. AntiThesis: The Shocking Truth

**Chapter 58: The Shocking Truth of ANTI-THESIS**

Shinichi had just turned on his laptop's webcam and activated the record function. He took in a deep breath, and spoke, "Well, here's another entry of my video journal. I thought that maybe recording this will help me gather my thoughts. Writing's OK, but well...I've already filled my journal with all my bad memories like Aensland-sensei asked and there's a lot of stuff in there by now. So, just a quick review of what's been going on. First, Lina's back from the dead. You'd think I'd be happy to see her. Well, not exactly. I barely remember her and the only memories I have of her is when..."

Shinichi choked up. "Sorry, I just dunno how to say it." He took in a deep breath. "The memories I have of her involve me killing her. There, I said it. I, Shinichi Banabara, killed her. Well, actually, Kuro killed her but Kuro is me and that makes me guilty as well. Now, she's back and she's still working for GS. You can see how this is bad news. I don't want to fight her, because I don't want to kill her again, but she insists on following her orders and bringing me back to GS, whether I want to or not. I know Lina's not a bad person, but GS, Gebok especially, has a way of getting into your head. He got into mine and stripped me of my humanity and made me into a cold and unfeeling killing machine. He even controlled me like I was some puppet on strings. It's a good thing those days are over."

"Anyway, back to Lina. If I know how GS operates, I know that Lina might go after the girls to get to me. I know it's not her fault, but I just can't risk letting the girls get hurt because of me. That's why I have them sleeping in the Hive Queen until all this blows over. It's the safest place to be right now. You might say I'm limiting their freedom, but it's for their own good." Shinichi put his face in his hands, "Kami...what am I supposed to do?" He looked up at the camera, "Should I try to talk to her? Reason with her again?"

* * *

><p>Yūji was alone, enjoying the quiet time he had to himself while the girls were hanging out during recess. It'd been awhile since he had been alone, relaxing and enjoying the serenity. With the way things were, he'd have to enjoy times like this. Wandering around, Yūji had found himself in the music room, well-spaced and quiet. By the window he spotted a piano. He inspected it and found that it was in good condition, giving himself a nod of approval. However, he noticed an imprint of an ass on the top and he laughed to himself. He realized what went on here and knew who was involved. Getting over that, Yūji looked around, checking for anyone hanging around and took a seat before the keys. He dusted them off with a cloth and took a breath before he began to play. It was "Evolution," by Toshihiko Sahashi and he let his fingers work as his eyes were closed while he "felt the music."<p>

Unbeknownst to Yūji, someone was watching him from the door, hiding behind it as they watched Yūji play and heard his melody. The curves indicated that it was a girl watching him, blushing as she kept her eyes on him. She remembered when she first laid eyes on him. A total stranger had come to school, entered the tournament and began fighting. She had watched both of his fights and was amazed by his skill. She was horrified when he fell, worrying if he was hurt. And here he was; a teacher now and playing the piano. She'd never heard anyone play before and this only served to fuel her attraction to him.

Yūji ended his playing and sighed. He hadn't played a piano in a while and he was still good at it. He wasn't rusty. He blinked and turned to the entrance, feeling a presence watching him. But there was no one there.

"Huh, that's weird," Yūji blinked, "Thought somebody was watching me."

After gaining distance from the music room, the watcher held herself, her heart beating violently in her chest as she tried to calm down. She was a young woman, with blue hair that reached her shoulders and rolled, pale skin and aqua-blue eyes half-lidded as her blush was bright across her face.

"Juvia is…in love," she declared shakily to herself.

* * *

><p>With the school festival just around the corner, students still continued with their work to get everything ready. The school festival, also known as the Halloween Festival, would go on starting from October 29th until October 31st.<p>

Shinichi, of course, was focusing on both his class' Kamen Rider Cafe and training under Bianca. Also, it seemed that Yokoshima was also being trained as well because he was in the possession of the Sun Flames. The Sun Flame's Activation power had enabled Yokoshima to achieve speeds the Pillbug Rider could never have hoped to reach before. It was especially a surprise to Dr. Magi as he couldn't even determine the cause or how Yokoshima was able to control the Flame's output that time. He had been unable to bring it out since his battle with the Graffiti Demon.

But as the Halloween Fest drew near, ANTI-THESIS became even more desperate in their attempt to shut it down. To ensure the success of their goal, it was time for them to take drastic action.

* * *

><p>Shinichi looked around as he saw all the students set up decorations and stands all around the school. He couldn't help but smile. Even with all the violence that went on the past few days, the festive mood was still evident in the school. As a first year student, this would be his first time attending the festival.<p>

Looking down, he stared at his notebook and camera. Gin had assigned him to do a report on the preparations being done for the festival, with his interview on Kaneshiro being the last thing to do on his list. Looking back, he remembered the speech Kaneshiro gave during the meeting with the Student Council. Shinichi couldn't remember the last time he felt so moved and inspired by someone else's words. He looked up to Kaneshiro, and he wasn't the only one who did. He was intelligent, good looking, talented, decisive, trusted by the teachers; you'd have to be very anti-social not to like him.

He was the kind of leader Shinichi wanted to emulate.

"Enjoying the view?" Shinichi turned and saw Leon overlooking the students preparations next to him. He had long since gotten used to Leon's stealthy entrances. At least he didn't do it as often as Bianca does, who seemed to enjoy scaring the crap out of him.

"Yeah, things are starting to become more lively here," Shinichi smiled, looking back at the students. "It's all starting to look more like an actual high school. After everything that's been going on, I really look forward to what everyone has to offer."

Leon smiled wryly as he noted his expression, "You're really starting to sound like Tamao."

"Well, why wouldn't I?" Shinichi shrugged. "The last festival I went to was with my parents, and that was nearly ten years ago. Back in GIN-SHOCKER, the closest thing we had to a festival were the Shocker Ball games. We didn't celebrate anything else. Not even Christmas. You know the only Christmas-y thing General Nagazawa made us do? Sing 'Happy Birthday, Jesus'."

Leon gave him an odd look.

"Long story," Shinichi quickly added. "Anyway, remember the last assembly when Kaneshiro-kaicho gave that speech to the entire student body? It was inspiring."

"Yes..." Leon agreed warily. "You sound like you admire him."

Shinichi blushed, "Well... he's a pretty charismatic person, Leon. And he wants the same thing I do. Peace in the school as well as in the future."

"Kinda reminds me of a guy named Aizen," stated Leon.

"Who?" Shinichi asked.

"Nobody special," Leon quickly said.

"Fine then," Shinichi shrugged. "I still need to interview him though. Right now, I have some work to do," he walked off and waved, "Later."

"Shinichi, wait," Leon said promptly.

"What?" Shinichi responded, looking back.

"Be careful around political figures. Their private face is often never as clean as their public face," Leon cautioned.

"I'll keep that in mind. And I wish you luck on your investigations on ANTI-THESIS and what they're ultimately after," said Shinichi. "I might be overthinking things, but ruining the festival might not be their ultimate goal. It's a stepping stone."

"Thanks for the warning," Leon agreed.

* * *

><p>At lunch, the students took a break to eat and rest after several hours of work. The Kamen Rider Cafe also seemed promising with the classroom decorated to attract customers. Chiaki also helped as he put up portraits of the legendary Riders of the past. As for Kurumu, she had made a batch of Kamen Rider Cupcakes to be served to the customers and had Shinichi sample them. No love potions were used in the making of those cupcakes.<p>

"Delicious..." Shinichi complimented after he took a bite out of the tasty treat.

"Thank you, Shinichi," beamed Kurumu. Shinichi and his 'harem' were sitting out in the schoolyard under a tree. They were eating bento, which Shinichi had made for them.

"And thank you, Shinichi," said Yūji as he appeared out of nowhere, took a crunchy, tempura shrimp from Shinichi's bento and popped it into his mouth.

"Yūji-sensei, that's rude!" scolded Moka.

"No, it's fine," said Shinichi calmly. He gave his cousin a look, "You know, you could've just asked me to make you a bento."

"I'll give you a memo," Yūji responded before sitting down. "So, how are you doing, Shinichi?"

"I'm fine, or at least as fine as I can be," said Shinichi. With GIN-SHOCKER coming after him, he cherished moments of peace like this, even if they were short and temporary.

"Well, just focus on the festival and try to avoid any fights if you can," Yūji advised.

"And if he runs into any trouble, we'll help him!" Moka volunteered enthusiastically.

"Desu!" Yukari added with the same amount of enthuthiasm.

"But, girls, you don't have to..." But Mizore's fingers on his lips silenced him.

"You helped us, so it's only fair that we help you," spoke the Yuki-Onna. "And don't say GIN-SHOCKER is just your problem."

"I'm sorry-"

"And stop apologizing for things that are not your fault," Mizore interrupted. "GIN-SHOCKER is at fault, not you."

"She's right," agreed Yūji. "And you also got everyone else here to help you when you're in trouble. You don't have to go at it alone." He had learnt that Shinichi would normally be sent on solo missions and never asked for backup. But things were different now and he needed to be reminded that there were people here who would help him.

* * *

><p>Gin was alone in the Newspaper Club's room while shirking on work during the festival preparations was busy looking through his photo collection with a wide grin on his face. "So beautiful, so pure, so natural...now this is true art!"<p>

He was looking at pictures of girls he'd managed to take while the Swim Club was practicing. Even if they were ferocious mermaids, he couldn't help but find them attractive. Of course, he did promise to never become a Peeping Tom again. He learnt his lesson after what Shinichi had done to him.

The door opened and Gin smiled as he saw a pretty girl standing in the doorway. "Oh, and what brings you here?" he asked, trying to be suave. She suddenly rushed up to him and grabbed the lapel of his jacket. In the blink of an eye they vanished. His pictures fluttered down on the floor without anything to hold them up.

When the two reappeared, Gin found himself being held dangling from his ankle as the girl kept a firm grip as they hovered high in the air.

"WHAT!-? WHAT THE HELL!-?" Gin screamed. "WHO ARE YOU!-?" He arched his head slightly and quickly recognized the girls face. "AH! IT'S YOU! YOU'RE SHINICHI'S PSYCHO EX-GIRLFRIEND, AREN'T YOU?-!"

"Shut up," Lina commanded. "Tell me everything you know about Kuro...about Shinichi Banabara. In fact, tell me about those girls who always hang around him."

"Wh-what do you mean?-!" Gin panicked.

"I'm in no mood for games, plus my fingers are starting to get tired," she warned as she slowly loosened her grip. "I heard Yōkai were more durable than humans. So, could you survive a drop from this height?"

"Alright! Alright! Don't drop me!" Gin pleaded. "What do you want to know?"

"Names and their connection to him," she promptly demanded. "And don't skimp on any of the details." She could've just read Gin's mind for the information, but she was bored and wanted to have some fun.

Gin really didn't want to betray his friends and kohai like this. But being hung out several feet into the air could make any person crack and have little time to think about the consequences. "Okay... the first is Moka Akashiya, a Vampire and proclaimed most beautiful girl in school. She met Shinichi on their first day here, and they've been close ever since."

Lina concluded that due to meeting this Akashiya girl, Shinichi had formed his first bond after his amnesia. However, Moka was not the only one. "Alright, and the others?"

"Kurumu Kurono: A Succubus," Gin continued, sweat rolling down his head before falling a great distance to the ground. "She tried to turn Shinichi into her love slave, but ended up falling for him instead. The little Witch girl is Yukari Sendou, and she tried to break up Shinichi and Moka through pranks so she could have Moka for herself. She decided to have them both after Shinichi saved her from a pack of Lizardmen. Last is a Yuki-Onna named Mizore Shirayuki. She used to be a bit of an outcast before she opened up to Shinichi. She even joined our club so she could be close to him."

Lina concluded from this that Shinichi had been able to befriend these girls to having known the feeling of loneliness at one point or another. In some way they were all outcasts and they attracted each other. Shinichi was an escaped cyborg super-soldier, Moka was a Vampire, hence one of the most feared of the monster races, Yukari and Mizore were rejected by their peers, and Kurumu didn't have any friends before meeting Shinichi. "You're jealous of him, aren't you? You wish you were him and had his luck with women," Lina observed.

"I won't lie, not that there's any reason to," Gin answered, "For a killer Cyborg with amnesia, he's actually pretty smooth with the ladies."

Lina never thought 'smooth' would describe Kuro. But she had to remind herself that Kuro had become a blank slate and had developed an entirely new personality from scratch. "Thank you for your time. Soon you won't have to worry about him," she said and in an instant she teleported them back to the room. She warned him, "Don't tell anyone about our talk if you know what's good for you." She soon left Gin alone.

For a moment he was silent, before he mused to himself, "Why is it that every girl I meet since I met Shinichi has to be hot and super dangerous?" Then he blinked as he remembered what she said. "Wait. What did she mean that I won't have to worry about him?"

* * *

><p>"<em>So, how are your studies coming along?<em>" Shiori asked her son. Her face was on his laptop's monitor as they were video chatting online. Shinichi was in the library, writing up an article when his mother decided to give him a call.

"Well, I haven't failed a test yet," said Shinichi. "Except the ones that require me to write in Kanji."

"_Those are the worst!_" agreed Shiori. "_People put way too much emphasis on mastering Kanji. I never really mastered it and I turned out fine!_" She asked, "_And your relationship with the girls is doing OK?_"

"Yes," Shinichi confessed, blushing with a smile. "We get along well."

"_Since you're going with the whole polyamorous thing, you really should pay attention to them equally,_" advised Shiori.

"I know, Kaa-chan. You sent me that PDF of your book via email that'll tell me all I need to know on how to manage a harem," said Shinichi. "It was a good read. Really specific too."

"_It's all you need to know, and the good thing is it's from a woman's perspective. I'm going to send it over to your cousin. By the way, how is __Yūji __doing?_"

"As a teacher, he's great," Shinichi smiled.

"_Oh, and have those horrible people from GIN-SHOCKER been giving you trouble?_" Shiori asked worriedly.

"I can handle them," Shinichi said confidently.

"_Not alone, I hope. Remember, since they're a gang you need to fight back with a gang of your own_."

"I promise I won't go at it alone..." he swore.

"_So, what's new? It's October so I assume there's a School Festival about to happen. I just went to a few myself_," said Shiori.

"Oh...a School Festival?" Shinichi scratched the back of his head. "No news on that yet. There's just so much going on," he lied.

"_Well, tell me when it is and I promise to come. I miss you_," Shiori smiled.

"I will. See you soon," Shinichi smiled. Just as he closed his laptop, he noticed a tall man in a suit looking at him expectantly. "Yes?"

"The Headmaster wishes to have a word with you," the man told him.

* * *

><p>"So, what's this for?" Moka asked as she watched Netto and Qiao setting a stand outside of the school building.<p>

"This? Qiao and I are going to be selling steamed pork buns," said Netto.

"They're going to be delicious!" chimed Qiao. She took one of the buns and tossed it to Moka. "Here, try one. I just made it."

Moka took small whiffs of the bun before opening her jaws and taken a bite. Her eyes widened as she felt the flavor and let out a squeal, "Oishi~!" She added, "Shinichi-kun should try this!"

"Where is the Time Bug anyway?" Qiao asked.

"Shinichi-kun is busy doing some coverage on the preparations," Moka informed them. "He's also going to interview the student council president."

"What's the guy like?" Netto asked.

"He's very passionate about the School Festival, and Shinichi-kun appears to admire him," Moka answered.

"Sounds like a 'Man Crush' to me," Netto murmured. "Although it makes sense in a way considering that he doesn't have that many positive role models."

"Yeah, it's no surprise that he's acting all dotty to the student council president," Qiao nodded.

"Yes, but Leon did say something odd," Moka also said.

"What's that?" Netto asked.

"He says that there is an ANTI-THESIS spy in the council," Moka answered. "That's how ANTI-THESIS has been moving around in the school without being noticed."

"That's makes a lot more sense than anything else actually," Netto nodded. "Whenever there's an operation that needs to be complete to its fullest, there's often a man on the inside. Especially when that spy is put in a position where he has access to nearly everything. That's what the old ape taught us."

"Who?" Moka asked.

"Oh, his name is Daisuke Aramaki and he's my godfather," Netto told her. "He's also the Chief of Section 9. We'll introduce you guys to him later."

Moka nodded and then asked, "Could I have a bag of pork buns so I could share with Shinichi-kun later?"

"Coming right up!" Qiao smiled.

* * *

><p>"What is ANTI-THESIS up to?" Leon wondered as he sat in his office. He narrowed his eyes at the student body. As far as he knew, ANTI-THESIS wanted to put a stop to the School Festival. But what if that was just a red herring? What if it was something completely different from that? Earlier today, Shinichi had told him that ruining the festival was just one part of their plan. It was something that he was considering, but what if Shinichi was right? What if there was something else going amok?<p>

Whatever they were planning, thinking it over would have to wait. Right now, he had company. Looking up, he saw that he had been surrounded by six members of ANTI-THESIS. "Security around here is pretty lax. You think it'd be harder to break into the HQ of the Security Council. I mean, all there was was this big-titted freaky Vampire," smirked one member.

Another member had his arm wrapped around Karin's neck. She was turning green from the pressure, "Leon-san..." she choked out.

Leon merely looked back down at his paperwork. "I'm very busy. Please release Miss Makaa and I'll allow you all to leave."

"I don't think you understand," smirked the leader. "You're just gonna sit there and take the beating, or we turn the girl into a pincushion." His arm morphed into a spike to emphasize his point. "You're one of the punks that's been causing trouble for us, so our boss wants you out of the picture."

"You said security around here was lax. You're wrong," was Leon's response. He vanished from his chair.

"What!-?" shouted the leader.

The member holding Karin suddenly collapsed. Leon reappeared in the center of the room, staring at the leader of the group. The other four members simultaneously collapsed. "I'm all the security that's needed here."

"What...what the fuck are you...?" the group's leader backed away in terror from Leon. Leon vanished from his sight and reappeared behind him with his sword drawn and held with its edge against his throat.

"Now, tell me what ANTI-THESIS has planned," Leon interrogated. "And don't lie to me. My hand might slip."

"So, you want me to tell you everything huh?" the leader said, gritting his teeth. "Fine. I'll tell you. With all your talk about peace and unity between your races, it's a real surprise that you haven't included any of us Outcast Ayashi in the promise. Why is that? Is it because we're different? Because we have random powers. Just face it, when it comes down to it, you're all a bunch of hypocrites."

"And what does this have to do with ANTI-THESIS?" Leon demanded.

"Everything," the leader answered. "All the torment and suffering that we had to go through. This is all payback. With all the schools talk about peace and unity, I wonder what would happen if they got exposed? If you want more answers, then go ahead and asked that freaky Vampire over there. But the only reason I'm telling you this now is because it's already too late."

"Thank you for your cooperation," Leon said. And he struck the leader unconscious with the hilt of his sword. Looking back at Karin, he asked, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Karin nodded. "Thanks. That's the second time you saved me."

"Just doing my job," Leon told her while sheathing his sword. "Now, I'm guessing the reason why those ANTI-THESIS thugs had you as a hostage is because you found out what they were planning to do."

"Yeah, I did," Karin frowned. "I also know who the leader is."

"Really?" Leon inquired. Now they were getting somewhere. Maybe now he could finally figure out what ANTI-THESIS was up to. "Alright, you have my full attention. Don't leave anything out."

"Alright..." Karin began. "I was on my way to the art room to pick up some supplies for the fair, when I saw Kaneshiro-kaicho talking with this other boy from behind the building. And that was when I heard some disturbing things..."

* * *

><p>"<em>So boss, I heard you met that Shinichi kid," Kiria smiled, sitting on on a bench. "What's he like?"<em>

_Kaneshiro sighed as he pushed up his glasses, leaning on the stone wall, "I only really met him once, so I can't really say all that much about him. Although, he seems to believe that Humans and Youkai can freely co-exist. The way he was the first to applaud after I gave out my little speech said that much."_

"_Really?" Kiria smiled wider, "Interesting. What a strange dude." _

"_So far we haven't been hearing from him all that much since he has been preoccupied by this unknown organization," Kaneshiro told him. "I also watched his fight against a girl who had a monster form similar to his. It gave me some assessment of his abilities, but also some other more information. That girl was talking about something called... GIN-SHOCKER."_

"_GIN-SHOCKER?" Kiria blinked. "Could that be the organization that's been attacking the school since last term?" _

"_Perhaps," Kaneshiro answered. "Whatever this GIN-SHOCKER is, it'll probably be a threat to our goal. Banabara-kun and that other girl aren't the only armored bugs in this school. There are others, and they already defeated half of our agents. They need to be dealt with soon."_

"_What about that new teacher and the new Student Police captain?" Kiria asked. "They have similar armors, but they look like a cat and a dog."_

"_They too are also threats," Kaneshiro said sternly. "Deal with them as well. Anyway, you'd better get out of here, or else someone will catch us together." _

* * *

><p>"Damn, it was the president all along!" Leon cursed. He should've known that the guy on the inside of the Student Council would have to be someone with a lot of power. And what's worse is that Shinichi is probably on his way to the Council office right now. He could be walking right into a trap. He rushed out of his office.<p>

"Where are you going?" Karin asked.

"To have a few words with President Kaneshiro!"

* * *

><p>The Headmaster was enjoying his tea when his door opened. He looked up and smiled at the person who entered his office. "I knew you'd be coming. So, this is it, isn't it? There's no more turning back, is there?"<p>

* * *

><p>"Hm, why did the Headmaster summon me?" Shinichi asked himself as he made his way towards the Headmaster's office. "I guess I could ask him." He went and pushed the doors open and to his shock he saw the Headmaster, lying on the floor, bleeding and injured. "Headmaster!" Shinichi yelled as he ran towards the man.<p>

Meanwhile, the stone on the dragon statue the Headmaster had on his desk was glowing.

"I'll call for help!" said Shinichi as he took out his phone but the Headmaster raised his hand and pointed at a square hole in the floor near the wall which contained a hidden stairwell. "You want me...to go in there?" The Headmaster nodded. "OK. But first..." He put hbis hand over the Headmaster's wounds, summoning the glowing clock face which went in reverse to undo the damage. "Now, just rest," he advised the Headmaster.

Shinichi got up and turned towards the hidden stairwell. He glanced at the Headmaster for a moment before walking down the stairs.

The stairs led Shinichi to a huge chamber with pillars that reached up to the high ceiling. There was a red light in the chamber as the walls were lined with gothic torches, illuminating the chamber with their crimson glow. Shinichi scanned the chamber for the perpetrator who'd hurt the Headmaster, only for his eyes to go wide as he saw someone he did not expect at all standing in front of a stone pedestal with a glowing circuitry pattern on the surface.

"Kaneshiro-kaicho..." Shinichi asked, shocked to the see the Student Council President down here. He drew his conclusion. "You injured the Headmaster?" Kaneshiro looked back at Shinichi without responding. "Why? And what is this place? What are you doing here?"

Kaneshiro smiled as he confirmed Shinichi suspicion, "You're right, I did injure the Headmaster. Why? Well, I needed to access this room. And what is this room, you ask? This is the control room for the barrier which keeps Yōkai Academy hidden from the outside world. As for what I'm doing here? It's simple. I'm here to tear the barrier down."

Shinichi eyes widened in shock, "Tear the barrier down? That would expose Yōkai Academy and all the students here to the rest of the human world! Don't you know what that means?"

"Of course I do," answered the Student Council President.

Shinichi grimaced, everything started to become clear before him. "So all this time... you were the mole for ANTI-THESIS all along. You used your status as the Student Council President to move around the school unnoticed. With the level of power that you have, you had access to everything about Yōkai Academy. But one thing still bothers me... Why?"

"Why?" Kanehshiro laughed. "Why? Because this whole place was founded on a lie!" Kaneshiro continued, "Humans and monsters coexisting? Please! Humans can barely coexist with themselves! So how can you expect humans to coexist with an entirely new race! Humans know of monsters from stories and assume they are evil while monsters treat humans as inferior! As food! How can coexistence exist between creatures with such different ideologies!-?"

"That's what Kuyou once said..." growled Shinichi as he was reminded of the former Student Police chief.

"Well, he was right. However, I also hate people like him because of his superiority complex and his delusions of 'justice'," said Hokuto in disgust. "I'm just going to show the world the truth."

"And then what?"

"And watch as the entire world falls into chaos," smiled Kaneshiro. "I'll even have a frontrow seat to it and watch as the world tears itself apart."

"And what about the innocent people?" Shinichi argued.

"Nobody's innocent!" Kaneshiro snapped.

Shinichi sighed and spoke, "You know, on the day I met you, I was so moved by your speech. You acted like you cared about the students, about this school, but clearly you don't care about anything, not anymore. What happened to you?"

"What happened?" Kaneshiro asked. "Well, if you must know, then let me tell you. You see, I used to be human. A normal human. My father would beat me and for years I had to suffer and endure all that abuse from him. I didn't understand why he hated him so much but I hated him for it. One day I enrolled myself to this school to escape from him, but sadly I just left one Hell for another. When I first arrived, I discovered to my horror that everyone around me was a monster who would attack and devour me than befriend me, so I hid myself and isolated myself from my classmates. I had nobody, until I met Kiria..." Kaneshiro held up his arm and smiled. Around his wrist was an ornate lock connected to chains, "You see, Banabara-kun, with Kiria's help I became something else. I became more than a human."

"You turned yourself into a monster," Shinichi concluded.

"For the sake of survival," Kaneshiro told him. "My human self was weak! So, when the chance to gain power came, I took it!"

"I guess you and I have a lot in common then, Kaneshiro-kaicho," Shinichi spoke. Kaneshiro was silent as Shinichi continued, "I used to be human like you too, but one day a man took me away from my family. Like you, I was abused, physically, mentally and emotionally. But one day...one day I decided to escape and like you I ended up here in Youkai Academy." He finished, "But, unlike you, I didn't let hatred completely overtake my heart! I won't let you destroy the world, Kaneshiro!"

"Really now?" Kaneshiro asked. Slowly, he removed his glasses, folded them neatly, and pocketed them. "Then why don't you try and stop me?"

"You know what? I think I will," said Shinichi. He rushed at Kaneshiro and threw a punch at the older student who sidestepped his attack. Shinichi spun on his heel and performed a roundhouse kick but Kaneshiro blocked with his forearms and was shoved backwards by the force of the strike. Kaneshiro smiled and flicked his wrists.

"You're quite the fighter,"praised Kaneshiro.

"Had training," Shinichi confessed. "Ten years' worth." '_Not that I asked for it_.'

"How lucky," commented Kaneshiro.

"Lucky? Lucky!-?" Shinichi shouted as he delivered a barrage of punches, all which Kaneshiro blocked with his hands. "You call all the hell and torment I went through lucky?-! You call the shit they pulled and all the things they did to me lucky?-!" He broke through Kaneshiro's defence and threw his knee into his stomach. Kaneshiro coughed and stumbled backwards from the blow. Seeing his chance, he flipped over and sent a heel kick against the spy's shoulder, sending him down onto the floor. "You have no idea what they did to me all those years ago. They made me into something worse than a monster. They made me... into a _weapon_."

Kaneshiro stood up and dusted his uniform. "A weapon?" Now Kaneshiro was curious. "What do you mean by that?"

"A weapon," Shinichi repeated, striding forward, "Translation: a mindless tool without a soul that kills without remorse. In other words, that's what I was turned into. Now, I'm not just a weapon." He punched Kaneshiro hard in the chest, sending him crashing against the wall. "You're only doing all this because you had a rough life. Get over it. Other people have suffered worse. I should know. I've been there, but I survived. And Yōkai Academy is like a home to me. It made me feel welcome when the truth before was cold. It's where I met my friends. I won't let you destroy a place that has become like a home to me!"

"You call this place a home?" Kaneshiro sneered.

"Home is where the heart is, after all," Shinichi quoted. "And my heart is telling me that I have to stop you, no matter what."

"Then it's time to say goodbye to your home," Kaneshiro suddenly smiled. He pulled out a silver cross with red circuitry patterns. "Banabara-kun, do you see this? This seal is what keeps the barrier running. I removed it just before you arrived, and I managed to stall you long enough to keep you from realizing that."

"What...?" Shinichi grunted, eyes widening.

"If the seal isn't replaced within a certain time limit, the barrier will break," Kaneshiro added. He started to squeeze on the cross, causing cracks to appear and the pressure increased. Before Shinichi realized what was happening, the cross shattered, the pieces falling onto the ground. "And now no one can stop the barrier from breaking. You've lost, Banabara-kun." Kaneshiro suddenly vanished before appearing before Shinichi, and then punched him straight in the gut, forcing the air out of his lungs as he was thrown up into the air from the force before crashing down on the floor.

"If you want to release your anger out on me, then go right ahead," Kaneshiro mocked, "However, it won't change that the fact that barrier is failing."

"Shut your trap!" Shinchi roared before lunging forward.

* * *

><p><strong>CAFETERIA<strong>

"Why do I get the feeling Shin just stepped into some deep shit?" Yūji noticed as he was eating with the girls.

"That sounds gross," Michiru frowned.

"He means the expression," Riza corrected.

"You think he's in trouble?" Hana asked.

"After all the shit I've been through, this whole sense thing doesn't lie," Yūji assured. "And knowing Shin, this is basically a new standard."

"Guess we better go save his ass then," Misato mused.

A girl took a seat in a table nearby, a girl that Yūji recognized from an earlier confrontation. She had just casually come into the cafeteria, purchased a meal and sat herself down within Yūji's line of sight, without a care in the world.

"What the-? The fuck is she doing?" he blinked.

"What?" Ruby asked as she followed Yūji's line of sight.

"It's that Lina chick," he identified. "How the hell...?"

Hana's eyes narrowed as she saw her as well. "What is she doing here?"

"Having lunch?" Michiru suggested obviously.

"Well, yes..." Yūji admitted, "But that's not the point! What I'm saying is that she's just sitting right in front of us and eating like it's nobody's fucking business!"

Lina decided to speak, "You know, it's rude to stare."

"And it's rude of _you_ to fuck with my cousin's head," Yūji retorted.

Lina frowned, "Is wanting to have my Kuro-kun come back to me _that _too much to ask for?"

"When you wanna bring him back to a bunch of assholes?" the Manakyte countered.

"It's not like I'm doing this by choice," the White Cicada Cyborg shot back. "There's no other way."

"_Bullshit,"_ Yūji hissed in a hushed tone, "You're just too fucking chicken to fight back! Fuck GIN-SHOCKER, fuck this ANTI-THESIS shit and fuck Gebok! I am not letting anyone else take my cousin away from his family again and I will personally kick anyone's ass to prove it. I'll even kick _your _ass if I have to, and I have no problem fighting a girl!"

"Do you have any idea what you're getting yourself into?" Lina asked, her eyes narrowing. "By going up against GIN-SHOCKER, you're knocking on Death's door. GS does not take kindly to anyone who decides to oppose them. They won't even care if you're a walking volcano with teeth. You're just an obstacle that needs to be removed." She folded her arms on her table as she leaned closer, "Listen to me, Yūji Fudo. You're walking on thin ice. Think about what you're doing. You still have a life; a family. There's no reason to throw all of that away."

The young heir leaned in, his gaze matching Lina's as he whispered, "I'll say it again; _fuck GIN-SHOCKER_. I will burn everything they value to the fucking ground. And I will enjoy every fucking moment of it, girl. You can count on that."

"You don't get it," Lina rebutted. "This isn't just for your sake. It's for Kuro's as well. You do remember what Dr. Gebok was saying on the day you spied on us, do you?"

"I don't give a shit about anything that fucking loon says," Yūji countered, "I can take anything that fucker can dish, and I'll enjoy throwing it back in his face. If my father could kill evil gods, cyborgs from the future and travel through time, then handling some old retard should be easy enough for me. I'm not just some grease monkey-turned-teacher. _I'm Yūji-Fucking-Fudo_."

Lina frowned, "I guess there's really no convincing you after all. Well, I tried." She got up from her seat and took her tray. "On the other hand..." she added before smiling at him. "You really are a lot like Kuro-kun. I like that about you." With nothing more to be said, she turned around and walked away.

"Wait a second," Yūji paused as he just realized he was complimented, "Did I just get reverse-mind-fucked?" Something in Yūji told him that he both won _and _lost the argument.

"_**Congratulations,"**_ Abyss spoke, _**"You have gained the attention of yet another female. This makes what...8?"**_

"Shut up, Abyss!" Yuji snapped. "I don't need your sarcasm-bullshit! I'm still gonna kick her ass and make her apologize!"

"_**So you plan to dominate her then,"**_ he countered with a hint of smugness. _**"How... What do the girls call that again? Oh right, kinky."**_

"Oh, fuck you, dude!"

"Yūji-sama, people are staring," Ruby warned as students were indeed staring at the new teacher oddly.

Yūji paused and looked around, his face turning red as his embarrassment started to reach its peak. "Let's get the fuck outta here."

Suddenly, the entire cafeteria started shake and rumble, causing everyone to become alert and panic, including Yūji and the others. Getting to his feet, he frantically looked around as everyone started to panic.

"Oh come on!" he shouted as he shot his hands up. "What the hell!"

"Look, out the window!" Misato pointed. Everyone turned to her direction as the sky suddenly turned red and started to crack apart, almost like something was putting pressure on to it.

"The sky... is falling?" Yūji gaped.

"No! It's the barrier!" Ruby said, trembling about. The spiritual energy in the air was growing critical, and it was making the spine under her skin crawl, "Someone has broken the barrier to keep the school hidden!"

"What?-!" Hana demanded.

"OK, people!" Yūji called as he gathered the attention of the frightened students, "Let's all just chill and get someplace safe." He felt a tap on his shoulder and he turned, his eyes meeting the green eyes of a green-haired, fair-skinned woman.

"We should escort the children to the gymnasium, Fudo-sensei," she advised, "They'll be safer there."

"Good point," Yūji nodded. "And you are?"

"Morrigan Aensland," she introduced with a hint of sensuality as she inched closer to him, "The school counselor."

"Um, noted," he blushed, "Lead the way, please."

"Do try to keep up," she smirked as she started leading the students out of the cafeteria.

"I think she likes you," Michiru beamed.

"_I_ think she was a bit too obvious," Misato frowned.

"And _I_ think you're jealous," Hana smirked.

"Oh, bite me," she hissed.

"Now or later?"

Misato thought about it before answering, "Later, after this bullshit is settled."

* * *

><p>All the students and teachers had relocated into the school's gymnasium to shelter themselves from the crumbling barrier. There, Yūji ran into Riza, who was also trying to keep the students under control. Shogo and some of the other PSC members were doing the same.<p>

"Yūji! Yūji!" Moka cried out as she, Kurumu, Mizore and Yukari ran towards him. "We can't find Shinichi-kun anywhere! We thought he might've been with you!"

"Nope, odds are he's in trouble," Yūji denied, "And odds are he's involved with the barrier failing."

"What about the barrier failing?" Netto asked as he, Qiao, Kiko and Elle appeared before them. "Is that what's going on?"

"Again; look outside," Misato repeated as she guided their gazes to the window, pieces of the sky falling outside the window.

"_Sacrebleu!"_ Elle cursed, "Who is doing this?"

"Dunno, but something tells me those ANTI-THESIS bastards are behind it," Riza frowned.

"ANTI-THESIS huh? Can't say I'm too surprised about it," Daichi remarked as he walked up to the group. With him were Shogo, Yokoshima, Chiaki, Haruhi, Katsumi, Shiroha and Gemma.

"Those guys again?" Shiroha frowned, "Why can't they just leave us alone?"

"Because they're pissy jerks who can't look past their anger," Kiko answered, "That's why."

"Brother Yūji!" a voice shouted from behind him. Yūji quickly turned around, only to find himself receiving a face full of breasts, courtesy of the sole Water Manakyte in the school, "Bother Yūji, I can't find Leon anywhere! Where is he?-!"

"FFFF-!" Yūji muffled.

"Aphrodite, Onii-sama cannot breathe," Yuki informed. The Italian released Yuki's brother, allowing him to gasp for air. "I suspect Leon is investigating a lead on ANTI-THESIS. Most likely he's with Shinichi right now. Those two can handle themselves."

Hime, with Reiri in tow, walked over to the group as well. "Shinji-kun's not here, is he?"

"What was your first clue, princess?" remarked Daichi sarcastically. Hime glared but let it go with a sigh.

"We kinda think he's dealing with the mess," theorized Yūji.

"Not a surprise," said Mizore. "Whenever there's trouble, Shinichi won't be far behind."

"But where is he!-?" Kurumu exclaimed.

"**Ground zero**," Chiaki signed.

"Is Papa going to be OK?" Tamao asked, tugging Aphrodite's skirt.

"He'll be fine, sweetheart," Aphrodite soothed as she hugged the kit.

* * *

><p>Sparks flew as Leon's sword and Kiria's scythe arm connected, the two fighters clashing furiously. When the barrier began to weaken, the young Shinigami knew that he needed to get to the Headmaster's office. However, Kiria stood in his way. Unlike the other ANTI-THESIS grunts, Kiria was no pushover. It was also through Kiria's words that Leon learnt that not only was Kaneshiro a member of ANTI-THESIS, he was also the group's leader with Kiria holding the position of the group's second-in-command.<p>

"So, is this the power of the PSC's captain?" Kiria questioned.

"Oh, you really don't wanna see me when I cut loose," Leon told him. "Trust me, for the sake of your health, you don't want me to go all out."

"And yet if you did, you'd be able to help your friend right now," said Kiria as he summoned a creature that resembled an eyeball with spider-like legs. "Take a look." The eyeball creature projected an image in the air, showing Leon what was happening in the barrier's control room.

Leon's eyes widened, "Oh no."

* * *

><p>"Why do you keep fighting?" questioned Kaneshiro as he grappled with Shinichi. "You've lost! There's no way to fix the barrier anymore! This is all pointless!"<p>

"Sorry, but 'giving up' isn't in my vocabulary!" Shinichi shot back. He slipped out his arm and started throwing punches, which Kaneshiro quickly blocked blow for blow. The ANTI-THESIS leader kicked up his leg for a roundhouse. Shinichi reacted fast and caught the leg under his arm. However, Kaneshiro threw up the leg that was left and kicked Shinichi into the chest, knocking him on the ground. It seemed that Kaneshiro was a more competent fighter than he first thought. His attacks were becoming a lot harder to read, and it was hard enough before the whole area started to shake from the force of the failing barrier. Still, Shinichi was willing to put up a fight. It's the way he always was, and always will be.

Springing back back to his legs, he charged forward and began a chain of kicks and punches. Kaneshiro swerved around his assault before taking hold of his leg and tossing him on his stomach.

"You didn't think I was prepared for this moment?" Kaneshiro asked. "I've been keeping a close watch on you, Banabara-kun. I've studied all your moves, your techniques, and your skills. There's nothing you can't do that will surprise me."

"There's always a way to deal with yuppies like you," Shinichi growled, getting to his knees.

"And what's that?" Kaneshiro questioned.

"Thinking outside the box!" Shinichi's eyes glowed and he fired twin beams from them at Kaneshiro. A surprised Kaneshiro bent his body backwards as the beams flew at him. They soared harmlessly over him, but they were close enough for him to feel the heat from them.

"That...was unexpected," admitted Kaneshiro, wiping the sweat off his brow.

"Goes to show how much you really know about me," replied Shinichi. Shinichi crossed his wrists together, drawing power from his Spark Core. Jigsaw puzzle pieces materialized and bonded to his forearms, forming his gauntlets. For now, a partial transformation would make do. His eyes scanned Kaneshiro. So far, the Student Council President and ANTI-THESIS leader had yet to assume his monster form so Shinichi was going to fight him without completely transforming.

"Then that means I should stop holding back," said Kaneshiro as he revealed his true power. His hands began to change and each of his fingers became long, skeletal, claws that extended to extreme lengths, nearly touching the floor when he had his arms down.

Kaneshiro slashed at Shinichi who blocked with his forearms, causing sparks to fly as the claws scraped along his gauntlets. Kaneshiro then kicked through Shinichi's defences, hitting him hard in the chest and sending him flying backwards. Shinichi landed on his feet and jumped out of the way as Kaneshiro brought his claws down to slice him to ribbons. He slashed gouges into the floor instead.

Pointed his fingers at Shinichi, they shot at the Cyborg as they cut through the air. Shinichi cried out as he was hit in the arms and legs, letting blood splash out, but he still managed to remain on his feet as he stumbled back before charging at Hokuto. Hokuto rushed forward as Shinichi punched the floor, the force of the blow causing an explosion of rubble and debris which hid him from Kaneshiro's sight.

Suddenly, Kaneshiro was gripped from behind, Shinichi's arms holding him around his chest and under his arms before the Cyborg jumped into the air. He then turned his body upside down and with Kaneshiro crashed to the floor. The force of the crash caused the chamber to tremble from a tremor.

Shinichi stood over Kaneshiro who lay in a crater made by the impact and sighed. He then scanned the area, looking for the pieces of the shattered seal. Turning his back away from Kaneshiro, he began to collect the pieces one by one. He knew he could repair it. He possessed time distortion powers which allowed him to heal his friends, so why not repair the seal with the same ability?

Meanwhile, Kaneshiro groaned and began to stir. He picked himself up in a daze and saw Shinichi picking up the pieces of the cross he'd broken. "You know...that's pointless..." Kaneshiro told him. Shinichi didn't answer back. "Are you even listening to me...?"

Shinichi nodded as he finished picking up the pieces. "Kaneshiro, you said that if the barrier's seal isn't replaced in time, the barrier will be destroyed, right?"

"Yes, but the seal is destroyed," Kaneshiro sneered but Shinichi smiled.

"It was," said Shinichi as his hand glowed and the image of a clock face going in reverse appeared on the back of his hand. He opened it up and much to Kaneshiro's shock the seal was restored.

"B-b-but how!-?" Kaneshiro demanded as Shinichi strode towards the barrier control mechanism.

"Trade secret," Shinichi said with a smile before putting the seal back into its slot, restoring the barrier's integrity. "There." While restoring the seal, he was aware that the energy it contained had been dispersed. Energy could not be destroyed or created, merely transformed or dispersed. So, it was only a matter of drawing back that energy into the cross to restore it to its full power.

"You..." Kaneshiro's eyes narrowed. "My plan..."

"Give yourself up, Kaneshiro," said Shinichi. "It's over."

"NOOOOOO!-!-!" Kaneshiro roared as he removed the Holy Lock from his wrist and tossed it away. Instantly, pure demonic energy pulsed from his body as red fog seeped out from him.

"What's that?" Shinichi asked.

"That friend of yours, Moka Akashiya, isn't the only one who needs a seal to lock away her true form," explained Kaneshiro, grunting as the pulsing energy increased alarmingly. "Now, I'm going to show you the true form of CHAOS!"

Kaneshiro's body began to stretch and expand, his clothes being torn apart as they could not contain the monstrosity he was turning into. Shinichi took an involuntary step back as he watched the horrifying transformation. He'd seen some strange ones, and a few disgusting ones, but this was something else entirely. It was on an entirely new level.

He was a tall and slender monster with a skeletal appearance, sporting an exposed rib cage, spine and pelvis. Extending from his rear was a bony, segmented tail which ended with a claw-like tip. His arms had multiplied as he gained three additional pairs which all ended in scythe-like blades instead of hands. His legs were also double-jointed and he had sharp, claw-like feet. Hokuto's head was set in the centre of the monstrosity's chest, with veins all over his cheeks and his hair and eyes gone wild.

"Oh shit," Shinichi cursed as Kaneshiro swung at him with his bladed, multiple limbs and he ducked. The pillars in the chamber were cut by the blades but Shinichi kept low to the floor, avoiding a grisly fate.

"**Do you think you can defeat me now!-?**" Kaneshiro bellowed.

Shinichi stood up and answered, "Actually, you just made yourself an even bigger target." Now that Kaneshiro had transformed, the Cyborg decided it was time he did the same as well. Shinichi threw his right arm across his chest with his left fist against his hip. "Let's Ride..." He then raised his left fist up to eye level as he pulled his right arm to rest his right fist against his hip. **"SHOWA!"**

In a flash of light from his Spark Core, the jigsaw puzzle pieces materialized and bonded to his body, forming his armor. Pointing at Kaneshiro, he announced, "Kamen Rider Showa! On Stage! Let's Ride... **ICHIGO!"**

"**Rider Kick!"** Showa-Ichigo shouted as he performed his signature move, a flying sidekick aimed for Kanenshiro's face. Kaneshiro crossed his appendages in front of himself to defend himself and repelled the attack, sending Showa-Ichigo flying backwards. He performed a backflip, his feet touching the wall before bounding off to attack Kenshiro again.

"**NIGO!"**

"**Rider Punch!" **Showa-Nigo's red-gloved fist slammed into Kaneshiro, pushing him backwards. Raising his blade-like appendages, Kaneshiro brought them down to impale Showa.

"**V3!"**

Using V3's Super-Spring Muscles, Showa-V3 grabbed Kaneshiro's blades. He dug his heels into the floor and twisted his arms to snap the blades in half. Kaneshiro screamed as he recoiled from the pain.

"**RIDERMAN!"**

"Take this!" Showa-Riderman threw his Hook Arm at Kaneshiro, the cable stretching as the hook went flying. The cable tightened around Kaneshiro's neck, secured by the hook, and Showa-Riderman pulled hard to bright Kaneshiro down to the ground. Leaping up, Showa-Riderman smashed his knee down upon Kaneshiro's head who roared in anger as he slashed, cutting the cable and sending Showa stumbling back

"**X!"**

"Ridol Stick!" Showa-X called as he drew his polearm and used it to deflect Kaneshiro's blades. He then vaulted himself with the Ridol Stick and kicked Kaneshiro in the face again, sending him staggering. He then landed on Kaneshiro's back and the monster tried to buck him off.

"**AMAZON!"**

Assuming the form of Amazon, Showa cried out, "Gii, gii, gii!" and began slashing at Kaneshiro's back. One of Kaneshiro's blades swung back to hit Amazon but he leapt up and landed on the appendage before he sunk his teeth into the limb. Kaneshiro roared as he tried to shake Amazon loose but he just wouldn't come off.

"**STRONGER!"**

Kaneshiro screamed as he received a million volts of electricity coursing through his body. He finally managed to throw Showa-Stronger off him and gave chase to slice him to pieces, only for his prey to escape.

"**SKYRIDER!"**

Showa-Skyrider flew through the air, leading Kaneshiro along as he bashed through the pillars in his way. Showa-Skyrider simply zigzagged to avoid the pillars and looked over his shoulder at Kaneshiro. One of the bladed arms came dangerously close to him, nearly touching his scarf.

"**SUPER-1!"**

Showa landed on his feet and activated his favorite weapons. "Hot & Cold Hands!" His gloves changed from silver to green, equipped with hi-tech equipment. He pointed his Hot Hand and shot a stream of flames at Kaneshiro, causing him to recoil from the flames.

"**ZX!"**

"Focus Bombs!" Showa-ZX threw a pair of shurikens that embedded themselves into Kaneshiro's legs. The shurikens suddenly exploded and Kaneshiro roared as he was forced down onto his knees.

"You can't beat me, Kaneshiro," said Showa as he reverted back to his default form. Suddenly, the entire chamber began to shake even more violently than before. "What was that?"

Kaneshiro began to laugh, "**You're too late.**"

"What do you mean?" Showa demanded.

"**I told you that there was a time limit. Even if you did put the seal back where it belongs, too much time has passed for it to do anything. The entire system is unstable. You only delayed the inevitable.**" He began to stand back up, his injuries beginning to heal as his body underwent instant regeneration. "**The barrier will continue to crack until it eventually shatters to pieces.**"

"There's no way I'll let that happen!" Showa shouted when all of a sudden he grunted in pain and fell to his knees. He raised his hand to see that it was trembling painfully. "What...what's happening to me...?" His Spark Core was flashing repeatedly. He was not aware that he'd used too much power in a short period of time.

He was hit by one of Kaneshiro's bladed, the blunt side smashing him into several pillars. Showa went tumbling as his armor shattered and vanished. "Ah..." he uttered in pain.

"**You're strong, Banabara-kun, I give you that**," praised Kaneshiro as he made his way towards Shinichi who lay painfully on the ground, weakened by the overuse of his power. Kaneshiro picked him up with the tips of his blades and raised him up to face him. Shinichi glared at him.

"There must be some good in you, Kaneshiro," pleaded Shinichi. "If you do this, countless lives will be lost. The world will be plunged into chaos. There would be no winners in a war between humans and Youkai. Is that _really _what you want?"

Kaneshiro's face contorted in annoyance, "**You just don't give up, do you?**"

"I told you," smirked Shinichi. "It's not in my vocabulary."

"**I admire that about you, but it's too bad that determination and persistence is wasted**," Kaneshiro sighed before dropping Shinichi to the floor. "**Goodbye, Banabara-kun.**" He raised his blades, poised to execute Shinichi right there and then.

* * *

><p>The dragon statue on the Headmaster's desk trembled as the diamond set in it shone and tried to rattle free from its confines. It shook, and shook, and shook before falling off the desk and shattering to pieces. The stone then rose up and vanished in a flash.<p>

In his office, the Headmaster grinned while lying on the floor, "It has awakened..."

* * *

><p>As Shinichi struggled to rise, a bright light shot into the room, blinding Kaneshiro.<strong> "What is this!-? This light...! Where did it come from...?-!"<strong>

Shinichi felt the light. It was so warm, so comforting, and yet at the same time it was powerful, like he was gazing into the eyes of a lion.

The diamond-like stone shot into Shinichi's chest, making him scream as a bright light erupted and his body surged with power.

Kaneshiro covered his eyes from the light as the entire room was bathed in the glow that emitted from Shinichi's body. After a moment had passed, the glow died down and vanished. Kaneshiro, noticing the diminishing light, looked back over at Shinichi and gaped in utter shock and stunned surprise.

Shinichi's body had changed. His skin was blue and leathery, with steel scales wrapping around his wrists and trailed down the bones of his hands and fingers (ending in blade-like claws) and the same happened to his ankles and feet. His torso was covered by a large, steel chest plate with two spikes extending back over his shoulders and the bottom of it extending over his abdomen. In the center of the plate was the absorbed stone. Steel spines trailed down his spine and a five-pronged fan-like structure was fixed above his thick and powerful tail. Two horns extended from his head and two fang-like horns on the sides of his mouth. Finally, his hair grew out wildly as it reached the small of his back, his eyes glowed red with his sclera being black, and glowing light-blue lines patterned his body.

And then, he opened his mouth, and ROARED!

Everything in the room suddenly turned black and white, as if the color was sucked away by Shinichi's dragonic howl. Kaneshiro was repelled by the shockwave generated by the roar, the attack actually sending him sliding backwards. His eyes went wide as he took in Shinichi's new form. "What...what is this...?" He didn't understand what was going on anymore.

* * *

><p>Yūji, Yuki and Aphrodite all held their right forearms in discomfort as a bright red glow emanated from their arms, originating from their birthmarks.<p>

"_Goddammit,"_ Yūji groaned, "What the hell is this...?"

"It hurts..." Yuki frowned.

"What in the world is this?" Aphrodite paled as she had never felt such a reaction before. "Could there be another Manakyte in the school?-!"

"We would have found out before," Yūji countered. "And from the feeling, this one must be stupid strong. Time to go find out." He looked to Morrigan, the greenete placating the students with little trouble. "Miss Aensland, would you take over for a bit? There's something I need to look into."

"Not a problem, Love," Morrigan accepted, "Just try not to be gone too long, or else I'll get worried~."

"Right then," he nodded before returning to his group, "OK, the three of us are gonna find out what's going on. Just hope nothing crazy is too bad..."

"Be careful," Misato requested. Yūji nodded and the others watched as he, Yuki and Aphrodite left the group to investigate. As they stepped outside, they could see large pieces of the 'sky' had fallen off to reveal what was on the other side. To their surprise, they were seeing a city, from a skyview.

"What in the world...?" Yuki gasped, her eyes widening slightly. "The barrier is down. It won't be long before the academy is completely visible in the Human World."

A muffled, but threatening roar echoed in the distance, causing the air to vibrate. Not only that, but entire area around them suddenly turned into pure chrome, as if the color suddenly disappeared without a trace.

"OK, for all intent and purposes, I have nothing to do with this," Yūji swore, "Not this time."

"But what's happened?" Aphrodite worried.

Yuki looked to see nothing moving. Even the trees had stopped flowing in the wind, "Time...has stopped."

"And we're not affected by any changes in time," Yūji recalled. He looked down at his glowing mark and nodded, "OK, let's go find out what the hell is going on."

* * *

><p>While enjoying some takoyaki from her usual vendor, Shiori, along with many others in the city, were looking up at the sky. "What's going on...?" The sky had cracked and pieces of it broke off to reveal another place. "You know, if this was 'Chicken Little', someone would be screaming..."<p>

"OH MY GOD! THE SKY IS FALLING!"

Shiori sighed, "Why do I have a feeling Shinji's involved and right in the middle?" She was going to have to talk to her son and nephew about this later. She popped a takoyaki ball into her mouth.

* * *

><p>The stone in Shinichi's chest glowed as he glared at Kaneshiro. Once its shine was at its brightest he unleashed a blast of energy at Kaneshiro. The transformed Kaneshiro was hit by the beam, stumbling back and falling over. Shinichi growled and dashed at Kaneshiro, jumping onto him and flexing his claws as he proceeded to tear at the President's body, tearing armor and flesh away much to Kaneshiro's surprise, pain and disbelief.<p>

"**What's happened to you...?**" Kaneshiro growled. "**You've changed... You've become...some kind of animal! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU!-?**"

Shinichi simply growled, not attentive to Kaneshiro's questioning as he blurred out of sight and struck him in the back. Blood gushed from Kaneshiro's back as Shinichi dug into him with his claws. He then jumped and flipped forward, slamming his tail onto Kaneshiro as he dropped to the floor with a loud thud.

Lunging at Shinichi, Kaneshiro thrust all his blades at the transformed Cyborg. This way, he was sure to kill his opponent with a single move. The blades penetrated Shinichi's body, and the draconic boy went silent before glaring at Kaneshiro as if nothing happened despite the bleeding wounds. He then grabbed the extensions and tightened his grip, severing the connections while the blades were still stuck in him. Kaneshiro felt the shock when his weapons were severed from his body and backed away, allowing Shinichi to advance and continue tearing away at Kaneshiro. He climbed onto his chest and kicked off his face, back-flipping away as he landed.

Now, Kaneshiro had everything planned out, and after spending all that time in Yōkai Academy he thought that there was nothing to fear. However, right now, at this point of time, he realized that he was wrong. Shinichi Banabara had just become a true monster and was going to kill him. The memories of his father beating him returned, along with the feeling of dread, terror and weakness. He could actually see a specter of his father superimposed on Shinichi.

"**...No...stay back...get away from me...GET AWAY FROM ME!" **Kaneshiro roared as he swung his tail at Shinichi. Shinichi leapt over the swinging tail and then launched himself at Kaneshiro with a loud roar. The strength of the roar actually vibrated the air molecules, as the fan-like structure above his tail grew and expanded. The gem in his chest also glowed brightly as indigo-colored energy collected into his mouth. He then unleashed the power in a mighty blast that tore away Kaneshiro's left arm completely as the blast went through the wall as well, leaving a perfect hole in the stone.

Kaneshiro felt immense pain and as he tried to heal himself but for some reason the energy he'd been blasted with was preventing him from healing his injuries. Also, the immense fear and terror he was feeling when confronting this creature before him was starting to make him lose whatever focus he had left and focusing more on survival.

Roaring, Shinichi lunged and slammed Kaneshiro in the face with a punch that had the force of forty Rider Punches as it smashed into the ANTI-THESIS leader, sending him flying, crashing through the remaining pillars before hitting the wall, the impact causing an explosion of rubble and debris. Shinichi landed on one knee and growled. The stone on his chest then shone before enveloping him in its light. The light faded and he was restored back to human form.

"...What...the hell...happened to me?" he questioned, staring down at his hands.

* * *

><p>The glow on Yūji's arm suddenly faded. This was not lost to him as he quickly took notice, "My mark... stopped glowing?"<p>

"My mark stopped glowing as well," Aphrodite said, holding up her arm.

"As did mine," Yuki added, doing the same. "Did the Manakyte disappear?"

"Maybe, but for our marks to go active like that, it's something very uncommon..." Yūji frowned. Looking over the distance, he spotted someone running towards them. "Yo, Leon!" Yūji smiled, "Glad you're still in one piece!"

"Yeah, same to you," Leon greated back, racing up to them. As soon as he got within arm's length, he found himself buried in bountiful cleavage.

"Oh Leon, you're alright~!" Aphrodite squealed, hugging her lover like a rag doll. "What happened? Why is the barrier breaking?"

"Mghugh!" Leon muffled from within her chest.

"You're suffocating him again, Aphrodite," Yuki said.

The brunette blinked, "Oh dear!" She quickly set Leon back on his feet, allowing him to breath again.

"Thank you, Aphrodite," Leon said, catching his breaths. "Now, I know who is responsible for tearing down the barrier. It's Kaneshiro."

"Kaneshiro?" Yūji asked. "You mean the Student Council President?"

"Yes," Leon nodded. "He is the leader of ANTI-THESIS who doubles as their spy. He's been using his authority to dispatch his agents without being noticed." Leon frowned as his fist clenched. "I should've figured it out. Someone with his authority in that position would have all the information he needed to succeed in his plans. I should've figured it sooner."

"It's nothing to beat yourself up over," Yūji told him. "This Kaneshiro guy must've had everything planned out from the start. How else could he have hidden himself for so long?"

"There's more though," Leon continued. "Shinichi has intercepted Kaneshiro. He's fighting him right now."

"_Ciò che?" _Aphrodite gasped.

"Then we should get over there and back him up," Yuki frowned. "Most likely, he'll need our help."

* * *

><p>Shinichi stood over Kaneshiro as Student Council President laid on the ground before him. Shinichi panted as he looked down at the Student Council President's body. He was still alive, though nude and heavily injured.<p>

"Even if you did defeat me... the barrier is still unstable," Kaneshiro coughed, "Even you won't be able to repair it."

"How about we test that theory then?" Shinichi asked. He walked up to the panel and placed his hands on top of it. Focusing, his eyes glowed blood red as temporal energy surrounded him and the panel. The seal and mechanism soon started to stabilize. "There, that should fix it." He put his hand against the side of the panel to balance himself, feeling a little drowsy.

"How...?" Kaneshiro questioned hoarsely.

"I...guess...my resolve...was stronger..." Shinichi replied.

"You know, you're a much better person than I...If we had met sooner, under different circumstances... we may have become friends," said Kaneshiro.

Shinichi sighed, "I...can't claim to be a good person. After all I've done I'm the farthest thing from what that title means. I, however, can at least claim that I'm a better man than before."

"Heh... if you say so..." Kaneshiro smiled weakly. "Banabara-kun... you said that the people who were even worse than my father made you into a weapon; a creature worse than a monster, a killer without a soul. Promise me this... don't let them intimidate you. Do whatever it takes... to make them stop."

Shinichi smiled back, "That's a promise then..." He finished, "Well, I guess it's only customary for me to say...Game...Over." And darkness soon claimed him.

* * *

><p>Back in the Human World, the sky became whole once more as it resealed itself before returning to its normal color. The citizens breathed out a sigh of relief before going about to their business. Shiori, however, smiled, knowing full well what happened.<p>

"Way to go, Shinji," she smiled. She may not be entirely sure, but she knew her son was involved. Getting on her bicycle, she pedalled away.

* * *

><p><em>When Shinichi came to, he found himself in a darkened room. It was wide and spacious, the only lights being a few candles lit on the walls and the large blood red moon shining from the window. Looking around further, he noted that he was sitting on a large, extravagant bed, with curtains and sheets that were red as blood and pillows as black as night. He didn't remember ever sleeping on such a large bed, nor does he know why he was in this.<em>

_Feeling an approaching presence, Shinichi turned to the window and saw a neon red bat entering. Before him, the bat made an eerie glow before it grew in size. Once the light dimmed, he could now see that the bat took the shape of a girl who appeared to be a little older than him. Her bubblegum pink hair was long and reached down to her waist. She wore a black, sleeveless, leather evening dress. Her arms were covered by black, fingerless opera gloves, showing the red polish on her sharp nails. Her ample cleavage was held back only by a zipper, which was left slightly opened to reveal her valley. The long skirt of the dress was actually split to reveal her black panties, slim hips, and a pair of black suede dress shoes that seemed to be tied with ribbons which traveled up her shapely legs. And her eyes were glowing blood red in the dead of the night, illuminating her radiant, beautiful, flawless face._

_Countess Moka gave him a haunting smile, the glow in her eyes giving her a predatory gaze, as she elegantly walked towards him, slowly and confidently. Shinichi found himself unable to make even the slightest move. Reaching the edge of the bed, she alternated to a crawl. Before Shinichi realized it, she had hands delicately grasping his face. Her soft crimson lips parted slightly in invitation._

"_Don't be afraid..." the Countess cooed in a soothing voice. "My only wish... is to make you mine..."_

_She glided her hands down from his face, to his neck, his shoulders, and lastly his shirt with utmost care. Then, with sudden force, she ripped off the barrier that shielded the fresh meat, her nails shredding it into small pieces. Her fingers slowly traced along his muscle lining, smiling at the feel of his toned chest. Her fingers then reached his niples and slowly played with them. Shinichi gave pleasurable hums and moans from Moka's touch. The feeling was just nice. _

_Smiling, the vampire seductress hugged him close and placed soft kisses on his shoulder before moving on to his neck. Shinichi relaxed and returned the hug as he gently rubbed the back of her neck. Reaching the very tantalizing part of his neck. She swapped to licks and tugging before extending her fangs and biting down. Shinchi flinched from the sharp pain, but the pain soon turned to pleasure as he once again relaxed and moaned. Moka sucked his blood slowly and seductively, savoring the taste while at the same time taking care to not drink too much, gently tugging at his hair as she did so. Not wanting to be idle, Shinichi caressed her thighs, crotch, stomach, and breasts. The room was soon filled with sensual moans as the boy and his vampiric lover continued to pleasure one another in their own unique ways. _

_Moka removed her fangs and slowly licked some of the remaining blood from his neck before licking her lips. Teasingly, she unzipped the zipper of her blouse to free her goods from their cage. Instinctively, Shinichi took hold of her breasts and started to fondle them. Moka moaned and whimpered as Shinichi's talented hands slowly hardened her nipples. She took his head, brought it to her chest and hugged it gently. He began clumsily kissing her neck and shoulders or rubbing his face in her breasts and sucking on them, excitement filling him at the pleasured sounds she made in return._

_Finally, Moka could no longer control herself as she forced Shinichi down on the bed and began kissing him lustfully on the lips. He could still taste the blood that she took from him, but it didn't matter as it gave a sweet flavor in her mouth. She pressed her chest against his as they both played with one another's hair, her nails digging into his cobalt hair and his fingers sinking in her bubblegum hair. Then the need for breathing overcame lust, they released each other and took deep breaths, both their faces flushed._

"_Can I ask you something?" Moka requested._

"_Anything," Shinichi answered._

"_Shouldn't you be waking up by now?"_

"_What?"_

_And his vision was blinded by a bright flash._

* * *

><p>Shinichi slowly came to and groaned as he opened his eyes. He was staring at an unfamiliar ceiling. "What...what happened...? Where am I...?" He was in the infirmary.<p>

"Ah, look who's awake," Shinichi turned his head and saw Netto sitting on a chair, drinking a can of soda. "Good morning, Sleeping Beauty."

"What happened?" Shinichi asked, sitting up, but then flinched as sharp pained rattle through his body. "Itai!" He was in his pajamas and his body was covered in web-bandages

"Take it easy," Netto warned. "You were pretty banged up when Leon, Yūji, Yuki and Aphrodite found you. You've been out for a couple of days and we have only three days left until the festival. You should rest up."

"Right," Shinichi nodded. Looking around, he saw Moka sleeping on the side of his bed using her arms as a pillow. Behind her, Kurumu and Mizore slept on chairs with Mizore's head on Kurumu's shoulders. Yukari was resting her head on Kurumu's lap, sleeping soundly.

"Your girlfriends offered to look after you while you were recovering," Netto explained. "They've been looking after you all this time."

"They did?" Shinichi asked, blushing slightly.

"Yeah, they were pretty worried too," Netto added. "At least they won't have to worry now."

The door opened and Yūji walked inside. "Knock-knock," he greeted with Leon, Aphrodite, and Yuki following.

"Hey," Shinichi welcomed. "So, what happened?"

"I got a little preoccupied with Kiria, so I wasn't able to help you in time. After he escaped, I met up with Yūji and others and we raced to the barrier's control center. We found you unconscious, but there was no sign of Kaneshiro," said Leon. "But thanks to you, the barrier was fixed."

"Nice job fixing it, cousin!" Yūji exclaimed proudly as he slapped Shinichi's shoulder affectionately.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" Shinichi cried out and Yūji withdrew his hand quickly.

"Sorry! I forgot your bones are still sore," Yūji apologized.

Shinichi hissed as he put his arms around his ribs, "They might be steel-plated, but they still hurt."

"Well Shinichi, once again you saved the school," Leon stated with one of his rare smiles.

"I know that, but can anyone explain how I got _this_?" He was referring to his new, fingerless glove which was on his right hand. It came with an accessory too, a beautiful diamond stone.

"That's what we've been trying to figure out too," Netto told him.

"This stone has something to do with us..." Yuki frowned, "But I've never seen anything like it."

"Same here," Yūji agreed. "We may be Manakytes, but we've never seen anything like this before."

"Why not ask your parents?" Shinichi asked. "Or your uncles?"

"They've never told us about this before," Yūji countered, "And they'd never lie or hide anything that was important."

Aphrodite was groaning and moaning as she was deep in thought before crying out, "I REMEMBER!"

"What's wrong?" Netto asked.

"That is a Mana Stone!" she identified.

"Mana Stone?" Shinichi blinked.

"It is a Gem that contains the essence of a legendary Supreme Manakyte," Aphrodite began, "They contain the essence of a Supreme Manakyte; a Mana Stone is able to infuse a host with the power of a certain Manakyte. They gain their physical features and abilities, but they take in a more animalistic personality."

"How are they made?" Leon asked.

"Well, it's been speculated that Mana Stones are crystallized tears of said Manakytes, some say they are drops of blood shed from them, others believe they are the legendary Philosopher's Stone," Aphrodite answered, "But without proper research it's never been fully determined. Whatever the legend, these stones are rumored to be some of the most powerful gems on Earth."

"Well, that's just fantastic!" Shinichi remarked sarcastically. "Not only do I have over a dozen voices living in my head, now I have a Manakyte's spirit bonded to me! What am I? A freaking Holiday Inn that any wayward soul can just check into!-?"

"Ah don't be like that. It helped and it all worked out in the end, didn't it?" a humorous voice said from the doorway. The group turned to the voice and recognized the visitor instantly.

"Headmaster!" Leon greated.

"Yo," the Headmaster waved with a grin.

"How are you wounds?" Shinichi asked.

"Don't worry about me," the Headmaster waved off as he walked towards the youths. "I'm a fast healer. Anyway, I'm here to congratulate you all for dealing with ANTI-THESIS. Those punks were giving me a headache."

"You're welcome," said Shinichi. "But what about the barrier? How are the students taking it?"

"Oh, I gave an announcement and told them it was an impromptu emergency drill and that it was all just an illusion," smiled the Headmaster. Shinichi facefaulted.

"That...actually worked?" Shinichi asked.

"You'd be surprised how many people bought the story," smiled Yūji. "But it's better this way, I guess. The student body doesn't need to know their world was about to end.

"Obviously, it'd cause a riot," Leon added.

Gin came in, walking through the door, followed by Morrigan. He said, "Well dude, looks like saved us yet again."

"Hey Gin," Shinichi greeted. "And Aensland-sensei too?"

"I heard about what happened from Fudo's little friends," Morrgian told him. "I wanted to see if my new favorite student was alright."

"I heal fast," Shinichi told her. "I've had worse, trust me."

A soft moan came from the side of Shinichi's bed, coaxing everyone to watch Moka as she slowly awoke. Rubbing her eyes, she blinked before she saw Shinichi and beamed as hugged him, taking care not hurt him by accident. "Shinichi-kun, you're awake!" she beamed.

"Hey Moka-chan," he smiled. "I'm glad to see you too."

"Shinichi~!" more voices squealed from behind her. Instantly, Kurumu, Mizore and Yukari appeared right next to Shinichi.

"Shinichi, what happened?" Kurumu asked.

"How did you end up like that?" Mizore questioned.

"Did you really beat up that dirty president and save the barrier?" inquired Yukari.

"Please, give him some space!" Moka scolded. "Shinichi-kun needs rest."

"Moka-chan, I'm fine," he told her reassuringly.

"I was so worried when we didn't see you during the crisis," Moka informed him. "I feared...I feared the worst."

"Moka...you know I can take care of myself," he said.

"I know, but why do you always feel you have to fight by yourself?" she questioned.

"Yeah, you could've called for help!" added Kurumu.

"I was a victim of circumstance," Shinichi shrugged. "Plus there wasn't any time to call."

As the girls surrounded Shinichi, happy that he was healthy, the Headmaster smiled as he looked on before turning to the door. "Well, looks like things should settle down for now. Hope to see all of you at the festival." With that said, he exited the room.

"You know, this will just make Shinichi even more popular," grumbled Gin.

"Actually, what happened will be classified," said Leon. Gin blinked.

"You mean you don't want me to run the story?" Gin questioned, eyes narrowed. Was Leon trying to hinder the Newspaper Club like Kuyou did?

"Just leave out a few details," said Leon. "The Headmaster did already say it was an emergency drill. No need to unnecessarily frighten the students."

"But they deserve to know!" Gin argued.

"I think Leon is right, Gin," Yuki agreed, "No need to cause another panic. After all, a lot of the students and teachers still look up to Kaneshiro."

"Fine," Gin nodded, surrendering to logic. "Speaking of the President, how will you track him?"

"He won't get far," said Leon. "We'll find him, and Kiria."

"And I'm sure that you will," Morrigan smiled, patting Leon on the shoulder. "Come on now. Let's give them a little space to play together."

The remaining group followed her out and left Shinichi to continue taking with his girls. Unknown to anyone, however, Lina was watching Shinichi chatting with Moka and the others from a window nearby. Letting out a sad sigh, she turned and walked from the scene before teleporting out of sight.

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: Well, that closes the ANTI-THESIS arc. What's next? The Halloween Festival of course! Preparations are close to completion and the students are looking forward to the three days of fun. But, since it's Youkai Academy, there's bound to be more trouble coming out from the horizon. On a little note, Juvia from Fairy Tail (the anime not the organization) seems to have taken an interest in Yuji. This should be fun.<strong>


	59. Halloween Fest: Eve of the Festival

_I'm a Succubus, but I've never fallen in love before I met Shinichi. My mom told me that when I met my Destined One, I would know. I sense it whenever I'm around him and he knows it too. He returns my feelings and isn't just attracted to me because of my looks. He's one of the few guys who could look me in the eye and not break eye contact to look at my boobs, which I admit are eye catching. He was a mystery to me. Who reacts with pain from my Charm? Nobody. But then I learnt about what he'd been through. I could've never imagined. He was a slave to those people and I was about to do the same to him. I was so ashamed. What I can do now is to give him a happy future._

_-Kurumu Kurono_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 59: The Eve of the Festival<strong>

Two days had passed since the incident involving Kaneshiro and the barrier. The Headmaster's announcement had fortunately prevented any further panic from spreading among the students and staff. A lie it may have been but a lie to maintain the peace of the academy. Within that time, Shinichi had made a speedy recovery and Shiori had called him about the incident as she had witnessed the sky breaking apart due to the barrier being broken during Kaneshiro's attempt to cause a war between humans and youkai.

The school festival, dubbed the Halloween Fest, was only a day away and the students were rushing to finish their preparations. Shinichi was of course overseeing his class' preparation and was happy with the results as the decorations were put up. He even got a look at the menu and was glad that they had supplies to fulfil the demands of the customers that they expect to get during the Halloween Fest.

However, Shinichi had yet to inform his mother about the festival. He couldn't risk her safety. Yōkai Academy might've become his home since he first arrived at the school, but it was nonetheless a very dangerous place, especially for a human. While Shinichi was genetically a human being, his cybernetic augmentations prevented anyone in the school from discovering that fact as he was identified as an 'Insect Doppelganger Yōkai'.

* * *

><p>Juvia was spying on Yūji from afar as he was sparring with Shinichi. She knew of the boy's reputation from rumors and from when he and Yūji fought in the tournament. She was upset at how Yūji lost, feeling that he deserved to win after such a battle. But since the tournament was canceled because of Ryoko's interference, it was a moot point now. She only cared about who was before her: her precious, oblivious Yūji-sama.<p>

"He's so manly..." Juvia swooned,

"Yes, he is~"

Juvia jumped and spun to see Mizore next to her. "What are you doing here? How long have you been here?"

"This is one of my spying spots," Mizore informed.

Juvia was a bit cautious of the Yuki-Onna, curious about her intentions. "And who are you spying on?"

Mizore kept her gaze on her target and pointed ahead, "Shinichi."

The bluenette heaved a sigh as she sat with Mizore, "Juvia is relieved."

"You like Yūji, don't you?" Mizore asked, keeping her eyes trained on her target.

Juvia blushes, "Juvia is in love~"

Mizore turned to shake her hand and greeted, "Welcome to the Stalkers' Club."

* * *

><p>"20 girls? You can't be serious," Shinichi remarked.<p>

"It may not be the most thought-out plan I've ever had," Yūji admitted. "But I really just thought of it recently."

"I mean you're not some kind of Arabian King," Shinichi added.

"No shit. I just thought...if women are attracted to me then I should just flow with it," he explained.

"But 20? Why 20?"

"Well, if all goes right, then I'll be the 20th Boss," Yūji continued, "And I'll be 21 this summer." A rustling in the bushes was heard and the boys looked to see Blair running up to them as she sat in Yūji's lap. "And where have you been all this time, missy?"

"Did some exploring," the cat beamed as Yūji started scratching her ear, "This is my kinda place~!"

Shinichi looked at the feline and blinked, "A talking cat?"

"Blair," Yūji introduced. "Trust me, she's more than just a cat."

* * *

><p>"T-Twenty...women?-!" Juvia shook.<p>

"Yūji's in a relationship with 5 women, as far as I'm aware," Mizore explained. "But I do know they share him and they all get along well. Maybe you should join too. But...stalking him would still be fun. I still do it."

While she wasn't too sure about sharing affections with other women, the thought of being accepted by Yūji warmed Juvia's heart as she would no longer be alone. It'd been like that since before she even came to this school.

* * *

><p>The infirmary room in the main building wasn't always used, not even by the doctors who worked in the school. Maybe it was because there was a hospital building nearby? No one really knows. Usually if there was someone injured brought into the room, the doctor would be called in by a nearby phone. On the other hand, it was the ideal spot for some private intimacy. And today, it was being used for just that. The curtains were wrapped around one of the beds, and the door was even locked to ensure that no unwanted company would enter.<p>

Netto and Elle laid together in the concealed bed, the elder, taller Dragon on top of the younger, shorter Cyborg, kissing him roughly with erotic moans echoing from the both of them. From the point she jumped on top of him and pressed her lips onto his, Netto was completely helpless to resist, and he knew it. It was just something about how the girls he liked kissed him that turned him into putty in their hands. He also noticed how aggressive the Dragon Princess was being today. Granted, she was sometimes aggressive when intimate with him, and other times she was in a more gentle mood like Kiko. She switched back and forth to it. This time though, she seemed very determined to show her dominance.

Sliding her hands to his backside, she gave his ass several playful squeezes and made him squirm from her touch. Then she moved her left hand to the front, unzipped his pants, and fondled with his genitals, making him melt from her her teasing hands even further. The air was starting to become thick and heavy, their breathing sped up from all the heat. Elle then quickly broke the kiss, allowing the both of them to take deep breaths. Sweating with a flushed face, she rested her hand on her chest. "It's starting..."

"What is?" Netto asked, panting as he wiped the sweat from his brow.

"My moment of extreme heat," she clarified. "My urges will be out of control soon."

"Oh yeah, you did mention that," Netto realized. "So is it something that all Dragons really have to do through?"

"Just us females," Elle answered, playing with collar of his shirt. "Male Dragons are actually better at controlling their urges better than us women. That's why it is so dangerous for them to be near us whenever we hit our moment. Sometimes there even has to be volunteers who are willing to be defiled by the women in heat just to get them to calm them down."

"Things like that happen?" Netto blinked.

Elle nodded as she glided her hand down his arm, delicately separated his fingers with her own, and brought them in front of her. "Well... if a Dragon in heat has her pray cornered..."

She softly kissed the little finger, and Netto's metal heart jumped.

"...She would push him down on the bed..."

She kissed the ring finger.

"...Jump on top of him..."

The middle finger.

"...Tear off his garments as well as her own..."

The pointer finger.

"...And proceed to do whatever she pleases to him with her heart's content."

Netto couldn't help but feel mortified. This was one of the ways Dragons mated?

"Finding herself unsatisfied with her thirst for pleasure, she may decide to grab a toy, take him from behind, fiercely once more, and pump herself into him before they both scream in ecstacy, collapsing and then cuddling in the afterglow."

She finished with the thumb, her lips lingering slightly before gliding to the top of his palm.

"Amazing how you can describe something like that so calmly," Netto remarked, his face twitching slightly.

"Actually, it's a more pleasurable experience for both the man and the woman," Elle smiled. "Trust me, my mother and father enjoy it all the time. Although this cycle only lasts one week per year, and it tends to happen randomly, but we know when it's a coming." Her eyelids lowered as she played with her rapunzel-ish ponytail, "And... you're going to be my first."

"I sorta figured that," Netto said.

Elle laid back on top of him, with her arms wrapped around and her face snuggled against his. Netto returned the gesture with his arms wrapped around her flaring waist. _"Veuillez prendre soin de moi, l'amour,"_ she whispered before pecking him on the cheek.

* * *

><p>The girls were in the Hive Queen's training room's observation deck as Shinichi went to do some training. Dr. Magi was observing.<p>

"So, what is today's training?" Moka asked.

"Do we get to see Shinichi-san beat up some fake opponents?" Yukari questioned enthusiastically with hope. She loved to see her crush in action.

"Not today," said Dr. Magi, causing the little witch to frown. "You see, we're just running some tests on some equipment I've just reinstalled into Shinichi's armor."

"Equipment? Reinstall?" Kurumu asked.

"While different, all the NUMBERS' armors are basically the same. They can be equipped with different systems to enhance them. Things like super-enhanced speed, super-enhanced strength, flight capabilities, or just more weapons," Dr. Magi explained. "I've just given Shinichi access to some defensive equipment."

"Like what?" Mizore asked.

"You'll see," smiled Dr. Magi. "Phyllis, please begin the test."

From where Shinichi, now Showa, stood, several turrets rose up from the floor and surrounded Shinichi in a circle. They immediately fired at him but all of sudden several near-transparent hexagons materialized around him and formed a dome to block the bullets.

"Dome shield seems to be working fine," Dr. Magi observed.

"What is that?" Yukari asked.

"A dome shield, also known as a bubble shield. It's used to defend the user but it also prevents the user from attacking," said Dr. Magi. "Now, let's see how Shinichi handles some variables." He ordered, "Phyllis, reduce shield strength by fifty percent."

"_Reducing shield strength_," Phyllis obeyed. As an AI, she could hack the equipment from a distance and alter their energy output. The dome shield began to flicker thus Showa decided to focus the remaining power into smaller shields focused on defending him from the angles where the turrets were firing from.

"Phyllis, activate variables. Rotate the turrets," Dr. Magi ordered.

"_Affirmative._"

Down on the training room floor, the turrets began to spin around Showa, shooting at him from different angles as his shields tried to keep up. Then all a sudden two rings rotating in different directions rose from the floor with the turrets on them. The shields still kept up, blocking all the bullets as Showa remained focused.

"How is he doing that?" Kurumu asked, astounded.

"You see, girls. Shinichi needs to use his mind to focus on the shield's activation and in a combat situation, a soldier's state of mind means the difference between life and death," Dr. Magi explained. "Phyllis, reset."

The shield was restored to full capacity as the turrets returned to their normal position, still firing.

"OK, now what?" Kurumu asked, a bit excited after seeing Shinichi defending himself.

"Now, Shinichi has to destroy the turrets," said Dr. Magi. "Shinichi, this time you have to eliminate all threats," he told through the microphone, his voice coming out of the speakers in the training room.

"But you said there's no way Shinichi-kun can attack with the shield active," Moka recalled.

"Yes, but Shinichi has a way to get pass that little disadvantage," Dr. Magi smiled. "Just watch." The turrets continued to fire as Showa decided on his next course of action. It was a bit risky, but it had a high probability of success. The hexagons of the dome shield began to part enough so Showa could fire his weapon, his Vulcan Shooter. One by one the turrets were destroyed and the test was over.

"OK, Shinichi. You're done. Report back up here," Dr. Magi called.

* * *

><p>As Showa entered the observation deck, he was surrounded by the girls.<p>

"That was amazing!" Moka praised. The other girls were impressed as well.

"Yeah, you totally aced that test!" grinned Kurumu.

Mizore patted his back, smiling shyly as she said, "Cool."

"Well, I actually had some help," said Showa and then a hologram resembling a human female appeared, standing on his shoulder. "Everyone, you remember Sheila, right?"

"That's Sheila?" Kurumu gaped. Sheila's holographic avatar resembled an attractive human female in a skintight bodysuit with short chin-length hair. She was in several shades of blue.

"_Greetings_," the female AI greeted.

"Sheila was the one working on the calculations and working the shields," Shinichi admitted.

"She's a combat AI," Dr. Magi explained. "Her primary function is to assist soldiers on the field, and normally she'd be partnered with Yokoshima. This time I wanted to see how she was partnered with Shinichi."

"_Yes, but it's been awhile since I've been with him_," said Sheila. "_I miss his company_."

"Sheila, if he had you around, he wouldn't be able to do his homework on his own," said Showa.

"I thought you Cyborgs had computer brains," remarked Kurumu.

Dr. Magi sighed, "Sadly, since Yokoshima has suffered several blows to the head, his brain suffered damage and thus his intelligence is lower than the others in Project NUMBERS."

"He was our wrecking ball. It was gonna affect him in the long run sooner or later," added Shinichi. "But he wasn't exactly that bright to begin with."

"Shinichi, I need you to go to the armory and arm yourself for the next test," said Dr. Magi. "We'll be testing your cloaking system next."

* * *

><p>Shinichi was looking at weapons in the armory and picked a couple of plasma rifles which he equipped to his belt. They attached with ease to the sides. Dr. Magi came in and saw how serious Shinichi looked. He'd known him since the beginning of Project NUMBERS and watched the boy grow up into one of GIN-SHOCKER's most efficient soldiers and killing machines. But now, the boy was different. He wasn't a heartless and cold hearted killer anymore.<p>

"I understand how you must feel, Shinichi. You're angry at GIN-SHOCKER and Dr. Gebok for what they turned you into and for what they made you do, and you're angry about what they're forcing Lina to do," said Dr. Magi.

"I just want to know...when will it end?" Shinichi questioned.

"Shinichi, have you started to remember more?"

"Yes..."

* * *

><p><em>The masked priests all charged at BLACK 13 from all angles. Flicking his wrist, he knelt and punched the ground as hard as he could. Instantly materializing around him were hexagons that fit together to form a dome shield around him, repelling the charging foes and sending them stumbling backwards in shock. Once more, he flicked his wrist and summoned his Gravity Hammer. Dropping the dome shield he slammed the Gravity Hammer as hard as he could. The anti-gravity field spread outwards, knocking the priests into the air. He darted forward and drew his Laser Saber. Priests which dropped within his sight were cut down, one by one, the Laser Saber's blade cutting into them and cauterizing the cuts at the same time preventing any blood from being spilt. The recovering priests drew their guns and fired silver bullets that flew at BLACK 13. Kicking one of the fallen priest's bodies up, he caught it and held it out in front of him to be used as a meat shield. Once they stopped firing, he tossed the body towards them and ran. He jumped onto the flying body, propelling himself over the gathered priests as he drew his Vulcan Shooter. His body was pointed straight down as he squeezed the trigger of his aimed firearm. He fired beams of lethal energy from the spinning barrels, directing them to curve and pierce through the priest's vital spots.<em>

_He landed and scanned the chamber for survivors. He found none and nodded in satisfaction. He put away his weapons, stepping over a priest as he made his way to the altar. He grabbed the urn and reported, "I possess the package."_

"_Good work, BLACK 13," Dr. Gebok responded._

"_Doctor Gebok, may I ask why you wanted this urn?"_

"_Oh, is that all? Well, I saw it and I just had to have it but those priests wouldn't part with it. I did ask nicely, though, even offered money, but they were stubborn. Well, what happened to them could've been avoided but they chose to ignore my warning and met their fate," Dr. Gebok explained._

_As BLACK 13 was about to leave, a priest who managed to survive despite his injuries, grabbed hold of his ankle. "Stop…that urn is…" BLACK 13 looked down at him and fired his optic lasers at him, killing him in mid-sentence. He then left the chamber with his package._

* * *

><p><em>The scientist yawned as he stretched his arms. "Finally, my work is finished." He stood up and was surprised as he felt a pair of hands gripping his head and neck.<em>

_**SNAP!**_

_With a single twist, his neck was broken and he died in an instant, his body released to drop to the floor. BLACK 13 went to the computer and took out a memory drive. Inserting it into the port, he downloaded all the files in the computer's hard drive before removing the memory drive._

"_I have the data, Dr. Gebok," said BLACK 13._

"_Good work, BLACK 13," Gebok praised. He had wanted the scientist's work for himself. Also, he hated the man for coming up with the work in the first place._

* * *

><p><em>BLACK 13 lifted the truck, a full 18-wheeler, trailer and cab, and tossed it at the soldiers. They cried out to flee only to be crushed by heavy steel. He fired a laser at the truck and the fuel it carried inside the trailer exploded.<em>

_More soldiers came running at him so he activated his cloaking system and turned transparent with a barely visible outline in place. He fired at them with his Vulcan Shooter, gunning them down with ease. He then rushed at them with his Laser Saber, cutting down their numbers further._

* * *

><p>"Shinichi, what you did in the past doesn't define the person you are now," Dr. Magi told Shinichi.<p>

"I know, but it doesn't change the fact I did all those things," Shinichi replied. "Come on, let's start the next test."

"Actually, I changed my mind. I think it's best you stopped for today. You do have a festival to get ready for."

* * *

><p>On the message board, there was a poster for the Halloween Fest and mentions of a 'Jack-O-Lantern Dance' on the 31st of October.<p>

"OK, what exactly is a Jack-O-Lantern Dance?" Shinichi asked.

"Oh, it's a dance they have on the last day of the festival," smiled Moka. "Couples would dance around a huge Jack-O-Lantern."

"Isn't a Jack-O-Lantern a huge pumpkin with a face? Where are they going to get one?" Shinichi asked.

"Normally it takes some magic to make the Jack-O-Lanterns become big," Moka answered, "After they get to a preferable size, the staff gets to work on carving in the face."

"I remember when Kaa-chan and I carved a pumpkin together on Halloween," Shinichi stated. Moka smiled. Shinichi was recovering more pleasant memories before GIN-SHOCKER. "I was five years old and my Kaa-chan got me a costume."

"What were you dressed as?" Moka asked. Humans celebrated Halloween by dressing up in costumes, sometimes as monsters. It was the one time of the year that Yokai could go out in public in their true forms. Also, Trick or Treating was something children could enjoy as they went from house to house and received candy.

"A masked cowboy," Shinichi answered. It had either been that or the fairy princess. His mother had enjoyed dressing him up as a girl a bit too much.

"Oh, you must've been so cute!" Moka beamed, giggling.

"And speaking of costumes, I gotta go check in on the Cosplay Club. They're making mine." He kissed Moka on the cheek and said, "Bye!"

Moka watched him go, glad to see him enjoying himself with festival preparations. It was much better than seeing him worry about Lina or GIN-SHOCKER. Speaking of the former, just the thought of Lina made Moka upset. This was Shinichi's first love and yet she'd returned to his life to bring him back to the organization which had ruined his life in the first place.

"You must really care about him." Moka whirled around and came face-to-face with Lina.

"You!" Moka gripped her rosario cross.

"I didn't come to fight," said Lina, raising her hands in front of herself as a gesture of peace.

"You tried to kill Shinichi," Moka frowned.

"Subdue him," Lina corrected. "If he'd gone offline, it would've only been a matter of reviving him."

"That doesn't make it right!" Moka shot back.

"Of course it doesn't, but we're not given much of a choice to begin with," Lina said, with a sigh of regret.

"We won't let you take him away," Moka swore.

"Did he ever tell you about our last confrontation?" Lina asked. Noting Moka's blank stare, Lina got her answer. "I've looked into his mind, and saw so much hatred."

"That's understandable, considering what Gebok did to him," said Moka..

"What makes you think I meant Gebok?" Lina asked. "The person he hates the most is the one who killed all those people, the NUMBERS and me included. The person he hates the most is the same person you love. The person he hates the most is the one whose face he sees in the mirror."

"That...that can't be true..." Moka denied.

"Then ask him why he tried to kill me along with himself," said Lina. "You may not realize it, or maybe you have, but he wears a mask most of the time. The only time he doesn't wear a mask is when he's in his armor. That's when he can truly act like his real self. I know you've seen him at his best, and worst."

Moka recalled, how Shinichi had ruthlessly killed the Onimodoki who'd been turned into a cyborg. She also recalled how ruthless he could be in battle, something her inner self appreciated.

"You know what I'm talking about then. He might show you the face of a kind and cheerful high schooler, but deep down he's still a ruthless killer and soldier," Lina claimed.

"If he's like that, then GIN-SHOCKER is to blame for turning him into a ruthless killer," Moka argued. "He was just a boy; a _boy!_ They took him away from his family and friends, remodeled his body with cybernetics and forced him to kill many people for the sake of their organization." Her eyes narrowed, "And they really crossed the line when they made him kill his teammates, and then you. Don't you feel any sort of anger what they made Shinichi-kun do to you? Well, don't you!-?"

Lina flinched at the question. Moka could guess that she hit the nail on the head, but continued anyway.

"His mother suffered ten years with not knowing what happened to him. What GIN-SHOCKER did also caused the death of his father. Yūji and Yuki-chan, his cousins, also lost years with Shinichi too. They never knew about him until the day he first visited their workshop. The fact is, Lina-san, if I hadn't met Shinichi-kun, we would have both been outcasts."

"What do you mean?" Lina asked.

Moka sighed, "When I went to school in the Human World...It was... a hellhole. There was no one who was willing to be my friend. I was bullied, mocked at and teased all the time. Everyday at school, my schoolmates told me the same thing over and over again. 'Look, it's the girl who thinks she's a Vampire!' And that was the tip of the iceberg. 'Hey, bloodsucker, how about a screaming human for lunch?' 'Let me stake you, Vampire!' 'Go home, blood-breath! No one wants you here!'"

"Then...it's a good thing you found each other then," Lina concluded.

Moka nodded. "It was because of all those awful things that I went through in middle school that made me start to hate humans. And then I met Shinichi-kun, and I learned that not all humans were bad. He started out as my best friend, but I fell in love with him because of his courage, selflessness and loyalty."

Lina smiled. Even if Shinichi/Kuro had changed, he hadn't changed by much. "Traits that he's willing to die for," Lina nodded. "He's willing to die for your sake, did you know that? Does that make you happy?"

"Of course not!" Moka shot back. "I...we don't want Shinichi-kun to die! Not now, not ever!"

"At the rate he's going, if he continues to defy GIN-SHOCKER, he may not live to graduate from this place," stated Lina. "Even if he is strong, strength just isn't enough." Lina turned and looked back at her. "There's a storm approaching, Akashiya-san. Dr. Gebok is becoming desperate and he's going to try whatever it takes to take back Kuro-kun before the end of Halloween. Next time we meet, it will be in battle. Just thought you should know." She walked away without another word, ending the conversation.

"...Why?" Moka questioned as she watched Lina walk away. Should she tell Shinichi or shouldn't she?

* * *

><p>"Minna-san~!" Nekonome-sensei waved cheerfully as she walked into the Cosplay Clubroom. "I know I've been absent for several chapters but your teacher is back again to see how you're doing!"<p>

The Bakeneko had checked on her class as they were preparing their Kamen Rider Cafe. She just loved the names of the menu items and the decorations. This year's Halloween Fest was going to be as lively as the ones in the previous years, including the ones she'd attended as a student here.

The students would be wearing costumes too for the sake of creating the right atmosphere for the customer. Nekonome was also lucky that her class had Shinichi Banabara, the one famous for defeating Kuyō.

"Wow, the club members really did a good job," said Shinichi as he admired himself in the costume he would wear for the Kamen Rider Cafe. He was wearing black leather pants with a black zipped up jacket that had green plastic padding on the chest, matching green gloves, boots, and a red scarf hanging from his neck.

"They sure do," Leon commented as he looked over from the side. "Definitely looks like an actual Rider armor."

"So Leon, what plans do you have for the festival?" Shinichi asked.

"Besides beefing up security?" Leon asked. "Well, I do plan on letting Tamao have fun."

"Yeah, and what costume will you be wearing?"

"I don't really have one," Leon shrugged.

"Come on, dude. You can't be uptight all the time," said Shinichi as he picked up the costume helmet. "I mean, look over there." He pointed to a corner where Netto was trying out another costume as Aphrodite was sewing on the finishing touches. "All our friends are gonna have a good time, so why shouldn't you? Besides, the school festival is supposed to be a time for us to relax. The Student Police chief you might be, but you gotta wind down at least a little."

Leon considered his words, and then nodded, "I guess you have a point."

"Oh, Shinji-kun," Hime spoke up from behind them. "So will that be your costume?"

Shinichi smiled and turned to speak to Hime, "Oh, yeah it's- WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU WEARING!-?"

Hime was dressed to resemble an antique Victorian doll clad in Gothic lolita with her hair in curls. She even wore white makeup with pink blush on the cheeks and her lips painted in a red hue. "Why, don't you like it?" She walked closer. She didn't even get within a foot to him before a sudden after image of Shinichi blurred before her.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd said he just used the Shunpo," Leon blinked. Hime let out a loud laugh.

"Oh, it's still so much fun to mess with him," she stated.

"You really enjoy teasing him," Leon remarked.

"He was always fun to play with when we were younger," Hime answered. "I'll have you know that I have many siblings, but out of all them Shinji-kun was one of a kind. He's like the silly little brother I always wanted. He was one of the few aside from Reiri, Rias and Akeno who would always play with me."

"Rias and Akeno?" Leon blinked. "You never mentioned them before."

"I didn't? Well, they were out of town during the time Shinji-kun came back, so I suppose it slipped my mind." Reaching into one of her pockets, she took out a wallet and showed a photo of her, Shinichi and Reiri in their Kindergarten years. It looked to be like a tea party was being taken placed, so as expected Shinichi was stuck in a pink, fluffy dress. Leon snickered as he saw that Shinichi really did look cute in a dress, but blinked as he noticed two other girls in the picture. The first who was pouring imaginary tea into his cup was a European looking girl with long crimson hair with a single ahoge on her head, and deep green eyes. The second, who was munching on a biscuit, had black hair that reached the small of her back with unruly bangs and purple eyes.

"Are those them?" Leon asked, pointing to the two unrecognizable girls.

"That's right," Hime nodded, putting her photo away. "Rias and Akeno are old friends of mine, and I introduced them to Shinji-kun in a playground. And they were also invited to Shinji-kun's birthday party... before Shinji-kun was taken by _him."_

"You mean... Gebok," Leon sighed. Great, now the thought of that wicked Human who took her best friend away from her had made her upset again. "Hime, you have every right to hate Gebok for what he did to Shinichi. If I were in your position, I would be too. But when we eventually do confront him, try not to do anything rash."

"Not making any promises, Leon," Hime spoke with a calm hiss. "That man has to pay for corrupting my precious Shinji-kun."

* * *

><p>"So, how is this thing supposed to work?" Haruhi asked as Daichi unveiled his dunking booth.<p>

Daichi handed the girl a ball. He found her to be pleasant company if she wasn't chasing him like some crazy, love-struck girl. "Just throw the ball, hit the target, and he'll drop into the tub."

"And he actually volunteered for this?" Haruhi asked, referring to Yokoshima.

"It's actually pretty easy to convince Yokoshima to do anything if you promise to be his best friend," Daichi told her.

"Aren't you?" Haruhi sweatdropped.

"Well, for the most part," Daichi shrugged. "But he's not always the brightest tool in the shed ya know. I can tell of all the other dumb things I convinced him to do."

"Uh, sure," Haruhi answered, cocking her head, "So you and Yokoshima, you two know each other?"

"For a very long time," Daichi responded, "It's actually good company, once you get to know him."

"And where is he now?"

"I assume he's with that new girlfriend of his, Shiroha."

* * *

><p>Yokoshima and Shiroha were nestled against a tree of a long makeout session. As aggressive as the girl was, she was actually pretty lovable. At least she stopped trying to rape him after deciding to know the Amazoness a little better.<p>

"Wow... you're a great kisser," Yokoshima smiled, his face still red.

"Hehe, most Amazonesses are," Shiroha giggled, cuddling her face against his chest. "So what are gonna do during the festival?"

"Oh, I'm gonna help Dai out with the dunking booth," Yokoshima answered.

"You mind if I help too?" Shiroha asked, moving her head up to face him.

"Don't see the problem with that." If she was going to help, then that meant she might wear a bathing suit. He looked forward to that.

* * *

><p>Kurumu and Mizore were checking on the supplies for their Kamen Rider Cafe which were being kept in a refrigerator room. Normally used by the cafeteria staff to keep their ingredients fresh, students were allowed to store ingredients if they had plans to open food booths or cafes during the School Festival.<p>

"It looks like we have all the supplies we'll need," said Mizore, smiling, as she checked the list.

"And with all the publicity we've got, we're going to make a killing!" grinned Kurumu. Kurumu knew she could use her sex appeal to attract customers and considering Shinichi's own popularity they wouldn't have a shortage of female customers either.

The two girls suddenly felt their bodies turn stiff before being levitated a foot off the ground. They were then spun around to face Lina who had her palm facing them.

"_You_..." Kurumu growled accusingly.

"It's time we talked. Actually, I think it's best that you listen," threatened Lina.

"We don't have to listen to anything you say," retorted Mizore as she struggled to free herself from Lina's telekinetic hold.

"You don't have a choice right now, but you do have an option," said Lina. "If you value your lives, then leave Kuro-kun and forget about GIN-SHOCKER."

"And why would we do anything like that!-?" snapped Kurumu.

"Because, seeing Kuro-kun sad is the last thing I want," Lina admitted. "And if you all died, he'd blame himself all over again. He hasn't stopped blaming himself ever since."

Suddenly, lasers hit Lina's hand and forced her to lose her concentration, dropping Mizore and Kurumu in the process. Looking up, she saw the Cicadroid glaring angrily at her and chirping. "So, Kuro-kun's looking after you," she hissed as she cradled her hand. She watched as Mizore and Kurumu assumed their true forms, sporting their respective claws as they glared angrily at Lina.

Mizore moved first, sending a wave of ice towards Lina and freezing her in place. Kurumu flew at the frozen psychic to slash her to pieces only for the ice prison to explode and send Kurumu along with large chunks of ice flying.

"You've got guts, but that can get you killed," the Cyborg Esper complemented and warned at the same time, dusting ice off herself as the mist settled. "Like I said, I'm not trying to pick a fight with you, but you're both starting to piss me off."

"You're the one who's pissing us off," Kurumu growled, her eyes flashing dangerously, "You think you can tell us to abandon Shinichi? After all he's done for us? Fuck that shit! There's no way that's happening!"

"Then I guess we need to do this the hard way," said Lina, her eyes glowing ominously. The two girls had been warned by Shinichi that a confrontation with Lina should be avoided. She was formidable with her psychic abilities alone but as a cyborg she'd been augmented as well to handle them in a physical fight as well as a mental one.

Unfortunately, they were just too peeved to care right now.

Kurumu came with her claws out to slash but the psychic repelled her with telekinesis. Ice began to creep up her legs, covering her body, freezing her in place. Mizore was responsible. She was confident that she would be able to hold Lina, at least for a moment. Suddenly, the ice exploded, nearly blowing the girls away and Lina rushed towards Mizore, burying her fist into the Yuki-Onna's gut. She heard Kurumu coming for her and ducked, reaching up to grab the Succubus by the tail to yank her backwards, then tugging her down so her knee would meet Kurumu's face. She released the tail and kicked Kurumu into the air. Mizore rose up and grabbed her shoulders to freeze her but Lina elbowed her in the gut then backhanded her face before grabbing Mizore's sleeve to knee her in the gut and then chopping her on the back of the neck. She grabbed Mizore's hair tightly and sneered at her.

"How pathetic. How can you think of even protecting him when you can't even beat me?" she questioned Mizore who glared back at her. Lina's danger senses alerted her and she released Mizore to jump backwards, using telekinesis to swat the flurry of flying cards.

"The Magnificent Yukari has arrived!" declared the Witchling as she came with wand in hand.

"Go and play someplace else, kid," mocked Lina. "I don't fight little girls."

"Hey! Don't call me little! I'm almost 13!"

"Still a kid," reiterated Lina. "And you're still innocent. You understand _nothing_."

"I understand enough!"

"You're still young," Lina countered. "Don't waste your life on pointless things."

"Pointless?" Yukari growled. "What do you mean?"

"You're risking your life to go up against the organization, not realizing the implications. In the past, those who went against SHOCKER were killed along with their families," Lina said. "Is the life of your family worth it?" She glared at all of them, "The lives of all your families, are they worth protecting _him_?"

The girls suddenly froze, considering Lina's words. GIN-SHOCKER was an organization willing to do despicable things for their goals. They did kidnap children and turn them into killing machines so there was no low they wouldn't go, even murder.

But on the other hand, what was to stop GIN-SHOCKER from going after them anyway? They kidnapped fourteen children, and most likely many others, and turned them into weapons. What was it going to take to get GIN-SHOCKER to stop unless they got what they wanted?

"I... honestly don't care," Kurumu said finally. "GIN-SHOCKER didn't just hurt Shinichi, they also hurt other people in their quest for power. They won't stop till they get what they want."

"They are already focusing on Youkai to make their organization stronger, and that proves that they are completely power hunger," Mizore agreed, "If we don't stop them, who will? We don't want Shinichi to face them alone, even if he has other Riders to help him."

"And Shinichi helped us out too!" Yukari added. "He saved me from a pack of Lizardmen, Kurumu-san from a Slug Monster and Mizore-san from a Kraken! After all he's done for us, we can't leave him! It's because we love Shinichi-san!"

Lina narrowed her eyes. These girls were willing to risk everything, even their own lives, for the sake of someone they barely knew. They didn't know Kuro like she did, they had no idea what he was truly capable of, and yet they were willing to fight for him. Foolish yet admirable at the same time.

Lina sighed as she backed away. "It seems like I've misjudged you girls. You're all pretty stubborn, and I have to admit I like that. However, you all best be on your guards. Gebok is becoming desperate and he's planning an attack on Hallow's Eve. We'll see how strong your resolves will be then." And she snapped her fingers, teleporting out of the room. She could've easily made an example out of them, showing Shinichi what would happen if he continued to resist GIN-SHOCKER, but decided against it. He cared for these girls and any action against them would've made things worse for her.

Once Lina had gone, the girls let out a collective sigh of relief.

"Desu..." Yukari collapsed onto her knees. The thing about cyborgs was that they didn't radiate Youki, which was how Youkai could detect each other and measure power levels.

* * *

><p>Mizore, Kurumu, and Yukari managed to trek back the the Newspaper Club room, we're the found Moka working on another article. Noticing her friends looking slightly roughed up, the Vampire asked what was wrong. The three girls quickly gave her the details.<p>

"You mean you all confronted Lina too?" Moka asked.

"Sure did, and the bitch was trying to drive us away from Shinichi," scowled Kurumu.

"Shinichi did warn us," said Mizore.

"And we fought her, desu!" added Yukari. Still, Lina could've overpowered them if she chose to.

"But that's not all," Moka continued. "She said that Dr. Gebok was planning an attack on the last day of the Halloween Festival."

"And that he would try to take Shinichi again," Mizore added. "We can't let that man do what he wants again."

"Do we tell Shinichi?"

"Tell me what?" Shinichi asked as he came in, causing the girls to gasp. "What?"

"We're just talking about who you'd like to dance with during the Jack-O-Lantern Dance!" blurted out Moka, lying to Shinichi.

"That thing?" Shinichi questioned as he opened up his laptop and turned it on, taking a seat as he did. "Do I have to choose? I could just dance with all of you." He wanted them all to have a good time. "We could even take turns."

"You're so sweet, Shinichi," smiled Kurumu. "So, is your mother going to come? Because mine is."

"My mother is coming too," added Mizore.

Shinichi sighed, "I...lied to her."

"Lied to her?" Yukari asked.

"You know why I can't let her come to the festival, right? She's human," said Shinichi. "And you know what'll happen if she got caught."

"Oh..." the girls realized as the rules were strict about humans in Yōkai Academy.

"But, you could protect her," Moka suggested.

"I can't risk it," he said. "I've lost a father, I can't lose my mother." It was the reason why he hadn't told her about the Sports Festival. Not wanting to think about how he'd lied to his mother, he started up on his article.

The door opened and Misato came in, "Hey," she said. "Has anyone seen Yūji?" They shook their head. "Damn."

"Why would he be here?" Shinichi asked.

"Well, he'd love to hang out with his favorite cousin," answered Misato as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "So, anyway, is your mom coming?"

"No," said Shinichi. "I didn't tell her about the festival. Besides, she should be much safer out there with her new boyfriend."

"New boyfriend?" Misato asked, "Who?"

"Some guy named Carl or whatever." He didn't notice Misato's change of expression as he was focused on writing his article.

"Um...Shinichi...Carl is Dr. Washam's first name," said Misato.

Shinichi stopped typing and looked up at her. "What?"

"That's my dad's name, and I told him about the festival."

"What?-!"

"So, it's likely he'll tell her too."

"...WHAT!-?"

"Wow! So your dad is dating Shinichi's mom?" Kurumu grinned.

"Yeah, he kinda is," Misato muttered, rubbing the back of her neck. Then she noticed the expression on Shinichi's face. He was as white as a ghost, and he had gone stiff. "What is it?"

"Urrm... Shinichi-kun was afraid that something would happen to his mother if she came to the school," Moka answered hesitantly, pressing her index fingers together, "That's why he didn't tell her."

"Oh is that all?" Misato waved off, "You won't have to worry about that. No Yōkai will get within a foot of Shiori if my dad has anything to say about it." Just then, Yūji entered the room, with Blair on his shoulder, and he looked very baffled about something. Well, the fact that he was completely shirtless might have something to do with it.

"Hey, anybody seen my shirt?" Yūji asked. "I was taking a shower in the locker room and when I came out, it was gone."

"Who cares," Misato dismissed, "You should teach shirtless. That way you'll finish your 20-girl harem instantly!"

"T-TWENTY GIRLS?-!" Moka, Kurumu and Yukari exclaimed.

"Oh, it's this goal that he made up for himself," Mizore told them.

"I'm not gonna do that," Yūji denied, "That would be too easy. I have to be a pro about it and win fair maidens over with my charm; whatever _that _is."

"Anyway, are you sure you didn't misplace it?" Yukari asked.

"The last thing I ever misplaced something was a Sonic Cortex Disruptor I made from scratch," Yūji said.

"What's that?" Kurumu asked.

"Basically, it can fry your brain if you turn up the output enough," he explained.

"And you made that?" Misato questioned.

"I was bored," he shrugged.

* * *

><p>Juvia looked around, looking for stalkers (she was one herself) and ducked behind a corner. In her hands was a black shirt. Convincing herself she was alone, Juvia held the shirt close to her chest, blushing fiercely as she smiled, "Juvia has Yūji-sama's shirt..." She inhaled it deeply before sighing with content. "It has Yūji-sama's scent~..."<p>

* * *

><p>Lina stood on the roof and looked down at the ground below to see all the students finishing up their stands for the Halloween Fest. If she didn't know any better, she would've mistaken them for normal, everyday students. However, each and every one of them was wearing a disguise to make themselves appear human.<p>

Sensing a presence, Lina turned and found herself facing the Lieutenant of the PSC, Yuki Fudō. "I see, so now the sister wants to go a round with me."

"You're trying to kidnap my cousin," Yuki stated. "I think that gives me a good reason in wanting to apprehend you. However, it's odd."

"What is?" Lina questioned.

"You're here, out in the open, without any backup...as far as I can see," Yuki said.

"I don't need it," Lina said reasonably. "Besides, I'm not here to fight, at least not today."

"You may not have a choice in the matter," Yuki frowned, "In the name of the Public Safety Committee and by the rules and laws of Youkai Academy, I'm placing you under arrest for the charge of physical assault and attempted kidnapping."

"Then try and catch me," challenged Lina as she took out a her Energy Stave, "If you dare." She activated the weapon and allowed it to glow, suggesting she was going to be serious about this. Yuki put her hands together and spread them apart, materializing a spear made from her own ice. Using her guns was out of the question to avoid any unneeded attention to the battlefield.

"I'll add resisting arrest to the list of charges," Yuki recited.

"Are you gonna keep talking or fight? I haven't got all day," Lina retorted. Yuki dashed towards Lina who smiled. "And now the game begins!"

Gripping her spear of ice, Yuki thrust her weapon at Lina who parried with her Energy Stave. Twirling the weapon around, she jabbed it at Yuki's face but the Ice Manakyte bent her body backwards to avoid being struck. She drove the butt of her spear into Lina's stomach, driving her backwards. Lina grunted and glared at Yuki who kept on a cool expression.

The two girls then moved at blinding speed, blurring all over the rooftop. Sparks exploded as their weapons made contact and the clashing sounds resembled crashes of thunder as the two collided. They both had strong resolve in this fight. Yuki wanted to subdue and arrest Lina for her crimes against her cousin while Lina did not feel like she wanted to be captured at all.

Lina jumped backwards, dodging Yuki's staff, and landed on the fence surrounding the rooftop. She then threw her Energy Stave like a javelin at Yuki who rolled out of the way. The stave stabbed into the floor and released a net of electricity that spread out, zapping Yuki as she screamed. Yuki leapt into the air, and landed safely on the fence. Lina pulled the Energy Stave back into her hand via telekinesis.

"You're good," complimented Lina. "Very good." Yuki didn't offer a response. "OK, you're not gonna say anything, huh? Well, this might get you to say something." Her eyes glowed and a dozen spheres of psychic energy surrounded her and spun around her orbit. She then launched the spheres which flew like comets, each of them aimed at Yuki as they homed in on her.

Yuki, seeing the attacks coming, leapt into the air. The spheres followed, curving through the air. She formed a shield of ice to complement her spear and used it to block the oncoming onslaught. The explosion as three of the spheres hit her shield shattered her defence and knocked her to the ground. The remaining nine shot down at her and she formed a dome of ice which the spheres crashed against, causing a series of explosions to erupt.

Yuki frowned as she stabbed her spear on the ground and propelled herself up into the air, feet first as she crashed through her protective dome. Once gravity took hold, she spread her legs apart, landing on the edges of the the dome. She leapt back up into the air and summoned her ice powers once more to create several ice spikes to surround her. She snapped her fingers and the ice shards fired upon their target.

Reacting quickly, Lina levitated inches above the ground and glided backwards as the ice shards chased her down. She served around the shots to avoid getting frozen over. Skidding along the ground, her eyes glowed once more, and this time she released an eye blast to melt all the ice shards aimed at her. Yuki landed and rushed at Lina, jumping up and spinning down in a corkscrew kick. Lina flipped to the side, but Yuki reached out and grabbed her by the back of the shirt. The Ice Manakyte threw the White Cicada Cyborg to the exit of the roof, causing her to crash right through the door.

"What I don't understand is this," Yuki said as she walked towards the busted door. "If you love Shinichi so much, why are you pursuing him like this?" Her eyes widened as a beam of bright blue energy shot out. Yuki quickly crossed her arms over her chest, guarding herself as she took the hit. The blast struck and the momentum caused her to skid several meters back. The laser stung her arms quite badly, causing her to gasp as she fell on one of her knees.

Lina walked out of the doorway, her hands glowing with energy. "Because he's all I've got," she answered.

"Then you should be fighting alongside him!" Yuki argued. "You'd want to protect him, not send him back to the monsters who turned him into a weapon!"

"You don't understand! I have no choice!"

"There is always a choice!"

"Not for me," Lina shook her head sadly. "It seems I've worn out my welcome, Fudō-san. Expect to see me again on Halloween." She jumped into the air and teleported out of sight.

Yuki cradled her arms as she just stared at the spot where she'd seen Lina disappear and looked at the state of their battlefield. She was going to have to explain this, to both her brother and Leon. "Halloween, huh?" She questioned herself. Should she mention this to Shinichi? "No, he'd just freak out again..."

* * *

><p>While Yūji was showering, a puddle of water was forming under the bottom of his dorm room's door. The puddle grew bigger and bigger before it began to rise and form into a humanoid shape. She knew that Yūji was in the shower and she wanted to take a peek at his body, bare of clothes. She could hear his voice in his bathroom and pressed her ear to the door. He was singing, singing "Broken Mirror" by Boom Boom Satellites; an old song. Meanwhile, Blair was asleep on Yūji's bed.<p>

'_He's singing...__Yūji__-sama is singing,' _she blushed, _'He has such a wonderful voice~...' _She heard the water stop and panicked, realizing he was coming out, and quickly backed away as she tried thinking of what to do.

She spotted an empty fish tank and liquefied, jumping into the tank as she filled it. She was lucky as Yūji stepped out, drying off as he sat on his bed and got dressed.

"OK, let's grade some papers," he sighed as he went to desk...before turning to the fish tank that was filled with water. "Was that fish tank always there?" He crept over to it, tapping the glass...no signs of life, except for the rippling water. "Hm, maybe I should get a fish..."

It didn't take long for Yūji to finish grading papers, as he was already done and going over the blueprints of his upgraded Liger armors. Since the originals were done, he and his father simply had to make some modifications and they had Washam there to help. As Juvia watched him from within the fish tank, her face formed in the water and she let out a dreamy sigh.

This made Yūji turn, blinking as he looked around the room as he was looking for the source of the noise he just heard. "OK, I know I'm not crazy... I definitely heard something." He saw the water ripple, but there was nothing in it. Inching closer to the face of the tank, a pair of blue eyes shot open, blinking back at Yūji. "OH SHIT!" he exclaimed as he fell back and hit his head, waking Blair suddenly.

"What happened?-!" Riza demanded as she barged in.

"Yūji-sama, what's wrong?" Ruby asked as she came in and helped him up.

"Face...in the tank," he stuttered.

"A face?"

"Well, there's nothing in there now," Riza informed as she started at the filled tank. "When did you get a fish tank?"

"I asked myself the same thing," Yūji replied.

"I think it'll be safer if we sleep with you tonight, Yūji-sama," Ruby suggested.

"Alright," he accepted.

* * *

><p>Shinichi yawned as he walked towards the student dorms with the girls. Safety in numbers as they always say. He was looking forward to tomorrow. Their Kamen Rider Cafe was ready and he was sure it was going to be a hit for the three-day Halloween Fest. He couldn't wait.<p>

The girls, however, were troubled. They had yet to mention their encounters and the warning to Shinichi. However, Shinichi had noticed how quiet they were being and wondered what exactly was troubling them. However, he trusted them to tell him when they were ready.

* * *

><p>Juvia watched with utmost jealousy as the girls shared Yūji's bed, her target of affection having his arms draped over the shoulders of the redhead and brunette as they all slept comfortably. '<em>That should be Juvia with <em>_Yūji__-sama...'_

She wanted so much to go over there and speak to Yūji, introduce herself even, but she was just too shy and could only watch from a distance. However, the Halloween Festival was to begin tomorrow. She would get her chance then. She was so giddy she made her watery body bubble inside the fish tank.

Now, all she had to do now was to sneak out of Yūji's room without being noticed. However, she just couldn't tear her eyes off Yūji. Eventually, exhaustion overcame her and she fell asleep in her liquid form.

* * *

><p>"Is everything ready?" Gebok asked the screen which displayed the image of Madame Medusa.<p>

"_All the pieces are in place, but it's all a matter of timing,_" said Madame Medusa. _"Blazing Fox is prepared as well. We are all standing by for your next order."_ Dr. Gebok looked at the calendar.

"Halloween Night, the perfect time for the grand finale, and BLACK 13 will be mine," grinned Gebok. He turned in his seat to look at the Jagers. He had summoned the remaining members in the past few days and now they were all assembled and ready to obey his commands. Lina and XVIII stood in front of the unit, while the rest were seated in the shadows, each one of them clearly in human form, "Are you all ready?"

"We're ready, sir," Lina reported.

"That's right," XVIII nodded.

"Ready to kick some ass," XVII nodded as she cracked her knuckles.

XVI, with newly repaired arms, palmed his fist and grinned beneath his helmet, "And ready for revenge!" This time, two of his Scorpio swords rested on his hips.

"..." XV growled as he was sitting in a corner.

"Is it necessary for all of us to go?" XIX asked as he sat on XX's shoulders.

"We all have to do our part, little brother" XX lectured. "And we need all the bells and whistles under our belts if we're gonna succeed this mission and get what we want. And we owe Gebok."

"I know..." XIX relented.

"You all should know what BLACK 13 is truly capable of when given the right motivation," reminded Dr. Gebok.

"Yeah, we've read the files and seen the footage," XVI nodded, "Too bad I've got my sights set on bigger prey at the moment." His fists were balled as his grip tightened.

"I know. The Liger," Gebok stated.

"Then we'll pick our targets," Lina affirmed, "But XIII is still top priority. So we all need to be ready when it's time to take him. Tomorrow is the 29th of October. He is to be captured on the 31st of October, Halloween night."

"What about that Weapon D chick?" XVIII asked. "There's still that bet Gebok and Kyofu made, you know. If anything she'll try to go after XIII before us."

"Oh, relax," XVII scoffed, "She doesn't have shit. The kid is strong but she ain't nothin' compared to all of us."

Putting his hands together in the 'evil finger pyramid of contemplation', Gebok grinned as he felt the anticipation. In just a few more days, BLACK 13 would be his once more and nobody would be able to stop him.

It really was going to be one hell of a... _**HAPPY HALLOWEEN!**_

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: It was meant to be a chapter focused on preparations for the festival, but it looks like Lina had run ins with Moka, Yukari, Kurumu, Mizore and Yuki. And Hime once again expresses her vendetta against Gebok. What are the repercussions here? Also, it appears that Rias Gremory and Akeno Himejima from High School DxD have made a cameo appearance in a photograph. Does this foreshadow a future appearance? And <strong>**Yūji****'s stalker seems to be amping up her game. But at the end, we see the 2nd Generation NUMBERS, aka Jagers (#14-#20) have all gathered in Y****ō****kai Academy with Gebok making his move to capture Shinichi once and for all. But what are the 'pieces in place' mentioned by Madame Medusa?**


	60. Halloween Fest: Fright Fest

_The first time I actually met him was the day I got the newspaper in person. I was interested in him before we even met. The articles he wrote as I read the newspapers that Nekonome-sensei brought to me were written by someone who knew what it was like to be alone, to be an outcast. I tried to freeze him, which was a bad idea, since he had escaped from being a prisoner before and did not want to experience it again. When I met him though, he wasn't alone, but then I looked into his eyes and saw deep sadness. I'm pretty observant so I can tell that someone's feeling sad even when they try to conceal it with a fake smile. Oh, I know his smiles are genuine, but it never seems to reach his eyes. I didn't know why then, but as I got to know him and discovered his past, I finally understood. Those sad eyes were of someone who had many regrets in life._

_-Mizore Shirayuki._

**Chapter 60: Fright Fest (Festival First Day)**

Shinichi had assembled the former NUMBERS together to discuss something. It was late at night and they were meeting on the rooftop of the student dormitory.

"You all know why I called you here, right?" Shinichi asked.

"Yeah, you mentioned something about nightmares," said Daichi.

"I haven't been able to sleep peacefully," remarked Yokoshima.

"And it's all been the same, right?" Shinichi further questioned.

"Yes, a big demonic skull," Michiru shivered.

"Each night, every night," Hana agreed. "We haven't even told Yūji."

"**But what could it mean?**" Chiaki signed.

"Last night, the skull said its name," said Shinichi. "Do you guys remember?"

"I think we kinda woke up before we heard it," said Shogo.

"Way too freaky," said Yokoshima. He had wet himself during that moment when the skull just came at him.

"I heard it, as clear as day," said Shinichi. "The skull's name...is **JUDO**."

"So, what does this mean?" questioned Daichi impatiently.

"None of you has ever seen the Great Leader in person, right?" Shinichi asked.

"He's the mysterious founder of GIN-SHOCKER. I don't think even the executives know who he really is," stated Shogo.

"Wait," Misato realized. "You're saying none of _us _has met the Great Leader. So, you have?"

"I remember. Dr. Gebok presented me to him once. Even back then when I didn't have emotions, I felt a chill, the same chill I felt from those dreams with the skull," said Shinichi. Their eyes widened at the implication. "Guys, I think the Great Leader is trying to contact us."

* * *

><p>Leon had summoned Riza to his office. After all this time, it was time for the truth to come out. The door opened and Leon cocked an eyebrow. "I asked you to come alone."<p>

"Well, you did, but we thought we should be here," said Yūji as he and the other girls accompanied Riza.

"I tried to stop them, but they're stubborn," Riza apologized.

Leon sighed, "Well, they'll find out anyway. I might as well tell you all at once." His gaze was focused on Riza. "Riza, I heard you were looking for your brother, right?"

"Yeah, that's right," Riza confirmed.

"I've seen him," said Leon.

"You did?" Riza reacted excitedly.

"Yes," he confirmed.

"Where? Where can I find him?" She was finally going to find her brother.

"In the cemetery," Leon finished causing Riza to go silent.

"Dude, if this is a joke..." Yūji began to warn.

"It's no joke," said Leon. "Because I was the one who killed him."

In that instant, Riza howled and changed as she lunge for Leon. The girls grabbed her before she could reach the Shinigami whose expression was blank.

"You bastard! YOU BASTARD! I HATE YOU!" Riza roared.

"Good, hate me," Leon accepted. "Hate me and get strong, strong enough to avenge your brother. I'll fight you whenever you want."

"Yeah, and when I'm strong enough I'll fucking kill you!" Riza roared as she was held back by the other girls. The girls dragged Riza out, casting angry looks at Leon before they vanished behind the door.

Yūji could only shake his head with disappointment towards Leon, "Not cool, man."

"She needed to know the truth," said Leon.

"And why did you kill her brother?" Yūji asked.

"To be fair, it happened before I even met Riza," Leon reasoned. "But at that time her brother was trying to kill Hime. She was being targeted."

"Why would Riza's brother try to kill Hime?" Yūji demanded.

"That's another thing I need to find out," Leon answered.

"And there was nothing else you could've done?" Yūji demanded, "Like knock him out or something? Come on, we spent weeks looking for the guy and now he's in some spirit world because of you! Who knows when Riza's gonna see him again, if she ever sees him again at all!"

"Yūji, you don't seem to understand the level that this reaches. Riza was _always_ a target, even when traveling with you. That means _you _were also a target," he emphasized. "This means we're dealing with someone who's willing to do whatever it takes to win, and had the power to kill you at any point they wanted to."

Yūji groaned to himself, dragging his fingers through his hair to vent. "Dammit, and here I didn't know anything... Alright, so what now? Any idea on who this guy is; or _what_ he is?

"No to both," Leon frowned. "We're both completely blind in this. He's powerful, and connected. That's all I know. He wasn't the last assassin to come after Hime's head and I'm almost certain they've all been sent by the same guy."

He turned from him, muttering, "If I find this guy, I'll burn him myself..." He then realized something, "Hey, why would you want Riza hating you?"

"Because I promised Lobo I'd protect her no matter what," he declared, "If that means her wanting to kill me her whole life, then so be it. I'd rather she hate me and live than go after the true culprit and get killed."

Yūji just stared at the Shinigami, "Look, I know you mean well but I've been taking care of her just fine. But if you're willing to help than I sure as hell appreciate it, Leon."

"I trust you," Leon acknowledged, "And she likes you so you have to look after her. But I swore to him that I'd keep her safe."

"So what now? Not for nothing, but if Riza's around you any longer she's gonna throw a shit-fit and try to claw out your throat," he deadpanned.

"She can try, but I'm not just gonna let her kill me," he shrugged.

"I know, I know..." Yūji was frustrated and stomped the floor, "Fuck, I haven't been this stressed since Yumi died..."

* * *

><p>"OK, today's the day!" said Shinichi excitedly. "Is everyone ready?" He was addressing his classmates.<p>

"YEAH!" they all cheered as they were lined up in front of him.

"OK, Chiaki, take this sign and advertise our Cafe," said Shinichi as he handed the wooden sign to the mute cyborg.

"**OK,"** Chiaki signed before heading out.

"Kurumu-chan, you should take a sign too," added Shinichi. He counted on Kurumu's sex appeal to bring in customers too.

"You can count on me Shinichi!" Kurumu saluted, causing her breasts to jiggle slightly. She headed out.

"Oh, Oh, I hope our first day is good," said Shinichi nervously as he jogged in place. He was in costume, as were his classmates. The decorations were set to attract customers and they weren't the only things attractive. Kurumu had made her Kamen Rider Cupcakes, cupcakes decorated with faces of Kamen Riders on them. The aroma of the baked goods were sure to have people coming in to have a meal in their cafe.

Many girls acted as waitresses, while others prepared the meals. Moka and the others were dressed up as certain Kamen Riders. Misato, Michiru and Hana were in their own armor, minus their helmets, with Miya sitting on Michiru's head. Mizore's costume was based on Denpa Ningen Tackle, a form that Shinichi had given her months before.

Shinichi had advised Michiru to not let Miya's fur get into the food and beverages.

2/3 of their classroom had been converted into a dining area while 1/3 was converted into a kitchen area. They had the ingredients in boxes and all the supplies ready for cooking. They used electric stoves to cook as not to cause a fire. The tables were clean, with menus set on them so the customers could order. Everyone had practiced while preparing.

"Oh, relax, Boss," Misato said to Shinichi, patting his shoulder. "Everything is gonna be fine."

"Minna-san!" said Nekonome-sensei as she entered. "May I come in?"

"Sure, right this way, sensei," said Shinichi as he led her to a table and pulled out a seat for her. "Would you like a complimentary cupcake?"

"That would be wonderful," beamed the teacher. "Oh, and could I have a glass of milk too?"

"A glass of milk," Shinichi noted. "OK. Coming right up, Nekonome-sensei."

Moka, who looked very hot in her Kamen Rider Kiva costume, smiled as she saw Shinichi dart into the kitchen to grab milk and even a cupcake for their teacher.

* * *

><p>By afternoon, the Kamen Rider Cafe had earned a huge profit. Not only was the service considered great by customers, but so was the food and the theme that made it interesting. Although it garnered some confusion, it didn't matter as the customers enjoyed the service and food.<p>

Of course, it was not surprising that most of the customers to come in had been guys. Kurumu and Yukari must be doing their job.

Netto and Qiao had gotten busy with with the steamed pork buns, and they'd been making a huge profit since the first customer. They would be filthy, stinkin' rich by the time they were done.

"You know, I think we're gonna be sold out before the day is done," said Netto.

"We're going to need to order more ingredients before the end of the festival," agreed Qiao.

Shogo walked over to their stand and said, "Hey, how are you both doing?"

"Not too bad," said Netto. "We had a long line earlier in the morning and making a lot of money."

"Impressive," acknowledged Shogo. He put down money and ordered, "Can I have three buns, please?"

"Yeah," Netto nodded, putting the three buns in the bag.

"Aiya, you two have been quite busy haven't you?" a voice suddenly spoke up, followed by a hand taking a bun.

Qiao gasped as she looked up, "Mama!" she squealed, "You came!"

"Of course I did, dear!" Xianglian smiled as she hugged her daughter, "I wouldn't miss this festival now would I?"

"I'm glad you didn't!" Qiao beamed brightly.

"So how are you doing?" Xianglian asked, "Anything exciting happen since I was gone?"

"Well, you can say that-!" Netto began, but then flinched as he felt a pair of arms wrap around him from behind.

"Hehehe~!" a voice giggled in his ear, "There's my favorite prince!"

"Huh? Elle-chan?-!" Netto gasped.

"Come play with me!" she giggled before both of them fell onto the ground.

"What?-! Hey! Elle-chan!"

"What the hell?-!" Shogo gawked. "Hey, knock it off! This is a public area!"

"Ah, to be young and in love..." Xianglian smiled merrily.

* * *

><p>Members of the Swimming Club had visited the Kamen Rider Cafe. Despite Shinichi defeating them last term, they held no hard feelings. They were just hungry and they couldn't think straight, as a norm with most Youkai. He was still weary of them and hope they didn't come to eat anyone and just wanted to have the food.<p>

"Shinichi-kun, maybe you should take a break," Moka suggested.

"Huh?" Shinichi asked.

"You've been working since morning, and I think you deserve a short break," said Moka. Shinichi had given short breaks to their classmates but none for himself.

"But I'm the Class Rep," he argued. "I need to make sure everything runs smoothly."

"The point of the festival is to have fun," she retorted. "And I think you deserve to have fun." _'More than anyone.'_

Shinichi saw Hime and Reiri enter and was relieved that the former was not wearing that 'unholy and god-awful' costume she had on earlier. He greeted them and took them to their seat.

"Nice cafe," said Reiri.

"We worked hard on it," said Shinichi.

"You know, since it's going to be Halloween soon, we thought you'd like to wear a costume," said Hime as she looked him up and down. "But you seem to have that covered."

"Like I'm going to ever give you the chance to stuff me in a dress like when we were kids," frowned Shinichi.

"Ah Shin-chan, a few more of our friends will be coming over," Reiri told him.

"Really?" Shinichi blinked.

"Yes," Hime nodded. "And they miss you as much as we did. They'll certainly be happy to see you again."

"Well, you know me," Shinichi shrugged. "I don't like disappointing a girl. So, what can I get for you ladies?"

"The Agito Ice Cream, peanut butter for me," ordered Reiri.

"I'll have the raspberry flavor," Hime. "And a couple of orange RX Smoothies."

"Coming right up!" Shinichi smiled before darting into the kitchen.

* * *

><p>"A concert?" Riza and Ruby blinked.<p>

Yūji and the girls were in the auditorium standing by the stage. He had spoken with Riza, giving her his sincerest condolences for her brother. She wasn't angry at Yūji; he didn't know anything. It was Leon that was the focus of her rage as she had wanted to tear him apart so badly, no matter how strong he was. However, Yūji had explained to her that Leon had been protecting Hime at the time, also the fact that Leon and her brother had participated in an official duel. Also, there was Tamao to consider. Had she killed Leon (which was unfortunately an impossibility), the kit would have been made an orphan. Riza had considered it after calming down. She had been in a blind rage at the time, and only cared about killing Leon for killing her brother whom she had spent so much time searching for.

"That's right," Yūji grinned, "Why not use what I'm good at for the festival and Misato's birthday?"

"Yūji's got a great voice," Blair purred as she brushed against Yūji's leg.

"Makes sense," Riza nodded. "You sure you can use the stage though?"

Yūji nodded, "Cleared everything up with with the Student Council and the band should be here any minute..."

"Yo, is this where the party's at!?"

The girls turned to the auditorium entrance and gasped, recognizing the people who had shown up. Yūji's reinforcements were none other than Yūsei Fudō, Aki Izayoi, Jack Atlas, Crow Hogan, and another man neither girl had yet to meet. He was a slender man, with long silvery-blue hair and gold eyes, dressed in all black and a trench coat. A gold mark ran over his left eye and down his cheek.

"Fudō-san!" Ruby beamed.

"So Yūji called you guys?!" Riza marveled.

"That's right!" Jack nodded, "He called Yūsei and then he told us."

"We even had to drag Kiryū here all the way from Satisfaction Town," Crow grinned.

"Satisfaction Town?" Yuji's girls quietly mouthed. What kind of name was Satisfaction Town? Was that town a red light district or was it named after Yusei's Team Satisfaction they heard about before?

"And I'd do anything for my boy," Aki smiled.

"Kiryū Kyōsuke," Kiryū introduced simply. The Witch and half-Werewolf were weirded out by Kiryū's simplicity a little but had to dismiss it since he came all this way.

"YUJI~!" Flannery called as she had appeared from behind Aki and ran for the stage.

"Ha, Lava Queen!" Yūji beamed as he made his way to the redhead as he caught Flannery in mid-jump, the redhead making out with him. "And how you've been, Flannery?"

"Everything's been great," Flannery smiled, "Your parents are the coolest"

"This is just fantastic," Yūji grinned, "This is gonna be so boss! Oh, and Yuki doesn't know I called you guys," he warned his family, "So stay out of sight; I mean it."

"Hey, relax," Crow dismissed, "You won't even know we're here!"

"And this is for Misato's birthday, too! I don't wanna fuck this up," Yūji added.

"Stop your worrying already!" Jack retorted, "Everything will be fine!"

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, the academy's bus was dropping off some guests to the festival. Unlike some trips, this was for the graduated students of the school. Rather, it was for two students who had gotten invitations from the Headmaster himself. Coming to a stop near the scarecrowbus sign, the doors opened so that the new passengers could leave.

"Remember, kids," said the creepy bus driver. "Youkai Academy is a very scary place. Watch your backs." Laughing in his creepy way as the guests got off, he shut the doors and pulled a U-turn before going through the tunnel again.

"Jezz, so this is where they went to?" the male asked as he looked over the area.

"Looks like something out of a horror movie," the girl said, slightly shaken by the scenery. "Well, it's Halloween so at least it's festive. You sure this is the right place?"

"I've seen the pictures they sent us. I recognize my old pals from anywhere," the boy smiled. "Come on, time to say hello."

* * *

><p>Leon and Tamao were exploring the festival grounds together. The Kit's tail wagged back and forth as she experienced the festive mood that enveloped the entire academy. Students and vendors had set up stands with food, games and toys.<p>

Leon wanted Tamao to enjoy herself and in order for that to happen he needed to avoid Riza. The little revelation had caused some tension and strain, even murderous rage from the demi-werewolf, but he couldn't blame her. He'd killed her brother.

Leon then spotted a familiar face coming their way. Even with all the trouble she'd caused, she freely walked about without a care in the world, eating a sausage on the stick while holding a bag of assorted treats to her body.

It was Ryoko, the demon that GIN-SHOCKER had freed. The last time he'd seen her had been during the tournament. Now she was back.

Ryoko was crafty, able to hide from Leon, and only revealed herself when there was no risk. Considering it was a festival, a crowded and public place, Leon couldn't really do anything, especially with Tamao around.

"Hey there," Ryoko greeted, her yellow eyes gleaming as she knew how much seeing her frustrated Leon. She then looked at Tamao. "Oh, how adorable!"

Tamao was dressed as 'Little Red Riding Hood' and was just the epitome of cuteness. Tamao just beamed and said, "Hi," as she waved at Ryoko.

"You know, I should arrest you right now," said Leon.

"You could, but you know I wouldn't give up without a fight," said Ryoko.

"Yes, I know," said Leon.

"And not to mention the collateral damage..."

Leon sighed, "What do you want?"

"What do I want?" Ryoko returned. "I was cooped up in that cave for who knows how long. What do you think I want? I wanna be free and have fun!"

Guess Leon had to give her that. She hadn't caused much trouble, not since the tournament, and that had only been because she wanted Leon's attention.

"Oh, and here," said Ryoko as she handed Leon cotton candy. "For your little kit." Leon frowned. "Come on! It's not poison." Leon accepted and ripped a piece and popped it into his mouth. "See? Perfectly harmless, right?"

"OK," Leon admitted grudgingly before giving Tamao the treat.

"Thank you, nice lady!" smiled Tamao.

"Well, see you two later," said Ryoko before leaving the two.

"Come on, let's go find Aphrodite," Leon said to Tamao.

* * *

><p>Celeste sighed as she tailed Leon. She had been ordered to watch the Shinigami, something she was reluctant to do but orders were orders. She really didn't feel like fighting him again but that was unfortunately going to certainly happen. Dr. Gebok had a plan and she was going to play a part in it.<p>

"Just two more days..." she muttered to herself, "Two more days and it'll be done."

* * *

><p>"Yūji said that the cafe was here," said Yūsei as he and Aki walked into the classroom.<p>

"Didn't he say that Shinichi was in charge?" Aki asked.

"Yeah, but he never got a chance to tell us what he looked like," Yūsei agreed.

"Welcome to the Kamen Rider Cafe," Shinichi greeted. He looked at Yūsei and blinked. He looked just like Yūji.

"Aki-san! Yūsei-san!" Michiru bounced over and greeted, jumping into Aki's arms as the girls shared a hug.

"Michiru-chan~!" Aki beamed as she twirled around. "It's so good to see you again~!"

"Michiru, you know them?" Shinichi asked.

"Hai, they're Yūji-kun's parents!"

"Na-Nani!-?" That would make them his aunt and uncle.

"So, you set this up?" Yūsei asked as he scanned the Kamen Rider Cafe. "I'm impressed." Shinichi was speechless.

"Yūji called us here early to help him with something important," Aki beamed. She then put a finger to her lips and winked, "So don't say anything to Yuki or Misato, kay?"

"Um...would you...like to sit?" Shinichi asked, still a little stunned by their presence.

"Shinichi, say something," Michiru goaded as she elbowed him in the side. "They're your family after all!"

Aki blinked before letting out a quick shriek and grasped Shinichi's head into her chest. "I thought I you looked familiar! You're Shiori's son, aren't you?!" Shinichi was flailing and couldn't respond as his face was pressed against her chest.

"Aki-san," said Hana. "You might get a response if you release him." Aki released Shinichi.

"Sorry, I was just excited to meet my nephew," Aki apologized.

"No...problem. I'm used to it," he told her. Kurumu loved to do that to him a lot.

"My goodness," she marveled as she gazed into Shinichi's eyes. "You two are exactly alike~! I'd bet people would think you're both siblings if you two were in the same room together. People have made that mistake a couple of times with my son and husband..."

Shinichi had to admit that Aki had a point. His mother was very youthful looking.

"Well, we should have a seat inside then," Yūsei suggested, "Don't wanna start a line for these kids to wait in."

"...Yes," Shinichi agreed. "Come this way, please. I'll get a waitress for you."

"I don't mind being their waitress!" Michiru raised her hand.

"And we got a volunteer," Shinichi smiled.

"Come this way, please!" Michiru led the couple to a vacant table.

Shinichi blinked when he received a kiss on the cheek from his newly-discovered aunt as he stared at her. "It's good to finally meet you, Shinichi-kun," Aki winked.

Shinichi stiffly walked into the kitchen and leaned against the wall with a hand against his forehead. "My aunt...and uncle...my aunt...and uncle..."

"Shinichi, are you alright?" Mizore asked. She was put in charge of making sure their cold treats stayed cold. Moka had gone out to gather more ingredients.

"I'm just...a little...I think I might need a break..." he sighed. The sudden appearance of Yūsei and Aki was a bit too much for him at the moment.

"Well, you have been working hard since morning," stated Mizore. Moka came in with a box of ingredients. "You're back."

She looked at Shinichi who was leaning against the wall. "What's wrong with Shinichi-kun?"

"He needs a break," said Mizore. "Go on," she prompted.

* * *

><p>"OK, this is getting ridiculous," muttered Daichi as he counted how much money they had made since morning. He glared at Yokoshima. Their little dunking game was not as popular as he thought.<p>

"Hey, guys!" Kurumu walked over. "How's business?"

"Sucky," said Daichi. "Very, very sucky. I thought people would love to see Yokoshima dropped into water, but..."

Yokoshima was sitting on the plank in his swimming trunks.

"You should change your demographic," suggested Kurumu.

"How?" the Cricket Cyborg asked.

"Use your imagination, but if you ask me, you should use some sex appeal," said Kurumu.

"You mean put a girl there?" Daichi asked. Kurumu grinned. "Well, might as well. But who would want to take Yokoshima's place?"

"How about that girl who likes you?" suggested Kurumu.

"You know, Dai, I think Haruhi would be willing if you asked nicely!" said Yokoshima.

"What about that crazy Amazon who likes you?" Daichi asked, referring to Shiroha.

"I'll let you both handle this," said Kurumu as she left the pair to discuss business matters.

* * *

><p>Jack Atlas was no stranger to attention. As he walked, girls who caught sight of him blushed and swooned. He was handsome, and tall, and foreign too. He didn't ignore them but he was more focused on other things.<p>

Crow Hogan, however, found himself being ignored in comparison.

"Looks like you've got fans as usual Jack," Crow remarked.

"So it seems," Jack agreed.

"Atlas-sama!" some girls called as they approached the duo.

"Can I have an autograph...?"

"Me too?"

"And I as well?"

Jack looked at the girls, inwardly frowning to himself. He wasn't the King anymore, and by all means he didn't deserve to be; not after all he'd done in the past. However, Yusei had forgiven him a long time ago and they had moved on. He was even made a godfather to Yusei's children, which showed the amount of trust and value that Yusei had in him.

"Very well," Jack accepted, making the girls squeal.

"Atlas-sama, can we hear your catchphrase?" a girl asked.

Crow nudged Jack's arm and grinned, "Go on, give your fans what they want!"

Jack gave in and shot a finger to the ceiling, "There is only one King! That is me!"

This made the girls squeal excitedly, _"KYAA!-!-!"_

* * *

><p>Yuki was performing her patrol around the festival grounds. She had actually purchased a strawberry crepe from one of the student stands and was taking bites out of her snack when she heard the loud squeals. "Wait...why does that sound familiar?"<p>

"What's going on?" Shogo asked as he walked next to Yuki. "I didn't hear anything about this."

"I have a feeling that I know just what's going on," Yuki answered. "I can recognize those kind of squeals from miles away." As she said this, someone walked up behind them.

"Yo man, what's with all the squealing fangirls?" he asked.

"How would I know?" was Shogo's immediate answer. His eyes widened as the voice of the person behind him was was someone he knew. He turned around and saw... "AH! Goemon!" Shogo shouted as he pointed to his old teammate. He was utterly flabbergasted at the sight of his breakdance and hip-hop loving comrade. This was not somewhere he expected to see Goemon Jaga (#05 & Kamen Rider Breaker).

Goemon took Shogo's hand and bumped fists with him. "Yo, what's up, dude?" He smiled widely.

"What are you doing here?" Shogo asked. "And how did you know how to get here? And what happened to your mohawk?"

"Oh, got directions from Doc Magi. As for the mohawk, I let it loose," Goemon answered, flicking at his new mullet. "Long story. By the way, nice uniform."

"I'm part of the Public Safety Committee," answered Shogo.

"Have you been staying out trouble?" Yuki asked with her cool gaze.

Goemon quickly noticed her and shuddered slightly, remembering how she flash froze him last summer, "Uh, yeah, I have. Uh... who are you again?"

"Yuki Fudō," she answered. "Good to see you again, I guess." She noticed Goemon's silver-haired companion. "And who's this?"

"This? Her name's Ren Rakusa," Goemon answered. "And yeah, she knows about us."

"Shogo Kuso, right?" Ren identified. "Weird name."

"Yeah, I get that a lot," Shogo grumbled. "Hey, Goemon, could we talk to you, in private?" Both Shogo and Yuki pulled the Centipede Cyborg aside to speak with him. "She's human."

"Last time I checked," Goemon nodded.

"The school has rules, and one of them is 'no humans allowed'," Shogo told him.

"What's the worst that could happen?" Goemon asked.

"She could get killed, or eaten," Yuki warned. "You better make sure she doesn't get revealed as a human here."

"Trust me, ain't no way I'm gonna let that happen. Sides, some of GS's assassins have been coming after me for sometime now, so I've been teaching her to mix her dancing skills with fighting. She might not be strong, but she's a fast learner," Goemon boasted. "So, where's our old captain?" Goemon asked.

"Shinichi? Oh, he's around," said Shogo. "He'd be happy to see you."

"You sure?" Goemon asked.

"Considering what's been going on since we last saw you, he will," Yuki answered. "Come on, you have much to catch up on."

* * *

><p>Moka took Shinichi out for his break. He initially refused but the way Moka looked at him made him buckle. He just couldn't refuse her when she was like that. As for Moka, she wanted to enjoy the Halloween Festival with Shinichi.<p>

The events of the past few weeks still played in Moka's mind. Shinichi was basically stressed out by his past coming back to haunt him. Why couldn't GIN-SHOCKER just leave him alone? All he wanted was to live in peace. Sadly, the organization would not give up and revived someone from his past-someone he loved-to bring him back.

It hurt to see him so distraught and confused. Preparations for the Halloween Festival kept his mind off of thinking about Lina, but not for very long.

"Shinichi-kun, how about we get something to eat? I heard Netto has a pork buns stand," said Moka.

"Alright, that sounds good," Shinichi nodded.

The couple walked to Netto's stand and Moka greeted, "Hello, Netto."

"Oh, hey, Moka," smiled Netto. He was currently tending to the stand alone. Qiao was elsewhere with her mother. "You want some fresh pork buns?"

"One for each of us, please," Moka ordered.

"On it," Netto nodded, bagging in fresh buns.

"So, where's Qiao?" Shinichi asked. "Thought she'd be here with you."

"Oh, her... _our _mother," he soon corrected himself, "Came back to visit, so she's doing some catching up. And she also had to cool down Elle-chan for awhile."

"Why, what happened?" Shinichi continued.

"It's nothing major," Netto replied, handing them their buns. "It's just that she's become _really _excited right now."

"About what?" Moka asked.

"It's a Dragon thing," he answered, a blush forming on his face. "But it'd go on for about a week or less."

"Is she in heat?" Shinichi asked bluntly.

Moka exclaimed, mortified by his statement, "Shinichi-kun!"

"I'm asking a standard question," he told her. He turned to Netto and asked, "Well, is she or isn't she?"

"Yeah? What's it to you?" Netto asked, cocking an eyebrow. He then saw Shinichi scribbling in a notepad. "Hey, what are you...?"

"Just something for Kaa-chan to give her ideas," Shinichi said before putting the notepad away.

"Good grief!" Netto sweatdropped.

"Well, she'll be coming whether I like it or not and I need to offer a peace offering to her!" Shinichi rationalized.

"Yeah, sure," Netto nodded.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Yukari was doing her fortune telling. She was using tarot cards. Her classmates were using other forms of fortune telling like palm reading or reading tea leaves. Some were even using rice grains to tell fortunes, but Yukari was using cards that were a little more accurate.<p>

She had another customer and smiled as she greeted, "Hello, would you like me to tell your fortune?" She recognised him instantly. "Ah, Takeru-kun!" It was the boy who'd helped her before.

"So, fortune telling, huh?" he smiled as he sat down across from her. "Well, if a cute girl is offering to tell my fortune, who am I to refuse?"

* * *

><p>"So, he just left?" asked Yūsei as Mizore nodded.<p>

"And we were just about to get to know him," Aki frowned.

What was Mizore supposed to say? Well, she could always go with the truth. "Yūji's probably told you about what happened to Shinichi, right?"

"Well, he did say that he was one of the fourteen kids that got converted into a Cyborg," Yūsei recalled. "Does that have something to do with this?"

* * *

><p>Chiaki handed Kurumu a can of soda and the Succubus took it. "Thanks."<p>

Chiaki and Kurumu were both taking a break and drinking cold and refreshing soda from the vending machine. Going around advertising the Kamen Rider Cafe had been hard work. They even handed out fliers to people who were interested in paying their cafe a visit. Of course, in Kurumu's case, the guys were more interested in staring at her. Not like she minded, of course. She was a Succubus, but their leers did not make her heart flutter like Shinichi's loving gazes.

Her mother was going to be arriving in the evening. Since it was the Halloween Festival, it would go on until midnight before resuming in the morning. A number of Youkai were nocturnal by nature after all and preferred the night. Besides, festivals at night looked a whole lot more festive because of all the decorations and lanterns lighting everything up.

Then there was Kurumu's problem. She hadn't had sex with Shinichi for weeks. With preparations for the school festival, not to mention GIN-SHOCKER, getting in the way she and Shinichi hadn't had any time for themselves to consummate their love.

Kurumu felt a tap on her shoulder and looked to Chiaki who held up a sign as he pointed, "**Isn't that Shinichi with Moka?**"

Kurumu looked to see Shinichi and Moka walking by. Smiling, Kurumu stood up. She needed a break and also to get her itch scratched. She then strode over to the pair.

"Those were some really good pork buns," said Shinichi.

"They were delicious," Moka agreed. She saw Kurumu approaching, "Ah, Kurumu-chan!"

"Hey, guys!" Kurumu smiled. She blushed as she continued, "Um...Moka, do you mind if I borrowed Shinichi for a bit?"

"Borrow him for what?" Moka asked and the Succubus whispered into the Vampire's ear, causing her cheeks to turn pink. "Oh." She nodded. "Sure, since you seem to need him very much."

"Thanks," Kurumu beamed before kissing Moka on the cheek and hugging her. She then grabbed Shinichi's hand. "Come on, there's something I want to show you."

* * *

><p>The school infirmary was empty. As they entered, Kurumu locked the door and threw herself at Shinichi, wrapping her arms around him as she kissed him deeply. "It's been so long since..."<p>

Shinichi wasn't dense. He got the message. He lifted Kurumu up and carried her bridal style to one of the empty beds and then pulled the curtain close around them.

* * *

><p>Moka returned to the classroom and Misato greeted, "Welcome back." She noticed someone missing. "Hey, where's Shinichi?"<p>

"He has something he needs to take care of," said Moka.

* * *

><p>"Oh...Shinichi...yes...yes..."<p>

"That's right, baby...Ugh, say my name...SAY MY NAME!"

"SHINICHI! YES! HARDER! FASTER! YES! OH, YES! YES! SHINICHI!"

"Kurumu...oh...oh...KURUMU!"

Shinichi collapsed on top of Kurumu who let out a sigh of satisfaction. Their bodies were flushed, covered in sweat, and they wore smiles of contentment.

"That...was awesome..." she said. He rolled off her and she turned to smile at him. "You...were amazing..."

"I had practice," he said as he caressed her cheek. She blushed and she put her hand on his.

"I love you," she told him.

"I love you too," said Shinichi. "So, how long were we at it?"

"I lost track of time," she admitted.

"We should go."

"Do we have to?" she pouted as she cuddled with him. "I'd rather stay here with you."

"As tempting as that would be, we still have a cafe to run," he told her as he ran his hand up and down her side. Her skin was so soft and smooth without any blemishes.

She rolled on top of him, her breasts pressed down on his chest. "How about one last time before we go?"

Shinichi smiled good naturedly, "You're insatiable."

"I'm a Succubus. Get used to it, _lover_~" she purred. They shared a kiss and started once more.

Her mother had taught her the ways of seduction and how to prevent a man from leaving a Succubus' embrace. What sane man would want to escape from such unearthly pleasure?

* * *

><p>"We're back," said Shinichi as he and Kurumu returned to their classroom. Misato saw them and glared hotly at them.<p>

"Where were you?" the Mosquito Cyborg demanded, poking his chest.

"I was on a break," he told her.

"We know, but Moka came back without you." She eyed Kurumu, "And I bet you had something to do with it."

"Hey, don't blame Kurumu-chan," Shinichi defended. "And why do you care anyway?"

"Your aunt and uncle wanted to see you, that's why I care! And you just totally bailed on them!" she snapped.

Shinichi looked down at the floor guiltily, "I...I'm just not ready to talk to them..."

Misato sighed. She and the rest of the former NUMBERS knew of Shinichi's year without them quite vividly. They knew he was hesitant in meeting his relatives because of that past. "Shinichi, I understand how you feel because I've done the same things you did, remember? We all did. But one day you need to stop feeling sorry for yourself and just move on."

Shinichi considered Misato's words, but how could he move on after all that had happened? The others were able to get used to it, but not him. He had his emotions cut off for a long time and only just months ago rediscovered them. His memories were returning too and he hadn't had much time to cope unlike the others. Though, he knew that they each had their own way of coping with what had happened.

"Anyway," Misato continued, grabbing him by the arm, "It's time to meet your aunt and uncle. Let's go, now!"

"They're still here?" Shinichi asked as he was dragged along. He thought they would've left by now.

"They wouldn't leave until they got to talk to you," Misato told him. "And they _really _want to talk to you and it'd be rude not to entertain them. We've done our part, now park your ass down on that chair and talk to your aunt and uncle!"

Shinichi gulped, "Yes, ma'am!" Misato could be scary when she wanted to get her point across.

Shinichi was sat down before his relatives who looked at him eagerly. They had finished their meal and had been waiting for him. What was he supposed to do? What was he supposed to say? He took a deep breath and spoke, "So, how would you both like a tour of the school?"

"I think we'd like that, wouldn't we, Aki?" Yūsei smiled at his wife.

"Yes, and we'll get to spend a lot of time together," Aki smiled.

Shinichi was nervous but nonetheless exited the Kamen Rider Cafe with them.

* * *

><p>Half an hour later, Yuki came in with Ren, not realizing her parents had been in the Kamen Rider Cafe just recently. Shogo and Goemon had gone on their own, the former filling in the latter with everything that was going on since he went into hiding. Meanwhile, Yuki was keeping Ren company, treating her to an Agito Vanilla Ice Cream.<p>

"So, Ren was it?" Yuki asked her.

"Yeah," the girl nodded.

"How did you and Goemon meet anyway?"

"Well," Ren placed a finger on her chin as she thought back. "It was last summer. We met in a park before, doing an awesome dance battle. After that we parted ways. I ran into some street punks that tried to have their way with me. But then he came along..."

* * *

><p><em>Goemon was just minding his own business, wandering throughout the streets until he heard a scream. Goemon heard it, but wanted to ignore it. Why should he help? It <em>_wa__s not his problem._

_"No, get your hands off of me jerks!"_

_Goemon widened his eyes. That was Ren's voice__!__ One part of him wanted to ignore it, but another part of him wanted to help. The other part won out and went to an alleyway in the streets and s__aw__ Ren being manhandled by three thugs in rugged clothing._

_"Hey, you asses!" Goemon yelled out to the thugs, causing them to turn their attention towards him. "Yeah, that's right, I'm talking to you! Leave her alone!" Goemon yelled out._

_"Yeah right, kid. Aren't you too young to be playing hero? Get him, boys!" The lead thug sneered as he held Ren around her neck by the arm. The two thugs rushed towards Goemon. Both of them quickly fell down to Goemon's quick strikes. Ren became amazed while the lead thug became freaked out. Goemon stalked towards the lead thug._

_"Stay back! I am warning you!" The lead thug threatened as he trembled at Goemon's advancing. Ren took the opportunity to stomp on the lead thug's foot, having the lead thug to scream out in pain, letting the girl go. Goemon took the opportunity to rush forward and gave the lead thug a spin kick to the head, knocking the guy down to the ground, out cold. The other thugs ran away in fear, carrying the unconscious lead thug away._

_Goemon turned around to see Ren. "You __OK__?" Goemon asked._

_"Yeah, fine. Thanks for saving me by the way. You were awesome, but how did you do that?" Ren sheepishly complemented while rubbing the back of her head. Ren suddenly blushed a bit at the sight of his face._

_"Don't mention it. As for the fight, I'm just boss at it," Goemon __boasted__. _

_"That's so cool," Ren compl__i__mented._

_"Yeah thanks. Well see you later," Goemon said as he turned around to leave until Ren touched him by the shoulder. Goemon turned his head around to see Ren's gold eyes._

_"Wait. You got a home to go to?" Ren asked._

_"Not really, but I can manage," Goemon answered._

_"That's no excuse. Why don't you crash at my place?" Ren offered with a smile. Goemon was left blinking at the offer. He saved her, so now he __wa__s being offered a place to stay at her place? Even though he __wa__s not sure about the offer, it d__id__ sound like a tempting offer. He had nowhere else to go, so he might as well take it. For some reason, he started to feel something for her. What was it?_

_"Okay. I guess so," Goemon shrugged._

_"Great, come on," Ren smiled while dragging Goemon by the hand._

* * *

><p>"That was pretty noble of him," Yuki said.<p>

"It was," Ren smiled, "So anyway, I brought him to my apartment and introduced him to my mom..."

* * *

><p>"<em>I'm home!" Ren said as she dragged Goemon to the kitchen. Working on the stove was a tall woman with silver hair tied in a long pigtail, wearing a yellow shirt with pants, and a white apron.<em>

_"Welcome back," Ren's mother replied. She turned around, revealing a beautiful figure that that a supermodel would kill for, large boobs and a mature __appearance__, complete with gold eyes._

_'Woah! What a babe!'_ _Goemon exclaimed inwardly._

_"Hm? Who is this?" Ren's mother suspiciously narrowed her eyes at Goemon._

_"This guy is my friend, Goemon Jaga. He just saved me from a bunch of thugs," Ren __answered__._

_"Oh my!" Ren's mother gasped while putting her hands on her mouth before she placed her hands to her side. "Are you alright?" she continued as she placed her hands on her daughter's head and shoulders._

_"I'm fine, mom. Goemon was the one who helped me," Ren gestured to Goemon._

_Goemon shrugged, "It is nothing, really." Ren's mother got up to Goemon's face, scrutinizing him and then placed her hand on Goemon's shoulder._

_"Oh, but it is. Thank you for saving my daughter." Ren's mother said as she st__ood__ up and bow__ed__ before Goemon. _

_"No problem," Goemon said while sheepishly rubbing the back of his head._

_"I haven't told you my name yet. My name is Raksha," Raksha said while placing her right hand on her chest._

_"Um, nice to meet you, Rakusa-san," Goemon said before he shook hands with her._

_"Hey mom, can Goemon stay at our house? He says he has nowhere to go__,__" Ren asked. Raksha blink__ed__ at Ren's request._

_"I don't know__,__" Raksha said being a bit unsure of Ren's request. She turned towards Goemon. "Goemon, what about your parents, aren't they worried about where you are?"_

_"My mother is dead and I ran away from a cold-hearted abusive father a long time ago." Goemon bluntly said, sort of half-lying. His mother did die in the past and he did run away from his abusive father__...__ after slitting his throat. Gasps were heard from Ren and Raksha._

_"Oh my. Sorry for asking__,__" Ren's mother apologetically said._

"_No use for crying over spilt milk," Goemon said._

_"So can Goemon stay here at our home, please?" Ren pleaded._

_"Well, okay__,__" Raksha said, although a bit uncertain in her tone. "Leave me alone please to have a talk with Goemon for a few minutes." _

_"Okay mom thanks__,__" Ren hugged Raksha's waist, beaming her face at her __mom__, before she left the kitchen room. Raksha got in Goemon's face with an intimidating serious look._

_"Okay listen here, Goemon. While I am grateful that you saved my daughter, I want to set up some ground rules here if you want to stay here:_

_1) You have to do work around the house and help us with our ramen cart restaurant business in order to earn your stay here._

_2) Don't steal anything from our home or business._

_3) Don't do anything inappropriate with my daughter or hurt her. If do either one of those things, I will shoot you in the face with a shotgun. Is that understood?" Ren's mother asked._

_Goemon nodded his head quickly. For some reason, he got slightly intimidated at the shotgun threat, despite that he knew that he was more than capable of surviving it. Must of been the way she said it. Raksha smiled at the boy as she s__tood__ back up to full height._

_"Good boy. I'm glad we had this talk__,"__ Raksha __smiled__. "Ren, you can come back here!" Raksha called out to her daughter. Ren came quickly into the kitchen._

_"Well can he stay here?" Ren asked. For some reason, she__ would__ like to have him in her home._

_"Yes, he can stay," Raksha replied._

_"YES! Thanks mom!" Ren squealed as she hugged her mother._

_'Maybe staying here won't be __so__ bad. I just got to worry about the shotgun thing,' Goemon thought to himself. __ He knew that while he was a cyborg who could tear a person in half, he could still get killed if he doesn't wear his armor at the right moment. Plus Ren's mom was very scary._

* * *

><p>"I bet Goemon's told you plenty about his past," Yuki surmised.<p>

"That his father was an asshole and his mother's dead? Yeah," Ren nodded. "I can relate to the whole asshole dad thing. He also talked about his old job."

Yuki knew Ren was referring to GIN-SHOCKER. "It hasn't been easy, has it?"

"Being attacked or finding out my new friend is a Kamen Rider?" Ren asked. "Well, I got used to the latter a little quicker than the former." She took another bite of the ice cream. "This is really good."

"My cousin came up with the idea with one of his girlfriends," said Yuki proudly. "This whole Kamen Rider Cafe is his idea."

Ren looked at the decorations, including the portraits of the Kamen Riders in their action poses. "It looked like he worked hard on it." Ren admired the work that was done in this cafe because she was die-hard fan of the Kamen Riders herself. Of course, she wanted to settle something with Shinichi, despite the good job he did with this cafe.

"He had help, plus he needed a way to get his mind off some...stuff," said Yuki.

* * *

><p>Aki and Shinichi were on the school roof together with Yūsei leaving them to grab drinks for them. This allowed the cyborg and former GIN-SHOCKER soldier to be alone with his aunt. While he and Yūji were close, he hadn't had any contact with the rest of his extended family, particularly his aunt and uncle. Michiru, Misato and Hana had already received that honor so now it was his turn.<p>

"This is a very interesting school," said Aki.

"Yeah, and it's the only school I've really known," he told her. "Since I came here, it's become my home."

"And those girls, your friends, they're special to you, aren't they?"

Special? They were more than that. Because of them he'd found a purpose in his life. "Yeah, they are." Those girls loved him, despite his past. He may have been a cold-blooded killer, but that didn't matter to them since that was all in the past.

Of course, there was something he needed to speak with Aki about. Something important.

Aki would know about his past. It wasn't something he was proud of. Still, she hadn't said anything and waited for him to speak up. Taking a deep breath, he spoke, "So, how much do you know about me?"

Her expression was neutral but soft as she said, "That you had your life completely ruined for a decade." That was putting it mildly.

Shinichi sighed, "Yes...but I did so many horrible things..." He was silent before asking his aunt, "How can I even start to forgive myself?"

"It's not easy, I know," Aki sympathized, "I still have a hard time getting over the things I've done. And I even have nightmares still, after all these years. But...I try to think about what I have now; like my husband, my friends, my kids... I learned to move on with my life and be thankful for what I've gained."

"What I've gained," Shinichi muttered before staring at his hand. "...I started out here with nothing, you know? No memories, but I was somehow enrolled. Since then...since then I've found a home, and family." His life in Youkai Academy was much better than anything GIN-SHOCKER had to offer.

Aki smiled as she hugged her nephew affectionately, "Yes, that's exactly right~! Goodness, you're so cute that I could just eat you right up!"

"Please, don't eat me, Aki-san," Shinichi begged.

"I'm still hungry, so I can use some cute nephew for desert," she grinned cheekily, showing a fanged smile.

"I bet you and Kaa-chan get along pretty well," he stated.

"Shiori? Yes, we do, and she told us plenty about you," said Aki, "Shiori just has the best stories. And I was the one that got my kids hooked on her books!"

Shinichi cocked an eyebrow. "Are you sure that was a good idea in the first place?"

"Of course, and look at how well they turned out," she beamed. Shinichi couldn't deny that his cousins had turned out well. However, there was still one yet to be accounted for.

"Aki-san, what happened to your other son?" he asked. He was curious about Yuri Fudō.

"He just decided to get up and leave," Aki sighed, still smiling. "Yuri always thought outside the box and did things his way. The only thing is he never keeps in touch. He prefers grand entrances when everyone least expects it. However, I'm sure he's doing fine. He's still my son after all!"

Aki didn't seem worried but that was because she trusted her son to take care of himself. Looking out towards the festival grounds, his eyes focused as he spotted someone familiar and then bugged out in surprise. "#05!?"

His aunt traced his gaze downward, seeing a young man whom Shinichi seemed to recognize. "Friend of yours?"

"Yeah," Shinichi admitted. The last time he'd seen Goemon had been during summer break. 'How did he get here?' Then he realized the obvious answer. Since Goemon was one of them, technically, he would probably be in contact with Dr. Magi and learnt about this place through him.

"Do you want to say hello?" she asked.

"Maybe later," said Shinichi and he saw Yūsei return.

"Got you the drinks you wanted," said Yūsei. "So, what else is there in this school of yours?"

"Well, what you see is what you get," said Shinichi. "Well, mostly. The students and staff are monsters in disguise after all."

"And you're happy here?" Yūsei inquired.

Aki smiled, knowing the answer, and Shinichi answered, "Yes." As dangerous as Yōkai Academy was, it was better than GIN-SHOCKER. "So, I know you came here to see your kids too. I'm sure they're around here."

"Oh, we know," smiled Aki. "We already saw Yūji. Yuki, however, doesn't know we're here."

"Is it a surprise or something?"

"You could say that," Yūsei smiled mysteriously.

"You're up to something, aren't you?" Shinichi asked suspiciously, his ahoge wagging.

"We're always up to something," Aki retorted cryptically, shooting her nephew a wink. Shinichi may not know them that well but he could trust them knowing that they were Yūji's parents. They could handle themselves in Yōkai Academy.

"Well, I better head back to the Kamen Rider Cafe," said Shinichi. "Um...it's been nice talking to you both."

"Likewise," Yūsei nodded.

"I'll eat you another time," Aki winked, "Now go have fun, Shin-kun!" Shinichi smiled and went to the exit as Yūsei and Aki watched him leave.

"He's a good kid," said Yūsei before frowning. "It's too bad what happened to him."

"He and I have something in common at least," said Aki. "We were both used. The difference was I had a choice, and he didn't."

"At least he survived," said Yūsei. "And he's trying to make a better life for himself. But a school for monsters is an odd place to start a new beginning."

"Not to him," stated Aki. "Because of what happened to him, he never knew what a normal school life was. To him, this is normal." She developed a grin and looked to her husband, "Wanna fuck on the roof before we meet up with the others?"

"Sure," Yūsei grinned. He wasn't one to turn down sex when asked. Seriously, who was?

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: Huzzah! The beginning of the Halloween Festival. A lot of fun stuff is going on so hopefully you will enjoy this chap. Don't feel disappointed though. There will be action, I promise you that.<strong>


	61. Halloween Fest: The Devils

_Shinichi is my first and best friend in the whole world. When he told me he was human, I was shocked but I didn't care. I cared that I was losing a friend because I told him I hated humans. He still came back to save me and I learnt that he isn't exactly human. Shinichi's a cyborg, but not because he was in an accident and had his body rebuilt with machines. Horrible people took him from his home, his family and his friends, and remodeled him to create a killing machine. They even went so far as to make him kill his comrades and the girl he was in love with. I think I can understand how horrible that must be for him. When I first met him, he didn't seem to have a care in the world, except for his missing memories, but now the memories are coming back and not all of them are good. There is just so much pain in his heart, so much guilt and regret, that I just can't help but pity him. I've never known someone who's experienced such pain. All I can do is be there for him, and remind him that there are others around him who can shoulder his burden with him._

_-"Outer" Moka Akashiya_

**Chapter 61: The Devils Went Down to the Academy **

By 5 pm, all the students' attractions, cafes, shops and stands were closed for the day. Private vendors would be taking their place later in the night for the nighttime festival. This gave the students a chance to enjoy the festival to the fullest.

Shinichi had gone back to his dorm room to take a little nap before the nighttime festivities. He was exhausted from all the work. The Kamen Rider Cafe had earned a lot of money from the customers that had come to visit and enjoy the food and service.

Earlier, he'd gone to meet with Goemon. It had been awkward for him but Goemon had been nice enough, in his own way, to ease Shinichi into a conversation. Shinichi learnt what Goemon had been up to after leaving GIN-SHOCKER. Like himself and the others, Goemon was now being hunted by GIN-SHOCKER for defecting.

Their GIN-SHOCKER days were supposed to be behind them but the organization would just not leave them alone. Well, that was because they considered all those who abandoned the organizations as traitors and potential threats.

Goemon also learned about everything that was going on since they last met up. He had found out that one of the Riders that GIN-SHOCKER was targeting, Yūji, was Shinichi's cousin. He also learned that Yūji had killed the other NUMBERS that didn't defect from GS, with the exception of Scanner, who ran away in fear. It was a huge shock to hear that the others were now dead. The last time he spoke with them they were all after him too. Now they were gone.

Goemon didn't have to be a genius to know that Shinichi was heartbroken over their deaths. Back when they had been a team, even when he couldn't express emotion, Shinichi/Kuro had formed a bond with the NUMBERS and as such looked out for them. His motto was 'nobody gets left behind'. During missions, Shinichi/Kuro would always make sure they accomplished the mission successfully and that everyone who participated in the mission would return safely. He was the leader, so everyone's safety and welfare was his responsibility.

In the end, he couldn't save them, again. Gebok had made him kill them once and now they were dead again, only now by the hands of his cousin.

He also learned what caused Shinichi to leave GIN-SHOCKER in the first place. Gebok had partnered Shinichi up with a psychic (Lina), or as Daichi seemed fond of calling her, his 'psycho ex-girlfriend', but after months of being together and bonding, Gebok had the girl disguised as a training dummy and tricked Shinichi into killing her. That was what set him off again. He had lost control before after he'd killed the NUMBERS under Gebok's control only the second time it happened they were unable to subdue him and Shinichi escaped but not before destroying the facility and killing mostly everyone inside.

The trauma had forced Shinichi to repress all his memories, but not for long as everything slowly started to come back to him. And now that same girl has been revived as a Cyborg, created in Shinichi's image in every aspect. She now led a new generation of NUMBERS, each one stronger than the older generation, and she made it quite clear that she was going to get Shinichi back, no questions asked.

Well not if Goemon had anything to say about it. Shinichi had helped to give him another chance, so he was going to use it to help Shinichi in the Black Cicada Cyborg's time of need.

* * *

><p>The Karate Club had set up a Strength Test Game. The objective was simple. Paying customers would punch the pad attached to a machine that had a weight that would shoot up and hit a bell that was set at the top of a vertical wooden board that was 10 metres in height. Those who could ring the bell would win a prize. The machine was calibrated for Yōkai strength.<p>

"Come on and show how strong you are!" Haji called out to the crowd. "Ring the bell and win a prize!"

"I'll take a whack at it," Crow volunteered as he stepped up.

"You sure?" Haji asked. This guy looked pretty scrawny to him.

"Just gotta punch the damn thing," Crow shrugged, "Nothin' to it." He grinned and stepped back, rearing a fist back and shot forward, punching the pad with about a third of his full strength. The weight was sent rocketing up and broke the bell, the weight shooting up the sky like a rocket as Haji went slack-jawed since he couldn't believe his eyes. "So, what kind of prizes ya got here?"

* * *

><p>"OK, now to enjoy myself at the festival," said Yokoshima as he stepped out of the dorm building. He heard a whistling sound. "Hey, what is that?" He then spotted something on the ground. "Is that a coin?" He bent over to pick it up, grinning to himself with luck as it picked it up. Meanwhile, the weight from the Strength Test Game came speeding down and crashed on his head. Yokoshima blinked from the feeling of a slight tap on his head as the weight dropped beside him. Curious, the Cyborg scratched his head and looked down and saw the weight. "What's this...? Hm, better find out who this belongs to," he suggested before picking it up and searching for the weight's owner.<p>

Because of how he was designed, Yokoshima was built and had been known to take hits from just about anything. Some would suggest that his current mental condition was due to taking too many hits to the head.

* * *

><p>Moka was looking herself over in a full length mirror in her room. "I hope Shinichi-kun likes it," she said nervously.<p>

"_He'd love anything you wear_," her inner self answered. "_He's head over heels in love with you_."

"I know," Moka acknowledged, blushing, "But I'm not the only one he has feelings for."

"_The Succubus and Yuki Onna._"

"They have his heart too, and for the right reasons," Moka stated. Kurumu and Mizore loved Shinichi as much as Moka and they wanted him to realize that. The past few months hadn't been easy, putting a strain on their relationship, but they managed to endure and come out of the ordeal much stronger than before.

"_And what about the white Rider?_" Moka-sama inquired, referring to Lina.

"If we must confront her to protect Shinichi-kun, then so be it," Moka resolved. Shinichi was someone worth risking her life for. If Shinichi was willing to risk his life for them, then they would be prepared to do the same for him. There was no reason for him to bear the burden on his own.

She had learnt the awful truth from Lina that Shinichi hated himself for what he did in the past. Even if he knew that he'd been manipulated, the memories were still his own and he remembered every horrifying detail. A tragic past like wasn't something Shinichi could forget for very long. Even if he had started in Yōkai Academy with amnesia, those buried memories would find a way to resurface.

What she couldn't also believe was that she learned from Lina that Shinichi had tried to kill himself. She didn't know about it from what she was told before regarding one of Shinichi's earlier confrontations with Lina. It just brought sadness and shock to her. She couldn't believe it, but she knew that Lina was telling the truth judging by the psychic's eyes. She told Kurumu, Mizore and Yukari about it, making the girls shocked, sad and also angry. Those three girls blamed Lina for that happening and wanted to pay her back. Thankfully, Moka was able to get them to stop before those girls would get themselves killed since they weren't able to defeat Lina, especially since the White Cicada Cyborg was holding back.

It just wasn't fair for Shinichi to have to suffer like that. Why couldn't GIN-SHOCKER just leave him alone? In Yōkai Academy, Shinichi had a chance at a normal life (by monster standards), with friends who cared about him, but GIN-SHOCKER just had to come and ruin his life like they had. His self-loathing was a direct result of their meddling. And if Shinichi hated himself so much, Moka and the girls would then love him just as much, to give him a reason to move forward.

Now, it was the Halloween Festival, a time for the students and staff to enjoy themselves. Shinichi had also worked hard to get their Kamen Rider Cafe running smoothly so he deserved to enjoy himself as much as everyone else. The problem was the looming threat of GIN-SHOCKER. Right now, though, Moka wanted Shinichi to forget about GIN-SHOCKER and focus on what they had accomplished here in Yōkai Academy.

Exiting her dorm room, Moka made her way to Shinichi's to walk with him to the festival. Along the way, she ran into Mizore, Kurumu and Yukari who were in their usual school clothes.

"Moka, what's with the getup?" Kurumu asked.

"It's so beautiful!" Yukari praised.

"It's just something I threw on," said Moka. She was in a beautiful kimono which matched her eyes. "I thought I should put it on for him."

Mizore frowned, '_Why didn't I think of that?_' But there was no time to change.

* * *

><p>Warren arrived in Yōkai Academy in the evening and smiled as he stretched his arms. "Hello, YA! Guess who's back!" he announced loudly. He was just happy to be here as it gave him the chance to see his son again since the Sports Festival.<p>

He wasn't alone, though. Walking alongside him was a man with short red hair that was greying slightly. He also wore glasses over his green eyes. He wore a red Chinese shirt with black slacks and over this he wore a white lab coat. "Thank you for inviting me along," the redhead said to Warren.

"Hey, don't say it like that, Ryūki," Warren admonished. "He'd be happy to see you too and I know you miss him."

"I just want to check up on him, Warren," the redhead, Ryūki, said. "He is my godson."

* * *

><p>"So, I just put this on my ear and it'll let him out?" Shinichi asked Dr. Magi through his communicator.<p>

"_That earpiece accesses your neural relays to allow Kuro to be projected as a hologram. While he can't interact with the physical world, he can still interact verbally with others besides yourself_," Dr. Magi said.

Shinichi put on the earpiece and turned it on. The LED's flashed as it was activated and a miniature holographic projection of Kuro appeared standing on Shinichi's right shoulder. It was not just an image. It was fully sentient. He also resembled Shinichi, except clad in his armor.

"_This is interesting_," said Kuro as he looked around. It was odd to see the environment without him relying on Shinichi's eyes.

"At least I'll have you watching my back," said Shinichi. There was a knock at the door. "That must be the girls. Kuro, do you mind logging off until I call for you?" Kuro blinked out of existence as Shinichi went and opened his door. "Hey, girls!"

"Good evening, Shinichi!" they greeted in unison. They saw that he was wearing jeans with combat boots, a green t-shirt, leather jacket and a red scarf.

"Moka, you look marvelous," Shinichi complimented the pinkette who blushed.

"Thank you, Shinichi-kun," she smiled back. He was a bit disappointed, however, that Kurumu and Mizore didn't decide to dress up tonight. He wanted to see Kurumu in her sexy maid outfit and maybe Mizore could put on a white kimono like in the legends of her race, but the kimono would be cut at mid-thigh to reveal her beautiful legs. While Kurumu did have wonderfully plump breasts, Mizore had nice, smooth and slender legs.

Kurumu glared in jealousy but then she went and hugged Shinichi's arm.

"Shinichi, my mom's gonna be coming and she'd like to see you again," she said. Mizore grabbed his other arm.

"My mother would be arriving as well," said Mizore.

"OK, I'll meet both of them," he promised. He asked, "Yukari-chan, are your parents going to be coming as well?"

"They sure will," she beamed.

"Oh, I almost forgot, there's gonna be someone else joining us," said Shinichi and he called while the girls wondered what he was talking about. "Kuro, you can come out."

Appearing out of thin air, Kuro's holographic avatar manifested before the girls much to their surprise as he greeted, _"Good evening."_

"Is that Kuro?" Kurumu pointed.

"_That is my designation,"_ Kuro nodded.

"But I thought you and he couldn't come out at the same time," said Yukari.

"Yeah, but since neither of us wanted to switch places, Dr. Magi made this gadget that can manifest Kuro as a holographic avatar via connection to my neural relays," Shinichi explained.

"...I did not understand a word of that," said Kurumu.

"Of course you wouldn't, boobs," Yukari scoffed. Kurumu pinched her cheeks and pulled them apart.

"At least I got boobs, you flat little twerp!"

"Better to have brains than boobs!" Yukari shouted as she grabbed and squeezed Kurumu's breasts painfully.

"Hey! Hands off! Those are for Shinichi's hands only!"

Kuro observed and spoke, "_A fascinating phenomenon. Is this their form of social interaction?_"

"Well, you know how they are. You have access to my memories after all," Shinichi spoke to Kuro.

"_I know,_" Kuro nodded.

* * *

><p>Gin was enjoying himself very much. He'd gotten quite a lot of photos for his collection. Earlier in the day, the Swimming Club had performed a synchronized swimming routine. Though, Gin was more interested in the babes in bikinis rather than their routine.<p>

Of course, he was a bit disappointed. He didn't have a date. This caused him to become annoyed. How did an amnesiac freshman get himself three of the prettiest girls among the first years as girlfriends? Then again, after he learnt that Shinichi had been through he shouldn't be jealous. Saying he had a rough life was a huge understatement.

* * *

><p>"Grandpa! Grandpa!" Tamao jumped into Warren's arms.<p>

"Hey there, Tamao!" Warren smiled as he caught her. He put her down then smiled at his son. "Leon, long time no see, son!"

Warren hugged Leon tightly, smiling, which made Leon grit his teeth as he struggled to free himself from his father's embrace. "Let…go of me!" Leon shouted and Warren released him.

"Woah, someone's cranky!" Warren joked.

"Warren, you know better than to antagonize Leon like that," said Ryūki sternly.

Leon's expression softened as he looked at the redhead. This man was Dr. Ryūki Leonard Hasuma (MD/PhD). He was Leon's uncle, godfather, and the man responsible for bringing him into the world. When his mother had been in labor, it had been Ryūki who'd delivered him. Leon was even named after Ryūki, his name derived from the doctor's middle name. "Uncle Ryūki."

Ryūki smiled and gave Leon his affectionate hug, but not overly affectionate like Warren's. "It's good to see you, Leon."

"It's great to see you too, Uncle Ryūki," Leon smiled. He then introduced Tamao, "And this is Tamao, my daughter."

"Papa, who's this?" Tamao asked.

"He's my uncle, Tamao, and the man who inspired me a long time ago," Leon said.

"Hey, what about me?" Warren questioned, frowning.

"What about _you_?" Leon retorted, upsetting his father further by his tone.

Ryūki picked up Tamao and smiled, "Such an adorable little girl." He noted the ears and tails and knew instantly they weren't part of the costume. Warren had told him that Tamao was a Kitsune Yōkai. Putting her down, he asked Leon, "She's had a proper medical examination, right?" Children needed checkups on occasion.

"Yeah, I brought her to Soul Society and Captain Unohana gave her a checkup," informed Leon.

"Good woman, that Capt. Unohana," admitted Ryūki. "So, how's life been for you? Going to school and raising a child must be difficult."

"Well, I-" began Leon only to be glomped from behind.

"Darling~!" Aphrodite purred in his ear.

Ryūki smiled, "Ah, I see."

"Uncle Ryūki, Dad," began Leon. "This is..."

"Mama!" Tamao cheered happily as she ran up to Aphrodite. The female Manakyte picked her up and nuzzled her cheek.

Warren smiled approvingly, "It seems you still possess the Smith Charm, son."

Leon rolled his eyes and introduced Aphrodite to the two men, "Aphrodite, this is my father and my Uncle Ryūki."

"Oh, my!" Aphrodite beamed. She handed Tamao to Leon before capturing Warren and Ryūki in a bone-crushing hug, "It's so nice to meet Leon's family~!"

"Too tight...! Too tight...!" Warren rasped. He could've of sworn he heard some of his bones beginning to snap, which should've been virtually impossible.

"She's...quite strong...!" Ryūki piped. He was reminded of Kori's own bone-crushing hugs.

* * *

><p>Hime and Reiri were waiting at the scarecrow where the bus would stop. They were waiting for a couple of friends to show up. They had invited them to the Halloween Festival as a surprise for Shinichi. Since he had yet to recover all of his memories, they weren't sure if he would remember them, but maybe seeing their faces again would probably jog it.<p>

Their waiting ended when the bus came around the corner and came to a halt. The doors opened and two girls stepped out.

"Thank you for the trip," the second girl waved at the driver.

"No problem," the driver nodded. "You ladies watch yourselves now. This is a dangerous place." He closed the door and made a U-turn as he muttered, "With all these trips I'm making, the Headmaster better be giving me a raise..."

"Rias, Akeno," Hime smiled, walking to the two girls and hugging them both, "So glad you came."

"Long time no see, Hime-chan," the the redhead smiled, return the hug. "You too, Rei-chan," she then greeted the Vampire.

"Ara, you both have been doing well I see," Reiri smiled back.

"Ufufu~," the raven-haired girl giggled softly, "Same to you. And you're both Safety Committee members. Very nice."

"So, is he really here?" the redhead asked. The other three could hear a hint of hopefulness in her voice.

"Yes, Shinji-kun is here," Hime answered, "He's with his friends right now, and you might need to know that they are all girls."

"Oh my!" the raven-haired girl gasped, although she had a smile on her face, "So you weren't kidding when you said he had a harem?"

"Nope!" Reiri grinned, "Now then, let us escort you to the festival grounds."

* * *

><p>While Warren was having dinner with Tamao and Aphrodite, getting to know them at the same time, Ryūki and Leon were a distance away, talking.<p>

"I see you're doing well," said Ryūki. "You've found a lover and you have a daughter."

"Tamao needed me," said Leon. "I couldn't abandon her."

"And I'm glad you took her in," Ryūki praised. "You really are your father's son."

Leon sighed, "Don't remind me. I love my dad, I really do. But how can he be...so happy all the time?"

Ryūki told him, "I can list the reasons, but there's just one word that sums it all up: family."

Leon replied, "But he has all this stress, all those people counting on him. How can he still smile with all that?" He clenched his fists and eyes. "I'm scared that I'm gonna wake up and that I'll have failed the only two people who count on me. Just like how I failed everyone else who counted on me."

Ryūki knew what Leon was talking about. The boy had such a tragic past and he was afraid that history would repeat itself. Putting a reassuring hand on Leon's shoulder, he said, "Don't let the past affect your present judgment."

"I'll do anything to keep them safe, Uncle Ryūki. Anything," Leon swore.

"I know you will. Now, let's join your family for dinner. I'm starving."

Leon smiled, "You always did have a huge appetite, Uncle Ryūki."

"Well that is the way I am, Leon," Ryuki laughed. "We Hasumas have big appetites..."

"And iron stomachs," Leon added. He then shuddered. "Couldn't believe you like Tiger Tonic. Even I would not stuff that down my throat."

"What can I say, the tonic is good!" Ryuki beamed with his eyes closed, forming upside down U's. Leon just chuckled a bit at Ryuki's attitude. Ryuki was an adult but he could still act like a kid sometimes.

* * *

><p>"Hey, Shiroha!" Yokoshima called.<p>

"Yoko!" the Amazoness glomped him. "You made it! I thought you would be taking a nap or something!"

"Not this guy," he grinned. "Anyway, I brought a friend. Her name is Sheila."

"Sheila?" Shiroha's eyes narrowed in envy as Yokoshima put on an earpiece which was identical to Shinichi's. Sheila then manifested in her holographic avatar, floating next to Yokoshima. "What's that?"

"Shiroha, this is Sheila," Yokoshima said. "I promised I'd take her to the festival."

"_Greetings, Shiroha. I am glad to make your acquaintance,"_ Sheila greeted.

"Hi, little...blue woman," Shiroha greeted awkwardly.

"Sorry if it seems a little weird, but here's the thing," Yokoshima explained. "Sheila is an AI program."

"You mean like artificial intelligence?" Shiroha asked.

"_That's correct,"_ Sheila answered.

"That's cool I guess," Shiroha said. "Hey, Yoko, my mom came over. I want you to meet her!"

"Huh?" was all Yokoshima could say before he got dragged off. "Wait? Your mom!?"

* * *

><p>"And that was the day Leon was born," Warren finished. "That also marked the first time Ryūki had ever delivered a baby, before promptly fainting."<p>

"I remember," Ryūki reminded. "I was there." He added, "And furthermore, a lot of things were happening all at once. It was just fortunate that I was able to perform under that much pressure."

"Yeah, you were great, before you fainted," Warren teased.

"That was the day I was also named after Uncle Ryūki," added Leon, feeling proud.

"Leon's name was derived from my middle name," said Ryūki. "Warren thought it was appropriate."

"Well, you were the one that brought my son into the world," insisted Warren.

"A little warning would've been nice," Ryūki frowned. Warren had only told him after he'd regained consciousness. Still, back then, he'd been honored to be Leon's godfather and have Leon carry his name.

"Oh, such a wonderful story~!" Aphrodite gushed while Tamao sat in her lap.

"And what about your family, Aphrodite?" Warren inquired.

"Well, I don't really know my father, but Mother raised me in an orphanage along with the other children," Aphrodite said thoughtfully, "I was the oldest, so I helped Mother raise the children when I was old enough. Then...she disappeared all of a sudden."

That story pulled at Ryūki's heartstrings. He remembered how his own father had vanished when he'd just been a young child. He never got to know him because of that but they had been catching up for the past few years.

"The oddest thing though, was that Mother always used to say that I have Father's temper, but I don't know what that means, exactly," she added.

"What normally makes you angry?" Warren asked.

"I haven't the slightest idea," she said quizzically, twirling some hair on the right side of her hairline. "I feel this surge of aggression at one point or another...and then everything goes dark. I wake up the next minute and find everything around me in a complete mess!"

'_Now I know Leon got himself a good catch_,' smiled Warren. He could tell she was honest. "Ryūki has the same problem sometimes."

"Warren," Ryūki warned.

"Hey, when you get pissed off people run because they don't want to challenge the wrath of 'The Dragon'," Warren said. He saw Ryūki's aura form into a dragon. Leon, seeing the dragon manifest, shivered.

Ryūki's anger didn't show on his expression, but in his aura manifestation. It was a dragon so vicious, so ferocious, that those who saw it cowered in fear.

"Papa's scared!" Tamao laughed as she saw Leon shaking.

"You do know that doesn't work on me, right?" Warren smirked. "Now cut it out, you're gonna give Leon a heart attack."

Ryūki sighed and dismissed the manifestation. Warren was never affected by such things. He was a man who had met Death in person. "Sorry, Leon," he apologized. He never meant to scare Leon when he didn't deserve it.

"It's OK..." he sighed. He was overcome with a cooling sensation when he felt a hand on his cheek, the hand being Aphrodite's as it was glowing with a blue aura.

"All better," she smiled.

* * *

><p>"Hit the target and win a prize!" the vendor of the shooting gallery challenged Shinichi. Shinichi grinned as he picked up a rifle. It was a pellet rifle and behind the vendor was a shelf with various prizes which were a variety of stuffed animals. Stuck to each of the stuffed animals was a target. The objective of the game was to knock down a chosen prize with the pellet rifle<p>

"You're on," he said, accepting the challenge after paying the required 500 yen. He was confident he could hit the target and knock down the chosen prize. He was an expert marksman plus he had cybernetic augmentations in his eyes to increase his accuracy. "So, I just need to knock them off the shelf, huh?"

"It ain't that easy, kid," the vendor grinned. "See those paper targets? They're charmed. Only way to knock a prize down is to hit it dead centre."

"So, it's rigged?" Shinichi cocked an eyebrow.

"I'm just making the game a little more challenging," the vendor justified.

"You can do it, Shinichi-kun!" Kurumu cheered.

"Hit it in the bullseye!" encouraged Yukari.

"Do your best!" supported Moka.

"You won't miss," predicted Mizore.

"Those girls seem to think you can hit the bullseye," the vendor smirked, rolling his toothpick between his teeth.

"Tell ya what, if I hit the bullseye 5 times, you give me a prize for each?" Shinichi challenged.

"And what if you don't?" the vendor countered.

"Then I'll give you 5,000 yen," Shinichi said.

The vendor saw this as a way to make some easy money, "You're on, kid." There was no way the kid could hit the bullseye. From the distance the kid was standing from he would have to be an expert marksman and the kid didn't look like much to begin with.

Shinichi cocked the rifle. "Five bullseyes coming right up!"

* * *

><p>Hime and Reiri were leading Rias and Akeno to find Shinichi.<p>

"Hime, are you sure he's around here?" Rias asked.

"Oh, he's here indeed," said Hime. "Don't you trust me, Rias?"

"Not recently, but I know you would never lie about Shinji," said Rias.

"There he is!" Reiri pointed.

* * *

><p>The vendor couldn't believe his eyes. The kid had just shot five consecutive bullseye, disarming the charm on each target and knocking down the prizes they were attached to, and they were huge ones too. He then aimed for a final shot.<p>

"Shinichi-kun, why would you want to win a fifth prize?" asked Moka who was holding a stuffed rabbit doll.

"I think I'm gonna give it to Reiri-chan," he told her.

"What about Hime?" Kurumu asked. She'd received a stuffed cat. Mizore had received a stuffed polar bear and Yukari had gotten a unicorn.

"No prize for her," he grumbled. Freaking him out with his phobia was not funny. He took aim, and fired, hitting target dead centre in the bullseye thus knocking down the stuffed bat.

"And here you go," the vendor sighed as he handed the stuffed bat to Shinichi.

"A pleasure doing business with you," said Shinichi.

Kuro appeared and spoke, "_Based on my calculations, you would've been able to hit all five targets by using a ricochet technique_."

"It was more fun this way." He then spotted Hime and Reiri. "And look who's here. Reiri-chan! Hime-chan! Over here!"

* * *

><p>"It is him," Rias recognized. Even after all these years, his appearance was uncanny. She could recognize that hair and twin ahoge anywhere.<p>

"Ara, he's changed from cute to handsome," beamed Akeno, a hand to her cheek.

"And now he's called us over," said Hime. "Come on, girls. Let's give him a surprise."

* * *

><p>Aphrodite had taken Tamao somewhere to play some festival games.<p>

"Ah, look who's here," smiled Warren as he spotted Ageha and Tsurara. The sight of two lovely ladies always made Warren behave like this. "Don't wait up, you two. I'm going to say hello." WIth that said, Warren left his son and friend to do one of things he did best; flirt with beautiful women.

Leon grumbled, "You know, this is why Mom shouldn't let him out of the house."

"It's no use, Leon," Ryūki sighed. "This is just how your father is; a flirt who can't resist attractive women." Ryūki never couldn't approve of Warren's flirtatious behavior since he was a married man but he could not condemn it either if all parties were in agreement.

"They're Shinichi's girlfriends' mothers," Leon groaned as he watched his father go up to the two women.

"Speaking of which, how are you and he getting along?" Ryūki asked.

"He's a good person," Leon answered. "He's always looking out for everyone close to him. I'm amazed that he can be so sane even after he had his life fucked with several times over."

"We'll I'm sure he's had help," Ryūki told him. "And I bet you knew that. After all, you've actually known him since you were six."

"Yeah... I really hate multiversal travel," Leon grumbled. He and Shinichi were friends, but not exceptionally close friends. However, he and Shinichi trusted each other to watch each other's backs. Also, Leon sympathized with him a lot. "So, how are Ryūko, Ryūtaro and Amanda doing?"

"They're doing well in their studies," said Ryūki, "And doing well in life as well."

"Good to hear."

"They also miss you."

* * *

><p>"At least you're not in that costume anymore," said Shinichi with relief as Hime had returned to her PSC uniform and not that terrifying doll costume. He shivered at the memory.<p>

"I only put it on to tease you, Shinji-kun," smiled Hime.

"Oh, Reiri-chan, this is for you," said Shinichi as he gave the stuffed bat to Reiri.

"Ah, that's so sweet," Reiri smiled and kissed his cheek. This caused Moka, Kurumu, Mizore and Yukari to glower at her. They knew she was just interested in friendship, but she could often get a little _too _friendly.

"Why don't I get one?" Hime frowned.

"If you stop messing with me, maybe I'll consider getting you one," Shinichi told her, a deadpan look on his face. "So, who are your friends?" Shinichi asked as he noticed the two older girls with his childhood friends. He noticed they weren't wearing Yokai Academy uniforms, but uniforms of a school he was not familiar with. The skirts were black and very short, only a couple of inches shy of being obscene. They wore white shirts and dark red blazers too.

One of the two girls appeared to be in her late teens to early twenties with a buxom figure, a light skin tone, blue-green eyes, and of Scandinavian descent. What was her most distinctive feature, aside from her figure, was her crimson red hair which reached down to her thighs with a single hair strand sticking out from the top. Loose bangs of her blood red hair covered her forehead and side bangs framed her beautiful face.

Her companion was also quite beautiful and eye catching. She was around the same age as the redhead with long black hair and violet eyes. Her hair was tied in a long ponytail that went all the way down to her legs with two antennae sticking out from the top and sloping backwards, with an orange ribbon keeping it in place.

"These are our friends whom we invited to the Halloween Festival," said Hime. "Rias Gremory and Akeno Himejima."

"Why am I feeling so... inadequate?" Kurumu muttered, looking at the two girls, mostly at their chests.

All of a sudden, Shinichi felt a sharp pain in his brain and stumbled backwards. He kept a grip on the counter to support himself. The sudden stumbled made his girlfriends swarm around him.

"Shinichi-kun, are you OK?" Moka asked.

"Are you hurt?" Kurumu questioned, concerned.

"Do you need anything?" Mizore inquired.

"Aspirin? Painkillers?" Yukari offered.

"I'm...I'm fine," he told them. "I just...just had a memory flash, that's all." They knew that Shinichi still had memory flashes at random times, each time when a memory was triggered, a memory from his past. Sometimes it would be memories from his pre-GIN-SHOCKER days. He studied the two buxom girls, recognition in his eyes, as he stood up and smiled at them. "Ri-chan, Ake-chan, it's been a long time."

"Shin-chan!" Akeno squealed, lunging at Shinichi in a bear hug. Her chest pressed tightly against his, causing the other girls to growl.

"Shinji-kun," said Rias as she looped her arms around his shoulders from his side. "We've missed you." She then proceeded to embrace him affectionately as well. Shinichi could feel his girls' piercing glares when Rias and Akeno hugged him and began to sweat nervously.

"Oh, relax," said Hime as she attempted to placate the members of Shinichi's harem. "These two are just very affectionate. There's no harm in it."

Rias pulled back to caress Shinichi's face. "You haven't changed a bit," she said, studying his features. Despite being older, he still looked the same to her. She brushed his bangs aside and spotted the XIII scar. Shinichi knew she'd seen it. Many reacted the same way at the sight of it.

GIN-SHOCKER's brand, a mark that told him that he was one of them. It was also a glaring reminder of the terrible things the organization had done to him.

"What happened to you? Who did this to you?" Rias demanded.

"Many things have happened, Ri-chan," Shinichi told her. "Both for the best and the worst."

"Wait a minute..." Mizore's eyes narrowed, "Don't tell me that they are Shinichi's childhood friends too?"

"They are," said Hime. "They often came to visit and we would have tea parties."

"We'd put Shin-chan in a dress during those times too," Reiri giggled.

Hime's expression darkened, "They actually came for Shinji-kun's birthday before he...went missing."

"Oh..." Moka, Kurumu, Mizore and Yukari all but uttered. Now the way they hugged him so affectionately started to make sense.

"That's why we invited them to Yōkai Academy, so they could see him again," Hime added, her expression brightening again.

"But do they have to hug him like that?" Kurumu questioned enviously.

"Like I said, they're very affectionate," said Hime.

"I think they deserve to be, seeing as they miss him," said Moka, but she couldn't help but feel jealous too.

Rias turned her gaze from Shinichi's scar to the girls he had with him. With a flip of her hair, she smiled as she placed her hands on her hips. "So, who are the rest of you?"

"Ri-chan, let me introduce to you to my friends," began Shinichi.

"Shinji, I'm asking them," she spoke to him sternly.

"Sorry," he apologized. He remembered how Rias could be so commanding. Like with Hime, Reiri, and Akeno, Rias was like the big sister he never had.

Moka stepped forward, "I'm Moka Akashiya, his girlfriend." She was shoved out of the way.

"Kurumu Kurono, his soulmate." She was frozen.

"Mizore Shirayuki, his future wife." A pan dropped on her head.

"Yukari Sendou, his future mistress, desu!"

Rias cocked an eyebrow at Shinichi and he laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head. He spoke, "I can explain."

"And I bet it'll be an interesting story, hm?" Rias smiled.

"One that involves Lizardmen, but I'll tell you about it later," Shinichi said sheepishly.

"Oh my," Akeno smiled, "I never would've guessed that Shin-chan would attract such lovely girls. Ufu~."

'_She's so... GORGEOUS!'_ Moka, Mizore, Kurumu and Yukari excalmed inwardly, all eyes on Akeno. How were they going to compete with _that?_

"Like I said, Ake-chan, a _lot _has happened," said Shinichi. Of course he wasn't about to divulge too much information about his past. There was just so much that he wasn't willing to talk about so openly, yet.

"Well, we just invited them over so they could spend time with you," Hime said. "Right now, we have to get back on patrol."

"Have fun all of you," Reiri waved as she and Hime walked off to continue their rounds.

There was almost awkward silence until Shinichi spoke up, "So, what have you both been up to, Ri-chan, Ake-chan?"

* * *

><p>Shinichi watched as everyone was conversing, interacting and socializing with each other. This moment, this moment of peace, it was something he was missing a lot. Also, Rias and Akeno coming to visit filled up another blank page in his past.<p>

When he first woke up in Yōkai Academy, he had no memories and no past. For the longest time he felt he was alone in the world. Then, as time went by, he was reunited with his mother, his childhood friends, and learnt that he had relatives. He wasn't alone in the world anymore.

And in Yōkai Academy, he wasn't alone either. He had Moka, Mizore, Yukari and Kurumu. Sure, he had rocky starts with each of them, but they had become close to him. He had formed bonds with them, bonds that he was willing to fight for in order to protect.

GIN-SHOCKER may had destroyed his bonds in the past, but he wasn't going to let them destroy those bonds again.

* * *

><p>"And then he tripped on a rock and fell face first into a tree!" Rias finished the story.<p>

"Ri-chan, that wasn't funny! I was really hurt that day!" whined Shinichi.

"Shin-chan was such a clumsy child," giggled Akeno.

"Not anymore," Kurumu countered. "He's a total badass. He defeated the last corrupt leader of the student police."

"He even saved the school," added Yukari proudly.

"I see he's grown strong through his experiences then," concluded Rias. She was right on the mark, but not all those experiences were good ones.

Shinichi wasn't ready to tell them and right now it was a festival. It was best not to ruin their time here with tales of a tragic past.

Moka excused herself, "I'm feeling a little thirsty at the moment."

"Oh, look! It's my parents!" Yukari exclaimed when she spotted her mother and father. She ran to them, waving, "Papa-san! Mama-san!"

Mizore and Kurume saw their own mothers and smiled. They excused themselves and went to meet and talk to them. This left Shinichi alone with Rias and Akeno.

"They're such lovely girls," Akeno admired.

"Yes, they are," said Shinichi.

"Must be nice to go to school here," she smiled at him.

"They make coming here worthwhile."

This was a good chance for Rias to get some answers. There was just a nagging feeling telling her to confront Shinichi about something.

"Shinji-kun, how did you end up here in Yōkai Academy?" Rias asked.

"Er...didn't Hime-chan and Reiri-chan tell you?" Shinichi answered nervously.

"No, they didn't. That's why I asked," said Rias.

"Well, I got here like anybody else," lied Shinichi.

Rias sighed. She didn't want to do this, but she needed answers. "Shinji-kun, I'm only asking because I know you're not a Yōkai." Shinichi's eyes widened.

"What are you talking about, Ri-chan?"

"I know you're human and so are your parents, but somehow you are enrolled in a school exclusively for monsters. So, how?"

Shinichi clenched his fists and they trembled. Akeno noticed this and spoke, "Shin-chan, if you're in some kind of trouble, you can tell us. We want to help."

"Help? If you could somehow turn back time to ten years ago, be my guest," he told her in a harsh and bitter tone. Rias and Akeni were startled by his tone and words. "You...you don't know." She didn't know what had happened to him, so how could she help? How could he tell her?

"What happened to you?" Rias asked and he turned his back to her and Akeno.

"If you want to know, ask the others. I don't want to talk about it." It was not an easy subject for him to talk about. How could he talk about years of psychological, emotional and physical abuse and trauma? How could he talk about being violated for all those years? How could he talk about the death and destruction? How could he talk about the nightmares?

He couldn't. At least, not too soon. They had only just met again. They just weren't ready to know the truth.

Rias and Akeno needed to ask Hime and Reiri what Shinichi meant. What had happened in those ten years when he'd been gone? The scar he had must be some kind of clue but what could it mean?

Akeno also noticed something troubling; his smile never seemed to reach his eyes.

Kuro made his presence known, appearing in a flash and sitting on Shinichi's shoulder. This attracted the girls' notice.

"What is that?" Rias asked. It was a hologram which resembled Shinichi, but smaller and darker.

"_Greetings. My name is Kuro. I am a sentient holographic construct derived from his mind,_" Kuro introduced himself. "_To answer your query, Shinichi has been through a lot of traumatic experiences and is reluctant to divulge the information._"

"Kuro, go offline," Shinichi ordered. Kuro flickered and vanished. He then looked up and noticed the girls waving for him to join them and also saw expectant looks on the faces of their parents. "Uh-oh, looks like the mothers wanna meet with me again. Sit tight for while. I'll be right back, OK?"

"We'll be waiting," Akeno smiled.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Yūji was touring the festival grounds and he was getting glares of envy. Why? Well, look at his entourage. He had Michiru, Hana, Misato, Ruby and Riza. Then there was also Flannery and Blair as well as Bianca as she trailed the group from a distance so that Yūji could enjoy the company of his girlfriends. A gaggle of hotties that could make any man envious. Blair was a big focus of attention since she was in human form, wearing her trademark hat with a leather bikini top, shorts and boots along with a jacket.<p>

Yūji kept his eye out for Leon. He knew that Leon would be out here and Riza was with them so having the two encounter each other would be a bad idea. Riza still hated Leon for what he'd done. Even if Leon had a good reason, couldn't he have beaten Riza's brother without killing him?

'_Someone's enjoying himself,'_ Abyss chimed in Yūji's head.

'_Do you want something?'_ Yūji inquired.

'_Me? Oh no, just enjoying the spectacle of you juggling women like bowling balls, waiting for the moment when they fall and break your toes,'_ his dark half quipped. _'I'm surprised you can manage a feat like this when you had a problem talking to girls when you were young.'_

'_It wasn't that bad-'_

'_You ran away from girls as they would chase you through the park, fighting amongst themselves as to which had the honor of hugging you to death in their breasts first,' _Abyss countered.

'_Shut the fuck up and go back to sleep or something,'_ Yūji demanded, _'Or watch a movie.'_

'_A man can only watch 'The Omen' so much before it gets boring,'_ he sighed, _'I swear, Godzilla movies are more enjoyable.'_

'_If I promise to get a few would you shut up?_'Yūji asked.

'_That would be nice, yes,'_ Abyss accepted, _'It's such a shame we never talk like the normal people. Think of what we could learn from each other.'_

Yūji simply groaned out of frustration. He knew Abyss was messing with him, bothering him since he was stuck in Yūji's mind. It was a good thing he knew how to tune out his dark half when he needed to.

"Something wrong?" Hana asked.

"Of course not," Yūji denied as he hugged her closer, "Not when I have you all with me."

"This place is kinda creepy, but it fits," Flannery admired.

"It can be real fun at times too," Michiru added. Mia let out a 'Mya' in agreement as her mama carried her in her arms.

"It's my kinda place," Blair beamed happily

Riza was scanning the crowds, looking out for Leon. Since she was with Yūji, she didn't wanna see his face anywhere and cause a fight. People were having fun and she was with her friends, so everyone didn't need any unnecessary brawling because of her. Still, there was a part of Riza that wished she could do some working out. She wanted to stay in shape and not get flabby. Plus she needed to burn off the frustration.

Her senses picked up something, looking back as she thought she heard someone following them in the crowds.

"Something wrong?" Ruby asked as she noticed Riza's pause.

"Just thought someone was following us... Whatever," Riza shrugged as she continued walking.

By the mask stand, Juvia peeked from behind an oni mask and sighed dreamily as she watched Yūji's back. "Yūji-sama~..." she sighed.

"Glad you're out of classes?" Misato asked as she held his right hand, with Michiru sticking close to his left.

"Fuck yeah," Yūji nodded, "Papers are graded, classes are cancelled and I'm hangin' out with beautiful women. It's a good life."

"Well, you deserve it," she smiled.

"And then your birthday's coming up soon," he reminded, "And it'll be just us, promise."

"I'd like that," Misato smiled as she moved in close. She never imagined herself in a situation like this: going to school, having a boyfriend as loving as Yūji, enjoying life like a 'normal' teenage girl. Back in GIN-SHOCKER, it was nothing but training and killing; doing whatever it took to survive and relying on no one but her team and Carl. Yet she was accepted into Yūji's life so easily and even liked by his family. It wouldn't be long until she ended up married, with children, and... Wow, so much for the cold-hearted assassin she used to be. She could still throw down with the best of them, but she didn't realize how drastic her life had changed.

Not long ago she had been murdered due to Gebok's deception and revived by the same bastard scientist in order to bring Shinichi back to GIN-SHOCKER. She was glad that she and the girls decided to defect and stay with Yūji. He cared about them; GIN-SHOCKER didn't. To summarize: Fuck GIN-SHOCKER. Her life right now was much better than anything GIN-SHOCKER had to offer.

"Excuse me," a vendor spoke. "Would you like to try some goldfish scooping?"

"I want some goldfish!" Michiru beamed as she jumped excitedly

"Sure," Yūji smiled.

The girls each tried their luck but the paper scoops were just too fragile as the fish just broke through and fell back into the water. Hana, Michiru and Misato had better luck considering their background and training. When it came to Yūji's turn, he didn't even have to move.

**Plop! Plop! Plop!**

Three of the goldfish from the tub just leapt into his bowl. "Huh?" Yūji blinked.

"OK, how did you do that?" Riza asked.

"I don't really know," said Yūji. Then more fish jumped into his bowl.

**Plop! Plop! Plop! Plop!**

"Seriously, how are you doing that?" Flannery demanded to know.

"I don't know! For real!" he exclaimed as he tried to catch as many as he could without dropping them.

The vendor had to chase Yūji away because he was afraid of losing business if fish kept jumping into his bowl. He, however, did put the caught fish into a plastic bag and handed them over to him. Technically, Yūji had caught them.

"That's a lot of goldfish," said Blair as she stared hungrily at the plastic bag containing the swimming fish.

"At least now I got something to put in the fishtank," said Yūji.

"Didn't it seem odd that the goldfish just leapt into Yūji's bowl?" Hana asked.

"Maybe Yūji-sama is a fish whisperer," Ruby joked.

From the distance, Juvia smiled as she had done something good by helping Yūji catch those fish. As an Undine, she had power over water so it was an easy feat to toss the fish out of the tub and into Yūji's bowl.

"I see you had something to do with Yuji's gained goldfish."

"EEPED!" Juvia exclaimed as she turned around to see a gothic girl with her hood down. She asked "Who are you?"

"My name is of no importance," D calmly answered.

"What are you doing here?" Juvia suspiciously asked, concerning whether this gothic girl was after her Yuji-sama.

"Classified," D replied as she took out a card from her Duel Pad and slapped it on before she vanished from sight.

Juvia blinked before she narrowed her eyes, "She better not be after Yuji-sama." If the gothic lolita girl was after Yuji-sama, then she and her were going to have to talk.

* * *

><p>"Shinichi, have you been taking good care of my Kurumu?" Ageha asked.<p>

"Yeah," he confessed. "She's also been taking care of me."

"That's nice," smiled Ageha. "Oh, and have you been taking care of her needs in bed?"

"Mom!" Kurumu cried out in embarrassment, her cheeks red from blushing.

"Only when she asks," Shinichi answered.

"Well, she's still young and such an amateur, but if you want to know what it's like to roll in the hay with an expert..." she leaned in whispering into his ear. "Look me up." Kurumu grabbed hold of Shinichi and pulled him away possessively, hugging him close.

"No, he's mine!" Kurumu whined. "Go get your own!"

"Kurumu-chan, she's just joking," he said to her. "Right?" he asked Ageha. She didn't answer but she licked her lips and leered at him like a hungry predator. The gaze made him shiver involuntarily.

Ageha actually wanted to help Shinichi find peace through sexual healing. It was a Succubus' special ability. Through sex, all the negative emotions could be discarded.

Kurumu had told her so she knew of his past, of what had been done to him. It appalled her to learn that there were such people who would do such a thing to a child, and for ten whole years. This boy here, who her daughter loved, had been through so much. If anyone could help him cope, it would be Kurumu.

But maybe she would be able to borrow her future son-in-law once in awhile. Her daughter had bragged that he had a lot of stamina. Stamina for sex was quite attractive to Succubi.

"Move. I want to speak with him next," Tsurara said, shoving Ageha out of the way.

"Oi!" Ageha snapped.

"Shinichi, have you been performing your husbandly duties for my daughter?" Tsurara asked bluntly.

"Mother, don't ask that so openly," said Mizore in embarrassment as it was now her turn to blush like mad.

"We're not really married," said Shinichi.

"Oh, it's only a matter of time. She'll be 17 soon, ripe, and she's chosen you to be her husband. We could have the wedding back home," said Tsurara, smiling calmly.

"Actually, I'd rather be married after we graduate," Shinichi told her honestly. '_And after GIN-SHOCKER is gone._'

"Don't you love Mizore?" questioned Tsurara.

"I do love her," he told Tsurara honestly. Mizore blushed, touched by his admission.

"Then what's the problem? Why not get married?" she asked.

"It's too soon, and I still have to settle a few things," said Shinichi. Mizore was aware that he needed to find closure. It was something yet within his reach.

"Is this about your past?" Tsurara asked sympathetically.

"Yes," he admitted. Mizore had told her mother about his past, about what GIN-SHOCKER had done to him. It was a sensitive issue, and not something he was willing to discuss so openly.

"Such horrible people," sighed Tsurara. "Thankfully, you have Mizore to help you find peace."

"She's a calming influence," he said, giving Mizore a loving gaze.

* * *

><p>"So, how are you feeling Elle-chan?" Netto asked the girl. She and Netto were riding up on the Ferris wheel alone together in a single cart. While a Ferris wheel was not normally seen in a school festival, this was Yōkai Academy so since when was anything normal. It was small Ferris wheel, with four carts in total. Normally it would be a bad idea to do this with a beast that was currently sex hungry, but Elle was regaining control, at least for the moment. Besides, he had already accompanied Qiao and Kiko for some one-on-one time. It would only be fair for Elle to have him to herself for a little bit.<p>

"I'm fine for the moment," Elle answered, resting her head on his. "I just needed to calm down a little. The popsicles I had did wonders."

"You had twenty five servings of those popsicles," Netto told her. "Was it really that bad?"

"Unfortunately," Elle sighed, "And it will resurface again. Tonight."

"Is the right?" Netto sighed, "Well, you asked if we could have sex and I said yes, right? So how about we do it tonight, after the festival closes?"

"Mmm," Elle smiled mirthfully, "That sounds lovely." Her arms reached around his waist and she began stroking his nether region, much to his surprise and embarrassment.

"H-hey!" Netto blushed, "What are you-"

"Shh..." Elle cooed as she leaned into his ear, "It's alright _mon amour._ Just relax. We have the moment to ourselves for now, so enjoy it." She leaned closer and began licking voluptuously at his earlobe as she continued to stroke him through the fabric of his pants. Netto could only shudder at the sensations that the very sensual princess was giving him. He simply decided to relax and let her do what she wanted with him, but at the back of his mind, he knew that this was most likely at taste of what was to come.

"Netto, I would like to introduce you to my family soon," Elle whispered into his ear.

"Your family?" Netto managed to say, still gaining goosebumps from her ministrations.

"_Oui. _My mother and father would love to meet you," Elle smiled. "And my sisters as well."

"You have sisters?" Netto asked.

"Eight of them," Elle told him, "Each one representing a different nation and clan."

"Big family you got," Netto said. "What are they like?"

Elle rested her chin on top of his head as she thought about them. "Well, all of them a very nice. You would like them. Although, Lucia can get very frightening. Madoka is also really scary, but she seems to panic whenever Lubov is around. I am not sure why. My eldest sister, Milagros, is the strongest and most intimidating out of all of us. She's very nice though."

"What an interesting bunch your sisters are," Netto commented.

"They are, are they not?" Elle smiled. "Now, where were we...?" She leaned into the crook of his neck and started licking and kissing at his skin, making Netto shuddered in pleasure even more.

* * *

><p>Having left Leon to be with his father and uncle, Aphrodite had taken Tamao to play some of the games that the vendors had set up for the evening. The Manakyte had easily won her a small teddy bear from a shooting gallery game and also bought her a wooden mask that was made to resemble a fox. The festival was so crowded but Aphrodite was enjoying the time alone with her 'daughter' and seeing her enjoy herself. As they continued to walk around, Tamao suddenly stopped and pointed to a booth.<p>

"Mama, look! Fishies!" Tamao shouted happily as she ran over to the Goldfish game.

"Oh my, they look so lovely, don't they sweetie?" Aphrodite cooed as she knelt down next to Tamao to look at the goldfish. Looking up to the vendor, she asked, "How much for a try?"

"300 yen for 3 tries, ma'am," the vendor replied kindly. He had never seen such a beautiful woman in all his life and was doing his best to not act goofy in front of her.

Looking down at Tamao, Aphrodite asked, "Tamao, would you like to play?"

"Mn," the little kit replied happily. Aphrodite paid the vendor who gave her three paper scoops and a bowl.

Tamao then tried to quickly scoop up a goldfish on her first try, only for it to fall easily through the scoop as it tore a hole through the paper, plopping back into the water. Tamao pouted for a few seconds and tried again with her second scoops, this time a bit more slowly. Almost getting it close to the bowl, the scoop tore, allowing the goldfish to plop back into the water. Getting irritated, Tamao glared at the tub with the fish in it and then took her last scoop and tired again.

**TEAR!**

**PLOP!**

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry Tamao," Aphrodite apologized as her final scoop tore, allowing the gold fish to fall back into the tub. Tamao stood there, a few tears forming as she was about to cry. "Now, now, dear," Aphrodite consoled her while rubbing her back, "We can't win every game."

"But I want a fish!" Tamao cried.

'_Oh no, now what am I going to do?_' Aphrodite questioned herself in thought.

"Excuse me?" Aphrodite looked up to see a young man, no older than herself, standing there with a small smile on his face. "I couldn't help but notice this little one trying to get a fish." Tamao looked at the man with puffy cheeks and teary eyes. Seeing the man, she noticed he wore a pair of blue jeans, a white t-shirt with a black leather jacket and black sneakers. He had red spiky hair with black streaks that reached the top of his shoulders and blue eyes. On his right hand was a small black biker glove with some light padding. Looking at the fish and then back at Tamao, "I can see why it's so difficult, little one."

"I want a fish," the little kit pouted. The young man just patted her on the head and paid the vendor for his own try.

"Here, how about I teach you how to play?" Tamao looked at him and beamed with a big, bright smile. Aphrodite smiled as well and watched as the young man handed Tamao a scoop and then knelt behind her. Taking her hands in his, he helped her hover the scoop over the water while giving her some tips. "Now, relax and watch the fish swim. Keep an eye on their movements. One of the many things that lead to catching them is getting them in the right position."

"I see," Tamao said as she eyed the fish carefully. After spotting one she wanted, she hovered the scoop ever so closer to the water's surface.

"Now, grab your bowl with one hand and hold it in front of you and next to the edge of the tub," he instructed and Tamao did as told. "Very good, now, watch them closely and, when it's time, do it slowly. Keep your mind calm and breathe lightly." Tamao followed his instructions and slip the scoop into the water. Picking up a fish, she brought up carefully and moved it over to her bowl. In one swift but gentle movement, the fish was now in her bowl, Tamao smiling brightly at her success.

"Yatta! I got it! I got it!" she cheered.

"Congratulations, sweetie," Aphrodite praised her. "Now, thank the nice man for showing—" When Aphrodite looked up, the man was already gone, having vanished without a trace. "Ara, where did he go?

Aphrodite and Tamao looked around for a few moments but they couldn't see him anywhere. Looking at the two, remaining scoops, Tamao decided to try again and successfully caught two more goldfish. The vendor put them in a bag of water and handed Tamao her new pets. As Tamao and Aphrodite continued on their way, the young man from before watched them leave with a soft look in his eyes. His eyes then hardened as he looked around and over to the direction of the Headmaster's office. He then closed his eyes and vanished, as if teleporting right from where he stood.

* * *

><p>Shinichi had agreed to have dinner with Mizore, Kurumu and their mothers. Moka had excused herself, not wanting to be a bother. Shinichi wanted to tell her otherwise but she told her that this was his dinner with them, not her. Shinichi was disappointed that Moka wouldn't be joining them. Moka really didn't have anyone visiting her for the Halloween Festival. None of her family members even dropped by for the Sports Festival. Part of Shinichi wished that his mother was here as well. Moka's family couldn't be bothered with coming but his mother would've loved to have come, and he'd pretty much tried to prevent her from coming. When was she due to arrive, he didn't know. He knew it would be within these three days of the Halloween Festival. It could be tonight, tomorrow, or even the day after tomorrow.<p>

On the other hand, Rias and Akeno were with them during the dinner. Having not met them before, Ageha and Tsurara were rather wary of the two older girls who appeared to be attached to Shinichi. Kurumu and Mizore seemed to be more at ease with them, though still a bit worried. They had the same reaction with Hime and Reiri but the only attachment they had to Shinichi was sisterly love, and they were more attracted to Leon anyway. But what about these two?

"So, Rias-san," Ageha began, "How are you familiar with Shinichi?"

"We're old childhood friends of Shin-chan," Rias answered. "We've known him since he was little."

"And he was just so adorable," added Akeno.

Shinichi rolled his eyes. He remembered how the girls would always tease him, convince him to put on a dress and join them for their little tea parties.

"Oh, I see. So, you're just visiting him to catch up?" Tsurara inquired.

"Precisely," Akeno confirmed. "We haven't seen him in over ten years now. Another one of our friends called and told us that he was in this school. We just had to see for ourselves."

"And you both made the right choice," Ageha said, "He's grown up to be quite a man."

Shinichi flinched at her praise. Oh, he'd grown up, or rather forced to grow up. GIN-SHOCKER needed soldiers, not children, and he'd been conditioned to become one of their top agents and a weapon for them to use. His growth in Yōkai Academy was just good fortune as he had Moka, Kurumu, Mizore and Yukari to support him.

"Hey, can I ask something?" Kurumu began.

"You may," Rias acknowledged her.

"What was it like back when you were kids?"

"Well, the first time we met Shin-chan was back in kindergarten at a playground. Akeno and I were friends with Hime and Reiri so we befriended him through them," Rias began, "He was always seen with us so the older kids bullied him a lot. I always defended him."

"I remember," Shinichi sighed. "They called me 'girly-boy'." He didn't have any male friends as a child. The only friends he had were Reiri, Hime, Akeno and Rias. It seemed that the same situation had repeated itself here in Yōkai Academy.

"That's not right," Mizore frowned.

"And he cried a lot," said Akeno.

Yes, he had, but that was then. This was now. He'd changed from that weak little boy but not by choice. Come to think of it, when was the last time he'd shed any tears?

"Pe-shaw!" Kurumu waved off, "They were all just jealous brats."

"Shinichi's a wonderful person. They just couldn't stand it," added Mizore.

"Yeah, he's just so cute, sweet and charming. They just hated the fact that they didn't have the same charm he had," Kurumu huffed.

"Girls, you give me way too much credit," Shinichi said in embarrassment.

"Oh my, you both really adore him," Akeno smiled ear to ear.

"Of course," Kurumu and Mizore said in unison. "Why wouldn't we?"

'_Because I'm a coldblooded killer_,' Shinichi thought. _'Not that it matters to you girls.'_ He'd killed Saizou, the leader of the Lizardmen who'd bullied Yukari, Kotsubo and Junya, and felt nothing after what he'd done. No mercy, no regret, no remorse, and no guilt. That was what GIN-SHOCKER had done to him. The act of killing had become too easy. Just the thought of what he'd become made him hate himself just a little bit more. The only reason he wasn't beating himself up over the fact that he'd killed them was because he'd only done so to protect his friends.

"Hey, look, what do we have here? Four hotties and a couple of MILFs!"

Shinichi, hearing this rude comment, turned his gaze to a gang of guys who looked like delinquents. They had probably come to the Halloween Festival from the human world to stir up some trouble. They looked like they were in their twenties and they just smiled as he looked at the table. They also seemed pretty strong. Shinichi counted that there were six of them.

Shinichi, standing up, spoke, "You know, it's rude to interrupt others while they're having dinner."

"Oh yeah?" the leader snorted as he grabbed Shinichi's scarf. "What are you gonna do about it?"

Shinichi's eyes narrowed and Kuro appeared, suggesting, _"I recommend neutralizing them in a swift and painful manner._"

"Glad we're on the same page," Shinichi grinned. He drew his fist back and buried it into the thug's stomach, forcing him to release his scarf.

The leader, Thug #1, coughed as he doubled over from the punch. Snarling in anger, he commanded Thugs #2 to #6 to attack, "GET HIM!"

"Excuse me, ladies," said Shinichi with a wink. "It's time for me to take out some trash." He took hold of the folding chair and smashed it against Thug #2's head. He was stunned before receiving a palm strike to the chest that knocked the wind out of him before he was knocked to the ground with a heel kick. Thug #3 and Thug #4 charged next, swinging at him together but Shinichi bobbed and weaved before catching their fists. He twisted their arms painfully, forcing them to their knees. He saw Thug #5 coming at him as he was rushing at him with a switchblade while he was subduing #3 and #4. Releasing their fists so he could knock them out with karate chops to the neck, he caught Thug #5's knife hand by the wrist and forced him to release his weapon which fell into Shinichi's hand. He then leapt and nailed Thug #5 in the jaw with his knee before hooking his leg around Thug #5's neck and pulling him to the ground. The switchblade was then tossed down, stabbing him in the hand. He howled in pain but was silenced when Shinichi slammed his knuckles to his forehead.

The leader, Thug #1, was all that remained and he seemed intimidated by Shinichi. Then, his fear turned to anger as he rushed at Shinichi. Shinichi put his foot under Thug #5's body and kicked him towards Thug #1, knocking him to the ground as his body was pinned by Thug #5. Shinichi then picked up Thug #3 and #4 by their ankles and tossed them upon the two before putting #2 at the top of the pile, pinning Thug #1 underneath his subordinates.

Wait, where was Thug #6? Shinichi got his answer as he ducked from a swing and turned to look at Thug #6. He attacked Shinichi with moves that came from years of martial arts training, but that was nothing to Shinichi. Shinichi caught his wrist and twisted it until the bone snapped. The man screamed but was silenced as Shinichi elbowed his jaw, knocking some teeth out. He then boxed the thug's ears and then finished him off by kicking him square in the balls with all his might. The thug howled and collapsed, clutching his injured manhood in pain. Shinichi then knocked him out with a roundhouse across the face and then tossed him on top of the pile.

Thug #1 was trying to crawl out from under the pile when he looked up to see Shinichi. "Hey…wait…" the guy began to plead. "We were just messing around." Shinichi ignored his plea and took out his pistol, aiming it at Thug #1's face whose eyes widened in horror. "No! Wait!" Shinichi fired a stun shot and the man was promptly knocked out.

Shogo, Reiri and Hime all responded to the disturbance almost immediately only to come too late as Shinichi had taken care of it. He was twirling his pistol in his hand before sliding it into the holster on his belt.

"Are they...?" Shogo asked cautiously.

"They're alive, but they're going to be in a lot of pain when they wake up," said Shinichi, gesturing to the pile. It had taken less than 3 minutes to take care of them.

"And the gun?" Hime asked.

"Stun rounds," Shinichi shrugged. He turned back to the table to see how Rias and Akeno were looking at him.

"Oh my," Akeno said again, eyes wide. She had seen it but couldn't believe it. The once crybaby had changed a lot.

"That was... unexpected..." Rias blinked. "You really have changed." She had seen the entire thing from start to finish. He'd moved and fought like an expert.

Shinichi gave a half-smile, "Yeah. I can protect myself now." None of them could even lay a hand on him. Compared to him, they were just untrained thugs. He was glomped, but not by Kurumu. It was Ageha who had her arms around him and suffocating him with her breasts.

"That was magnificent!" she exclaimed as he flailed his arms about.

"Ageha, please don't suffocate my future son-in-law," Tsurara demanded coldly.

* * *

><p>Moka stood on the rooftop, sighing, as she looked out at the festival grounds. She felt lonely without Shinichi but she didn't want to be rude and intrude on their dinner. As she was thinking, she didn't notice that someone had followed her up to the rooftop. It was a man, who had dark skin, big muscles, and bald with a lecherous look on his face. He'd seen Moka all alone and was thinking of having some fun with her.<p>

As he got in close, his entire body went stiff and he jerked backwards. Standing behind him was Lina, wearing a white hoodie with blue jeans, and she put her hands around his head and gave it a sharp twist, snapping his neck. Moka gasped and spun around to see the White Cicada Cyborg drop her victim's body to the rooftop floor without a care.

"You should be more aware of your surroundings," Lina advised. Moka took a defensive stance. "Still don't trust me, I see."

"Did you have to kill him?" Moka asked. Her eyes were focused on the dead body.

"After what I found in his head, yes," said Lina. "And Kuro-kun would've done the same."

Moka wanted to correct Lina, on both statements, but she knew Lina was telling the truth. She had seen it for himself, Shinichi killed to protect her. After all, he'd killed the cybernetically altered Onimodoki, without mercy.

"What are you doing here?" Moka demanded.

"R&R," Lina told Moka promptly.

"Not to capture Shinichi?"

"Not yet." Lina paused as she stepped over the body. "I've actually been doing some thinking."

Lina looked out at the festival grounds and scanned for Shinichi. She spotted him, smiling, and getting along with everyone at the table. "He seems happy here."

"He is happy here," said Moka.

"Yes, you're right," agreed Lina.

"I don't believe he hates himself like you said," Moka informed Lina.

"Keep telling yourself that," Lina retorted. She had read his mind so she knew it was true. "You know, I always wanted Kuro-kun to be by my side, but I guess he's not Kuro-kun anymore, is he?" Moka saw the expression on Lina's face. It was sadness. She was saddened that the boy she loved no longer existed. He had changed.

"I'm sorry, Lina," Moka told her in an apologetic manner. "I'm sure Shinichi-kun still loves you, just not in the same way that you love him."

The tomboyish Cyborg sighed. "Looks like it's for the best then. I can trust you girls to take care of him."

"What are you going to do now?" asked Moka.

"I guess I should follow Kuro-kun's example," stated Lina. "I mean I'm the reason he left GIN-SHOCKER so I guess it's just fair that he becomes the reason I leave the organization. However..."

"Gebok won't give up," finished Moka.

"Gebok's here," Lina told her, causing Moka's eyes to widen. "You better be ready because tonight is the calm before the storm."

"I just want to know why do all this to capture Shinichi-kun?" asked Moka.

"Because of his potential power," said Lina. "What you've seen he can do is just the tip of the iceberg and GIN-SHOCKER wants that power, no matter what. You'll understand soon enough. You better go and rejoin him. He's starting to miss you." She pocketed her hands. "Until next time, I guess." In the blink of an eye she was gone, having teleported.

* * *

><p>"Moka-chan, where were you?" Shinichi asked as he found Moka walking towards him.<p>

"I just needed to use the bathroom," she lied. "So, how was your dinner with the others?"

"It was great," he said. "But I missed you." He took hold of her hand. "Come on, we got a few more hours before midnight. Let's enjoy as much as we can and then we can go to bed."

Moka blushed when he mentioned bed. She then leaned against him. "Shinichi...you know it's been awhile since I..." She licked her fangs. "Well..."

"You need blood," he understood as he removed his scarf to give her better access. "Be my guest."

"Thank you." She put her arms around him and pressed her lips against his neck for a sip. "Itadakimasu...Chu~..."

* * *

><p>Tamao yawned and Leon picked her up. "It's past her bedtime."<p>

"I see," said Ryūki, nodding. He was proud to see Leon act like a father. "Leon, how are you doing as a Rider?" He remembered how years ago Leon wanted to be a Kamen Rider like him because he believed his uncle was a great hero.

Years ago, Ryūki would often look after Leon. He was the boy's unofficial nanny and Leon always looked forward to his uncle's visit. On one visit, Ryūki had brought a pair of goggles like his own and gave them to Leon.

* * *

><p>"<em>Wow!" Leon (7 years old) exclaimed, as he held the goggles his uncle had just given him. "Are these for me?"<em>

"_That's right," said Ry__ū__ki as he tapped his own goggles. _

"_They're like yours," Leon smiled as he put them on and pulled them over his eyes. "See, now I look like you!"_

"_It's going to be a long time before that, Chibi-Shishi (Little Lion)," Ry__ū__ki told him._

_Leon argued loudly, "I'm not a lion! I'm a dragon like you! A big scary dragon that eats up all the bad guys!"_

_Ry__ū__ki countered, with pride, "I think you're better suited to be the lion; the leader of the pride. Everyone looks up to you and you're responsible in protecting them. Plus, the lion is the KING of beasts."_

_Leon didn't even think about that. In his mind, a dragon was much more cooler than a lion, but his uncle was telling him that lions were awesome too. "You really think I'm a king, Uncle Ry__ū__ki?"_

_Ry__ū__ki answered, "Yeah, but a king in a good way. A king leads his people but also serves them as well. He thinks for the best of everyone. They must also be strong for their people."_

* * *

><p>Hime and Reiri approached the pair, smiling.<p>

"Hello, Leon," smiled Hime as she gave him a kiss on the cheek. Reiri was more daring, kissing him on the lips. This caused Ryūki to cock an eyebrow.

"Girls..." groaned Leon as he noticed Ryūki's look of disapproval. "Um, Hime, Reiri, this is my uncle, Ryūki Hasuma. He came with my father."

"Uncle?" Reiri repeated, curiously.

"Not by blood, but his father and I are sworn brothers," Ryūki explained.

"It's nice to meet you, Hasuma-san," Hime curtsied while Reiri bowed. "It's an honor."

"So, are you both close to Leon?" Ryūki asked.

"Yes, very close," Reiri smiled.

"Close indeed," Hime added, her smile mirroring Reiri's.

"Anyway, we've still got some patrolling to do," said Hime. "Come on, Reiri."

"Hai, Hime-sama." She winked at Leon. "See you later." The two girls walked off leaving Leon and Ryūki.

"Why can't you be more like Shinji and Naruto?" Ryūki questioned once the girls were out of earshot. "Well, Shinji has four girls, but at least he keeps it at that."

Leon answered, "I tried to keep it at none, but these women are as stubborn as Dad is!"

Ryūki sighed, "The curse of the Smith Charm..."

"You don't approve," concluded Leon.

"No, but I won't condemn it either," Ryūki replied. "Besides, this is your life and you deserve to be happy."

"Thanks," Leon said. That was when he saw Yuki and the female Manakyte marched to him and gave him a salute.

"Taichō," she greeted. Leon returned the salute. She looked at Tamao. "She's tired isn't she?"

"She's had a long day," Leon said. "So, how was today?"

"We've had to stop some altercations, and arrested a few men trying to harass Shinichi and the women he was with," said Yuki. She noticed Ryūki and bowed courteously, "Excuse me. I hope I wasn't interrupting anything."

"No, of course not. After all, this is official business," said Ryūki.

"Yuki, this is my Uncle Ryūki," Leon introduced.

"Oh, I see," noted Yuki. "I'm Fudō Yuki, Leon-taichou's lieutenant."

Ryūki took note of how close Leon and Yuki seemed to be, even while they were trying to be professional. He hoped Leon had chosen Yuki for her skills and not appearance. "It's nice to meet you," Ryūki smiled. He counted Aphrodite, Hime, Reiri and now Yuki. Four different girls. Yep, Leon was definitely Warren's son.

* * *

><p>As Leon put Tamao to bed, he thought back to another time he was with his uncle many years ago as a child.<p>

* * *

><p><em>A year after Leon had received his goggles, Ry<em>_ū__ki_ _had come to give Leon another present._

_Ry__ū__ki_ _summoned his Keyblade to Leon who saw it appear in a flash of light, gripped in his uncle's hand. His eyes were wide as he admired it._

"_The Keyblade..." Leon uttered._

_Ry__ū__ki_ _confirmed, "The greatest weapon known in the Multiverse."_

_Leon looked at the weapon in wonder. He'd heard so many stories of how his uncle and father had used their Keyblades to save the Multiverse. "Wow...What's it do Uncle Ry__ū__ki?"_

_He answered, "It opens doors to your hopes and dreams."_

_Leon requested, "Can I touch it?"_

_Ry__ū__ki smiled. He didn't see any harm in letting Leon put his hand on the weapon. Of course, today was an important day for Leon. "OK, but when you do you need to be ready."_

"_Ready?" Leon questioned._

"_I'm going to conduct a special ceremony," he said. "Now, put your hand on the Keyblade." Leon did as told, placing his palm on the weapon._

_Ry__ū__ki recited, "In your hand, take this Key. So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking, its wielder you shall one day be. And you will find me, friend—no ocean will contain you then. No more borders around, or below, or above, so long as you champion the ones you love."_

_The Keyblade shone with light that travelled up Leon's arm. The light was so warm and comforting and he could feel the magic flowing through him._

"_What was that?" Leon asked._

"_It's the Keyblade Inheritance Ceremony."_

_Leon's eyes widened as he stared at his hand, "OK...that is awesome." His smile grew huge as he looked up at Ry__ū__ki. "You're so cool, Uncle Ry__ū__ki! Does this mean I can use the Keyblade now?"_

"_Not yet, Leon."_

"_But we just did the ceremony together!" whined Leon._

"_Indeed, but the Keyblade Inheritance Ceremony doesn't work like that. When the time is right, the Keyblade will come to you. Until then, just always keep a strong heart._

_Leon gave Ry__ū__ki a big smile before vowing, "Right! I'll beat up the bad guys and save everyone!"_

_Leon then went to challenge Kenpachi Zaraki and had his ass handed to him._

* * *

><p>His uncle had known better. He was in fact someone who'd fought in one of the greatest wars in reality. A veteran who knew the truth.<p>

He remembered how his uncle had looked at him that day when he'd said those words. Especially, the part where he would save everyone. His uncle knew the truth that one person couldn't save everyone. Leon had to learn the hard way that it was impossible to save everyone. He had to have that fact beaten into him.

'_If I knew how things would've turned out after, I never would've made such a foolish vow_,' thought Leon depressingly. But that didn't mean he would stop trying. Looking at Tamao's sleeping face, he smiled and stroked her cheek tenderly. The fox kit unconsciously took his hand in her small hands, holding it close.

Leon swore, his voice but a whisper, "You'll see, Uncle Ryūki. I will save everyone, and make this world safe for my little girl. Even if it costs me my life..."

* * *

><p>D was on the school's rooftop, observing Yuji Fudo and his 'harem'. She was curious as to how #04, #07 and #11 could betray the same organization whom had given them their powers and purpose. It was inconceivable. Then again the organization orchestrated the NUMBERS termination at first that may have motivated the girls' betrayal, but still they should be loyal to GIN-SHOCKER.<p>

"Hello D."

D turned around to face Yuki Fudo with her arms crossed.

"Yuki Fudo, sister of Yuji Fudo," D identified.

"Yes, that's me. What are you doing here? Especially since you are out in the open," Yuki Fudo inquired as she was planning to arrest D for trespassing and attempted murder of her cousin.

"I am here to observe Yuji Fudo and other GS traitors, but mostly Yuji," D answered.

"Wait, mostly Onii-sama?" Yuki blinked. "Do you have some sort of crush on him or something?"

"What are you talking about? I don't have any crushed objects at all on him," D tilted her head in confusion. Yuki sweatdropped at D's literal perception of her words.

"No, I mean do you have any feelings for him?" Yuki asked.

"What do you mean?" D asked again, not understanding Yuki.

"I mean do you have any affection for Onii-sama?" Yuki elaborated.

"I am not sure what to say. I can say that I find him interesting," D answered truthfully.

'_Wow, another woman is interested in Onii-sama,'_ Yuki mentally commented. It seemed Yuji had attracted attention of another GS agent, one who was a Psychic Duelist.

"He is a Psychic Duelist like me, but additionally a Dragon. He was the first person who has ever defeated me. And even after all the threats made to him, he still chooses to protect BLACK 13," D continued.

"His name is Shinichi!" Yuki glared with glowing eyes.

"Sorry but it is a standard protocol to call GS operatives, traitors or not, by their codenames," D apologized.

"Well that doesn't matter to me, so you should not call him by that name! What are you trying to do?" Yuki narrowed her eyes as her eyes glowed a bit brighter.

"Kill him," D answered. "Those were my orders."

"I'll be damned to let that happen!" Yuki declared with her ice spear drawn.

"Sorry, but I will not let myself get captured," D retorted with her Duel Pad on. "I have no orders to fight you, so then _saraba_." D placed a card on her Duel Pad and she teleported away.

Yuki relaxed as she let out a sigh. "This is going to be trouble," Yuki murmured. "Onii-sama, you sure know how to attract strange women."

* * *

><p>Close to midnight, five minutes to be exact, Shinichi walked Moka to her room. She invited him in and they sat on the bed. Both were tired. It had been a long yet enjoyable day and they managed to spend some time together. There were still two more days to the festival and she looked forward to the Jack-O-Lantern dance with Shinichi.<p>

The couple shared a deep kiss which lasted for almost a minute, then shared another one with more passion. Shinichi removed his scarf and jacket before gently pushing Moka onto her bed.

* * *

><p>Shinichi and Moka weren't the only ones to have some late-night lovin'. Netto and Elle had gone to the latter's room to have some more time to themselves. As soon as they entered, Netto wasn't given any type of chance to react as Elle pushed him down on her bed and started kissing him with hot passion. Her tongue swirled with his as saliva spilled out of their mouths. Slowly, scales crawled up on her skin as her wings and tail appeared out of her back and skirt. Breaking off from him, she looked at him with her blue eyes glowing in the dark.<p>

"_Je veux que vous …" _she whispered with pure lust, her claws slowing tearing up his shirt. _"Je veux te baiser ... Je veux ta bite à l'intérieur de la chatte ... Je tiens à vous rouler toute allons-nous briser ... Je veux que tu sois la mienne ...!" _Tearing up the shirt completely, she grinned. _"Maintenant ... la baise commence."_

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME'S AFTERWORD: And so we've reached the end of the School Festival's first day. Next up is the second day of the festival and even though we've got fun and games lined up for you, Shinichi's gonna have to face his demons in a showdown with his freedom on the line.<strong>

**Credit Also go to my fellow co-writers**

**1. Kamen Rider Bushido**

**2. Tailsmo4ever**

**3. GuyverGenesis (formerly known as Toku Warrior)**

**4. Kamen Rider Goji**

**Also, credit goes to Shadow Element 13 for providing ideas.**


	62. Halloween Fest: A Young Girl's Heart

_I love Moka-chan, Kurumu-chan, Mizore-chan and Yukari-chan, and that scares me. I keep hurting the people I care about. I killed my team, I killed Lina, and I cared about them so much, that it hurts me when I think about what I did to them. Hurting them hurts me. That's pretty much why I hate myself. I keep causing the people I love pain and I feel pain too. It's weird; I don't feel any pain from killing my enemies, but the thought of hurting my friends and family terrifies me. It terrifies me a lot. I think that while I hate myself, I'm terrified of myself as well. That's why I broke my bathroom mirror with my fist. I couldn't stand looking at the face looking back._

_-Shinichi Banabara_

**Chapter 62: A Young Girl's Heart **

Moka awoke and sighed happily as she pressed herself against Shinichi's warm body. They were under the covers of her bed, their clothes strewn all over the floor.

Last night they had made love and she had enjoyed every second of it. They'd even re-enacted a love scene from one of Shiori's books. Shinichi had removed her obi by pulling at it and sending her twirling. That had been fun.

Then the lovemaking began which allowed the two to connect intimately. Warm bodies were pressed together in the heat of passion and desire. The pleasure, affection and love drowned out the pain, doubt and fear. All that mattered was the connection they held with this closeness.

Moka didn't mind it when he had his weight pressed upon her and he didn't mind it when she bit him and dug her nails into his back. The pain and pleasure mixed deliciously. Breathing and moaning became more hurried before the female Vampire screamed as her body shuddered with release. His body too became rigid as he experienced his own release.

This was followed by a tender embrace they shared before falling asleep in each other's arms, bodies warmed by an act of love.

She didn't want to leave his embrace.

* * *

><p>In another room of the girls' dorm, Netto awoke to find himself on his stomach and underneath the body of the Dragon he had just made into a woman. Managing to rub the sleepies out of his eyes, he looked up and saw her smiling enticing at his face as she played with his hair. She was still in her Hybrid form and her black hair was flowing down her back like a silky cape, having been let loose the night before. <em>"Bonjour,"<em> she whispered to him.

"Morning to you too," he smiled back. Elle leaned closer to place kisses that trailed along his cheek and to his lips.

"Last night was wonderful," she praised huskily, her hands stroking his shoulders and her breasts pressed against his back. "I loved it."

"You mean you love having your way with me," Netto remarked playfully. She suddenly thrust her hips into him, causing to him gasp.

"Yes I do," she grinned. And then she started to grind in and out.

"Nghn...!" Netto flinched. "H-hey, Elle-chan... you're kinda-"

"Hmm...?" Elle purred in an unconcerned fashion. Then she proceeded to kiss at the crook of his neck.

Netto was actually someone you would call an uke, meaning that he was often on the receiving side of relationships. So far, all of his girlfriends were dominant towards him. Qiao was cuddly and playful, and knew all the ways to play with him. Kiko was sensual and seductive, and able to make him jitter. Elle could also be seductive, but she was also aggressive, she really showed it last night.

He could still remember how intense she was. They had so many orgasms that he still felt pretty sore. Elle was right on top of him the whole time, and she didn't let him go. And she even got hold of a strap-on, and he remembered how she pounded into him. That was the last orgasm they shared before finally collapsing into submission. And it felt great. Of all his girls, Elle was the first one to ever penetrate him in such a way.

He never knew how smooth her scales really felt. They weren't hard and rough like the scales of ordinary reptiles. And her breasts, even though they were covered in scales as well, were still very much soft. But just because the scales were soft did not mean they weren't durable. The scales could easily take a hit and still carry a gleam in the light, as if never taking a hit.

Elle removed herself out of Netto and turned him over to his back. "We have about two and half more hours before the festival starts again. Perhaps we can have a little more fun before we get ready?"

"That... sounds good," Netto smiled.

Elle smiled back as she lowered herself and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Don't worry. Thanks to you, I am no longer in heat. I will be gentle this time." She kissed his chin before going for his lips.

* * *

><p>Daichi stared at the ceiling of his room, eyes wide in disbelief. He was lying under the covers of his bed and he wasn't alone. Next to him, wearing nothing but her birthday suit, was Haruhi and she was snuggling up to his side, a look of bliss on her sleeping face.<p>

The Cricket Cyborg, self-proclaimed hater of women, wondered in his head, loudly, '_WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED LAST NIGHT!?_'

Despite what others may believe, he was not gay. He was like any regular heterosexual male and could get attracted to women. He just didn't trust them because of his sister and Dr. Kujirai. Of course there were exceptions like Michiru, Hana and Misato. Then there was Nekonome-sensei who was a Bakeneko whom he had a crush on due to his love for animals. Now there was Haruhi, the crazy Ogre girl who had been chasing him since he had defeated her at the martial arts tournament.

He had to blame the bikini. When the 'Dunking Idiot' thing didn't work out he just swallowed his pride and asked Haruhi for help. The girl had happily agreed and changed into a bikini.

A lot of guys paid good money to see a hot girl in a bikini get wet.

Then one thing just led to another and here they were...

"Shinichi... he's never going to let me hear the end of this...Yokoshima too... and Misato... oh God..." Daichi uttered. Haruhi stirred and opened her eyes, half-lidded, and smiled sleepily at him.

"Good morning~" she whispered before kissing his cheek.

"Haruhi...we need to talk."

* * *

><p>The AV Club was doing a Horror Movie Marathon and were playing old horror movies for the festival. People who wanted entrance would need to pay admission before entering the AV room. Of course, these were not the usual horror movies.<p>

"So, their idea of a horror movie is a film about an immortal demon hunter picking off teenage monster kids in a summer camp," Shogo concluded after he had read the list of movies:

**Bad Moon Rising**

**Bad Moon Rising II: The Revenge of Van Hellsing**

**Bad Moon Rising III: Van Hellsing Lives**

**Silver Bullet**

**Terror of The Vampire Slayer**

**Witch Hunt: The Horrors of Salem**

And many other titles. It seemed that a monster's perception of horror was to paint humans as monstrous killing machines. The films were made from a monster's point of view.

Shogo then spotted Yokoshima and Shiroha. "Hey, Yokoshima...what the hell happened to you?"

Yokoshima looked pale and he gave a wave, "Hi..."

"What happened to him?" Shogo asked Shiroha.

"He met my mother," Shiroha smiled.

"Your mother?" Shogo blinked. Considering that Shiroha was a sub-species of Succubus, he wondered if she was anything like Kurumu's mother.

"They kept me up all night," Yokoshima added. The implication of his words made Shogo's eyes go wide.

"You don't mean..." Shogo frowned, "Yokoshima you didn't!"

"Huh?" Yokoshima blinked in confusion. Sheila appeared soon after in response.

"_You must be mistaken, Shogo. Yokoshima did not perform sexual intercourse with both Shiroha and her mother,"_ said Sheila.

"Wait, what?"

"We just talked, all night long," Yokoshima said.

"Then, why are you so pale?" Shogo asked, wondering if Yokoshima didn't have the life sucked out of him.

"My mother was being too affectionate for his brain to handle," Shiroha giggled.

"What did you talk about that lasted all night long?" Shogo asked curiously.

"We were talking about Shiori Banabara-sensei's books," Yokoshima said.

"I can imagine what that's like," Shogo said, understanding.

* * *

><p>"Come on, Papa! Let's go! Let's go!" Tamao ran out of the dorm building with her father chasing after her.<p>

"Tamao, slow down! Or you'll-!" He saw her trip. "Tamao!" He was about to dash and catch her when someone else did.

"There you go," the girl said as she planted Tamao back on her feet. "You OK?"

"Thank you, Onee-chan," smiled Tamao.

"Thanks for saving her," said Leon as he made his way over to Tamao and the woman who had stopped her from tripping over.

"No problem," said the girl.

"Hey, I remember you," recognized Leon. "You were here for the Sports Festival. Celeste Warner, right?"

"Yeah," she smiled. "I heard there was a Halloween Festival so I came again for a visit."

"We were just on our way," said Leon.

"Candy!" Tamao jumped.

"Candy?" Celeste questioned.

"They're giving free candy at the entrance," said Leon. "Tamao can't get enough of them." Celeste just giggled with a smile, thinking of how cute the image of Tamao getting candy would look.

"Want to walk to the festival grounds together?" Celeste asked.

"I'm actually waiting for someone," said Leon.

From the air, Ryoko was watching the scene with interest.

* * *

><p>As he stood around and looked at the festival before him, Goemon let out an appreciative whistle as he admired the set up. As he was about to walk around and explore, he was nearly sent to the ground by a powerful force running into him. "Goemon! You came!" Michiru squealed as she tackled Goemon from behind in a surprise hug. The Centipede Cyborg stumbled forward in surprise as the Mantis Cyborg hugged him tightly.<p>

"Haha! Hey to you too Michiru," Goemon said half-heartedly as she let him go, "How you doin'?"

"Everything's going great so far," Michiru beamed, "We're students here now!"

"Students, huh?" Goemon blinked. "How?"

"Oh you know, shit happens," Misato said as she and Hana came over to join them. "Hey, Goemon. Long time no see."

"Yeah, same here," Goemon nodded. "So how's it hanging?"

Hana shrugged, "The usual. School, homework, tests-"

"Orgies," Misato finished with a grin.

Goemon cocked an eyebrow at the mention of orgies but decided to contribute to the conversation nonetheless, "And GIN-SHOCKER's still causing you trouble."

"Not just GIN-SHOCKER. Just recently there was this deal with a group called ANTI-THESIS, but Shinichi took care of it," said Hana.

"ANTI-THESIS?" Goemon asked.

"A gang of Hybrid Monsters with anger issues," Michiru summarized, folding her arms behind her head. "Compared to GIN-SHOCKER they were small fry, but they did cause a lot of trouble. The Festival almost got shut down because of them."

"Hey, Go-kun! I got ice cream!" Ren shouted as she walked over with two ice cream cones. She stopped and blinked as she noticed his new entourage. "Huh?"

"Yo, Ren," Goemon smiled. "These three are some more teammates of mine; Misato, Hana, and Michiru," he introduced as he gestured towards them. Looking at his old teammates, he added, "Ladies, this is Ren Rakusa."

"Uh... what's up?" Ren greeted, smiling.

"Woah, what a cutie! So you got yourself a girl following you too, Goemon?" Michiru grinned.

"Yeah, sure. You could say that," Goemon shrugged before catching on to Michiru's words. "Hold up. What do you mean 'too'?"

"Apparently Shogo, Daichi, Chiaki and Yokoshima gained girlfriends of their own," Hana answered. "Looks like leaving GIN-SHOCKER gave all of us new possibilities."

"Tell me all about it. Too bad for the others though. Sucks to be them I guess," replied Goemon. "And where's that big bad boyfriend of yours?"

* * *

><p>As much as Shinichi and Moka didn't want to leave their bed, they knew they had to get up eventually. They were still needed at the Kamen Rider Cafe. Shinichi was the Class Rep and he needed to set an example and be responsible. His classmates respected him and he didn't want them to think their trust in him was misplaced.<p>

Shinichi took a quick shower before letting Moka use the bathroom. She'd take longer in the bath since she needed to look really nice and clean. Not to mention she also needed time to purify the water with her herbal & mineral mix so that water wouldn't harm her body. Meanwhile, Shinichi would make breakfast. He looked inside her fridge and gathered everything to make a simple breakfast.

When Moka exited her bathroom, her mouth watered at the wonderful aroma flowing from the kitchen. As she stood in the doorway of her bathroom, she saw Shinichi coming out of the kitchen with two plates of food.

"You only had bread, butter and eggs, so I made butter toast with a side of scrambled eggs," he told the Vampire girl. Putting the plates down on the table, he returned to the kitchen to get their drinks. Moka's glass was filled with tomato juice and he had himself a glass of milk.

He allowed Moka a few minutes of privacy to get dressed before sitting together for breakfast. Moka loved his cooking. She couldn't believe what a great cook he was. He never even had any lessons in his life.

Kuro made his presence known as he appeared and spoke, _"Query: Shouldn't we be at the cafe now?"_

"I think everyone can handle things without us for a few minutes, Kuro," said Shinichi. "It's not like anything is going to go wrong..." He paused and grimaced, "And I just jinxed myself."

Moka needed to tell him something important. She took another bite of her toast before speaking, "Shinichi-kun, there's something I need to tell you."

"What is it, Moka-chan?" he asked. She sounded urgent. He could tell.

"Lina's been talking to me."

"...What?"

* * *

><p>"And another day of business," said Netto as he opened up his steamed pork bun stand for the second day of the Halloween Festival. After a little more fun with Elle, Netto got himself ready and started to get the stand set up. Qiao would join him later. His joints still felt sore from the night before, but he bore through it.<p>

As he got the first batch of pork buns heated up, someone approached the stand. "Oh my, what's this? It's smells nice," the girl said.

"What I have here are steamed pork buns," Netto said as he looked up from his work. "Want some?" He paused and blushed at the sight of the person before him.

The girl, Akeno, smiled at his expression. "Ah, don't worry. I get that expression a lot," She smiled coyly.

"Huh?" Netto blinked before shaking himself out of the funk. "I'm sorry. So, how many?"

"Two bags would be fine," Akeno answered. She leaned forward at Netto, and her smile widened. "You're Netto Kusanagi, aren't you?"

"How do you know about me?" Netto asked.

"Shin-chan's told me about you," Akeno answered. "I'm one of his older friends, Akeno Himejima. It's very nice to meet you."

"So you're one of Shinichi's childhood buddies," Netto realized. "It's nice to meet you too, Himejima-san. How did you find out he was here?"

"Hime-chan called us," Akeno told him. "She told us about the Festival too. Buchou and I took her up on her offer and we finally found him. He's quite handsome now."

"Lots of girls seem to think so," Netto remarked. He blinked as caught on to what she said. "Wait, Buchou? There's someone else with you?"

"Yes," Akeno grinned. "Shin-chan said that he would introduce us to all of you later, but we wanted to get something to eat. I didn't expect for one of Shin-chan's cute friends to be working here."

"Uh... sure," Netto blinked as he darted his eyes back and forth. He handed her the two bags of steamed pork buns. "Here you go, enjoy."

"Thank you," Akeno said as she handed him the money, took the bags and gave Netto a wink. As she walked off, he let out a sigh as he brushed his bangs.

"Are all Shinichi's childhood friends hot girls?" he muttered to himself. Looking up, he saw Kiko running up to him, her face all flushed. "Kiko-chan? What is it?"

"Netto..." Kiko began, "I have a bit of a... problem."

"What?" Netto asked.

"It's-"

"KIKO, YOU BRAT!" a loud voice suddenly boomed. "GET BACK HERE AND GREET YOUR ELDER SISTER LIKE A GOOD LITTLE GIRL!"

"...My sister," Kiko finished, her face paling.

* * *

><p>Moka explained to Shinichi about her conversations with Lina. He didn't say anything when she spoke; didn't comment or interrupt. He just sat across from her, with a neutral expression. It was unnerving as it was the same expression that Kuro wore, an expression devoid of emotion that caused her concern.<p>

Once she finished, Shinichi confirmed a few of her concerns, "Yes, I do hate myself."

Moka didn't like hearing that. "But what you did wasn't your fault."

"But I didn't do anything to stop any of it, did I? It's still my fault for not doing anything, for not resisting," he told her. "They succeeded, you know?" He stared at his hands. "They wanted to make a weapon, a cold-blooded killer, and I'm the result." He clenched his fists. "I don't feel anything at all when I kill."

"You do feel regret for your past actions, though," she told him. "Even if none of it was your fault. You still blame yourself. You can feel regret and remorse. It's just…misplaced. You're not blaming the right people."

"No, I still blame GIN-SHOCKER for everything that happened to me, to my family, and to my friends, but I'm still a part of all that," he replied, pushing up his bangs to reveal his scar. "This mark represents all my sins, Moka-chan!"

Moka reached over and caressed his face. "So, do you want to stay here with me for the entire day? If you don't feel like going to the festival today, everyone will understand."

"Can't avoid my responsibilities, Moka-chan," he answered.

"_If I may interject,"_ said Kuro. _"The logical course of action would be for Shinichi to hide himself as he is scheduled to be captured during the festival."_

"Where am I gonna hide, Kuro? They'll find me. And if I run, they'll chase me," Shinichi said. "But that's not a bad idea."

"You mean you want to run away from them?" asked Moka.

"Lead them away from you and the school," he corrected.

"And keep on running?"

"If it keeps you and the school safe, then yes. I'll keep on running." This school meant a lot to Shinichi. It was where he got his fresh start, where he met Moka and the others, made friends, made a new life for himself. That was why he had to protect it, no matter what.

"Then I'll run with you," she offered. Nothing else mattered to her.

"Moka..."

"I'll run with you to the end of the world if I have to, so you wouldn't ever be alone."

* * *

><p>Tamao was a ball of irrepressible energy as she dragged Celeste and Leon around the festival grounds. She just had candy earlier so that might attribute to her currently hyperactive state.<p>

"Onee-chan! Onee-chan! Come on! I wanna take you to the Ring Toss!" she cried excitedly as she pulled on Celeste.

"She sure is energetic," Celeste giggled.

"She's a little kid," Leon defended, "Everything is brand new to her."

The Ring Toss stand was being manned by Karin who was handing a prize to another lucky winner. "OK, who else wants to try?"

"Me! Me, me , me, me!" Tamao jumped up and down. "Me!"

"Ah, Tamao-chan," Karin beamed. "And Leon-san." She noticed Celeste. "Who's this?"

"Celeste, she's a new friend," said Leon. "Tamao-chan wants to try the Ring Toss, by the way."

"That'll be 300 yen," Karin said. She instructed, "Toss the ring and win a prize of your choosing." Leon picked up his daughter so she could look over the counter at the prizes that she could choose to win. One prize she had her eye on was a stuffed fox doll.

* * *

><p>Netto could only watch as Kiko was currently having her cheeks pulled by an older woman that was of strong resemblance to her like they were taffy. Kiko's arms flailed about helplessly as she tried to wail something out. The woman, whose name was revealed to be Siria, was a very tall and slim woman who seemed to be approaching her thirties. Her long blonde hair was tied up in a ponytail. She wore an angular set of glasses over her blue eyes, and a black business suit that hugged around her body, showing her curves and noticeable chest. Her face was very beautiful, but it was currently in a twisted frown.<p>

"Honestly, to think that my baby sister wouldn't have the decency to even greet me," Siria scowled, "I knew this school would wind up as a bad influence for you. Those damned commoners have been putting impure thoughts in your head, haven't they?"

"Siria-neesama...!" Kiko wailed through her stretched cheeks.

Netto decided that he's seen enough. "Excuse me!"

The older Night Elf looked up from where she was punishing her sister and saw the young "bishounen" standing in front of the stand. She glared at him, "You stay out of this, boy! This has nothing to do with you!"

"Actually, it does," Netto glared back. "Kiko happens to be my girlfriend."

Upon hearing that, Siria released Kiko's cheeks with a loud snap. As Kiko was left to massage her numbed face, Siria turned to face Netto with a glare. "Pardon me?"

"I'm her boyfriend," Netto said again. "My name is Netto Kusanagi."

"Hm. So introductions are in order, I see," Siria mussed. She gave Netto a bow, most likely the only form of respect she would ever consider giving him. "I am Siria Kirishima, eldest sister of the Kirishima Household." She stood up right once more, now with her nose held up high as she looked down upon him with a snort. "And you say you are my sister's lover? I'm afraid that simply won't do."

"I'm sorry?" Netto frowned.

"You're but a commoner, and a weak one at that I bet," Siria answered, her voice all haughty, "As if our parents would allow you to marry her."

"Siria-neesama, that's not-" Kiko began.

"I'm the one doing the talking here, so stay silent unless spoken too!" Siria barked, causing Kiko to shut up quickly. "Besides, we already have an engagement arranged for you in order to become the heiress of the household. You have no need for this commoner."

"Wh-WHAT?" Kiko gaped. "But weren't _you _engaged?"

It seemed to be a bad move to even mention that in context. The elder blonde's face had turned bright red and she had began to shake in where she stood, releasing a murderous rage so vast that even those not sensitive to it could feel it. Kiko and Netto slowly started to back away as they noticed her ire suddenly growing, not that it could help them all that much.

"Little runt Kiko..." Siria began, her voice trembling with pent up rage. Considering the likely hood of this ultra-dominatrix Night Elf ever getting laid, Netto guessed that there was more than just rage that was pent up in her. The eldest sister gazed down at the baby sister, her eyes blazing and her fist clenched and shaking. "It was canceled! CANCELED! I don't know why! Why don't you ask Kazetsubaki-sama?! He said something about 'not being able to take it anymore'!" Her hands launched forward at Kiko, once more planning to see how far her cheeks would stretch. Kiko cringed instinctively and closed her eyes, preparing for the worst...

...But the worst never came. Opening her eyes slowly, she saw Qiao standing in front over. Both of the Kitsune's hands had intercepted Siria's, keeping them away from Kiko's cheeks. Siria looked at Qiao with a look of shock, seeing as her unavoidable assault had been suddenly blocked, while Qiao stared up at the woman with a frown.

"Is there a problem?" Qiao asked politely. "You're causing a scene and people are staring."

Regaining her composure, Siria released her hands from Qiao and glared at her. "Who the hell are you?"

"Qiao Xang," she introduced, "And you're voice was so loud that it really hurt my ears."

"She's Kiko-chan's older sister," Netto told her. "And she told us that her family has an engagement planned for her."

"Engagement?" Qiao blinked. She looked back at Kiko before looking at Siria again. "Well with all due to respect, Kirishima-san, I can tell that Kiko-chan isn't too thrilled about being engaged without her consent. You can try to throw as many suitors at her all you want, but at the end of the day it's up to Kiko-chan to decide who she wants to marry."

"Words of a commoner have no meaning," Siria scoffed.

"In this case they do," Netto frowned, "And by the way, I assume the main reason why Kazetsubaki-sama called off his engagement to you is because he would've most likely committed suicide because of your incessant and ruthless badgering if he didn't. If you want a guy, then try not be such a heartless shrew." He privately enjoyed the look of unexpected outrage on Siria's face. In his mind, after seeing the way Siria acted, a guy would have to be either a complete masochist or someone who could tolerate both her attitude and personality. Or both. "Now if there's nothing else you want to talk about except for talking trash at us, I suggest you leave."

"Very well," Siria huffed. "This place reeks of commoner filth anyway. But understand that this is far from over! Mother and Father will hear of this soon enough!" With nothing else to be said, she turned tail and walked away. When Siria couldn't be seen anymore, Kiko sighed as the tension got released from her shoulders.

"Thank you," she breathed out.

"Don't worry about it," Netto smiled as he brought Kiko into a gentle hug, which she soon returned. "So that was your big sister? I wasn't expecting her to be such a...well..."

"Such a bitch?" Kiko finished as she noticed him trail off. "I know. Many people have that reaction as well. At least my other sister, Mimi, is nice."

"Don't worry, Kiko-chan," Qiao smiled as she hugged her from behind. "We'll protect you from her. You're safe with us. Maybe you wanna help with the stand? It could help get your mind off the situation."

"That's sounds like a good idea," Kiko admitted as the both of them released her from the sandwich hug.

"Alright then," Netto smiled. "Grab an apron and let's get cooking!"

* * *

><p>With the second day of the Halloween Festival at hand, the Kamen Rider Cafe was receiving another batch of customers who'd either heard about the cafe's service and coming in to experience it firsthand or being told that all the servers were hot girls wearing costumes. There were also a number of first timers who were curious and wanted to know what the service and food was like. The girls, cute in their costumes, greeted the customers as they entered, taking them to available tables. Boys in charge of being waiters served the customers warmly.<p>

In the kitchen area, cooking was done to prepare the customers' orders. Kurumu was in charge of baking and Mizore was in charge of creating their frozen treats like the Agito Ice Cream and RX Smoothies.

Shinichi and Moka actually arrived a little later but not too late. Shinichi was glad that everyone was able to handle themselves without him before his arrival.

Nekonome-sensei came to check up on them again. This was followed by Yūji who came to check up on Misato, Michiru and Hana.

But what really got Shinichi's attention was Daichi who had his face planted on a table. It was after he'd ordered his tenth RX Smoothie that Shinichi decided he needed to talk with Daichi.

Dragging Daichi out of the Kamen Rider Cafe and into the hallway as to not make a scene, Shinichi decided to find out what was bothering Daichi. The Cricket Cyborg, stubborn as always, was not about to reveal his shameful secret. That was, until Shinichi had to order him to. Daichi, knowing that Shinichi would not give up on the issue decided to spill the beans.

Shinichi summarised after listening, "So, you saw her in a bikini, couldn't control yourself, and had sex with her." To be honest, he was surprised. "Nothing wrong with that." He added in disapproval and disgust, "But what you did to her after..._how could you_?"

Daichi had pretty much told Haruhi that he never wanted to see her again.

Daichi snapped, "Well, _this _is different!"

"How?"

"I'm not a total man-slut like you!" Daichi retorted.

Shinichi had taken offense to that. "Hey, what's that supposed to mean!?"

"You flaunt around that you're bedding not just one girl, but three!"

"Oi!" Shinichi snapped, his eyebrows furrowing, "I do not flaunt around my relationships! I'm not some asshole who cheats on his girlfriend to sleep with other girls!"

* * *

><p>Somewhere in the Multiverse, Makoto Itou sneezed.<p>

In another corner, another pissed red.

* * *

><p>Shinichi argued, "What I do with them is out of love! Not for some sort of ego boost! They're the reason I'm the way I am!"<p>

"I don't doubt that..." Daichi mumbled.

"If it weren't for them, after I got my memories, I would've killed myself!"

"Is there a problem here?" Yūji asked as he caught the sound of the commotion.

"Daichi's just being a dick, as usual" Shinichi dismissed, "He's having commitment issues about his girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend!" Daichi denied.

"She seems to think so," Shinichi quipped.

"She's delusional! The only reason she even likes me is because I beat her during the tournament!"

"Well, she'd have to be delusional if she fell in love with a complete asshole like you," Yūji guessed.

"So now _I'm_ the bad guy?"

"In this context, definitely," Shinichi nodded.

"And you," Daichi pointed at Yūji, "You shouldn't even lecture me. You're just as bad as Shinichi."

"Because we're family, so of course there's gonna be similar shit between us," Yūji supported, "So cut the bullshit, or I am going to punch you."

Daichi ordered, "Stay out of this, Fudō."

"That's _Fudō__-sensei _to you, Takashima," Yūji corrected, "And as your teacher, I'm going to teach you a simple lesson: She fucking digs you! Why can't you see that?!"

"You know why..." Daichi started

"Yeah, your sister sold you to GIN-SHOCKER and Dr. Kujirai treated you like shit. Since then you think that women in general are evil bitches," Yūji dismissed. "Get over it! You have a chance to be in a real relationship, with a girl who loves you! You got hurt by someone you trusted, but that's no reason to just board up your heart! Yes, it's risky but it's rewarding when done right!"

Shinichi stated, "Haruhi-san's not a bad person, Daichi. You gotta learn to see that and trust her like you trust Misato, Michiru and Hana."

"She gave her heart, body and soul to you, and you pretty much threw it all away," Yūji berated, "Since you were so afraid she'd betray you, you betrayed her instead. Wow, I didn't know one of the infamous NUMBERS was such a little bitch!"

All their points and accusations kept hitting Daichi on the head, as if someone was dropping a load of tombstones onto him with each rebuttal. Daichi glared at Yūji and Shinichi, his fists clenched. But he was smart enough to think of their words. What he did to Haruhi was unfair to her. Sure, he could risk getting hurt but in the NUMBERS he learnt that there was a risk in every action they took. He was taking huge risks by being a renegade Cyborg and fighting against GIN-SHOCKER. However, that was simply putting his life on the line. He wasn't sure he could put his heart on the line.

Shinichi told him, "Daichi, you got a chance for something good in your life. It doesn't mean you shouldn't be careful, but when a chance of happiness is standing right in front of you, you don't run from it."

"So, are you a man? Or a pussy?" Yūji questioned.

Daichi looked both of them in the eye, narrowed his own, and turned to stomp away in irritation.

"What do you think he'll do?" Yūji asked Shinichi.

"Daichi doesn't normally like to have his manhood challenged," said Shinichi. "But it could go either way. To be honest, I almost thought he was gay."

* * *

><p>Daichi later sought Haruhi out. He had his guitar strapped around his back because he had an idea of how to apologize to Haruhi. He had looked everywhere and was about to ask around after looking through the graveyard when he spotted her sitting under the old tree. Walking up to her, he took a few deep breathes. As he approached, Haruhi looked up with puffy red eyes. Daichi could tell that she had probably been crying her heart out all day. She loved him and he spat her affections right back in her face after taking her virginity. Well, now he was going to make it right. He'd show Shinichi and Yūji he was a real man.<p>

"Uh...hey," Daichi said with a distant expression, trying not to make eye contact at first as he gave her a small wave.

"_Sniff_...what do _you_ want?" she asked him in a low, almost, growling tone.

Daichi choked back a retort. He deserved that. He knew he did. After what he did to her, he was surprised that she didn't' try to kill him right where he stood just upon seeing him approach her.

Taking a deep breath and letting out a sigh, he began, "Ok, look, I know I screwed up and I deserve any and all hate you might have for me right now-"

"Damn right you deserve it!" she shouted.

"Hey, I'm trying to apologize here so would ya just listen for a sec?!"

Haruhi looked at him and then scooted over, allowing Daichi to take a seat as he set his guitar by his side. After taking a moment to gather his courage, he finally spoke, apologizing and explaining to her about what happened to him. He he told her EVERYTHING.

"Man, that's rough," Haruhi sighed. As she had listened to him talk, she had also scooted closer to him, their shoulders almost touching. She had already forgiven him but she wanted to hear him apologize some more. Just to get back at him. But she also felt really sorry about the hand that life had dealt him at such a young age. "So, you're not a Youkai after all but a Cyborg that was created by this...GIN-SHOCKER...to be one of their killing machines?"

"That's the basic gist of it," he replied.

"Your sister and handler were total bitches," the Ogre spat in a deadpan tone. She couldn't believe that someone's sister would just sell them off like that. And his handler was even worse, always treating him like a throwaway servant. That explained his behavior towards women.

"You'll get no arguments from me on that one," Daichi replied with a smile and a little chuckle.

"That explains why you're such a grouch then," Haruhi remarked. "Still, you really hurt me."

"I know," Daichi nodded. "There's no excuse for what I did to you. Anyway..." He took hold of his guitar. "I figured that, alone, words would do little to help me in apologizing so I also decided to do this."

"Your guitar?"

"Yeah, I want to show you how sorry I really am and I express my true feelings through music much better than through words. So, here's a small instrumental to tell you how truly sorry I am and how much you being around means to me."

Haruhi's eyes widened and she blushed. A song? For her? He began to strum the strings.

It had lasted for a good five minutes. Daichi never stopped and never sang a word. He let the sound of his fingers strumming the strings convey his feelings to her. And it was his true feelings. When Haruhi wasn't chasing him around like a love-sick puppy, he truly enjoyed her company. Haruhi just sat there and stared at him with a blush on her face and half-lidded eyes. To her, this was probably the most romantic and kind gesture she had ever received from a guy in her whole life. And she never wanted it to stop. She knew what people probably thought of her. Her kind looked for strong mates to love and, while he did beat her in the tournament, it wasn't his strength that attracted her to him. No. She was able to feel his true emotions in their fight. She could feel his feelings through his fists. And now she could hear them come from his guitar. Daichi was a man that best conveyed his true feelings through actions alone, not words.

As soon as he ended the song, he set down his guitar and looked at Haruhi and quickly noticed that look in her eyes. It was the same look she had that night when they gave themselves to one another in bed.

"I'm gonna take it that you liked the song?" She nodded as she got on her hands and knees. "So...I'm for-gwah!" He never got a chance to finish as Haruhi tackled into him, knocking him flat on his back to claim his lips with her own, kissing him deeply and with plenty of tongue.

Daichi didn't dare ruin the moment. Instead, he chose to enjoy it as he returned the kiss and wrapped her arms around her back, holding her body tightly against his. If all their arguments ended up with a steamy make-out session of apologizing, then they'd have to argue more often.

* * *

><p>Tamao was riding on Celeste's shoulders, licking a lollipop.<p>

Leon observed, "She seems to have taken a liking to you."

"I have no idea why though," Celeste blushed.

"She's just a sweet little girl," shrugged Leon. "She likes everybody."

"Hey, Leon!" Shinichi called as he walked up to the PSC Captain.

"What is it, Shinichi?" Leon asked.

Shinichi requested, "Leon, can you do me a favor?"

"What kind of favor?" Leon questioned, arms crossed over his chest.

"When my mother gets here, could you help look after her for me?"

"She should be fine, Shinichi. My guards are everywhere," Leon reassured him, "But, I'll make an exception here. Besides, Tamao wants to see Shiori in person."

"Thanks, man! I owe you!" Shinichi patted Leon on the shoulder and went off.

"Friend of yours?" Celeste asked.

"That's Nii-nii!" Tamao said. "He's Papa's friend and really nice!"

* * *

><p>Aki was walking by herself through the festival, enjoying the activities that were available. She then passed by a gothic lolita girl with her hood down. Aki tensed for one moment, turning her head only to see nothing.<p>

"What was that just now?" Aki muttered to herself. It felt like a Psychic Duelist but one she hadn't met before. Could it be the D girl that Yūji had mentioned to her? When Yūji had told her about D, she was shocked to hear that a Psychic Duelist was a member of GIN-SHOCKER. Hearing that story reminded her of own experience of following Divine in the Arcadia Movement. Thankfully, she had been able to break free of Divine's manipulations. She was glad to be free. Even though Divine had initially saved her before in the past from total despair but she learnt that Divine's motives were less than sincere. She supported Yūji's oath to save D, and also gave Yūji her blessings to add the girl to his harem, much to Yūji's embarrassment.

Meanwhile on the Youkai Academy's roof, D was observing Aki. Her eyes were locked on Aki, committing her image to memory.

"Aki Fudō, a.k.a. the Black Rose Witch. So she is Yūji Fudō's mother? I may need to watch out for her," D spoke before walking off.

* * *

><p>Goemon was walking hand-in-hand with his girlfriend, Ren. Both of them were having fun at Youkai Academy's Halloween Festival. The Centipede Cyborg was reflecting on some of the things which had happened to him over the years. He used to live under the care of his abusive father. That lasted until he slit his throat. He ran away after that, pickpocketing to survive. He unfortunately picked the wrong pocket-the pocket of Dr. Mashai. That led him to being converted into a cyborg killing machine. Back when in GIN-SHOCKER, he had been one sick puppy. He had temper problems that caused him to have trouble working with his fellow NUMBERS. The person he was on the best of terms with was Shogo Kuso. They were a good team and worked well on missions together.<p>

That lasted until one day where he and his comrades died at #13's hands. From his memory, he died by having his arms and legs ripped off before bleeding to death. Ever since he got revived, he wanted payback at #13. When he was sent with #10 and #12, he fought Necros. The battle didn't go well and he got captured. He was then interrogated and was forced to decide to either join forces with the renegade Riders or return to GIN-SHOCKER in disgrace. The surprising part was that Shinichi had decided to show mercy and let him go. He decided to take advantage of that by holding Shinichi hostage, albeit in a panicked state. Only Shinichi's words that held kernels of truth stopped him. He begrudgingly dropped his vendetta against Shinichi before giving the Black Cicada Cyborg info on the other NUMBERS' status. He then left, wondering what to do with his life from then on.

Truth be told, he was surprised at Shinichi's change in personality. He never recalled #13 being as merciful. Usually #13 killed his foes, and during the time of hunting down Shinichi, he (Goemon) was an enemy to him. Well maybe it was for the best that his personality had changed so drastically.

Anyway, afterward, he'd been wondering what to do with his life from then on. He had considered pursuing a dance career until he met the girl of his dreams, Ren. He and her got along well in a dance battle. He then saved her from being raped by a bunch of thugs and was offered a place to call home. At first he was unsure, but now he was glad that he took Ren's offer because that led to them becoming closer. At first they were friends, but as time went on they became lovers. He loved Ren for her personality and acceptance of his entire life.

Sure there were some bumps along the road of their relationship, but they were able to work things out. Deep down, he was glad that Shinichi had given him a second chance because he never would have met Ren. That and if he continued his grudge, he would've died and there could've been a chance he might have been revived as a pawn in a dark deity's game. Then if that dark deity were to lose, he might have become a bug.

* * *

><p>"Achoo!"<p>

"What's up?"

"Seems like someone was talking about me again."

* * *

><p>"Hey Go-kun! I see a DDR machine! Let's go!" Ren cheered as she dragged Goemon by the hand. Goemon chuckled a bit as he shook his head. He liked the girl's energetic personality. It was one of his favorite qualities, among other things. The pair played the DDR game while people were watching them dance. The male students were leering at Ren's body only to get scared away by Goemon's glares when he caught them ogling her.<p>

Goemon was currently happy. He was glad that he'd made the right decision of giving up on his grudge, especially since he found out from his teammates that #13 never really meant to kill them. It was really Gebok's doing. So since that cleared things up, he'd forgiven Shinichi and #13. All that was left to do was to make Gebok pay for what he did to them. He originally planned to rip off 13's arms and legs for payback, but now he decided that Gebok deserved that honor.

Anyway, it was all thanks to Ren that he had changed for the better. He was no longer a killing machine for GIN-SHOCKER. He was now a Kamen Rider and a lover for Ren.

* * *

><p>Todoriko Shiki grumbled incoherently as he dipped the mop into the bucket. Not too long ago he was once a member of the NUMBERS, one of GIN-SHOCKER's elite team. Now, he had been reduced into nothing more than a janitor.<p>

How had his life plunged so far? Now even the low-ranked GS-Soldiers were making fun of him. He was called a 'has-been' and a 'loser'. They didn't even bother doing it behind his back. Some would even kick over his mop bucket and laugh while telling him that he 'missed a spot'.

"Hello, #01," Kyofu spoke as he sneered at Todoriko.

"Ah, Prof. Kyofu," said Todoriko as he bowed to Kyofu. Kyofu took great delight in seeing one of the former NUMBERS reduced to such a pathetic state. He had not been selected for Project NUMBERS and thus worked on Weapon D. Once, he was one of the scientists who worked with Dr. Mental in the Psychic Corps. D was the one of the strongest members in terms of skill. The Psychic Corps were shown to be every bit as powerful as the NUMBERS, having a high success rate in missions. But after the unknown demise of Mental, the Psychic Corps was disbanded and the members absorbed into other parts of the organization. Kyofu took the opportunity to have D operate as a lone assassin, all to have her as the perfect weapon GIN-SHOCKER needed. This was not the case as BLACK 13 was chosen as the Ultimate Weapon instead, and to add insult to injury the Executives had him partner up with one of the former members of the Psychic Corps. Ever since then, he wanted to spite Gebok by sending his most prized creation to the scrapheap. Unfortunately, she failed at her mission to kill BLACK 13 and was being delayed because of a trivial promise she made with Yūji Fudō. Oh well, he would prove that D was superior, one way or another.

"You missed a spot," Kyofu pointed and Todoriko quickly mopped the spot. However, deep down, Todoriko felt like he wanted to scream and kill Prof. Kyofu on the spot. He hated being disrespected like this, but what could he do? Without the rest of the NUMBERS he was a sniveling coward whose only ability was to absorb power, and even then he needed to get close enough to his target. He couldn't dare to go up against Shinichi. Shinichi was just too powerful and the trauma of his death had left Todoriko with deep emotional scars.

Kyofu laughed at Todoriko's mopping. He then noticed D walking up to him. "Ah, D. You're back."

"Professor Kyofu, I have returned from my reconnaissance mission," D saluted.

"It is good to see you again, D. At least I can rely on you to perform your duties," Kyofu smiled. "Have you gathered any new intel?"

"Yes sir," D replied.

"Good now, let's go to my lab," Kyofu spoke as he turned his back walked away with D in tow.

Todoriko was scowling at D's back. He'd heard that this Weapon D was one of the replacements for him and the remaining NUMBERS. He bet he could take that girl on if he got close enough to her, disarm her and then drain her dry. Then not only would he gain a new power, but some well-deserved respect. Yeah, that will show everyone not to mess with him! He just needed an opportunity to prove that he was still a badass elite!

* * *

><p>Kyofu stood before his lab's door and punched in the access code which would allow him to open the door for himself and D. Once the door had slid open, he and D entered and the door closed behind them. Kyofu and D then walked into the center of the room.<p>

Kyofu turned around to face D and asked, "Now, may you present me your report?"

"I think this should suffice," D answered as she took out a USB key from her blouse. She walked up to the nearest computer terminal on the wall and inserted the USB key into a USB slot. The screen came to life and it showed Goemon dancing with Ren on a DDR machine.

"Ho, so #05 finally reappeared after a long absence. That is interesting to see, but is there anything else new?" Kyofu questioned.

"Please be patient, there is more," D requested. On cue, the screen showed Aki Fudō.

"Well this is truly interesting. Aki Fudō, the Black Rose Witch. Highly impressive D!" Kyofu chuckled.

"Thank you sir. But what got you so interested, Professor?" D inquired.

"You see D, I heard about the Black Rose Witch years ago and wanted to recruit her, but someone else got to her first. I think his name was... Divine. Yes, that was his name. I wonder what happened to him. But anyway, GIN-SHOCKER never approved of my proposal in recruiting her," Kyofu explained with a clenched fist.

"Why not?

"Because they said that we already have enough Psychics and said that 'Psychic Duelists are too impractical for warfare!' After Dr. Mental's death, all the Psychics we had were absorbed into other branches. Some even disappeared. But I will change all that with your help, D."

"My help?" D asked.

"Yes, once you destroy BLACK 13 and his allies, you will become a new symbol for the Psychic Corps that would rally other Psychics to our cause," Kyofu elaborated.

"So you are using me as a billboard?" D deadpanned.

"No, no," Kyofu tsked as he approached D and placed his hands on her shoulders. "You are not just a billboard, you are the Joan De Arc. The other operatives are Mongols to you. If you succeed, my project will be pushed forward. I would gather more Psychics to form a team, a team that will hand the world to GIN-SHOCKER on a silver platter! Then I will finally be recognized for my accomplishments and you will be recognized as the organization's Ultimate Weapon!"

"Very well, I will not let you down," D swore.

"Good to hear. But first you should have a warm up," Kyofu suggested. He then grinned evilly as he planned to have #01 as D's punching bag.

* * *

><p>The bus stopped to let out another group of passengers before driving off towards the tunnel. They followed the path towards the school building. Two of them were Shiori Banabara and Dr. Carl Washam.<p>

"My god, this place is amazing!" Shiori smiled as she looked around.

Carl on the other hand felt shivers going down his spine. "Kinda creepy if you ask me..." What was with all the tombstones? Was this really a school?

"But that's what gives this school its charm!" Shiori smiled, wagging her finger. "And look at the building! It's so majestic and gothic! Oh, the ideas are already coming to me!" Her smile widened as drool seeped out of her mouth. "Hehehe, 'coming'..."

"You're something else, Shiori," Carl sweat-dropped.

"OK, first thing we do is find Shinji. Nii-san and the others should be here already, so I'm sure they found him."

"Yeah, they were called earlier by Yūji," Carl remembered.

"Oh, it's been so long since I've seen my baby boy," Shiori said. "I guess he was worried about me possibly embarrassing him here."

"Strange, since he's got nothing to be embarrassed about," Carl shrugged.

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: There you go, chapter #62. This is the second day of the festival and it looks like things are starting to heat up for a lot of the characters. Again, thanks to Shadow Element 13, Guyver Genesis, Kamen Rider Bushido, Kamen Rider Goji and Tailsmo4ever for help on this chapter.<strong>


	63. Halloween Fest: Confrontation

_I didn't think I needed any friends if people were just too stupid to understand me. But then I learnt about Moka Akashiya, and how beautiful and wonderful she was. The problem was that she hung out with Shinichi who I had no idea about besides what I heard about him. I didn't think he could understand my loneliness, but he did, more than I could imagine. I mean, I at least have my parents but when he told me he didn't remember his, I was so sad. And I was trying to take his friend away from him. I'm supposed to be smart and I tried to do something so stupid. He understands me because he's kinda like a border being; half-machine, and half-human, and so sad too. His eyes are just so sad. He doesn't like talking about it. He's not that willing to talk about his past, but we all know it was horrible. I was told that humans were dangerous, but these GIN-SHOCKER guys were way worse than any human. They willingly turned themselves and others into monsters. They even turned Shunichi-san into a weapon. He was just a kid too! Now, he's fighting. He's fighting non-stop and I'm afraid that he'll break down because of it. Why did such horrible things have to happen to someone so wonderful?_

_-Yukari Sendou_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 63: Confrontation Between Creator and Weapon <strong>

As the Jack-O-Lantern Dance was tomorrow, students were asking each other to be their dance partner. The dance was a significant moment in their lives and they didn't want to end up dateless on the night it took place.

One such student was Katsumi Korin. She was looking for a certain someone, someone who wore the PSC uniform, someone named Shogo Kuso. She had watched him from afar, observing him as he performed his duties, which he took very seriously. Most boys in her grade were just a bunch of goofs more dedicated to having fun than having any form of responsibility, but Shogo Kuso practically lived and breathed responsibility. And she wanted him to be her dance partner for the Jack-O-Lantern Dance. She spotted him on the festival grounds on patrol, on the job as usual. He was unlike the members of the previous regime who enjoyed the power and benefits but not doing the job they were supposed to be doing.

Another student was Karin Maaka. She was really interested in having Leon as her dance partner. Unfortunately, the likes of Yuki, Aphrodite, Hime, and Reiri were almost always around him. Those four were among the most popular girls in school, and they made it perfectly clear that they were interested in the Student Police Captain. Karin, on the other hand, was not very confident in herself. The only thing most boys admired about her were her large breasts. She needed some help to get Leon to notice her, and she knew where to find it.

* * *

><p>After a while of spending time together, Celeste checked her watch. She looked like she had someplace else to be.<p>

Celeste told Leon, "Well, I had a good time with you both, but I gotta go now."

"Can't you stay longer, Onee-chan?" Tamao asked sweetly. Celeste let out a sigh and patted Tamao's head.

"I'm sorry, but there's something I have to do," said Celeste. She looked to Leon and told him, "We'll see each other again. You can bet on it." She walked away but Leon caught a look of regret crossing her face. Why was that?

"Bye-bye, Onee-chan!"

After Celeste had gone, Leon saw Shiori in the festival grounds with a man. Tamao saw her too and beamed.

Tamao cried out happily at the sight of the woman, "Auntie!" She'd only seen her in the form of a hologram once before so this was the first time they had ever met in the flesh. Excitedly, the little fox jumped off Leon's shoulders and bounded over to Shiori. "Auntie!"

"Oh, Tamao-chan!" beamed Shiori as she picked up the little fox girl. "I knew it! You're so much cuter in person!"

"Is this the little girl you told me about?" Washam asked Shiori.

"That's right, and she's supposed to be Leon's daughter," Shiori told him. "Hello, Leon."

"Hello to you too, Mrs. Banabara," Leon greeted politely. He didn't recognize Carl Washam.

"I'm Carl Washam, Misato's father," said Washam. "She invited us."

"Unlike my son who didn't bother to tell me he had a school festival," murmured Shiori, frowning.

Leon frowned too. He understood why Shinichi had not told Shiori about the festival, but Shinichi could've told his mother about Youkai Academy's rules regarding humans. But maybe Shinichi didn't want to worry his mother. Genetically, Shinichi was still human and no amount of cybernetic augmentation could change that.

"Since you both came a long way, maybe you both would like to get yourselves situated before going of to greet your children?" Leon offered.

"That'll be wonderful," smiled Shiori. "Hey, what's that over there?" Shiori was pointing to a certain stand that was quite colorful.

"Oh, that's the Cosplay Club's stand," said Leon. "They're renting out costumes to anyone who's interested." He caught the smile on Shiori's face. "You...want to try it out."

Her smile widened wickedly.

* * *

><p>Shinichi shivered involuntarily, as if someone had dropped a piece of ice down his back.<p>

"What's the matter?" Mizore asked her beloved future husband.

"Do you have the feeling something awkward is happening somewhere?" Shinichi asked.

"Well, _they _are here," Mizore pointed. The Kamen Rider Fanclub that worshipped Shinichi had filled up all the tables of the Kamen Rider Cafe.

"No, I mean something else akward," said Shinichi. He spotted Kurumu returning from advertising. "Hey, how have you been doing?"

"I just want to get out of this maid outfit," said Kurumu. Boys who heard that spun their heads sharply in the busty Succubus' direction, only to turn away when Shinichi glared at them with glowing red eyes. After what happened to Gin, they didn't want to piss him off.

"Well, you can take a seat and I'll get you a drink," Shinichi offered.

"Thanks, you're so sweet," Kurumu smiled sweetly. "So, where's Chiaki? I didn't see him doing advertising."

Shinichi answered, "Oh, he's helping the Art Club with their exhibit. They're showing off some art pieces."

* * *

><p>Shiroha tilted her head to the side as she looked at the painting that was on the wall. The Art Club had several pieces of art on display. "What is it?" she asked.<p>

"I think it's Modern Art," suggested Yokoshima. "I don't get it, though." He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see Chiaki. "Oh, Chiaki. You remember Shiroha, right?"

"**Hard not to, considering our circumstances**," Chiaki signed.

Shiroha whispered, "Why does he talk with signs?"

"It's a long story. All you need to know is that's how he communicates," Yokoshima whispered back. He asked Chiaki, "So, any of these pieces yours?" Chiaki nodded. "Well, whichever they are, they're awesome."

"**Thank you**," Chiaki signed. "**And Gemma-san says thanks for coming.**"

"Hey, we're buds. Of course I'd come to support you," said Yokoshima with a hand to his chest to show his convictions. "Oh, and have you heard? Daichi's got a girlfriend."

**"Seriously?"**

"Who's Daichi?" Shiroha asked.

"Oh, he's this usually grouchy guy with a guitar who goes to class with us," said Yokoshima. "Hey, Chiaki, do you have a partner for the Jack-O-Lantern Dance? I already asked Shiroha."

"**I'm still thinking**," Chiaki signed. He glanced at Gemma for a moment.

* * *

><p>Since it was Halloween, Shiori had decided to dress up, and her choice of a costume was the standard female Yōkai Academy uniform.<p>

Carl, seeing her in the uniform, spoke, "...Why are you so hot?"

Shiori put her finger to her lips and pouted, "Sensei, I did something bad. I need to be punished..." She accentuate this by posing her body a small bit and using her free arm, pressed it up against the side of one of her breasts while using her free hand to lightly grip her skirt. Seeing her pose so provocatively, Washam nearly suffered a nosebleed while fighting back a small blush of his own.

"Maybe later..."

Leon stared awkwardly at the sight but Tamao, innocent as ever, just thought Shiori looked pretty.

Shiori spotted a familiar pair and smiled, as she waved them over, "Ah, Hime-chan! Reiri-chan!"

"Oh, it's you, Auntie Shiori," Hime greeted. "Welcome to our school festival."

"We didn't know you were coming," Reiri said.

"Well, I was busy yesterday but now I'm here," smiled Shiori. "Have either of you seen my son around?"

"The better question is, why are you dressed like that?" Reiri asked, referring to the uniform Shiori was dressed in.

"Well, this is a Halloween Festival. I decided to dress up and I just can't wait to see the look on my dear Shinji's face," Shiori was beaming. "Plus, this makes me look so young!"

"Well, be careful because the skirt is short," Hime addressed. "You'll expose your panties if you don't watch out."

"I don't mind," Shiori said unabashed. "Now, would you girls mind escorting me to my son's classroom?"

"Not at all," smiled Hime.

"Oh, Akeno-chan and Rias-chan are here too," Reiri mentioned.

"I bet Shinji was happy to see them," said Shiori. She was happy to hear the good news that Rias and Akeno had arrived. Did that mean Akeno and Rias were Youkai too? Well if that was the case, then she was again surprised at the latest revelation. When she learned recently that Hime and Reiri were Youkai too, she didn't think it was bad. She thought it made Shinichi's childhood friends unique. Since she heard Akeno and Rias were here too and if they were Youkai, then that was just alright with Shiori too. Shiori was not a bigot like many people, she found things different from others unique and interesting. Although, GIN-SHOCKER's Cyborg Mutants did creep her out. But she was afraid to say it out loud because she didn't want to risk offending any ex-GS Riders. Anyway, she always knew that there was something unique about Shinichi's childhood friends when she first met them. She couldn't wait to catch up with Akeno and Rias to catch up with them.

"Well, happy and a bit of something else," Hime smiled mysteriously. "Come with us. We'll show you where he is."

"Carl, are you coming?" Shiori asked.

Carl spotted a familiar group and said, "Actually...I'm going to go and see my daughter and I think I just saw her."

"Well, tell her I said hi!" smiled Shiori. She turned to address Hime and Reiri, "So, how have you both been?"

"We're fine," smiled Reiri. "We actually met a boy." She looked to Leon and winked.

"Oh, really?" Shiori's smile widened. "Is it someone I know?"

"You already met him," said Hime. "He's standing right there." She pointed at Leon.

"Oh, sweet! Come on, give me all the details!" Shiori whipped out a notepad and pen, clicking the writing utensil rapidly.

"Don't you want to see your son first?" Leon asked Shiori.

"Oh, right," Shiori realized. "Well, I guess we can talk as we walk, girls."

* * *

><p>"Thanks for the choco-banana, Yūji," Michiru smiled as she licked her treat. Mia rode on her head munching on a carrot. Misato was licking on a pumpkin-shaped lollipop while Hana was chewing on some gummy spiders.<p>

"Hey, it's no problem at all," smiled Yūji. Ruby, Flannery, Blair and Riza were elsewhere. He hoped that the demi-werewolf didn't run into Leon but he had to trust her not to cause any trouble. "I'd get you girls any treats you want."

"There's one _treat _I want," smiled Misato as she licked her lips.

"Misato!" Carl called and the Mosquito Cyborg spun around to see her adopted father.

"DADDY!" Misato ran towards him, pushing aside people in her away, before leaping into the large man's arms. He caught her. "You came! You actually came!"

"Of course I did!" Carl Washam smiled. "Sorry about not coming for your Sports Festival."

"That's OK. You're here now," Misato smiled.

Hana and Michiru couldn't help but be jealous at the pleasant scene. Unlike Misato, they had complete and total assholes for handlers. Only Carl Washam had treated Misato as a daughter and still did.

"Welcome to Youkai Academy, Carl," Yūji welcomed.

"Mr. Fudo, you have been taking care of my Little Draculina while she's here, haven't you?" Carl asked in an interrogative tone that most overprotective fathers had.

"Dad, I'm not a little kid," pouted Misato.

"I've been taking care of all of them," answered Yūji. "And they've been adapting well in this school even if it's only been for a short time."

"That's only natural," said Carl. "They were trained to adapt to any situation, and considering what life was like for them in GIN-SHOCKER, a school for monsters would be like a walk in the park."

"Are you here by yourself?" Yūji asked.

"Oh, no. I brought Shiori with me," smiled Carl. "She's off looking for her son right now and she even got herself a costume."

"What costume?" Michiru questioned.

"A schoolgirl," he answered simply.

Yūji imagined Shiori dressed in the standard uniform for girls and grinned with a red face before Misato stomped his foot.

"Don't even try," she warned.

"What? It's funny," Yūji defended.

* * *

><p>Shiori, with Hime and Reiri's guidance, stepped foot into the Kamen Rider Cafe. She spotted her son taking orders and when he turned towards the kitchen, he caught a glimpse of her at the door. He froze and dropped his pen and notepad before yelling out, "KAA-CHAN!?" He noticed her outfit, "What are you wearing!?"<p>

"Hello, Shinji~!" Shiori ran towards him and hugged him tight. "Kaa-chan came to visit~!" she cooed.

"Ah, Banabara-san!" Moka gasped.

"Moka-chan, I thought I told you that you could call me Shiori-san. _Shiori-san_," she scolded playfully. "Ah, and the rest of your little harem is here too. Tell me, have you been giving them your tender loving care? Have they been giving _you _their tender loving care?"

"I have!" Kurumu raised her arm proudly. Moka blushed and looked to the floor, hands behind her back.

"It's supposed to be my turn next," Mizore admitted without shame.

"Well, if you do, then you should try the sports equipment shed, infirmary, and empty music room," Shiori advised. The snowgirl scribbled them down in a notebook. "Now, I'm here to scold my son for not telling me about his school having a festival." The girls suddenly remembered that Shiori was human.

Shinichi explained, "It wasn't because I didn't want you around. I do. It's just because this school is...well..."

Shiori finished, "It's a school for monsters and humans aren't allowed here. I know. Hime-chan told me."

Shinichi blinked, "Oh, she did, huh?"

Shiori continued, "She also said this place was dangerous. But I'm not afraid because I know you'll protect me. You've been trying to protect me from the start, haven't you?"

"Yes, I have," he admitted. "So, what do you want to see first?" he asked.

"How about your dorm room?" she asked sweetly.

"Don't you want to check out the rest of the festival?" Shinichi asked, blinking in confusion.

"Shinji, I just want to see and make sure your living arrangements are alright," Shiori said as she hooked her arm around his. "Come on, are you gonna say no to your Kaa-chan?"

Shinichi blushed and answered in a mumble, "...No."

"Well, girls! Later!" Shiori waved and dragged her son away.

"Hey, what about my order!?" the customer Shinichi had been serving yelled in annoyance.

In the hallway, Shiori ran into Nekonome-sensei who at first was alarmed by her presence but decided not to sound any warning bells. Shiori was a guest here at the school and had wanted to see her son. Shiori was happy to see the Bakeneko since they'd met last summer. The two conversed like old friends with Shiori inquiring about her son from her. Naturally, Shinichi was a bit uncomfortable. He was still getting used to having his mother in his life and having her take his education seriously.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, the Chinese pork bun stand was going steadily with business. People came with the cash and went with the buns, so it was no pressure at all. Kiko had joined Netto and Qiao in the temporary business after the unsettling episode with her big sister. It seemed to put the girl at ease, seeing as she was smiling again, even if she had to wear a wire cap to keep her hair from getting in the way. Though due to living in a pampered lifestyle, she knew next to nothing on how to prepare the buns. Luckily, Netto and Qiao were more than happy to demonstrate for her while she delivered the buns to the customers.<p>

_"Mon ami!"_ a voice called before a slight drift of wind blurred before them. "Doing well with the stand, I see? Oh, and you joined as well Kiko?"

"Yeah, pretty much," Kiko nodded. "So do you want anything, Elle?"

"Actually yes," Elle said. "Maybe three pork buns would do?"

"I'll get right to it," Qiao saluted. Looking behind her, she spot another familiar face approaching. "Ah, Karin-chan!"

Karin waved back shyly, "Hi. If it's not too much trouble, can I ask for a favor?"

"What's up?" Netto asked her.

"Well... uh..." Karin fiddled with thumbs as her cheeks slowly turned red. "You guys are more familiar with Leon, right? Maybe you could..."

"Do you want Leon to be your date during the dance?" Kiko said quickly.

Karin's face turned an even brighter shade of red, and nodded.

"Hehehe!" Elle giggled, "That's nice!" She suddenly blurred behind Karin and fondled with her large assets, much to the embarrassment of the Anti-Vampire, "Leon could have a lot of fun with these!"

"E-Elle-sempai!?" Karin stammered.

"What I'd like to know is why don't you ask him yourself?" Elle asked, pressing her cheek together with Karin's.

"Well, I just want him to notice me," Karin mumbled, still flushed over the fact that the busty Dragon was gripping her boobs, "But how could he when he has so many beautiful girls around him almost all the time?" She was referring to Yuki, Hime, Reiri and Aphrodite. "I can't compete with them!"

"So you have some self-esteem issues?" Netto realized.

"Hey, I have an idea," Kiko smiled, snapping her fingers, "How about we give Karin-chan here a makeover? Leon may be a gothic loner, but even he can't resist being with a pretty girl. Those four he's always with are proof of that!"

"What a marvelous idea!" Elle beamed, clapping her hands together, much to Karin's relief.

"How about we go over to my dorm?" Qiao suggested. "I have a few qípáos that might work for her. Hey, Airen, sorry but can we go and help Karin-chan out?"

"I have no complaints about that," Netto smiled. "I can handle things from here."

"Come on, Karin!" smiled Elle. "Let's doll you up!"

"It'll be like getting a huge dressup doll!" added Qiao excitedly, the fox-ear bangs on her head wiggling about.

The Anti-Vampire girl was beginning to question whether or not this was a good idea to begin with. She was soon dragged away with Netto watching.

* * *

><p>Shiori and Shinichi arrived to the student dormitories using a shortcut and the Cyclone-X3. The woman had only screamed in delight as she hung onto her son as the bike speedily made its way to the dorm building. He took her up to his floor and opened the door to let her inside. "Well, this is it. Home sweet dorm room."<p>

Shiori stepped inside and looked around. She saw a poster of Kurumu in a bikini on the wall and grinned. "I see you appreciate the female form."

"Well, she offered to give it to me and I didn't wanna be rude and disappoint her by not accepting," said Shinichi. Shinichi saw his mother check under the bed and frown in disappointment.

"No porn," she stated. "You should have at least one dirty magazine."

"Your books are on the shelf. The ones you lent me," Shinichi pointed. "And I still have the eroge you lent me."

"Oh, that's good. You almost had me worried there." She went to check the kitchen. It was clean and spick and span. She opened the fridge and nodded in approval. "I see you maintain a healthy diet."

"I have to be healthy. You know my lifestyle, Kaa-chan," he said.

"I like how you decorated your room, but I'm wondering about _that_," she said before pointing to something on the wall. It was a dartboard with a sketch of someone pinned to it. Shinichi had put up a picture of Gebok he'd drawn and pinned it to the dartboard. Instead of darts, there was a combat knife in the centre of the picture which sported many other marks.

"It's a picture of someone I really don't like," he told his mother.

"Most people use darts."

"I _really _don't like him," he repeated, much firmly.

"I guess you have your reasons," Shiori accepted. "So, could you show me your report card and test papers? I want to see how well my son is doing in his studies."

"I think you'll be proud," Shinichi smiled as he went to retrieve it.

"Well, I know that if there was a Sex Ed class you'd get an A++," Shiori smiled. She suddenly blushed and sheepishly asked, "Sorry, but can I use your bathroom for a minute?"

"Sure," Shinichi said as he pointed to the bathroom door.

Shiori entered and then asked, "Shinji, why is your mirror broken?"

Shinichi stared at his knuckles. He hadn't had it fixed since he punched it that time. "Just had an accident!"

* * *

><p>Shiori and Shinichi returned to the festival grounds to find Carl Washam with Misato and Yūji. At the sight of the muscular man, a look of recognition crossed Shinichi's face as Kuro spoke within his mind, '<em>That is Carl Washam, #04's handler and father figure.<em>'

"I...remember..." Shinichi replied. He knew the man. He was one of the nicest people in GIN-SHOCKER despite looking so intimidating. Finding out the man was going out with his mother had been a huge surprise. Now, he was going to have a confrontation with the man.

"Hey, Shin!" Yūji called. "Come on! There's someone you should meet!"

"Yūji-kun!" Shiori beamed as she captured her nephew in a hug, surprisingly strong as Yūji couldn't breathe from having his body squeezed to death.

"Too tight...too tight...!" he rasped.

"Oh, how I missed my adorable nephew!" she cried as she started spinning in place now.

"Help...somebody...fuck..." he said between spins as he felt himself losing consciousness.

"Great..." Shinichi muttered as he approached them. He looked up and regarded Washam respectfully, "Hello. Dr. Washam."

"Hello, #13," Washam returned. He amended, "I mean, Shinichi." Shinichi caught the look in Washam's eyes and knew that they would need to talk about that day. The day when things had fallen apart and when Project NUMBERS was terminated. He didn't look forward to that.

"So, you and my Kaa-chan, huh?" Shinichi asked.

"He's just been so sweet!" Shiori beamed as she hugged Washam's arms. "And check out these guns! They're awesome!"

"Yeah, I can probably imagine," Shinichi grimaced, looking the other direction with his ahoge twitching uncomfortably. Misato's left eye twitched as she saw Shinichi's mother getting so close and cozy with her adopted father.

Yūji, free of his aunt's suffocating hug, slung his arms around Shinichi and Misato, smiling obviously, "Look at us! One big happy family reunion!"

Shinichi and Misato shared a look as realization came to them. Both their parental figures were dating. Pretty soon they were going to be...

"Nii-san introduced us to each other during dinner the day Yūji-kun and the others returned from their trip," Shiori explained. "Those GS jerks tried to ruin things of course, but it was no trouble at all. Not to mention that I got to see Carl in action~!"

"Yeah, yeah. So you say," Shinichi and Misato said simultaneously. "Excuse us for a moment!"

The two removed themselves from Yūji and dashed off, leaving a trail of dust behind them.

"I wonder where they're off to," said Shiori, blinking.

* * *

><p>Misato and Shinichi found themselves in the Newspaper Clubroom.<p>

"My mom and your dad!" Shinichi pointed at Misato.

"My dad and your mom!" Misato pointed at Shinichi.

"DATING!?" They knew about this, but knowing and seeing it were two different things. And now that what they knew had been confirmed by what they saw and heard for themselves, they were freaking out.

"If _my _mom marries _your _dad, that'd make us-" Shinichi began as he paced in a circle along with Misato.

"Brother and sister!" Misato finished. This was huge, too huge in fact for them.

"You two only figuring that out now?" Yūji asked whilst leaning on the doorway.

"YUJI/ANIKI!" Misato and Shinichi shouted.

"I kinda don't see the problem here," Yūji commented at the two Riders freaking out before him.

"Yūji, if my dad marries Shinichi's mother, that would make you and I _cousins_!" Misato exclaimed, hands flailing. "COUSINS!"

"Hey, there's no guarantee of that," said Yūji calmly, trying to calm the girl down as he put his hands on her shoulders. "They're just dating right now."

"You can never tell what the future may hold," Shinichi spoke up. "Before long, they'll be church bells ringing, and I'd be walking her down the aisle."

"OK, but that would only count for legality and junk. Do you think I really care about that boring, confusing bullshit?" Yūji questioned. He looked to Misato, "And even if we do become cousins, we're not related by blood. We can still be together." He looked to Shinichi, "And tell me, do you think Carl's a bad guy?"

"Well...no," Shinichi admitted. "Among the people that worked in GIN-SHOCKER, he was one of the kindest."

"Then he'll be good for Aunt Shiori. She's been alone all this time. She deserves some happiness," Yūji spoke.

"You're right..." Shinichi reluctantly agreed. His mom was a widow and even she had needs.

"Now, how about we go back outside and enjoy the rest of the festival, OK?" Yūji invited.

"Hai, Sensei!" both Shinichi and Misato answered.

As the trio left the Newspaper Clubroom, a blue head of hair poked out of the corner to watch them go. "Jiiiiiii." It was Juvia. "Oh, Yūji-sama~! You're so amazing~"

* * *

><p>As Shogo was walking around, still patrolling the tents, he felt a tap over his shoulder. Turning around, he found Katsumi smiling at him. "Katsumi-san?"<p>

"Hello, Shogo-san," Katsumi nodded, gesturing to the woman next to her. "I want you to introduce you to someone."

Shogo looked over to the woman that was accompanying Katsumi. She had dark skin and sharp green eyes, much like Katsumi did. Her black hair was in the shape of a puffy afro. She wore a green blouse with a matching skirt and brown boots.

"So, you must be the young boy that my daughter has spoken so fondly about," the woman smiled. She spoke in a thick Creole accent.

"Daughter?" Shogo blinked. "Are you Katsumi-san's mother?"

"Nice to meet you," the woman nodded. "My name is Ayodele Korin. She has spoken highly of you."

"Has she?" Shogo looked to Katsumi.

"She says you're hardworking and responsible," Ayodele continued to praise.

"I'm just doing my job, ma'am," Shogo said modestly. Out of all the former NUMBERS, he was the most militaristic in nature. He never disobeyed or questioned orders from his superiors and was loyal through and through. As a student, he studied and did his homework. As a member of the PSC, he performed patrols and administered punishment for any infraction of discipline. His posture was straight, with his shoulders back. He did not slouch and often his walk appeared to be as a rehearsed march.

"So tell me, how do you feel about my daughter?" Ayodele asked.

"To be perfectly honest, ma'am, she's a good friend and classmate," answered Shogo. "Sometimes, when I'm busy doing my rounds, she always comes to check up on me. She even helps me out with my studies."

"Not like you need it, Shogo-san," said Katsumi, blushing a bit.

"Oh, just a friend? Nothing more?" Ayodele questioned suggestively.

"No, at least not yet," said Shogo.

"And what would that mean?" Ayodele asked.

"If you're asking me whether or not I am interested in Katsumi-san, then the answer is yes."

Katsumi instantly turned bright red as a smile slowly crept on her face. Ayodele smiled at her daughter as she patted her on the back. "See? You had no reason to be so nervous and he looks like a very promising young man, doesn't he?"

"Y-yes, he is," Katsumi nodded.

"So now, isn't there something you would like to ask him?" Ayodele beckoned.

"Oh..." Katsumi remembered. She turned back to Shogo as she started to stuttered "Sh-Sh-Sh-Shogo-san... would you... um...um..."

"Yes, I would," Shogo smiled. "I would like to be your partner for the Jack-O-Lantern Dance."

Katsumi, upon hearing those words, smiled from ear to ear before glomping Shogo in a tight hug. Shogo blushed slightly, but smiled as he returned it.

"Ah... teenagers," Ayodele mused.

* * *

><p>Karin was looking for Leon and as she walked through the school grounds a lot of boys were looking at her. Some snapping their necks as she passed by. The makeover had taken some time. They needed to put her in the right outfit and do her hair and makeup so when she asked Leon to be her partner for the Jack-O-Lantern she'd leave quite an impression.<p>

She spotted him with the little fox girl, Tamao, and smiled. This was her chance. "Ah, Leon-san!"

Leon, hearing his name being called, turned to see who it was. The moment he saw Karin, his eyes widened as his cheeks turned bright red. She was wearing a purple qípáo with a gold phoenix spreading over it. The dress hugged her figure, showing her slim curves and putting more emphasis on her chest. Her hair was done up in a small bun and she also had on some light pink blush on her cheeks, purple eyeshadow, and red lip gloss to give her a more mature look**.** "K...Karin?"

"You're so pretty!" Tamao cheered.

"Um, hi Leon," Karin smiled shyly.

"Karin..." Leon breathed out, "What's the occasion?"

"I asked some friends for a favor," Karin admitted. "They did a makeover for me."

"Well, they definitely outdid themselves," Leon said truthfully, "You look stunning."

"Thank you..." Karin blushed as she pressed the tips of her index fingers together, a blush on her cute face. "Anyway...you know tomorrow there's a Jack-O-Lantern Dance, right? I...would you mind...WOULD YOU MIND BEING MY PARTNER?" Karin's face suddenly turned as red as a tomato with steam coming out of her ears. "I'm sorry!" she screamed as she ran from Leon, embarrassed with tears in her eyes.

As Karin retreated, Tamao said, "Papa, I think she likes you!"

"Yeah... I think she does..." Leon responded slowly.

As Leon and his adopted daughter watched Karin run away, three other figures were also spying on them from behind a stand. "Shoot! She panicked!" Qiao frowned, slapping her her forehead.

"Ah, _c'est dommage,"_ Elle sighed, "Poor girl. She is like a delicate flower. Perhaps too delicate."

"We'll need to try a little harder then," Kiko mused. "Come on, let's go."

* * *

><p>When Shinichi, Yūji and Misato rejoined the others, Akeno and Rias were conversing pleasantly and animatedly with Shiori. It seemed that the woman hadn't seen them in years either.<p>

"Ara, Shin-chan," Akeno ran up to him, causing her breasts to bounce with each step. She hugged his arm. "We were wondering where you were."

"Ah, Ake-chan," Shinichi blushed. Suddenly, he was snatched out of her grasp by Kurumu who hugged him possessively.

"Hey, back off!" Kurumu snapped. "He's mine! Hands off, harpy!"

Akeno smiled playfully as she put her index finger to her lips. "Jealous...?"

Kurumu's eyes wandered to her breasts which were almost as big as her mother's and she felt inadequate. The fact that she was even more grabby than Reiri made it worse.

Yūji blinked, looking back and forth between everyone and asked, "Am I missing something here?"

Rias explained, "Oh, Akeno just loves to tease Shinji." She introduced herself, "Rias Gremory, I'm an old friend of his."

"Yūji Fudō, his cousin and teacher." He looked at her and Akeno's uniform. They were Duel Academy students. That was interesting.

"Ah, his cousin and teacher," Rias smiled. "Tell me, have you been taking good care of our toy?"

"Hey, I'm not your toy, Ri-chan!" Shinichi snapped.

Rias smiled and took out several photographs from her pocket. "These old photos beg to differ."

Kurumu's eyes snapped open. "Photos?" Photos of Shinichi as a cute and innocent child? "GIMME!" She lunged for them.

"Oi, Chotto!" exclaimed Shinichi. Whatever pictures Rias had would be only embarassing for him.

* * *

><p>In GIN-SHOCKER HQ's training room, Todoriko stood across from Weapon D at a far distance, back in his NUMBERS uniform. Todoriko flexed his wrists while D loosened up her legs. It just felt good for #01 of the NUMBERS to finally get a chance to receive his former glory.<p>

In the observation deck was Professor Kyofu who smiled sadistically as he looked forward to what would happen next. He didn't have to imagine the outcome. He knew how this was going to end.

Kyofu spoke into the microphone and his voice was broadcasted out of the training room's speakers, _"Alright #01, this is your last opportunity to prove that you are still an elite member of GIN-SHOCKER. Remember, if you fail you won't have anymore chances ."_

Todoriko smiled cockily at the fortune he was given. Professor Kyofu had offered him a chance to become an elite again. The only condition was for him to defeat Weapon D. Truthfully what Todoriko didn't know was that Kyofu was just using him as D's punching bag. Todoriko was simply too deluded to believe that this was all just a farce.

"_NOW FIGHT!" _Kyofu commanded.

"Henshin!" Todoriko called before he was enveloped by disgusting leeches before they dropped off to reveal Scanner. He then mocked D, "Don't worry little lady. I'll try to take it easy on you... NOT!"

D didn't respond as she calmly took out a card and slapped it on her D-Pad to summon Thought Ruler Archfiend. Scanner gulped at the sight of the creature which had materialized before him. Now he was beginning to wonder what he just got himself into.

"Battle. Thought Ruler Archfiend, attack and defeat #01," D commanded. Thought Ruler Archfiend obeyed and attacked.

"OH MY GOD! WHAT THE FUCK!? WHAT DID I JUST GET MYSELF INTO!?" Scanner screamed as he was running away from Thought Ruler Archfiend's energy blasts. "THIS IS JUST LIKE WHAT HAPPENED THE LAST TIME!" In the observation deck, Kyofu was laughing hysterically at #01.

"OH MY GOD! PLEASE STOP THIS, PROFESSOR KYOFU! I GIVE UP! UNCLE! UNCLE!" Scanner screamed at the top of his lungs. The Leech Rider was scared out of his mind. He was being chased by the flying Thought Ruler Archfiend, with D riding on top of it.

Kyofu was watching the spectacle before him with a gleeful smile, "Oh, I'm so sorry. I'm not going to end it just yet." Kyofu then pressed a button on the computer terminal. "I've got a much better idea..."

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, a SHOCKER Ball game was taking place in the sports arena, the seats filled up by GIN-SHOCKER staff. Once in awhile sporting events would be held in GIN-SHOCKER as a form of entertainment for their agents, as well as a shameless way to increase morale. That was why the sports arena was packed with spectators, all from GIN-SHOCKER, with a VIP Spectator's Box for the Executive members of the organization. When an announcement for both teams to arrive at the field was made, they marched into the field. On one side of the field were GIN-SHOCKER Soldiers but they were wearing red uniforms with protective padding and helmets. The other side of the field also had GIN-SHOCKER Soldiers but they were in blue, also with protective padding and helmets.<p>

"WELCOME SHOCKER BALL FANS! TODAY WE WILL SEE THE RED TEAM VS THE BLUE TEAM! FIRST TEAM TO SCORE FIVE GOALS IS THE WINNER!" the announcer yelled into his microphone.

On the field, there was a metal circle with a ball floating within an anti-gravity field. But it was no normal ball. It was made of steel and was actually a bomb. The Red Team was standing in front of another metal circle, which was their goal and the Blue Team was also guarding their own goal. Both teams had five players each. It seemed like they were playing American Football or Rugby but this was an entirely different game.

The teams were about to start when all of a sudden, the jumbotron mounted above the arena went static all of a sudden. The static then changed to the face of Professor Kyofu. The announcer became a bit annoyed at the interruption.

"_Greetings SHOCKER Ball fans, assorted staff members, and players. I apologize for the interruption, but I thought we should watch a special promotional video to help excite and motivate you. It would also make good entertainment for everyone. So I present to you #01 VS Weapon D!" _Kyofu explained before he changed the picture to show Scanner screaming and running away from Weapon D who was riding Thought Ruler Archfiend. Many GS members laughed at #01's misfortune.

_"OH MY GOD! SOMEONE PLEASE STOP THIS! IT IS NOT FUNNY! AAAAH!" _Scanner screamed as he got hit by Thought Ruler Archfiend's purple energy projectile. It sent him flying through the air before hitting the wall and slumping down to the ground face-first. Scanner then got picked up by Thought Ruler Archfiend and got juggled in his claws. Scanner was becoming dizzy and sick, _"Someone...please...stop...this...juggling!" _

* * *

><p>D, who was wearing her D-Gazer, heard Kyofu's ordered her, <em>"You heard him. Throw him into the ground." <em>D nodded and had Thought Ruler Archfiend throw Scanner down into the ground, hard.

"Oww," Scanner groaned. Weapon D had her Thought Ruler Archfiend disperse into particles of light. D landed, unfortunately for Scanner, on the Rider's crotch. Heels first. Scanner screamed out in pain.

* * *

><p>The male GS staff winced at Scanner's pain and crossed their legs while covering their crotches.<p>

"Ooh, that has gotta hurt," the red team leader in GS Red team sympathized.

Scanner was then shown being shot repeatedly by D's submachine gun. He screamed,_ "THIS IS REALLY PAINFUL!"_

"Yeah, I know," the Blue Team's leader agreed.

_"SOMEONE STOP THIS! WHERE THE HELL DID YOU GET THE STEEL CHAIR?!" _

"So, good game last time?" the Red Team's leader conversation started with the Blue Team's leader regarding their last match, despite being on opposing sides, ignoring Scanner's painful match.

_"OK SERIOUSLY?! A STEEL PIPE?! WHAT IS UP WITH THAT?!"_

"Oh yeah, it was a good game," the Blue Team's leader answered. "Blue Team rules though."

_"NOW SHE'S SHOOTING ME AGAIN!"_

"Screw that. Blue Team suck," the Red Team's leader retorted.

_"AAH! JESUS CHRIST I'M BURNING!" _Scanner screamed as he was set on fire by D's flamethrower. One must wonder where she was getting these weapons. _"COME ON!" _Scanner was then piled on top of with gray metal rectangular boxes with exposed glowing orange coils. _"WAIT WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" _Scanner asked fearfully. He saw D holding a grenade, knowing what she was going to do with it. _"Wait please no!" _She pulled out the pin and threw a grenade at the fusion coils. The plasma within them started up a chain reaction that created a big explosion that sent Scanner flying.

_"SONAVABITCH!"_

* * *

><p>Kyofu ordered D through his D-Gazer, <em>"Now have him admit that Cyborg Riders are inferior to Psychics in every way."<em>

D complied as she stood on Scanner's balls, grinding them with her right heel. "Admit that Cyborg Riders are inferior to Psychics in every way," she commanded.

"CYBORG RIDERS ARE INFERIOR TO PSYCHICS IN EVERY WAY!" Scanner admitted loudly and painfully.

Kyofu ordered D through the D-Gazer, _"Now have him admit that Psychics are the masters while the Cyborg Riders are their bitches."_

D complied and said, "Admit that Psychics are the masters while the Cyborg Riders are their bitches."

"OKAY! OKAY! PSYCHICS ARE THE MASTERS WHILE THE CYBORG RIDERS ARE THEIR BITCHES! NOW PLEASE LET ME GO!" Scanner begged.

"That is enough," Kyofu smiled at the spectacle. He spoke into the microphone, _"You may stop now D. You did excellent work."_

"Yes sir. Thank you sir," D complied as she lifted her foot from Scanner's balls. She then turned to the observation deck and bowed before she left. Scanner had numerous cracks and burns on his armor. There was also a chance that he may not be able to have any kids in the foreseeable future.

Kyofu was laughing hysterically at Scanner's defeat and bragged, _"YOU STUPID LEECH! You should've known you never stood a chance against D! I was only using you to be her punching bag!"_

"Wh...what?!" Scanner shouted in outrage and shock. That did it. That was the straw that broke the camel's back. Slowly gripping his shaking fists as his breathing increased heavily, images began to flash in Scanner's mind, images that showed events that lead to his fall from grace. First he was killed, then revived, got curb stomped repeatedly, watched his remaining teammates get eaten by a Duel Monster, and, to add insult to injury, got demoted to a janitor, and one can't possibly get any lower than that. But now this? This was a whole new bag of worms.

It was bad enough that all the GS-Soldiers and Guardsmen mocked him for falling so low. Everyone that passed him by whenever he mopped floors or cleaned windows made fun of him. But Kyofu was the worst tormentor of all. Kyofu constantly made it his business to make his life a living hell as much as possible. Whether it was making more messes for him to clean up or taunting him on how he was proof that the NUMBER Cyborgs were worthless, it made no difference. And now he had performed the biggest humiliation of all. Promising a chance to put back into the ranks of the elites, only to made a fool once again. And it was broadcasted live throughout the entire HQ.

That was all he could stand and now he can't stand no more. This very act had finally made him snap good. Shaking with rage, Scanner slowly stood up, ignoring the pain, and glared hatefully at Kyofu, red evil eyes under his hood glowing with intensity. "You... you... I'LL MAKE YOU REGRET THIS FOR SURE! YOU HEAR ME YOU FUCKER?! YOU CHICKENSHIT?! YOU ASS-FACED PUSSY?! YOU'LL BE SORRY!"

_"So you say, but I don't see that happening anytime soon,"_ Kyofu snickered. He then pressed the button on the computer terminal again.

* * *

><p>"<em>As you can see, even though this leech was a coward, this event shows that the Cyborg Riders are obsolete. I hope you've all learnt from this experience. This was also a test for #01 to see if he can become an elite again, which was approved by General Nagazawa. #01 failed that test. Therefore he is not an elite at all. He is in fact lower than a GS Trooper. Now that I am done, you may enjoy your SHOCKER Ball match. Good day." <em>

Nagazawa, who was watching the whole thing from his quarters gave off a snort, "Idiot. That arrogance of his is going to be the death of him one of these days."

* * *

><p>D was in Kyofu's laboratory. Kyofu was in front of D, commending her on the good job done.<p>

"You did very well D! I am so proud of you right now! You clearly showed that former NUMBER his place!" Kyofu congratulated D.

D couldn't help but feel a bit appreciated in pleasing Kyofu's expectations. She smiled softly, "Thank you very much sir. But I have one question though."

"Oh? And what is it?" Kyofu asked.

"Why did you have me fight against #01? I understand he was part of the elite NUMBERS, but by himself he was not a very powerful or skilled opponent. So why did you have me fight him? What was the point of it?" D asked curiously.

"Well D the reason why I wanted you to fight #01 was to humiliate him, but also importantly for you to fight #01 as a warmup for your upcoming battle against BLACK 13. Does that answer your question?" Kyofu answered.

"Yes, Professor Kyofu," D nodded.

"Good girl, never forget who found you in the first place and brought you here," Kyofu reminded.

"Yes sir. I am grateful that you saved me. That is also a reason why I wish to serve to your expectations," D returned.

"Excellent, now go ahead and take a few hours of R&R so that you can prepare to face BLACK 13 in the future. Dismissed," Kyofu ordered.

"Yes sir," D saluted, leaving Kyofu's quarters.

"Good girl. You are my greatest accomplishment that shall help upstage Gebok," Kyofu sinisterly smiled. "Speaking of him, I wonder what is he doing right now? Probably screwing up an important mission involving BLACK 13 if I know my rival well."

* * *

><p>Night had fallen over the Halloween Festival and again the switch from student vendors to private vendors selling their wares, food and drink as well as providing entertainment to those who'd come to enjoy themselves.<p>

Meanwhile, Shinichi Banabara was playing his harmonica while sitting against the fence of the school rooftop. He saw the roof entrance open as Gin came up.

"Hey, Gin. What's up?" Shinichi asked.

"Oh, I just came up here to get a good look at the full moon," said Gin.

Shinichi joked, "You're not gonna wolf out and go perry on us again, are you?"

"Nope," Gin answered. "So, what are you doing up here all by your lonesome? Shouldn't you be down there?"

"My family and friends are down there, having fun," Shinichi smiled before asking rhetorically, "It should be a good thing, right?" He paused before continuing, "I should be happy that I have so many people who care about me. But..."

"But...?"

"I'm just confused. I wonder how anyone can possibly stand being around me after learning about my past," said Shinichi. "Do you just feel sorry for me?"

"To be honest I used to envy you but then I found out you had a pretty fucked up childhood," said Gin.

"That's putting it mildly."

"Yeah, and knowing your past, I beat myself up for being crazy enough to pick a fight with you. Shinichi, I don't feel sorry for you. Heck, I never did. You just impress me because you're a survivor."

"Being a survivor means others had to die, Gin."

"You think I don't know that? The old Student Police destroyed my club and I was the only one left. I know what it's like to be the only survivor, maybe not to your degree, but I get it. What you need to understand is the girls don't care about the past. None of us do."

"Yes, none of you do," Shinichi smiled. He was glad in one part to have lovers accepting him, despite his horrendous past.

"Look, I know this is a sensitive issue, but did you really kill them? Did you kill Saizou and those other guys?" Gin asked.

Shinichi answered without a beat, "Yes."

"I'm surprised you didn't kill me when we fought," said Gin.

"Because I gave you a chance and you didn't make me regret it," said Shinichi. "However, they blew their chances and became threats, threats who would go after the girls. I had to kill them..." he sighed. "I wish I didn't have to."

"You never wanted to kill them," Gin concluded.

"No, but they didn't give me any other choice," he said regrettably. "And they made theirs."

And to think Gin had been jealous of Shinichi. The kid's life had been twisted since childhood. It was a miracle he hadn't turned into a psychopathic and sociopathic serial killer after what he'd been through.

"Hey, Gin. Can you promise me something?"

"What is it?" Gin asked carefully.

"If anything were to happen to me, please take care of the girls," Shinichi requested. He caught Gin's look. "And not like _that_. I'd rather not have your death be on their hands."

"Did you just make a joke?"

Shinichi shrugged, "Maybe."

Just as the two boys started to go silent, the door to the exit opened up again, a new figure entering the rooftop. "So this is where you boys are? Why aren't you enjoying the festivities?"

Shinichi turned around and blinked, "Kobe-sensei? What brings you here?"

"Well, I just asked you the same question," Kobe-sensei told them. "As for why I am here, just thought it would be best to view the festival from a bird's eye view."

"Well, we ain't stoppin' you," Gin told him.

"Hmm," Kobe-sensei smiled, moving closer to the ledge. "You know, it's so interesting to see so many different races socialize like this. Would make a good topic for an anthropology paper."

"Considering that some of the elite races look down on other Youkai, I guess this is a sight to see," Gin admitted. "Still, when you say it like that, you sound like a scientist observing a creature's natural habits."

"But you have to admit this is a rather fascinating sight," Kobe-sensei pressed on. "It's amazing, wouldn't you say? A school built for monsters, by monsters. A place where different races of the paranormal can gather all at once. It's quite remarkable, don't you agree?"

"Well, yeah I guess you can say that," Shinichi said slowly. His ahoge began to twitch. Something was off with Kobe-sensei tonight.

"And it would be regrettable if something were to happen here," Kobe-sensei continued. "Some very bad people would want have these supernatural beings studied, wanting to learn how their organs differ from humans, learning about what is that makes these creatures tick. Not to mention all the collateral damage..."

"Hold on," Gin's eyebrows furrowed, "Why are you saying all this?"

"Why?" a new voice suddenly spoke up. "It's all for research of course!"

Both Shinichi and Gin's eyebrows widened. They turned over to the corner and saw the last person either of them wanted to see.

"Gebok..." Shinichi growled. The man he hated more than he hated himself. The cause of everything that went wrong in his life.

"Well, it's good to see you too, BLACK 13," Gebok smiled, adjusting his glasses, "I hope that your stay here has been adequate."

"Kobe-sensei! Stand back! This guy's dangerous!" Gin ordered, standing in front of both Shinichi and Kobe-sensei. He remembered the man from last summer, and how he used the EMP on Shinichi. However, Kobe-sensei merely grinned before walking past Gin. He stood next to Dr. Gebok, much to his shock. "The Hell?!"

"I've been observing your growth and development through him," Dr. Gebok explained. "You see, Dr. Kobe is my robotic avatar. I see what he sees and hear what he hears." These words were mimicked by Dr. Kobe as well.

"So, all this time, he was an extension of yourself," concluded Shinichi.

"That's right," Gebok and Kobe answered in unison.

"Shinichi, what's going on?" Gin asked.

"Kobe-sensei has been working for Gebok. He's a puppet and he's been watching us, studying us this whole time," Shinichi clarified.

"What? Like lab rats?" Gin demanded.

"That's what we all are in Gebok's eyes; research subjects and guinea pigs."

(**Insert Song – Gluttony Fang– BlazBlue OST**)

Gebok brought out a tablet, "And now I am switching him to complete self-control." Gebok tapped his tablet and Dr. Kobe's eyes glowed before he transformed into a mechanical, humanoid octopus. He was brown and had six tentacles for arms, each tipped with a three-finger claw. He had a bulbous head with large red eyes and an octopus' beak in the middle of his chest possessing cushing force.

"This is his true form: Octobot!" Dr. Gebok then tore off his lab coat and changed into a humanoid cockroach Cyborg Mutant. He was clad in brown armor like an insect's exoskeleton. His head now sported mandibles and black bug-like eyes with a pair of long antennae. Only the lower half of his face was still human, the rest was completely insect. His hands now had claws at the tip of his fingers and he wore a black coat, which was in tatters. His antennae, which were tipped with arrows, twitched as his mandibles clicked together and he flexed his fingers. "And in this form I am Satan Roach!"

The two charged at Shinichi and Gin and both ducked under their first strike. Octobot lashed out with his six arms and Shinichi leapt backwards, performing a series of somersaults to escape their reach. Standing at his feet, he ducked quickly before he was decapitated by a swinging tentacle.

"Let's Ride: Showa!" Shinichi shouted and in a flash he was transformed into Kamen Rider Showa. As soon as he was in armor, a black and brown blur knocked him to the floor. Satan Roach snickered as he rose up before unleashing a series of slashes that tore sparks from Showa's armor.

"You have no hope of winning, BLACK 13! Now stop resisting!" said Satan Roach. Suddenly, he howled in pain as he was struck in the stomach by a punch that sent him skidding backwards several feet.

"Did ya forget about me, fucker?" Gin growled. He was now in his Werewolf form, his fangs baring fiercely.

Showa stood back up loosened his arms. "Gebok's mine." Shinichi didn't care if Gebok was fast. He had a way to defeat him. "You can take on Mr. Six Arms."

"With pleasure! Now, let's make some noise!" Gin howled and lunged at Octobot.

Showa confronted Satan Roach. Even if he was in his Cyborg Mutant form, Gebok was a scientist and not a fighter. He wasn't a trained soldier, unlike him (Shinichi).

He saw a blur coming at him and dodged to the side. He whipped out his Vulcan Shooter and fired, the beams missing Satan Roach as he dodged. The cockroach Cyborg Mutant whipped out his own sidearm and fired. Showa performed a dodge-roll before he got hit.

"EMP gun," Satan Roach informed him. "The only thing that can really stop you. Now, it's time to bring you home." The device was shot out of his hand.

"I _am _home!" Showa snapped as he switched his Vulcan Shooter for his Laser Saber and charged at Satan Roach. Satan Roach dodged Showa's slash but the Rider fired his Vulcan Shooter at Satan Roach who dodged the beams. This time, the mad scientist would not escape as the beams curved and hit Satan Roach, slowing the villain down. The mad scientist staggered and was within Showa's range to receive a painful slash across the chest.

Meanwhile, Gin was using his superior speed to dodge Octobot's tentacles. It was a full moon and thus he was moving at top speed as he dodged the attacks with ease. "Getting a little grabby, ain't ya?" He continued to dodge but all of a sudden he closed the gap between himself and Octobot and struck with a claw slash across its face and sent it staggering. It then headbutted Gin and sent him reeling. He rubbed his muzzle and howled as he just blitzed Octobot with a barrage of punches. It tried to strike him with a tentacle but he caught it with his teeth and crushed it with his jaw.

Satan Roach caught his second wind and was dealing damage to Showa's armor before knocking him down with a punch. "You got a lucky shot, but you're not as fast as me, not anymore." His antennae twitched and he shot bolts of electricity as Showa, causing him to scream. "I don't need you alive! All I have to do is kill you then revive you, while fixing you so you'll be my perfect weapon again!"

Showa continued to scream in agony when all of a sudden Cicadroid rammed Satan Roach in the back, halting his attack. "Cica...Cicadroid..."

"The support unit!?" Satan Roach shouted as Cicadroid attached to Showa's back. His eyes flashed as he got up to his feet. Satan Roach fired but Showa blurred out of sight before hitting him in the side.

"Now, this is a fair fight," said Showa before he and Satan Roach both blurred at super speed, exchanging fierce strikes ferociously. Showa utilized his energy whips, lashing them at Satan Roach with brutal ferocity. The transformed scientist tried to dodge the lashes the best he could, trying to find an opening to execute a counter, but the Rider was not about to let him have that chance.

They continued to clash and dash, ending up in the festival grounds, crashing into one of the stands and causing a panic before returning to normal speed. A crowd formed around the combatants, forming a wide circle, as they watched. The PSC was immediately on the case as they kept everyone as far away as possible from the battle. Except for several few people who squeezed their way out of the crowd.

"IT'S KAMEN RIDER-SAMA!" the Kamen Rider Fanclub began to cheer out as they saw their hero and idol in the middle of battle.

"What's going on out here?" Rias demanded, managing herself out of the crowd.

"Looks like some kind of fight," Akeno stated, pointing at the two humanoid bugs duking it out.

"Excuse me! Coming through!" Shiori yelled as she and Carl pushed their way through the disappearing crowd. Seeing the fight still commencing, she gasped, "Oh Shinji!"

"Shinji?" Carl blinked, taking a closer look at the black and white Rider. "That's him? His armor's different from before." The last time he saw the armor, it had been a completely black suit. Taking a look at the roach, his eyes widened as he recognized the form. "What? Why is _he _here?"

"Wait, Shinji?" Rias blinked. "Where is he?"

"He's the one in the black and white armor," Shiori explained, pointing. "But I don't know who that other one is."

"Banabara-san!" Moka shouted running up to her. "It isn't safe! We have to leave!"

"In a moment, Moka-chan," Shiori said quickly, "I need to see this."

"Hey, all of you!" Reiri shouted as she and Hime approached the group. "Didn't you hear? You all need to evacuate this area now!"

"It's not safe here!" Hime agreed, "You need to leave!" She was about to step forward when she felt someone grab her arm. She turned to see Rias looking at her with an intent gaze. Hime now felt that she was going to be on the receiving end of an interrogation pretty soon.

Showa had just deployed his curved energy blades from his forearms and was slashing at Satan Roach rapidly with them. He slashed him over and across the chest, sending sparks flying before performing backflip heel kick into his former handler's jaw. Satan Roach was sent staggering by the painful blow which was followed up by a brutal knee strike to his gut. Showa then picked him up and hit him with a right hook before picking him up again and sending him soaring through the air with a violent kick.

Satan Roach flipped through the air before landing on his feet. He spread his wings and took off into the air. Showa's Higurashi Wings activated and he took off after Satan Roach. They clashed in the air, sparks erupting with each blow. However, Showa was obviously the superior fighter. Using his energy blades, he sliced off Satan Roach's wings which sent the mad scientist plummeting violently to the ground.

"This is Game Over for you!" Cicadroid's wings burst and launched him at the grounded Satan Roach. At the same time, Satan Roach pressed a button on a device mounted on his forearm.

Meanwhile, Gin was about to hit Octobot with a claw strike through the chest when the robotic cephalopod suddenly vanished into thin air.

**"RIDER BURST KICK!"**

Showa struck with his dropkick but not his intended target. Octobot suddenly materialized, taking the attack for Satan Roach. The explosion which followed, however, tossed Satan Roach into the air and knocked him out of his transformation, forcefully reverting him back to human form as he went tumbling.

**(End Song)**

"Hah...hah..." Gebok breathed out. "I see...you've become stronger now, BLACK 13."

"That's not my name," Showa told him coldly.

"Keep telling yourself that," Gebok retorted. He got back to his feet, shakily. While he hadn't received the brunt of the attack, the force of the explosion had injured him slightly. Showa's armor formed jigsaw puzzle lines along its surface before shattering, deactivating itself.

Moka strode forward to give Gebok a piece of her mind. She hated this man for a lot of things, mainly for hurting Shinichi and ruining his life. He had taken an innocent child from their family and warped him into something inhuman for his own sick and selfish purposes. Gebok saw her approach with her green eyes narrowed, and arched his eyebrows.

"Ah, who's this?" Dr. Gebok questioned before recognition came, "Oh, it's you."

"You monster! You took him when he was a child and made him kill people!" Moka accused.

"Oh ho, a Vampire calling a human a monster? How ironic it is. All I did was help him reach his full potential," Gebok rationalized. "It was for the sake of science."

"You call kidnapping and torturing an innocent child science?" Moka growled. She never thought she could hate someone like Gebok but now she did truly hate this man.

"Morals and ethics have no place in science. They only hinder the path towards excellence and discovery," he said defensively. His hat fell from his head and so did his glasses.

"I remember you," spoke Shiori with recognition, eyes wide in shock. She'd heard what Moka had said. This man was the one responsible for all that had happened to her son. However, he was so much more than that. He was the pediatrician that Shiori had taken Shinichi to for his checkup.

"Ah, Shiori," Gebok grinned as he greeted, recognizing the woman. "So nice to see you again. You know, I never got the chance to thank you for bringing your son to me. I never would've guessed the sort of potential he had hidden inside of him. You should be proud."

"You...it was you...you took my son..." Shiori was trembling with anger, eyes brimming with tears.

"Well, it was your fault for being late," he shrugged. "Oh, and did you want know something else? While he was crying and screaming, he was calling out for you, but you never came! You never came!" He cackled without shame.

Shiori looked at Gebok and her eyes narrowed into a fierce glare. She opened up her purse and took out a gun which she aimed right at him.

"Kaa-chan!" shouted Shinichi in shock.

"Shiori!" Carl exclaimed. He didn't even know she had a gun.

"This man...this monster...he took you away from me," Shiori spoke, trembling in rage. "He did horrible things to you."

"I know, Kaa-chan. I was there. I know," said Shinichi gently.

"He...he ruined my family..." Shiori began to cry as she trembled, eyes narrowed with hate and anger at the man who tore her family apart. Shinichi put his hand on Shiori's.

"Kaa-chan, you don't have to do this. You're better than him," said Shinichi. "Now, give me the gun." Shiori sobbed and her grip loosened from the gun which Shinichi took from her hands. He handed the gun to Washam and wrapped his arms around his mother in a gentle embrace to comfort her.

Gebok spoke, "And you saved me yet again-" **BANG!** A bullet tore through Gebok's shoulder and he shouted in shock.

Washam warned, "Shut up if you know what's good for you."

"Ah, Dr. Washam. It's been... a long time..." grunted Dr. Gebok, holding his bleeding shoulder.

"Shut up, or the next one is going through your head, asshole," Dr. Washam threatened. He told the PSC, "Well, what are you doing gawking like that? Take him away, lock him up, and throw away the key."

"You heard the man!" Leon ordered. "Take him away!"

Gin came down to the festival grounds just in time to take some photos. "Man, this is going to make an awesome scoop!"

Shinichi watched him go and then turned his back. He headed to his bike, ignoring the others as they called out to him. He mounted the Cyclone-X3 and rode off.

* * *

><p>Shiori and Carl went back home after the incident as things dwindled back to normalcy, albeit slowly. A lot of questions were asked, and Gin had told them that Dr. Gebok had been using Kobe-sensei to spy on them. Right now, Dr. Gebok was imprisoned inside a PSC cell, awaiting further punishment for his crimes. There was a long list of charges. Since PSC were just in charge of the safety of the school, they had no real jurisdiction to punish him. But he would soon be transferred to the proper authorities eventually.<p>

Meanwhile, Shinichi was sitting on a bench outside of the male dormitory, looking up at the sky. The moon was full and the stars were twinkling. The others had left him alone so he could be left with his thoughts, to run everything that had happened up until now.

"_Shouldn't you be satisfied with this outcome?_" Kuro had asked. Gebok was locked up and would soon be paying for his crimes. However, why didn't he feel any different?

He sensed a presence and greeted, "Moka-chan, it's late. You should get some sleep."

"You should be doing the same."

"Not tired yet. Sides, I don't sleep all that much."

Moka was silent for a moment before she spoke, "Shinichi-kun, my inner self would like to speak with you." She fingered her rosario, emphasizing her statement.

"OK then," said Shinichi as he took hold of the rosario seal. He momentarily gazed into Moka's eyes. She was concerned about him.. He then tugged it off. He watched as Moka changed, her shape changing as it became curvier, her hair changing from bubblegum pink to silver, as her eyes narrowed and the irises turned to blood red. "You wanted to speak with me."

"Your mother was going to take revenge on your behalf, and you stopped her," Moka-sama stated. "Why?" she questioned.

"Kaa-chan's a good person. A _really _good person. Heck, I think she's the best humanity has to offer," Shinichi answered. "That's why I couldn't let her pull the trigger. Once a person takes a life they'll never be the same, and I couldn't let her bear that burden, not even for me."

"So, have you given up on revenge?" Moka-sama questioned.

"No, not entirely. I still hate Gebok with a passion for what he did to me and I want justice, but I won't let hatred drive me, not anymore," Shinichi said. "If I become obsessed with revenge I will lose everything that truly matters to me, like you."

Her red eyes momentarily widened as a blush colored her pale cheeks. "Idiot," she murmured, darting her eyes away. "As if I'd go anywhere."

"In the end, people just leave me," he said. "Or I leave them. Story of my life." She pinched his cheek and stretched. "Ow! Ow! Leggo! Leggo! Pain! Pain!"

"Be glad I didn't just kick you," she retorted as she released him. "Honestly, you're even making me depressed when you get like this."

"Sorry," he apologized. "I try not to, but when I think about him, it always leads to a bunch of bad memories."

"Then replace them with good ones," said Moka-sama as she took a seat next to him. "You've made some good memories, haven't you?"

"Yes," he said as he put his arm around the female Vampire. Normally, she would knock the offending appendage off and kick the person it belonged to, but this was Shinichi. She had given herself to him a long time ago and even she would allow herself to show affection for the not-so-human boy.

* * *

><p>"What was that, D? You said Gebok got captured?" Kyofu asked as he turned around from his computer terminal to face D.<p>

"Yes sir. It appears that Dr. Gebok tried to capture BLACK 13 alone, only to be caught himself," D reported in front of her handler with utmost professionalism.

"That is the greatest news you've ever given me!" Kyofu laughed like a maniac.

"Um... isn't it a bad thing that Dr. Gebok got captured?" D sweatdropped.

"_Iie_. It's not really a problem for us. We simply have to bring him back if the organization commands us," Kyofu shrugged. _'Well at least I hope not, but then again Gebok is not only a scientist, but a strategist as well. I could never beat him in Chess. If this really is a trick then I should act fast before he makes his next move.' _He then continued, "The important thing is that you are to gather data from our satellites regarding 13's battles, including one with Gebok for recordings."

"Yes sir," D nodded.

"Good. Then after that, you are to continue observing the enemy Riders and their allies for future confrontations. I feel the decisive battle is coming and we need to be prepared," Kyofu ordered.

"Understood, Professor," D nodded.

"Now go!"

"Yes sir."

* * *

><p>Standing next to the tall window in his office, the Headmaster looked out past the courtyard which connected his office to the main building of Youkai Academy. Standing behind him, in front of his desk, was Leon. He had reported the earlier incident involving Shinichi and Gebok to him and this did worry the Headmaster a tad bit.<p>

"Sir, Dr. Gebok is locked in the PSC holding cells for the time being until we can find a more suitable place to incarcerate him," Leon reported to the Headmaster. "Though, with the history he has with Shinichi Banabara, I am surprised that he didn't let his mother shoot him. Lord knows I would have myself if I was the one holding that gun."

"Be that as it may, Leon," stated the Headmaster, "I am glad that this Gebok person is now locked away." Still looking out his window, he continued, "For now, keep an eye on him. I want to be there for the full interrogation in the morning."

"Yes sir," replied Leon with a salute before turning around and leaving the Headmaster to his thoughts.

It was now dark outside and the Headmaster watched as a strong wind was causing the trees to sway back and forth. The man smiled as he thought about the past events that had taken place inside and outside his school in just a few short months. Ever since Shinichi had first come to his academy things had been restless. In fact, the man saw everything as a form of entertainment while, at the same time, as a sort of way to help the young man. Not only that, but now more powerful beings had begun to gather around him and support him in his fight to retain his new found freedom.

But the Headmaster did not only see the great good that Shinichi and his fellow Riders brought with them. He had also noticed that some of them had a chance to slip from the path of light and enter a path of untold darkness. Some more than once before. He could easily see the fragile mental state of Shinichi and his concerns for the young Rider, his allies, loved ones and the school had finally caused him to activate his countermeasure.

Looking out past the courtyard and over to the shadows beyond the trees, he let his mind wander in thought. '_For months now, I have watched over them but there are times when even I cannot be present and things have slowly become more dangerous. With the most recent events involving GIN-SHOCKER, Gebok's capture and the approaching end of the festival, it seems that I will need to bring in an ally of my own to help maintain the status quo in my favor._'

Looking at the treeline, he grinned as a lightning flash lit up the area. It wasn't the sight of the flash that made him grin but what it revealed to him that caused his elated joy. '_My friend, you may not yet be as physically powerful as Showa, Liger, Mega or Necros when they use their most powerful forms, but what you lack in physical prowess, you more than make up for in skill and raw power._' Lightning flashed once more, now revealing nothing. The Headmaster grinned even more as his plans had finally been set into motion.

"Good luck, my friend. Make sure to keep these heroes on the correct path and help them when they need it," the Headmaster said quietly as he closed the curtain to his window and returned to his desk.

As the storm grew more intense, a being hiding within the shadows of the trees looked over to the Headmaster's office and then over to Youkai Academy. He let his senses extend outwards and he could feel all the different types of energies flowing forward. His whole body being a solid black color, he fit in well with hiding in the shadows. As another lightning bolt flashed, his eyes and certain areas and gems on his body lit up in a bright red, giving him the appearance of a dark and shadowy armored figure.

'_So, this is why I was summoned?_' the being mused. '_I'll have to remain concealed for the time being until it is time to reveal myself to them. But, for now..._' Another lightning bolt lit up the sky and, with the lighting of the shadows of the treeline, he was gone.

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: Well, Gebok has been captured but that doesn't mean it's completely over. There are still more things to come and it's going to head to a climax so keep on tuning into Showa+Vampire! Also, here's a message for the annoying 'guest' reviewer who keeps demanding I put the lemon scenes back: "THEY ARE NOT GONNA BE PUT ON FANFICTION DOT NET! I'VE ALREADY PUT THEM ON YOURFANCITION DOT COM! YOU WANNA READ THEM, THEN FIND MY NAME! I USED THE SAME PENNAME!"<strong>


	64. Halloween Fest: Sympathy for the Devil

_Humans can be absolutely cruel and merciless, even to their peers. My time in school in the human world taught me that much. However, there existed humans crueler than the ones I went to school with. GIN-SHOCKER, an organization made up of humans who made themselves and others into monsters, some against their will. Shinichi Banabara was one of GIN-SHOCKER's victims. At first he admitted to being human and then he transformed. I learnt that he is a cyborg, a human whose body had been remodelled with his body implanted with machines. He had no memories. But as time went on, we all learnt of his past. We learnt of the horrors he had endured for ten years. I doubt anything I had ever experienced could compare to that. Yet, despite all that, he can still be so kind. I may respect strength, but Shinichi's more than that. In spite of what has happened to him, he refuses to become a monster. What impresses me is the strength of his spirit._

_-"Inner" Moka Akashiya._

**Chapter 64: Sympathy for the Devil **

"Data has been collected. Now the final battle is coming close," Kyofu began as he turned around to face Weapon D. "It is only a matter of time before the Jagers begin their assault. D you are to meet up with them and join in their assault. But remember, defeating BLACK 13 is your highest priority! Show everyone why you are the perfect Psychic Duelist!"

"Yes sir," D nodded. "But I cannot face BLACK 13 yet."

"NANI?!" Kyofu narrowed his eyes. "Why not, D?"

"Because I made a promise with Yuji Fudo that I must defeat him first in order to defeat BLACK 13," D answered.

"FORGET THAT PROMISE!" Kyofu roared, startling her. "We cannot afford to be delayed any longer, so I order to break your promise to Yuji Fudo. Do I make myself clear?"

Could she really do it? Could she really break her promise to Yuji? She felt it would be very wrong to break her promise to a duelist she respected, but she was left with no choice since she was a GS operative given an order. "Yes... sir," D hesitantly complied.

"I can't hear you!" Kyofu called.

"Yes sir!" D saluted.

"Good now meet up with the Jagers and show them your superiority! But remember, don't fail me!" Kyofu sternly said.

"Roger," D saluted before she left.

Once D left, Kyofu faced his computer terminal that was displaying Showa's battles. "Soon BLACK 13 you will fall before Weapon D and I will gain recognition and a place among the higher ranked executives," Kyofu proclaimed before he laughed maniacally.

* * *

><p>"Well, there's the bus," said Leon as he escorted Carl and Shiori to the bus stop. I'm sorry Shinichi couldn't be here to see you off, but he...well..."<p>

"He's got a lot on his mind. I can see that," Shiori understood. "It's not his fault."

"Well, too bad he sees things differently," Leon sighed.

"Well, tonight was exciting," said Shiori.

"Shiori, you had a gun in your purse," said Carl.

"Oh, thank you for reminding me. Can I have it back?" she asked.

"I think I should hold onto it, until we get back home," he said, causing her to pout.

Before Shiori and Dr. Washam boarded the bus, Leon approached them.

Leon spoke, hesitantly, "Um...Mrs. Banabara, if it's not too much trouble, may I..."

Shiori tilted her head to the side, "Hm?"

Leon blushed as his silver eyes trailed to the ground. She thought it was so adorable, "May I... please have your autograph?"

"On one condition: take care of my Shinji for me," Shiori smiled.

Leon looked back up and smiled. "That's a promise."

* * *

><p>Shinichi entered the dungeon under the PSC Headquarters and stood in front of Gebok's cell. As promised, there were guards posted to prevent his escape. Still they couldn't be lax or too careful. Gebok was a dangerous individual and needed to be watched closely. Surveillance cameras trained on Gebok were also installed to keep an eye on him.<p>

"Well, well, well," Gebok grinned. "You came to visit me."

"Why did you have me kill my own teammates?" Shinichi questioned.

"Well, they weren't needed anymore," said Dr. Gebok. "You do realize by now that Project NUMBERS was just a cover. The true purpose was to select one of you to be GIN-SHOCKER'S ultimate weapon."

"The selection was rigged, and you know it. You were the one who set it up," Shinichi accused. "And there were other ways to dispose of them that did not involve me having to do the deed myself."

"True, but it was necessary as there were other factors which led to their 'decommissioning' by your hands," Dr. Gebok said nonchalantly.

"Like what?" Shinichi asked. What other factors were there? All he knew was that the others had become unnecessary and Project NUMBERS had been terminated to focus more on BLACK 13.

"You disobeyed my orders," Gebok answered.

"What?"

"Remember that one mission? You had accomplished the objective but your comrades ended up being captured. I ordered you to abandon them, and you said 'no'. I realized then that they were becoming a bad influence on you and needed to be removed from the equation."

"You son of a...you had me kill them...because I said no?" Shinichi questioned, holding back his rage but it was an impossible feat.

"It was your punishment for disobeying orders and they paid for your disobedience with their lives," Dr. Gebok grinned.

"You bastard! I'll kill you!"

"Then why haven't you? It's funny that you're showing me mercy," Gebok told him. "I mean, you've killed your own schoolmates."

"They didn't leave me any choice," Shinichi retorted.

"Oh, really? That's a lie. You did make a choice; you chose to kill them." Gebok grinned. "How did it feel?" Shinichi's fists were clenched tightly. He then turned and left with Gebok telling him, "BLACK 13, no matter what you do or how far you try to run, you can never escape from your fate! You can't run away from what you are!"

Shinichi met Leon and Yuki at the entrance. Yuki noticed Shinichi's expression and assumed, "He pushed your buttons, didn't he?"

"I feel ill," Shinichi admitted.

"Yuki, take Shinichi back to the dorms. He needs rest," Leon ordered.

"Actually, I need to punch something," Shinichi retorted. "I _really _need to punch something." Yuki looked at her cousin worriedly. "I'm fine. I just need to blow some steam."

"Whatever you say, but don't overdo it. You still need rest," Leon advised.

"Hey, Leon. Make sure he rots in there," said Shinichi sternly. He left the two to call for a Warp Portal.

"I thought he'd be happy if Gebok was locked up," said Yuki.

"He'd be happier if he was six feet under," Leon retorted. "He's in a dark place now and needs to straighten out his thoughts. Let's just hope he doesn't do something crazy."

"You seem to know a lot about him," observed Yuki.

"I have a brother who's just like him," Leon informed her. "So I understand what he's going through." Leon's gaze went towards the dungeon's entrance. It was taking him every ounce of control to not go down there to Gebok's cell and kill the man himself. That man deserved nothing less than the death sentence for his actions. However, it wasn't up to Leon to pass judgment, no matter how tempting it was. "I want around the clock watch on him."

"Aren't you going to question him?" Yuki inquired. "He might provide valuable intel on GIN-SHOCKER's inner workings."

"I'll do that first thing in the morning, but right now I need to go. Tamao can't sleep at night without me with her."

"I understand." Yuki gave a salute. They would need to guard Gebok by shifts. The members would also need to be informed of a possible breakout. Gebok did have friends, very powerful and dangerous friends. She looked back at the dungeon and wondered if she could freeze Gebok in a block of ice. Crimson Dragon knows she was tempted after she saw stuff he'd done.

* * *

><p>Aboard the Hive Queen,Shinichi entered the training room floor in his gym clothes and ordered, "Phyllis, begin."<p>

_"Affirmative," _obeyed Phyllis. Holographic targets, 30 in total and arranged in three rotating rows spun around him. He attacked, striking the targets with fast kicks and punches. The targets hit turned red. Yūji volunteered to sit in the observation room to monitor Shinichi as he drank a mug of coffee with his feet up on the control panel. The door opened and Misato came in.

"So, you're up here, huh?" Misato asked. "Did he ask you to spot him?"

"Nah, I volunteered," he answered. "He's really taking this seriously."

"He's been like this since Gebok got captured, huh?" she asked.

"Pretty much."

_"Round complete," _Phyllis reported. _"I measured a 6.8% increase in efficiency."_

"Run it again," Shinichi ordered.

_"Resetting training room floor for next round." _The training session began anew as he started hitting the targets again.

"I don't get it. He finally caught the fucker, so why is he still angry?" Yūji asked.

"Because Gebok's still alive," said Misato. "Shinichi really wants to kill him. The only thing stopping him is what others might think."

"He should be proud he has such self control," Yūji argued.

"Maybe, but Gebok ruined his life and his family, and made him do horrible things," Misato countered, "He just can't stop hating Gebok. I don't think he even knows how to stop."

Phyllis reported, _"Round complete."_

"Run it again," Shinichi ordered.

_"But in the last round I measured a 3.6-"_

"I said run it again!"

_"Affirmative. Resetting training room floor for next round." _The rotating targets appeared again to receive his aggression.

"He really should let it go," advised Yūji. "All that anger isn't healthy for him."

"This coming from _you_?" Misato questioned.

"Yeah, I get angry, but only when I have to, and not every second of every day," Yūji retorted. "But I look at Shin, and it looks like he carries that anger with him all the time."

"He's got scars, Yūji. Scars don't heal. Not even time can heal them," Misato sighed.

"Yeah, but he really should take a break," said Yūji.

"A break? _Him_?" Misato snorted. "Not a chance. Back when we were in GIN-SHOCKER, the only time he ever took a break was when he slept, and even then he didn't sleep very much."

Yūji watched as Shinichi was finishing up and stood up. "I'm gonna go talk to him."

"Think he'll listen to you?" Misato asked.

"Well, we're family after all."

* * *

><p><em>"Round complete. I measure a 4.5% increase in efficiency," <em>Phyllis reported.

"Run it again," Shinichi ordered.

"Belay that order, Phyllis," Yūji countered as he entered the training room floor.

"Yūji, I'm busy," Shinichi said in annoyance.

"I know," said Yūji as he got into a stance. "I was just thinking that I'd make a better challenge than a bunch of floating holographic targets." He had on a pair of boxing pads, slapping them together.

Shinichi smiled and got into a boxing stance, bouncing on the balls of his feet. He punched and Yūji blocked with the palms of his hands. Shinichi performed a 1-2 combo that Yūji blocked followed up by a roundhouse kick which Yūji also blocked.

_"Nice kick!"_ Yūji praised.

"Thanks," Shinichi said.

"Moka show you that kick?"

"I picked it up," Shinichi said before he continued to strike at Yūji's padded hands.

Yūji spoke as he caught a punch, "So, tomorrow's the Jack-O-Lantern Dance."

Shinichi replied while throwing another punch, "I know."

"And it's supposed to be a very romantic occasion. Do you have a dance partner in mind?"

Shinichi cocked an eyebrow, "You offering?"

Yūji remarked, "What? No. Just wondering if you had any plans."

Shinichi shrugged while bouncing on his feet, "No more than usual." He kicked at the boxing pads. "Gonna dance and party like there's no tomorrow."

Yūji nodded, "Yeah, that sounds about right. So, what's really bothering you?"

Shinichi denied, "Nothing's bothering me."

Yūji rolled his eyes, "Right...you just wanted to have a late night training session for no reason." He caught a powerful punch.

Shinichi questioned, "Was it that obvious?"

Yūji nodded, "Pretty much. So, what's bothering you?"

Shinichi sighed, "Gebok's still alive."

Yūji added, "Captured."

Shinichi countered, "_They _are gonna break him out, you know."

Yūji argued, "Leon's got him under 24 hour surveillance."

Shinichi scoffed, "You think that will stop them?"

Yūji persuaded, "You gotta have more faith in your friends."

"I know, but Gebok's slippery. All this time Kobe-sensei was spying on us for him and we didn't even realize it." They hadn't even realized it. Kobe-sensei just acted so nice in class as he gave his lessons.

"You know, for the record Shin, about holding back, I'm proud of you," said Yūji.

"I only held back from killing him because Kaa-chan was watching," Shinichi told him. "You can't imagine how strong the urge to kill him was, Yūji. He was right there, at my mercy, and I could kill him so easily. But then...I saw Kaa-chan take out her gun, and saw the look on her face. So much hatred and pain. That's probably what I looked like when I wanted to kill him."

Phyllis informed, "_Shinichi, Dr. Magi wishes to see you_."

"Looks like I gotta get a checkup now," said Shinichi. "Be seeing you."

"Remember, there's the Jack-O-Lantern Dance. You should go. It'll keep your mind off some things," Yūji called out. Shinichi gave him a wave and exited.

* * *

><p>"So, how are you feeling?" Dr. Magi asked.<p>

Shinichi rolled his eyes as he sat in the lab with one of the most decent former GIN-SHOCKER scientists he had the pleasure of knowing. "Why do people keep asking me that?"

"Because we care about you, and we worry," said Dr. Magi. "So, are you OK?"

"I'd say about 50 percent," Shinichi informed. "Part of me still wants him dead, though part of me feels a sense of satisfaction at seeing him locked up like the animal he is."

"You're only human," Dr. Magi nodded. It was normal for Shinichi to have feelings like the ones he had right now. "Now, I've been studying your brain scans. You remember what Dr. Gebok did to you, right?" Shinichi's eyes narrowed which affirmed Dr. Magi's assumption. "Well, here's what I got. Kuro's a fragment of you."

"A fragment?" Shinichi questioned.

Dr. Magi continued, "When Dr. Gebok cut you off from your emotions, he had to fragment your mind in order to do so. Kuro, being the most dominant at the time, was the most active and he embodies your logic."

"So, my mind is in pieces?" Shinichi concluded.

"Well, yes and no. Your mind reassembled itself, but your mental fragments still exist as separate entities," Dr. Magi informed him. "The Riders you can change into, you said that they speak to you."

"Yeah..." Shinichi's eyes widened at the implication. "Wait...do you mean...?"

"Dr. Gebok implanted the information and data of the Riders into your brain. He pretty much gave you the memories of the Riders so you could use them to become the ultimate weapon. However, after you..." Dr. Magi hesitated, "...After you killed Lina." He paused to gauge Shinichi's reaction before continuing, "Your mind fragmented again. All those data, information and memories latched onto those fragments and constructed identities for themselves in the images of corresponding Riders."

"So...the Legendary Riders in my head...they're no different from Kuro," Shinichi summarized. "They're part of me."

"Bingo. Now, it's late. You should get some rest."

"I still have a few more hours-"

"Get some rests," Dr. Magi ordered.

"I know. Hey, Dr. Magi. You should drop by the festival. I'm sure Yokoshima wants to introduce you to his new lady friend."

* * *

><p>Shinichi took a shower in the Hive Queen's locker room. After that he went to grab some dry clothes, running into Netto by chance. "Oh, Net. Did you come for some late night training too?"<p>

"More or less," Netto answered. "So I heard you finally caught Gebok. Congrats."

"Yeah," Shinichi returned, shoulders slumping.

"What's up?" Netto asked. "Something on your mind?"

"It's nothing really. But..." Shinichi sighed, leaning on the locker, "Even if Gebok is in a cell, he's still alive and I know him all too well. It's almost... as if he wanted to get caught."

"You think he would do that?" Netto asked, arching an eyebrow.

"I hate to say it, but he's too smart for all of us," Shinichi frowned. "He isn't the head scientist in GIN-SHOCKER for nothing. He's not just a genius inventor, he's also a strategist. He's always five steps ahead of everyone."

"So you're saying that there's a possibility that his appearance tonight was just phase one of his plan to take you back," Netto summarized.

"That's exactly what I'm saying," Shinichi told him.

"Then we just have to be ready for whatever he plans to do," Netto reassured him. "It'll be no trouble at all. After all, you've got all of us to back you up."

"Arigato."

"No problem."

"Say, we don't hang out much as we should. Maybe we can go a few rounds in the training room when you got time."

"Sure. Good idea."

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, the bridge was occupied by four other teenagers. Hime and Reiri had led Rias and Akeno to the Hive Queen after the fight had ended, having seen their old childhood friend in an armored bug suit for some reason. Not to mention that the man he was fighting might have had something to do with it, if what Moka and Shiori said had any clue on it. Granted, they didn't know the whole story, but they weren't about to let this mystery pass by unsolved.<p>

Walking around the main control bridge, both the redhead and her companion admired the look of it. They stared in awe at just how high tech everything looked. They saw a score of monitors and control panels and behind them was the entrance and exit for the Warp Portal. Rias ran her hands along one console while Akeno admired the view outside via the windows.

"What a fascinating base," Rias said, looking around. "All of this must be decades ahead of all the other machines I've seen."

"That's to be expected when this base used to belong to the enemy," Reiri stated, remember what she had been told by Leon and the others.

"The enemy?" Akeno asked while tilting her head. "You mean like the crazy cockroach-man that Shin-chan was fighting?"

"He's one of them," Hime confirmed. "This base is actually one of their older models of a transport base but a friend of Shinji-kun's is able to keep this base out of the enemies' radar and use the Warp Portal to gain access beyond the barrier that protects Youkai Academy."

"Of course, GIN-SHOCKER must have also found a way to use similar or more advanced versions of the Warp Portal to get past the barrier," added Reiri. "Getting past that barrier is not an easy feat."

"I see. I guess that makes sense. But... did we really have to go through that portal instead of a Magic Circle to get here?" Akeno asked, massaging her arm. "At least those are gentle on the bones." She remembered how her bones vibrated when she and Rias stepped through the Warp Portal. It was uncomfortable for the both of them, but the feeling had long since passed.

"Well, you'd have to know where you're going before creating a Magic Circle, right?" Reiri answered. "And from what I could guess, the aftereffects of the Warp Portal would lessen as you get used to it."

The door suddenly hissed opened, allowing Misato to step through, "I was wondering what all the noise was," she said.

"Oh, so you're here too, Misato?" Hime asked.

"Yeah, I came by to watch Shinichi in the training room. Right now he's sparring with Yūji. So who're your friends?" Her eyes lingered at both at both Rias and Akeno's breasts, and then widened. _'Oh my God! Those can't be natural melons!'_ she screamed mentally.

"Oh, forgive my manners," Rias smiled, "My name is Rias Gremory. I knew Shinji since he was in Kindergarten."

"And I'm Akeno Himejima," Akeno continued. "Another childhood friend of Shin-chan's. Please take care of us~."

"Yeah I remember now," Misato blinked. "Yūji mentioned you guys, and I can guess why you both are here. For starters, I'm Misato Kurushina. I... was with Shinichi during those ten years he went missing."

"What happened?" Rias asked seriously. She didn't want any nonsense. She wanted the truth. Misato looked her in the eyes and could see the serious look in them. Rias would not take no for an answer. If she had to use her powers to get the answers she wanted then so be it. If it was for her Shinji, then she'd do whatever it took so that she could at least know what happened to him; to be able to be there and help him like a friend should.

"GIN-SHOCKER happened," Misato answered. "You saw how he was able to fight even though you knew him as a human, right?" Rias and Akeno nodded. "Well, he isn't completely human anymore. None of us are. Me, Shinichi, and several others are Cyborgs."

"Cyborgs?" Akeno repeated, eyes wide.

"Part human, part machine," Reiri said solemnly. "Quite hard to believe isn't it? So many things happened to our Shin-chan."

"There were fourteen of us, each one with a mark and a unique ability," Misato continued. "Fourteen scientists picked us out from the streets and remodeled our bodies with machines. They also gave us the DNA of insects. I'm part mosquito for example, giving me swift agility and an actual thirst for blood."

"Oh dear," Rias muttered, "It must've been awful."

"It wasn't all that bad for me," Misato reassured. "My handler actually saved me. My former family was a bunch of abusive assholes, and I would've died sooner there. I'm one of the very few lucky ones. The others though, I can't say the same."

Rias and Akeno couldn't imagine what happened during those ten years. What kind of people would do such things to children?

"You guys should take a seat, cause this is going to take a while," she started, walking to one of the computers and began searching through the holographic files. She pulled up some video footage of a younger Shinichi during basic training. In one, it showed him in an obstacle course where he was armed with a pistol. He shot each of the targets in the bullseyes as they popped up. "We were all trained at a very young age to be soldiers and Shinichi was the best of us." Another piece of footage showed a younger Shinichi holding his own against half a dozen GIN-SHOCKER soldiers. "He was also the most lethal." A roundhouse kick literally snapped a soldier's head off his neck and he also buried his fist into one's stomach before withdrawing his bloody fist.

"Oh my!" Akeno gasped, covering her mouth. To see her Shin-chan do such horrible things at such a young tender age, it left her speechless.

"Uh huh. You aren't the only ones with that reaction," Misato said. A few more video files were played, focused mainly on Shinichi in training. Next, was footage of him on the field based on recordings from their helmets. They saw him fighting and killing soldiers, either with his bare hands or various weapons.

"Why?" Rias asked. "Why him?" She and Akeno had tears welling up within their eyes and it was easy to see that they were outraged. They instantly had a newly born hatred for GIN-SHOCKER. For what they did to Shinichi and his friends. For turning them into cold-blooded killing machines of death and destruction.

"Because Gebok found potential in Shinichi," Misato answered.

"Potential for what, exactly?" Akeno pressed on.

"To become the organization's greatest weapon. That was what Gebok was trying to create. Though why, I don't know. He never shared information with others. He always kept to himself."

"While he was with GIN-SHOCKER, they made him commit horrendous crimes," Hime continued. "They made him kill so many people. And what's worse was that they stripped him of his free will and his humanity. He was a mere puppet to them."

"Ano, you mentioned something about marks," Akeno remarked, "Does that have something to do with the scar on his head?"

"So you saw that too, eh? Yeah, we all have that," Misato confirmed, lifting her shirt just enough to show her mark, which was above her navel, "Mine is right here, and I'm known as IV. Shinichi's designation is XIII."

"But yours is a tattoo," Akeno pointed out.

"His handler was a sadistic dickwad," Misato rebutted, dropping her shirt. "You should know that already, after seeing him practically enjoy making Shiori cry."

Rias' eyes narrowed. Now, she was happy to be reunited with her childhood friend but extremely upset over what had been done to him. Akeno noticed Rias' anger.

"Ara, we should probably step back," Akeno warned.

"What's that?" Misato questioned, but soon got her answer as the temperature suddenly chilled, so much that she quickly took notice that her breath was visible. She flinched as she saw a crimson aura suddenly flow around Rias, the unholy energy causing her hair to fly about uncontrollably.

"How dare they...?" Rias whispered, her fists clenching, "How dare they do this to innocent children... How dare they do this to my cute little friend...?"

The entrance to the bridge opened up to reveal Shinichi and when he saw the state Rias was in he involuntarily took a step back. "Rias..." he uttered in a whisper.

"These are some very colorful childhood friends you got, Shinichi," said Misato, trying not to shiver from the sudden cold temperature. "Where's Yūji?"

"He wanted to spend a few more hours in the training room," Shinichi answered as he continued to watch the display of Rias' aura flaring out wildly. His expression turned serious as he called out her name, "Rias! RIAS!"

The aura died out and the temperature returned to normal at the sound of his voice. "Shinji..." she uttered. There were tears in her eyes.

"I know you're angry. You should be, but all that anger, hatred and rage is my burden to bear. Not yours and nobody elses. _Mine_," Shinichi told her.

Rias wiped the tears away with her sleeves. "You never used to be so serious before."

"People grow up and they change. I did," he told her. "I had to in order to survive."

"But how could they do that to you? It's just so unfair!" she shouted. She couldn't stand the fact that her cute little Shinji had been forced to grow up from being a kind, sweet and somewhat timid little boy into a serious, ruthless and efficient killing machine. But, even after all of that was forced onto him, he was able to regain his kind and gentle nature due to his new friends. Hearing everything that he was forced to put up with reminded her of a similar situation that one of her own servants had gone through, except Shinichi's conditioning was even more unpleasant than that.

"Life rarely is. Sometimes you just have to make do with what life gives you. When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade, right?" He gave her a smile. Though, the smile never reached his eyes. It rarely did nowadays.

Rias was unable to contain herself. Trembling, she walked over to Shinichi and grabbed him in a tight hug. "I'm sorry," she sobbed, "It's just... I've missed you much. We never knew what happened to you. And now... all of this... these horrible people stripped you of your childhood... to turn you into a killing machine."

"They're going to pay, Ri-chan. They will pay for their crimes, I swear," he promised. He put his arms around her and hugged her back. "And it's not so bad. I've made some very important friends since then."

"Yes, I've noticed," Rias smiled, looking at him eye to eye. "I'm sure that your new harem has had something to do with your current condition?"

"I realized who I am because of them," he answered.

"Then they must really be precious to you," Rias said, rubbing his head affectionately. "I'm glad. I hope you'll treat them well. They deserve it after all the love they've given you."

"I promise, Ri-chan," Shinichi smiled.

"She really dotes on him, doesn't she?" Misato observed.

"I wouldn't be surprised," Hime said. "All of us were quite protective with Shinji-kun during childhood, but Rias was an overprotective big sister to him. Let me tell you that many bullies wet their pants whenever she confronted them for bullying Shinji-kun."

"Even as a child, she was quite intimidating," Reiri added. "And she still is."

"Heh. Yūji would get along with her just fine then," Misato grinned. "He's like an overprotective big brother with him."

"I should be going now," said Shinichi. "Phyllis, please open a Warp Portal to my dorm room. I need to sleep. Dr. Magi's orders."

_"Affirmative, and have a good night,"_ said Phyllis.

"You girls should stick around. We have something special for Halloween night," Shinichi smiled before entering the opened portal.

"Ara, is it just me, or has Shin-chan become quite manly?" Akeno asked, slightly blushing.

"Oh geez," Misato sighed, rolling her eyes. "Hey, if you girls are interested, I got some more footage of Shinichi being a total badass."

"You know, if those bullies could see him now, they wouldn't have dreamed of messing with him," said Reiri.

"I just wish he could've grown up with us," Rias lamented.

"If that happened then you guys would have had him dressed up as a girl every day or something," Misato said with a laugh which the other girls joined in on.

The door to the bridge opened and Netto entered to see the girls laughing. "Hey, what's so funny?" he asked.

"Oh, it's Net-kun!" Akeno recognized.

"Oh nice to see you too," Netto waved back. "What brings you onboard?"

"I just wanted to show them this place," answered Hime. "We do have permission to bring guests as long as they can be trusted, right?"

"Well, as long as you have authorization," Netto shrugged.

"Are you a Kamen Rider too?" Rias asked, interested.

"Yeah. Kamen Rider Mega, Netto Kusanagi," he introduced himself. "Nice to meet you."

* * *

><p>Shinichi returned to his dorm room and turned on the lights. He'd taken a shower at the Hive Queen but he needed to brush his teeth before bed. After brushing his teeth, he went to his bed for sleep when he noticed the lump under his covers. His eyes narrowed as he took out his pistol. Had someone broken in order to wait and ambush him. He wasn't going to give them the chance. Grabbing the blanket, he tossed it away and aimed to shoot only for his eyes to widen as he saw that it was Mizore, sound asleep.<p>

"Mizore-chan!?" he exclaimed before quickly putting his gun away.

Mizore's eyes slowly opened as she sat up and yawned. She rubbed her eye and looked up at Shinichi with a lazy smile. "Ah, Shinichi."

"Were you waiting for me?" he asked. The girls each had a copy of his dorm key. He trusted them that much and it was a sign that they were always welcomed.

"I was worried," she said. "We all saw what happened." Shinichi knew what she was referring to. She was referring to the battle he had with Satan Roach. She patted the spot next to her, inviting him to sit down. Sitting down, Shinichi sighed. "How are you feeling?" she asked.

"I'm not sure," Shinichi answered. "Part of me is glad that we got Gebok, but another part of me wants to kill him for everything he did to us." Mizore listened expectantly. "It wasn't just me he hurt, Mizore-chan. I...I had a team..."

"The NUMBERS," she concluded. The group photo was in the room. Shinichi still valued them as a team after all this time, even the ones that had turned on him.

He added, "That's right. We were a team. We trained together, ate together, and worked together. We had the best training and the best equipment. However, Gebok made me kill them and then he revived them to be used against me. In a sense, we were friends, but we were made to turn on each other by him." Mizore put her head on his shoulder and put an arm around him as an act of comfort and condolence. Her own life was a walk in a park in comparison. "Mizore-chan, could you stay here with me tonight?"

* * *

><p>It was the next morning and students were admiring the giant Jack-O-Lantern in the middle of the school courtyard. Gin, with camera in hand, was taking pictures of it for the school newspaper. The club did plan on publishing an issue covering the festival.<p>

The Jack-O-Lantern Dance would take place in Youkai Academy's courtyard at the end of Halloween Night. A huge pumpkin grown by magic and carved into a Jack-O-Lantern was prepared and set up in the middle of the courtyard. It would be lit up and students and guests alike would be dancing around it to mark the end of the Halloween Festival. The event was considered to be important and romantic to couples so students were asking anyone available to dance with them. Those already in committed relationships would not need to worry about finding a dance partner.

"**That is a BIG pumpkin**," Chiaki signed.

"You know, that kinda explains all those pumpkin pies," remarked Yokoshima.

"And pumpkin juice," added Shogo.

"Best pies I've had in a long time," remarked Daichi.

"But how the hell did they get it so big?" Shogo questioned.

"Dude, this is a monster school. They probably have some Dryads who had a hand in its growth," said Daichi logically.

"**And how do you know so much about Dryads?**" Chiaki signed as the others looked at him questioningly.

"Haruhi told me," said Daichi.

"Daichi and Haruhi sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G," Yokoshima sang. "First comes love, then comes marriage-"

"Then comes Yokoshima's funeral if he doesn't shut the fuck up," Daichi threatened.

"You're getting pretty defensive," Shogo observed. "Want to talk about it?"

"No."

* * *

><p>Sunlight pierced the blinds and hit Shinichi's face. He opened his eyes and groaned, turning his head away from the sunlight. He didn't feel like getting up. Another body pressed itself against him and he opened his eyes to look at Mizore who stared back at him.<p>

"You're awake," he said.

"I've been watching you sleep," she said. She had slept but woken up early. She just didn't feel like getting up from bed and was content with just staying in bed and watching him sleep.

She recalled watching him from afar after learning about him through his article. She thought she'd found a kindred spirit. He had opened her heart to the possibility of making friends and trusting others despite his own painful past. He'd been betrayed and lied to, used and manipulated. He'd suffered through so much pain, and so much loss, and yet he still had such a kind and loving heart. He even forgave her after she tried to kill Moka. That was just how kind he was.

"Thanks for staying with me," he told her.

"I didn't want you to be alone," she said. "And you were so depressed."

"I'm sorry for that. Gebok just brings out the worst in me," he apologized. She kissed him. "I guess we should get up. The others might be wondering where we are."

"Let them wonder. I'd like to stay like this a little longer," she said. Shinichi was touched and amused by Mizore's behaviour. She really did love him, and his warmth. In spite of his past, she didn't reject him. Oddly enough, he was more cold-blooded than she was. However, he hated being alone just as much as he hated to lose the ones he loved the most. It hurt when the people he cared about died. It seemed that his entire life revolved around death. The memories were just too painful and he was afraid that one day Mizore and the others would share the same fate.

* * *

><p>There were posters about a concert taking place at the AuditoriumGymnasium later that day at 3 o'clock. It was free admission. The identity of the band playing was kept a secret. The Kamen Rider Fanclub still wouldn't shut up about last night. They were looking for Shinichi to ask questions about it. A group of girls were wondering where he was too.

"Where's Shinichi-san?" Yukari asked impatiently. She was irritated that her crush wasn't present. She wanted to ask him to dance with her during the Jack-O-Lantern Dance.

"He must've slept in," Moka assumed.

"Well, he would want to stay in bed after last night," said Kurumu. "After all, he finally had to confront Gebok. It was just a matter of time." She looked around. "Mizore's not here."

"Do you think she stayed to keep Shinichi-kun company?" Moka asked.

"I guess, but she deserves to have time with him too," shrugged Kurumu. "We can't all hog him."

"I'd rather share him with Moka-san," chimed Yukari. "And we'd have hours and hours of a hot and sweaty threesome."

"Yukari-chan, don't say things like that out loud!" Moka scolded. "Maybe we should go check up on him at his dorm room."

* * *

><p>"You don't really need to do this," said Shinichi as he sat on a stool with a towel draped over his lap. He was in the bathroom with Mizore kneeling behind him as she was scrubbing his back, naked as well. As much fun as it would be to make love while bathing together, Mizore didn't think it was appropriate right now, even if her mother had recommended it. She didn't want to take advantage of Shinichi.<p>

"It's my pleasure," she said honestly. "We will be husband and wife one day."

"Yeah, but only if I survive until then," he joked and she froze.

"Don't joke about that," she said softly. "You're not going to die. You're not. I won't let you."

He knew he'd made a blunder. "I'm sorry."

"You better be," she put her arms around him and rested her forehead on his back. "I don't want to lose someone I love ever again."

"You lost someone you loved?" he asked.

"It was a long time ago. I was a little girl. He was a boy who got lost in the mountains near where I lived. I helped him find his way out. When he found out what I was, he accused me of wanting to eat him and he ran away. I never saw him again," she told her sad story. "Coming to Youkai Academy, I thought I could find someone to love. I met Kotsubo-sensei, but he took advantage of me. Then I met you. I...I don't want my heart broken again."

He put his hand over hers. "Neither do I," he said.

"It was so much better when you didn't remember," she said. So much burden had been put on his shoulders because of a past he didn't want to remember. Unfortunately, memories did not stay buried for long.

"I can't run away from my past anymore, Mizore-chan. Not anymore," he told her. Repressing his memories had only been a defense mechanism and a temporary solution. "It's painful, but I have to remember. Running away never helps anyone for so long."

"You could always come back with me, to my village," she suggested. "They'd never find you and you'd never have to fight again. We can live together in peace and my mother would love having you around."

"Oh, they'll find me. It's only a matter of time before they do, and I refuse to put anymore people in danger," he told her. "Too many innocent people have already lost their lives because of me." He blamed himself a lot for what happened in the past, not just Gebok and GIN-SHOCKER. In his heart and mind he was just as responsible for all those atrocities. He couldn't forgive Gebok, he couldn't forgive GIN-SHOCKER, and he couldn't forgive himself. It just wasn't time yet for him to forgive himself.

* * *

><p>Todoriko slammed a case onto the counter before he began packing in several weapons and machines inside from the armory. It was time for him to leave this place. He didn't worry about anyone following him. After all, he was now lower than a GS-Trooper, so why should they care? For too long he had been nothing but a coward and a wuss. But now... now he was going to change all that. He was going to search for power on his own accord, and he would show everyone that they shouldn't ever cross him.<p>

"So, you goin' off somewhere #01?"

Todoriko flinched and turned see four GS-Guardsmen looking at him. The GS-Guardsmen were another form of Troopers produced by the organization. But unlike the Troopers, they were more efficient and deadly.

Todoriko scoffed, turning back to his packing, "What's it to you? So what if I'm leaving? No one would miss me anyway?"

"I can't believe you got curbstomped so hard by D!" another Guardsman laughed. "I've never seen someone fail so epicly!"

"And to a bunch of game cards too!" the third chortled, "If it had been any of the other NUMBER, especially the Jager Unit, they would've sent those things to the Graveyard! Hell, even #09 would've rolled over them! But you, man you suck!"

"Shut up!" Todoriko snapped, turning around. "I could get strong if I wanted to! I could do it at anytime!"

"Then why don't you?" the fourth mocked. "Wait, don't answer that. You can't do it all by yourself. Even if you can copy powers from others you're too much of a pussy to do it up close."

"Then how about I take your powers?!" Todoriko shouted. He lunged forward with the suckers on his hand wide opened. The Guardsman merely kicked him onto a rolling chair. Todoriko yelped as he was sent spinning backwards across the armory before stopping at a counter, where purple slug-like nanobots were being held in a capsule.

"What a loser," the fourth Guardsman sneered. The Guardsmen all laughed at Todoriko's pathetic sight.

Todoriko growled as the crows of the Guardsmen filled his ears. All he ever heard was laughter, aimed at him. Every night when he went to sleep, he would see everyone laughing and pointing at him. It was like that since his final mission; since #06, #03 and #12 got eaten alive, and when #10 got immolated.

Trying to force himself back up, Todoriko reached up to grab hold to something. When he felt a firm object, he took hold of it and pulled. Unfortunately for him, it was a lever that was connected to the pod holding nanobots.

**SPLOOSH!**

"What the-!" Todoriko looked up just in time to see the nanobots spill all over him. He started screaming just before the fluid hit his face and started covering his body from head to toe. The Guardsmen stopped their laughing as soon as they saw the Leech Cyborg being covered in the nanobot-ooze, screaming out as it went all over his body, rolling all over the ground as it all went inside of him.

"What the hell is that?!" the second Guardsman gawked.

"I know this!" the first realized, "Those are technorganic nanobots! They were one of the few weapons that were considered too dangerous to use!"

"Why were those nanobots considered dangerous?" the fourth asked.

"The nanobots have a mind of their own! Dr. Gebok once said that they were powerful enough to influence anyone!"

"Look! Something's happening!" the second pointed. The other Guardsmen turned to look.

Todoriko's screams slowly turned into growls as the sludge continued take shape around his body. As he slowly stood up, the purple texture took the form around his arms and legs, turning them into purple jello. His hands covered his head as white armored gloves took shape. Yellow and white armored boots appeared on his feet and his height also grew, making him around eight feet tall. Slowly, his growls grew louder before they turned into a bloodcurdling roar, shocking the Guardsmen.

"Holy fuck!" the fourth screamed.

The mutated Todoriko roared as he charged forward with a sneer. His high frequency blade ejected from his wrist before he sliced at the second Guardsman, ripping his right arm off. The Guardsman screamed out as he held his stump, but the creature quickly silenced him by slicing off his legs and then his head. The transformed Cyborg turned to the other Guardsmen, who were shocked by how sudden their comrade was killed. He proceeded to take another one of them out just as quickly; cutting off his arms, legs, torso and head. The blood spilled out from all the swings. Todoriko's other arm stretched like rubber and grabbed the next Guardsman who attempted to flee and pulled him back in. Todoriko threw him onto the ground and raised his blade-arm up.

"Wait! Stop! We were just-ARRRG!" the Guardsman was also silenced as the blade cut him right down the middle, blood flying everywhere. Todoriko got up and noticed the last Guardsman trying to make contact through a radio nearby.

"This is Qull, Elite-Guardsman of Unit Gamma-4! General Nagazawa, please respond!" the Guardsman froze as he noticed a shadow looming over him. Slowly, he turned around and...

**SLASH!**

"AHHH...!"

_"This is the General!" _a voice finally answered from the abandoned radio, which was now covered in blood. _"What is it? Respond!" _A very human hand pressed the button to answer.

"There's nothing to worry about, General," Todoriko answered, a sudden calmness in his voice. "It was just a false alarm."

_"No further transmissions unless necessary," _Nagazawa ordered.

"Understood..." Todoriko turned around and looked at the gore with an unsettling smile. All the GS-Guardsmen had just been sliced into pieces in a matter of seconds. Their blood and guts had been split all over the floor and weapons.

"And now Weapon D, you will be my next victim!" Todoriko spoke with a wide grin. "Ehehehehe..."

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: And that's chapter 64, and it seems that Todoriko has just gotten himself an upgrade. Boy, he really is gonna show those who mocked him that he isn't some kind of wuss or tool anymore. He's going to show everyone that he deserves respect and fear! Oh, and have a Happy Halloween Everybody! Also, this chap was also done thanks to help from Tailsmo4ever, Kamen Rider Bushido, GuyverGenesis and Kamen Rider Goji. So, Happy Halloween and thanks guys.<strong>


	65. Halloween Fest: Party for the Skeeter

_Back when we were both younger, Qiao and I used to be told some stories of terrorists way back then. There was one organization called the Individual Eleven, who were responsible for a string of violent attacks on Japanese citizens and attempted to assassinate the first female Prime Minister of Japan. There were also hackers who called themselves the Puppet Master and the Laughing Man, who also caused trouble for Section 9. But none of them, none of them could match a candle to everything GIN-SHOCKER did. These guys have been around for who knows how long, and they not exactly what they're doing. And there even using kids to do all the dirty work for them. There has to be some way to stop these sickos, but what? How can we stop an organization that's been around for centuries? I wish you were still here mom and dad. You'd both know what to do..._

_-Netto Kusanagi_

**Chapter 65: Party for the Skeeter**

The last several hours was chaos for GIN-SHOCKER. Someone had suddenly gone on a violent rampage, killing everyone that was in his way. His path was nothing more than blood and gore, everyone dead or left barely alive from slash wounds and lack of energy. And then, as quickly as he appeared, the man vanished, mostly through one of the teleporters GIN-SHOCKER had stationed around the base. No one knew who he was, where he came from, or why he went on a rampage. No one, except for General Nagazawa.

Nagazawa was watching the scene with his usual stern face as the dead and wounded were placed onto stretchers and taken away to be either disposed of (the dead) or treated (the wounded).

Prof. Kyofu walked up to him and saluted, "I have come here as soon as you called, sir! What is the problem?"

"Oh good," Nagazawa nodded, turning around to face the professor, "Just the man I need to speak to. This conversation is best to be had behind closed doors."

"Oh? Of course sir," Kyofu nodded. He followed the General into a soundproof room. As soon as they entered, the door locked behind them.

"Kyofu, I have called you here because I know the identity of the one who committed this rampage," Nagazawa began.

"You do?" Kyofu blinked, "Then we must report it to everyone else and track down this intruder post haste."

"This was no intruder," Nagazawa frowned, "This was all caused by #01."

"What!?" Kyofu nearly yelled, "#01 did all this!? But how?!"

"Somehow, he got himself contaminated by one of Gebok's earlier projects," Nagawaza explained, "It was a tube of techno-organic nanobots that could turn anything into a living weapon. However, the nanobots themselves were sentient. They were too powerful to control, and they whispered rebellious suggestions to their users. In the end, Gebok discontinued the project. But now #01 has gotten his hands on that weapon, and I suspect he intends to use it against us."

"Is this about the test I prepared for him earlier? The one where he had to fight against Weapon D?" Kyofu asked. "With all due respect, sir, it was his own fault that he failed. #01 has always been a coward so therefor-"

"That's a load of bullshit and you know it," Nagazawa interrupted, making Kyofu shut up. "You knew that #01 was no match for Weapon D on his own, so you purposefully made the odds impossible for him. On top of that, you had the gall to broadcast the whole thing during the Shocker Ball game. #01 may be a coward but there is only so much mockery that even he can take, and your actions has caused him to not only abandon the organization, but to abandon the organization while in the possession of one of our most dangerous and unstable weapons. That was the exact same thing Gebok did with BLACK 13, only instead of an experiment what you did to #01 was to satisfy your own already big fat ego! Had I known that I would have never approved of the training session in the first place!"

"B-but sir!"

"And another thing; Weapon D defeating #01 does not prove that Psychics are superior to Cyborgs. They both have their strengths and weaknesses, which was why we had the Psychic Corps in the first place. I, for example, am a Cyborg. Perhaps you would like to test my limits?" General Nagazawa cracked his knuckles.

"No sir! Absolutely not!" Kyofu pleaded, "That isn't necessary!"

"Good," Nagazawa nodded. "We have already dispatched a unit to locate and capture #01 before things get further out of hand. If this becomes exposed and ends up as public knowledge, we will need to cover it up. You best not let anything like this happen again." With that final threat sinking in, Nagazawa turned and walked out of the room.

"This is not good at all," Kyofu sweated a bit as he wiped a napkin over his head. "It appears I have done something that's even worse than what Gebok did. I must have D track down and eliminate #01. After all she did beat him once, she can beat him again even with his new upgrade."

* * *

><p>Leon went down to the dungeon, letting Aphrodite watch Tamao. He had a job to do and he intended to do it. They had Dr. Gebok in custody and if Leon heard correctly he was one of the GIN-SHOCKER's top scientists. If anyone knew about GIN-SHOCKER's secrets and inner workings, it would be one of their executive members. Leon was going to interrogate him but if Dr. Gebok insisted on keeping his mouth shut, then Leon had ways of extracting the information. Making his way to the cell where Gebok was kept, he was also being accompanied by the Headmaster who wanted to see the man who had tortured one of his favorite students for so many years.<p>

The PSC members on duty gave their captain and the Headmaster a salute and walked down the hallway before stopping at Gebok's cell. The man in the lab coat looked up and greeted Leon cheerfully, "Well, hello there! Came to visit? I was hoping that you'd bring BLACK 13. Where is he?" He also noticed the Headmaster as well. "Ah, and if it isn't the shifty and secretive keeper of this school, the Headmaster himself. I do hope you'll be so kind as to accept my thanks for taking such good care of my dear BLACK 13 during his stay here at your school. By the way, where is BLACK 13?"

"He's not here," said Leon as he opened the cell door and entered to grab Gebok by his coat. "And you shall refrain from making direct verbal contact with the Headmaster. Now on your feet. You're coming with me."

"Oh, where to?" Gebok asked, interested,

"The interrogation room, where we can talk in private," Leon said simply and sternly. "And no funny business." He dragged Dr. Gebok along.

"You did handcuff me," said Gebok as he did have his hands cuffed behind him. "Couldn't even swat a fly if I wanted to."

"Yeah, but I know your kind," Leon retorted. "I'm not taking any chances with you, ya sadistic freak."

* * *

><p>The interrogation room was a dark room with only one entrance and exit. There was a light hanging from the ceiling, a table in the middle, with chairs across from each other. Leon and Gebok were seated with Leon's hands folded on the tabletop. Floating just above them was a little bat-like creature with an eyeball for a body and flapping bat-wings. The Eye-Bat was connected with a small crystal ball which showed the Headmaster the interrogation while he stood in the hallway outside the door. He could see and hear everything that went on in that room.<p>

"OK, if you cooperate and answer all my questions-" began Leon.

"You'll let me go free?" Gebok interrupted as he asked hopefully.

"No," Leon denied.

"Then what do I get in return?" Gebok questioned. "What's in it for me?"

"A very comfortable stay with us for a long time. Otherwise, we could make things quite uncomfortable for you."

"Why so serious, boy?" Gebok challenged, laughing merrily. "I've witnessed the interrogation process GIN-SHOCKER utilises! Hell, I'm the one who designed it!" He added, modestly, "Well, with some help."

"Just answer the damn questions," Leon hissed.

"Don't I get a bowl of gyudon?" Gebok asked.

"This isn't some damn hotel!" Leon snapped, slamming his palm on the table. Gebok was trying his patience and enjoying it. If Leon didn't need him for questioning, the man would be hung then his body would be burnt at the stake before his ashes were scattered all over a garbage dump.

The first few answers were easy enough.

Leon began, "Who is the leader of GIN-SHOCKER?"

"Our illustrious Great Leader, obviously. He is the one who gave us a purpose in this world and he is our one true lord and master."

"What is GIN-SHOCKER's ultimate goal?"

"GIN-SHOCKER plans to take over the world, of course. But we've started to expand since then. This isn't just the only world with intelligent life on it. There are others out there and GIN-SHOCKER will dominate and control them all. With our power, it's not impossible.

"How many people are part of GS' upper echelon? How many are part of the Great Leader's inner circle? What are their names?"

"Oh, there are a lot of us, but I can't tell you who they are. That would be telling."

"How deep do GIN-SHOCKER's claws reach?"

"Deeper than you can possibly imagine. Anyone could be a member of GIN-SHOCKER and some of them may not even realize it." Leon steeled his gaze on Gebok as he continued answering the question, "You probably thought that GIN-SHOCKER was a secret organization, but we are very public. Scholars, politicians, ambassadors; it is an international community all linked through the clandestine operations of GIN-SHOCKER."

"But...how?" Leon asked. It wasn't humanly possible to be so high up on the political chain without gaining some sort of attention.

"Poor, poor boy. You just don't get it, do you?" Gebok gloated. "A simple matter such as an attack on a military installation or a multimillion dollar company is easily covered up when key positions in the media and police are controlled by us." Leon's eyes widened a bit as he finally started to realize just how deep GIN-SHOCKER's fangs sank into the flesh that was called the world. "We're everywhere, we're everyone. The Earth is now within our grasp; a possession of GIN-SHOCKER. Now, my dear boy, we have all of you, especially BLACK 13. You're a fool if you think you can keep him from us; to think that he could ever get away."

"You... piece of-"

"Uh-uh, temper, temper kid," Gebok chided in a playful yet sadistic tone. "Children could be reading this as we speak you know. Even if this is rated M, hardly anyone cares about that these days. Hehehahaha!" Leon let out a low growl as he clenched his fists tightly. He wanted to kill this madman that was sitting right in front of him at that very moment. But he needed to remain calm. He needed to get more answers. "And you should know this: BLACK 13 is like a wild animal lost within your world, within this school, waiting to be snared. An animal far stronger than humans but one who can never adjust to its new world. Lost and howling; wandering aimless, looking for his own kind. However, the world and this school is his cage and GIN-SHOCKER is his keeper. His only avenue of escape is to embrace death. But, even then, all I'd have to do is simply revive and reprogram him. HAHAHA!"

"Enough of your laughing, you freak!" Leon shouted, raising his voice high.

"Heh-heh, it is foolish to resist us you know. You, BLACK 13, and the rest of your ragtag band of misfits think that you all can survive but your true opponent is the enemy within," Gebok finished. After a tense moment of silence had passed, Gebok simply smirked at Leon. "What, no more questions?"

Not many of Gebok's answers had been helpful, considering that they were either things Leon knew or just common sense when it came to evil international organizations. Of course, the true depth of GIN-SHOCKER's grasp on the world was frightening. If anything, they've pretty much taken over the world already, and all that was left was to deliver the last nail into the coffin to make everyone on the planet submit. They were fighting an organization that was supposedly _that _big?!

"Tell me about your facilities, your bases. Just exactly how big is your organization?" Leon questioned.

"That is a se-cret," Gebok answered tauntingly. "I gave you a hint already anyway and you're a bright boy, now use your brain and figure it out on your own." Leon grabbed the table and tossed it to the wall. Grabbing hold of Gebok's throat, he slammed the scientist against the wall, creating a Gebok-shaped imprint. His eyes glowed a furious gold as his black Reiatsu shook the room wildly.

"I'm not playing any games, you psycho! Do you have any idea what I am? What I can do? I can rip out your soul and send you to Hell! And believe me, what you imagine to be Hell is in actuality 100 times worse! So, if I were you, I'd cooperate!" He was frustrated and easily irritated at this point. Gebok was trying his patience.

Gebok looked Leon in the eye, not caring at all that Leon's spiritual pressure was rattling his bones. "Do you really think simply because you _claim_ to be a Death God that you can frighten me?" he mocked, grinning from ear to ear, "The Great Leader is worse than anything you can possibly imagine! I've seen what true terror looks like and compared to him you're just a guppy in the ocean while he's a Great White Shark! He can devour every single last one of you Soul Reapers and he still wouldn't be satisfied! That is how powerful he is! You have _nothing_! Nothing to threaten me with! Nothing to do with all your strength!"

Leon's Reiatsu vanished as he dropped Gebok in disgust and turned towards the door. Opening it, he ordered, "Take him back to his cell!" He needed to calm himself down before he did anything he'd really regret.

Stepping out of the dungeon, Leon noticed that the Headmaster had already left. It was probably for the best as it seemed that Gebok wasn't going to be opening up anytime soon. As he took a few deep breathes, he sensed a familiar energy signature and reached for his sword. He felt someone lean against his back, back-to-back, and identified them. "Ryoko."

"You seem tense," she remarked, amused.

"Bad start for the day," he told her, not turning around. He knew she wasn't here to fight but he still felt like relieving himself of his anger.

"I guess it could be for you," she said. "By the way, you have a cute kid."

"Indeed," Leon agreed.

"But big things come in small packages. Hopefully, she doesn't fall into the wrong hands," Ryoko warned. Leon spun around and saw that she was gone.

"As if I didn't know that," he murmured, knowing fully well who and what Tamao really was. It didn't change the fact that she was his daughter.

* * *

><p>Daichi might work well alongside his comrades and enjoy hanging out with them to a degree, but even he liked to have moments to himself and his thoughts. Just being alone, with nobody to annoy him, with peace and quiet was something he would occasionally enjoy. That was why he was walking through the woods, reflecting on many things that had happened to him. He was just a child when he'd lost his parents and ended up under his sister's care before he was sold off by her to GIN-SHOCKER. Unfortunately for her, she was never able to enjoy the payment she got since they had blown her up to cover their tracks. However, he ended up with an even worst handler who would constantly abuse and belittle him. He'd befriended #13 but then was killed due to Gebok's manipulations.<p>

He had been able to patch things up with #13 following his revival and befriended Shinichi. Unfortunately, his opinion of Shinichi early on was not very flattering as he viewed him as a man-whore and an extreme mama's boy at times. Then again Shinichi had gone through some tough shit so he guessed it was only fair that Shinichi was loved and reunited with his mother Shiori. It was also fair for Shinichi to have multiple girlfriends as well. Being as messed up as he was could make anyone crazy.

Aside from usual fighting at Youkai Academy, it was a nice place. This was where he'd met Haruhi and she'd been clingy to him since he'd defeated her during the martial arts tournament. At first he'd been annoyed but eventually he learnt to enjoy her company and accepted her feelings. At the very least, he'd been able to convey his feelings to Haruhi with his song. His sister and handler had been bitches but that didn't mean all women were bad. He trusted Michiru, Hana and Misato, and he also respected Nekonome-sensei.

When he saw the posters about a concert playing during the Halloween Festival, Daichi thought about forming his own band. The Light Music Club had a band but Daichi was still a newbie so he was put on reserve in case their lead guitarist wasn't able to play. He wondered when his opportunity would come.

Daichi's reflecting halted when he spotted a cloaked figure dressed in Gothic Lolita style clothing with a hood and cloak. He was briefly reminded of Hana since she sported the same style. She stood in his way and for some reason there was something off about this girl. It was the feeling he got whenever facing something dangerous.

Direct as always, Daichi demanded loudly, "Who are you?" She pulled down the hood of her cloak, revealing her face to him.

"I am Weapon D," she answered.

"Weapon D?!" Daichi exclaimed as he drew out his Cricket Fork. Weapon D was a member of GIN-SHOCKER and thus an enemy. Daichi had heard about this girl from Yuji, but he personally thought he could take her if he took away her cards. "What are you here for?!"

"Nothing, just came here to talk," Weapon D answered.

"Oh, really?" Daichi narrowed his eyes in suspicion, clutching his Cricket Fork tightly. He didn't buy it.

"Yes, really," Weapon D confirmed.

"Then talk," Daichi prompted.

"Your name is Daichi Takashima," Weapon D started, putting all of her memorized lines to use. "aka GIN-SHOCKER Rider #08: Sonix."

"EX-GIN-SHOCKER RIDER!" Daichi corrected abruptly.

"Right, one of the renegade Riders," Weapon D corrected herself before she continued, "Tell me, why do you still ally yourself with BLACK 13?"

"What's it to you?" Daichi retorted.

"I am just asking because I learnt from your data files that you were his friend. How did BLACK 13 repay that friendship? Simple, he stabbed you and killed you with your own weapon."

"Shut up! That was Gebok's doing, not #13's!" Daichi defended Shinichi.

"Yet it doesn't change the fact that it was through BLACK 13's hands that your life ended previously," Weapon D argued.

"Shut up!" Daichi retaliated. "I ain't gonna let you talk smack about my friend like that!"

"The same friend who killed you," Weapon D repeated. "He betrayed you just like how your sister betrayed you by selling you to GIN-SHOCKER."

"Don't you even dare go there, BITCH!" Daichi warned with narrowed eyes. If she made another crack about his sister or #13, he would beat the girl to death.

"Who's to say that BLACK 13 won't do the same thing to you again? Face it, there is a possibility that BLACK 13 might betray you again and sell you out just like your dear sister did," Weapon D concluded. That was the straw that broke the camel's back.

**(PLAY SONG: INDIVIDUAL SYSTEM BY TETRA-FANG)**

Daichi roared as he slammed his Cricket Fork into the ground, sending forth devastating sound waves in Weapon D's direction. She calmly took out a card from the top of her deck before she inserted it into her activated D-Pad. The result was that she teleported away from that spot causing the sound waves to hit the trees instead of her, breaking them.

"Where did you go?-!" Daichi angrily demanded before he saw Weapon D standing by another tree some distance away from him. "Aha!" Daichi then slammed his Cricket Fork into the ground again, the sound waves heading towards Weapon D again.

Weapon D just slipped the same card into the D-Pad to enable her to port away and reappear in front of Daichi, taking the Cricket Cyborg by surprise. She then kicked Daichi in the groin, bringing the Rider down to his knees. She then karate chopped him in the neck, stunning the Cricket Cyborg before she pummeled Daichi in the face. She then finished it up with kicking the him in the gut, sending him flying through the air before hitting a tree and falling down to the ground.

"Is this the power of a former elite?" she taunted.

"RAGH! GODDAMMIT!" Daichi roared. He stood up and had his Spark Core appear on his waist. "HENSHIN!" With a furious cry, ripple of sound waves covered his body, transforming him into Sonix. Sonix charged at the Psychic Duelist with raging fury. When he was able to reach Weapon D, he swung a kick at her, only for her to the duck under the attack.

"Predictable. Even your rage and reaction were recorded in the data files," she stated as she slipped a couple more cards into her D-Pad once more. A green energy blade with an intricate cross guard decorated with blue orbs appeared in her hand. The grip was just as intricately designed and the pommel at the end of the grip had a pair of red lines running up its surface and along the grip. It was a Psychic Sword. In her other hand she held a blue and silver-trimmed energy blaster with three barrels connected into an inverted triangular shape. A green tube was mounted on the blaster's top with a small needle connected to the bottom of the blaster. It was known as "Psychic Trigger".

Weapon D slashed her Psychic Sword into Sonix's chest, making sparks fly while knocking Sonix down to the ground. Weapon D then slammed the flat side of her blade into the downed Rider's chest a few times, creating more sparks.

Her continuous pummeling sent Sonix rolling across the ground against a tree. He growled as he got up to his feet, using the nearby tree as leverage. He opened up his chest plate to reveal the hidden speakers and activate them. However, the second he opened up his chest plate, it got bombarded by Weapon D's Psychic Trigger, damaging the speakers and rendering them non-functional. Another bombardment damaged his armor further to the point of force-deactivating it. He was crouched on the ground with a bleeding forehead and chest injuries.

**(END SONG)**

Daichi glared at Weapon D. Once again he was reminded of having his ass owned by BLACK 13 and Kiria. Then again, she simply predicted his moves and countered accordingly. But even so, he wasn't going to let this lolita chick kick his ass and get away with it. Slowly, he got up to his feet, albeit wobbly. D cocked an eyebrow as she watched him stand.

"Why are you still standing?" she questioned. "You've been defeated already."

"Then I guess you don't know me all that well," Daichi retorted. "Even if you kick me down, I'll just get back up so I can kick your ass!"

"Your efforts are for naught," D frowned, aiming her gun. "I have learnt everything I need to know about the NUMBERS, including your individual abilities, weapons and fighting styles. I was made for the sole purpose of outclassing you."

"Yeah? Well I don't give a fuck," Daichi spat.

D glared, "So be it." She darted towards him as she fired shots from her Psychic Trigger. Daichi took out his Cricket Fork and deflected each shot back at her. She covered her face as the pellets went passed her, avoiding injuries. As soon as she got into range, she reared her sword for a slash, but Daichi swiftly jumped over her. She once again expected this as she was quick to turn around and retaliate, but her armed wrist was caught in Daichi's stronger grip, unable to get it out. She tried to aim her Psychic Trigger at him, but that other wrist was soon caught as well. He reared his head back and slammed it against D's in a nasty headbutt, causing her to double over in pain. As she was stunned, Daichi drove his fork into her gut.

"Suck on this!" he roared as he launched a sound blast at point blank range. D screamed as she was launched backwards and sent skidding along the ground crashing into several tombstones before coming to a stop. Daichi fell back on his butt, but now with a self-assured grin on his face, satisfied that he paid her back.

D coughed as she dizzily stood back up. She didn't understand what just happened. #08 should've been defeated, but he refused to stay down. Not to mention that he actually managed to read through her moves. She knew all his strengths and weaknesses, so why didn't he give up? It was confusing for her.

And that wasn't all she had to worry about. Noticing a shadow above her, D quickly looked up before gathering what momentum she had left to jump out of the way as the object smashed down on her former location. As the dust settled, Haruhi stood up right, glaring at her. She first looked at the injured Daichi, and then at D, her anger increasing even further.

"What did you do to him?" she demanded.

"All I wanted to do was have a few words," D defended, "He was the one who started it."

"You brought up my sister! How did you think I was gonna react?!" Daichi shot back.

"I was only stating facts," said D neutrally. "You were the one who overreacted." Daichi didn't like to be talked down to like some kind of idiot. He got enough of that from his handler who would belittle him every chance she got. The only peace he got was from playing music.

"You will leave him alone," Haruhi demanded.

"That won't be possible. He's a traitor and an enemy, and all enemies to GIN-SHOCKER are to be-"

"Stand down, Weapon D."

All eyes turned towards the direction of the voice. Standing not too far from them was Kamen Rider Phantom.

"I don't take orders from you," Weapon D argued.

"Yes you do. I'm your senior and that means I outrank you," retorted Phantom. "Besides, killing traitors and deserters is not your primary mission, Weapon D."

"It is when they attack me," Weapon D countered.

"You goaded him because you wanted him to attack you, warranting retaliation through deadly force," Phantom rebutted. "He is not the one at fault. You are."

D frowned. "I see. Now I understand." She turned to Daichi and bowed apologetically, "Please forgive me, #08. I was only stating the facts and unwittingly caused you despair. For that I am sorry."

"Hold on, just like that?" Daichi frowned.

"I suggest you take it," Phantom said. "D has a habit of saying things without thinking first. You can blame her conditioning on her handler's part." Her gaze then went to Haruhi as she addressed her, "Take care of him, would you?" She then turned her attention to Weapon D, "D, we need to have a word." She then walked off with Weapon D following after her.

"Daichi, let me help you," Haruhi offered her hand.

Daichi looked up at her before handing her his hand. "Thanks."

"Who were they?" asked Haruhi.

"Members of the organization I used to work for," he told her. "Better tell the others." He activated his communicator to report to the rest. This was urgent. Shinichi would need to know too.

* * *

><p>"So, you know that Dr. Gebok has been captured," said Lina as she and Weapon D, aka Reiko, talked about the most recent turn of events while eating yakisoba. The damage she took wasn't anything serious, so she was able to walk it off.<p>

"Yes, Professor Kyofu was really happy when he heard the news," confessed Reiko. "Aren't you going to do something about it?"

"The Jagers are on standby for tonight's plan," said Lina. "And you have your own orders."

"Defeating Yuji Fudo, but more importantly killing BLACK 13," stated Weapon D. Lina's brows furrowed at the mention of both men. Lina also didn't like hearing that D planned to kill Shinichi, but she knew D was no match for him. So she didn't worry too much about D's plans.

"I doubt you'd be able to defeat Yuji Fudo again this time," countered Lina.

"I can do more than play Duel Monsters," claimed Weapon D. "Will you be breaking Gebok out?"

"If we are ordered to," Lina replied. Her communicator alerted her and she answered, "What is it?"

It was an update on the plan.

* * *

><p>Eating pancakes with chocolate sauce, Shinichi was having breakfast with Mizore when he got the call from Daichi. He pushed a button on his earpiece to respond. He listened to the report and nodded accordingly.<p>

"Yes, I know," Shinichi responded via his earpiece. "Gebok's locked up so obviously they'll try to break him out. I know the Jagers are here too."

"_So, got a plan?_" Daichi questioned.

"We beat them," said Shinichi. "Beat them and drive them out of the academy."

"_I expected something a little more elaborate_," Daichi remarked.

"I'm not the leader of the NUMBERS anymore, Dai," Shinichi told the Cricket Cyborg. "If anything happens, we do what we have to do as Kamen Riders."

"_Right, Sonix out,_" Daichi ended the call.

Kuro appeared, this time wearing his armor, including his helmet, as he commented, "_I feel that it is unwise to leave things to chance. We need to plan our strategy_."

"I know what the Jagers are capable of already," said Shinichi. Hana, Michiru and Misato had been forthcoming about Inferna, Whirligig and Whiplash's capabilities and Shinichi had battled against Phantom, Atlas, Dynamo and Storm personally. He knew what to expect from them.

"_And what of Dr. Gebok?_" Kuro questioned.

"I don't want to think or talk about him," Shinichi responded. "He can rot in that jail cell for his the rest of his life for all I care."

"_GIN-SHOCKER cannot afford to lose his genius. They will attempt to release him_," Kuro argued.

"Well, then that gives me a chance to fight him and finish the job this time around, won't it?" replied Shinichi.

* * *

><p>"Are you sure you don't need to go to the infirmary?" Haruhi asked as she and Daichi walked back to campus.<p>

"This is just a scratch," he said about his injuries. "It doesn't hurt anymore either. I've had much worse hits anyway."

"Seriously, where do you meet these people?" questioned Haruhi.

"Its best that you really don't know," Daichi told her.

* * *

><p>Back at the GS post near Youkai Academy, Dynamo and Atlas were standing side by side, guarding the entrance.<p>

"Hey #18?" Dynamo asked.

"Yeah #20?" Atlas caught on.

"Do you ever wonder why we are here?" Dynamo asked.

Atlas turned to face Dynamo as he answered, "I don't know man. Why are we here? Is it because we have been put here by a higher power, maybe by God, to do something here? I don't know man, it keeps me up all night."

"What? No! I mean why are we here when we could be doing recon for our future mission?" Dynamo clarified.

"Oh, okay," Atlas accepted, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"And what is this about God?" Dynamo asked.

"Um, nothing," Atlas dismissed.

"Wanna talk about it?" Dynamo asked.

"Nope," Atlas politely declined.

"OK," Dynamo accepted.

"Hey guys!" Atlas and Dynamo turned around to see Storm coming from out of the post to see them.

"What is it, little bro?" Dynamo asked.

"We got new orders!" Storm answered.

* * *

><p>"That sounded urgent," Mizore observed.<p>

"It's nothing we can't handle," Shinichi dismissed. "Oh, I'm getting another call." He answered, "Hello...?"

"_WHERE ARE YOU!?_" Kurumu screamed.

"Oh, Kurumu-chan!" he exclaimed. He had given her those earrings to call him. She had kept them since. "I'm still at my dorm, having breakfast with Mizore-chan."

"_Well, it's almost 11!_" Kurumu snapped. "_You two should get yourselves here, unless you're doing the nasty without me!_"

Shinichi blushed and almost sputtered, "N-nothing like that! We just took a bath together!"

"_Took a bath together!? Wait, did she spend the night with you? I knew it!_"

"Look, Kurumu-chan. It's fine. Once we're done with breakfast we'll be there. Trust me," he said calmly.

* * *

><p>"Did you have to yell at him like that?" Moka asked, a sweatdrop on the back of her head as she looked at her friend worriedly.<p>

Kurumu sighed, "Sorry, it's just that since we've been together I can't stand not being near him for long. It's a Succubus thing."

"He'll be here. He said so," said Yukari.

"Until then, we should run the Kamen Rider Cafe without him. He is trusting us," said Moka, smiling.

* * *

><p>Shinichi arrived with Mizore on his bike, receiving an earful from Kurumu as a result of shirking his responsibilities. The Black Cicada Cyborg's clothing comprised of a leather jacket which was part-way zipped up to reveal a green t-shirt underneath, blue jeans and brown combat boots. A red scarf was tied around his neck. Mizore had helped him put it straight like a dutiful wife.<p>

"So, what did you both do all morning?" Moka asked, barely repressing her irritation as her eyebrow twitched. Despite the agreement to share Shinichi, she could still feel jealous.

Mizore answered with reddened cheeks, "It was like we were newlyweds ." It was a statement that could be interpreted in many directions.

"Well, I was the one who cooked," he remarked.

"You still look manly in an apron, _a-na-ta_," Mizore smiled at him. He blushed at being addressed that way.

'_ANATA!?_' Moka, Yukari and Kurumu yelled in their heads.

"Arigatou, kimi," he replied.

'_KIMI!?_'

Shinichi suddenly broke out into laughter. "Oh, I wish I had a camera! The looks on your faces!"

"That was mean!" Kurumu crossed her arms, pouting.

"Sorry, sorry," he apologized. Moka was upset but at the same time happy. He seemed to have recovered since last night.

'_It's just a cover_,' her inner self informed. Shinichi's past was far too traumatic for him to be completely happy and he had problems letting go. So, he covered it up with a cheerful smile which never seemed to reach his eyes. He just didn't want to worry anybody.

"Maybe, maybe not," Moka responded softly. She believed that Shinichi was able to find happiness with them, at least she hoped he did.

He looked to Moka and the way she was staring at him. "Moka-chan?" She put her arms around him and he sighed, "Go ahead."

"Thank you, Shinichi-kun," smiled Moka before she declared, "Itadakimasu...Capu-Chu!"

Shinichi didn't mind donating blood to Moka regularly. It was just one of the things he did for love. He just hoped she didn't suck him dry.

* * *

><p>Since the group wasn't scheduled to work in the Kamen Rider Cafe today as their classmates would help run things for them, they went to watch the movies that the AV Club were showing. They were just in time to watch "Bad Moon Rising". The group was seated, from left to right, Mizore, Kurumu, Shinichi, Moka and Yukari.<p>

"KYAAA!" Moka screamed as she hugged Shinichi's right arm with all her might, burying her face into his shoulder with her eyes screwed shut.

"Moka-chan! My arm! My arm!" he shouted.

"But the movie's so scary!" Moka screamed.

Kurumu then let out a loud scream as well and shouted, "Hold me, Shinichi!" She put her arms around his neck, choking him.

"Can't breathe! Air! Air!" he panicked.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Netto was cooking and serving up steamed pork buns to hungry customers. Their stand had become quite popular. His next customers happened to be Leon, Tamao and Aphrodite.<p>

"I guess you guys want pork buns, huh?" Netto asked.

"Yeah," Leon answered.

"I want 3!" Tamao cheered out.

"Coming right up," said Netto as he put the freshly cooked buns into a bag. "So, ARE you guys gonna be at the Jack-O-Lantern Dance?"

"Of course we will," smiled Aphrodite. "And you?"

"Yeah, and let me tell you that Elle, Kiko and Qiao are looking forward to it too," Netto said as he handed the bag to Leon and accepted payment.

"I'm dancing with Papa!" claimed Tamao cheerfully.

"So, Leon, has anyone asked you to the dance?" Netto asked. He continued before Aphrodite spoke up, "Other than the obvious?"

"Well..." Leon began, "Karin did ask me. But she ran away in embarrassment before I could answer." He soon caught on to what Netto asked. "Netto, did you have something to do with that?"

"I didn't do much," Netto denied. "It was Qiao-chan and the others who did the makeover for her."

"Makeover?" Aphrodite asked, blinking.

"She was wearing makeup and a qipao," Leon explained. "She looked great."

"She was pretty!" Tamao beamed.

"That's my girl's doing," Netto smiled proudly. Some customers in the line complained since Leon's group was holding it up. "Hey, do you mind moving to the side? I got more customers to feed."

"Oh, sorry," Leon apologized. He, Aphrodite, and Tamao scooched over to allow the other customers to get their orders.

"So anyway Leon, maybe you should try to accept her request," Netto continued, serving the next customer. "I mean, Karin does like you, but she sees you with your girls nearly all the time. She's afraid of rejection."

"I guess I owe her that much," Leon stated. "She did go to all that trouble just to ask me to dance with her."

"And you could gain someone new in the long run~," Aphrodite purred into his ear.

"Terrific," Leon sighed.

* * *

><p>Ren and Goemon were again in Youkai Academy to enjoy the festival. It seemed like they couldn't get enough. She even got a chance to meet his ex-teammates. However, there was one she wanted to meet very badly. There was something she needed to do once she met a Black Cicada Cyborg.<p>

At the same time, Yuji was preparing the final touches for Misato's surprise. Shinichi was with him, making enquiries. He needed to get away from the girls for a bit before he got hurt. His arm was still throbbing from how hard Moka had held onto him during the movie.

"So, everything is OK, right? All your equipment is set up?" Shinichi asked Yuji as they stood in front of the gymnasium.

"It's all set and ready. Misato will love this," Yuji grinned boastfully.

"Well, considering you're doing all this for her, she'd have to be a total bitch not to appreciate it," Shinichi remarked.

"Hey, Go-kun. Is that him?" Ren asked as she pointed at Shinichi. Goemon had described his old teammates. He even had pictures. Both were walking by when Ren noticed the twin ahoge.

"Yeah, that's him," said Goemon. He saw Ren walk towards Shinichi. "Ren, what are you doing?"

Ren walked up to Shinichi and tapped his shoulder. He turned. "Oh, what is it?" he asked politely.

"Are you Shinichi Banabara?" Ren asked as she narrowed her eyes. Warning bells were going off in Yuji's head. He'd seen that look plenty of times to know what it meant. He needed to warn Shinichi before...

"Yes," Shinichi nodded. He too felt that something was wrong. His twin ahoge were twitching up a storm. "What of it?"

"Shinichi, I think you should-" began Yuji, but he was too late as Ren raised her leg, fast, and suddenly kicked Shinichi in the balls with absolutely no warning. It just came out of nowhere and Shinichi had not seen it coming.

Shinichi screamed, "Goddamn it! Son of a bitch!" in response to the crotch-assault as he grabbed his privates and fell to the ground face-first. Sadly, Cyborgs DID NOT have balls of steal. But at least he can still make babies.

"-Move," Yuji finished lamely.

Shinichi cried, "Dammit, WHY!?" He glared up at Ren with watery eyes. Hadn't he suffered enough already? Now he had to endure random ball kicking?

Ren answered, "That was for killing Go-kun, you bastard!"

Yuji spoke up, "He's not the one to blame. He was like a puppet on strings." Goemon finally caught up with her. He had just seen Ren kick Shinichi in the balls. "Friend of yours?" Yuji asked.

"Ren Rakusa," Goemon introduced.

Ren blinked when she heard Yuji's explanation. A puppet? Well, Goemon had told her that #13 hadn't been able to express emotions. However, the boy writhing on the ground was obviously in pain and upset if the tears were any indication.

"Oh," Ren realized before she apologized, "Sorry for kicking you, Shinichi. I just really needed to vent because of what Go-kun told me about what you did to him. I mean, you tore off his limbs and let him bleed to death." She helped him up to his feet. "Are you OK?"

Shinichi stood back up and grunted, "I remember. I was there." Shinichi then blinked, "Wait a minute; I didn't kill Goemon by tearing off his limbs and leaving him to bleed to death." He hated remembering, but he knew it had happened differently. "First I removed his arms and then I stabbed him with chainsaws."

Yuji then verified, "Well, not all memories are clear. As time goes by things get mixed up."

Shinichi then sadly replied, "But it's still the same story with the same ending even if the details are different. He died and I'm still sorry about that." He gave Ren and Goemon apologetic looks.

Ren accepted, "Oh...well, then I forgive you, Shinichi." Oh, she was expecting an apology after she hurt him a little more, but nothing like this. If what she heard about GIN-SHOCKER was true, then Shinichi was as much of a victim as Goemon. "And I shouldn't have kicked you in the balls like that."

"Don't worry," he interrupted. "I think I deserved it that time." He had done some ball kicking himself in the past. Maybe this was just Karma.

"Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?" she asked.

"Nah, we're even," he told her. "Believe me, I've had worse."

"If it will help make you feel any better I could kick the asshole who manipulated you in the balls. He is a guy, right?" she offered. Shinichi looked tempted to accept but remembered that Gebok was serving time.

Shinichi then told Ren with a neutral face, "He's locked up, and rotting in his cell for all I care. I just want to forget about him, forever."

Ren got the message it was a sore subject for Shinichi. That and the asshole was a guy. "Oh okay. Well if Go-kun sees you as his friend then you are my friend too. I'll always cover your back if you need help." She then blinked as she realized, "Okay did I just say something dirty just now?"

Yuji agreed, "Shin has the same problem. I think he gets it from his mom."

"His mom?" Ren asked. "Wait...Shinichi Banabara...is his mother... Shiori Banabara? THE Shiori Banabara?"

"And yet another fan of Auntie's has graced us," Yūji confirmed.

"_Holy shit!" _Ren exclaimed in clear English. "I'm such a huge fan of her work and now I got to meet her son! Fucking A! Wait till I tell my mom!" Realization sank in before she suddenly kneeled down in shame as a spotlight shown over her head for some reason, "I can't believe it. I just kicked the son of my biggest idol in the balls...! How can I look her in the face now?!"

Shinichi answered, "It's fine, and I've already forgiven you."

Ren depressingly said, "Even so, what I did still wasn't right. Why don't I get you an RX smoothie on me? While we are at it, can I have your mom's autograph?"

Shinichi nodded, "Sure, if you're buying." He wasn't one to reject an offer of free food and beverage, plus he did feel thirsty.

Ren cheered up, "Thanks. And the autograph?"

Shinichi nodded, "I'll see what I can do. Knowing her, she won't deny a request for an autograph from one of her fans."

Ren gratefully said, "Thanks. But there is one more thing." She turned her critical eyes on Goemon, making the dancer cringe at her sight. "Goemon, did you lie to me about how you died?"

Goemon fearfully answered, "Well I may have exaggerated my death a little."

Shinichi jumped in saying, "Or when you got revived the details got mixed up because of the trauma. But that's all in the past now."

Goemon smiled, "Sure that can work. Mind if I join you guys in the smoothie too?"

Shinichi shrugged, "Your girlfriend's paying, so why not?

Ren clarified, "Well I was planning on paying only for Shinichi, but I suppose I could do the same for my boyfriend." She latched her arms around one of Goemon's arms, making Goemon blush from the contact.

Shinichi bugged his eyes, "BOYFRIEND?! Goemon is your boyfriend!? Seriously?!"

Goemon sounded a little offended asked, "What? What is wrong with me having a girlfriend?"

In order to avoid a fight, Shinichi replied quickly, "Nothing, it's just a huge surprise. Well you were not exactly the most sociable of the NUMBERS before. I mean you had anger issues and trouble getting along with people, even the girls."

Goemon retorted, "Well I can change. It is all thanks to Ren-kun."

Shinichi smiled at Goemon's change. Not long ago, Goemon had tried to kill him, but now thanks to Shinichi giving Goemon a second chance, the Centipede Rider had changed for the better.

Ren blushed, "I told you to call me Ren-chan."

Goemon sighed, "Fine, Ren-chan."

Shinichi commented, "So adorable."

Goemon rebutted, "Yeah, well I still have a reputation to uphold so don't go spreading it around. That goes double for you, Yuji, because I might not hear the end of it from Misato, Michiru or Hana."

Yuji swore, "I promise."

Shinichi shouted with his right fist in the air, "Well, let's go! Smoothies are waiting!"

Goemon sweat dropped, "I'm still getting used to him being so expressive."

"I guess it takes some getting used to, huh?" Ren questioned.

"Yeah, that and I'm surprised that Daichi and Shinichi actually managed to patch things up. Kinda makes me wonder how long I've been gone."

* * *

><p>Goemon and Shinichi were laughing together while drinking their RX Smoothies. Ren was hanging off Goemon's while sipping on her own RX Smoothie.<p>

"Well it is nice to see that you're on our side, Goemon," Shinichi smiled.

"You know what? I am glad I am not with GIN-SHOCKER anymore. I made myself a new friend and not at risk of being discarded by that organization anymore. I mean I felt that if I kept going after you, I might die from my own stupidity. So thanks for giving me the second chance Shinichi. I might not be where I am if you didn't," Goemon smiled back.

"No problem. Good to see that you didn't waste it," Shinichi replied as he bumped fists with Goemon.

Some of the renegade Riders looked dumbly at the scene in front of them. They were relieved that Goemon was not their enemy, but didn't expect Shinichi to become friends with Goemon quickly. It was kind of odd.

"Do you believe what I am seeing?" Daichi asked.

"Yeah, he changed his hairstyle!" Yokoshima answered.

"NO! I mean he actually has a girlfriend! I mean back in the day, he was not really the most social of us. The only time we did spend time was during training in missions. Other times he was always the loner. Now he has a girl with him," Daichi clarified.

"**Well goes to show that Goemon may have changed for the better," **Chiaki signed.

"Well still unbelievable that he got himself a girl with his attitude," Daichi snorted as he crossed his arms.

"As opposed to you who used to believe all women were evil but now you have a girlfriend too?" Misato questioned rhetorically, earning a grumble from Daichi in response.

"Is this about the time when you and Goemon argued about the volume of each other's music?" Michiru asked.

"Hey, Goemon's music was too loud so I made my music louder!" Daichi argued.

"Then you got into a fight," Michiru concluded.

"Well maybe if you had talked it out peacefully, you would've not gotten into a fight in the first place," Hana retorted. Daichi grumbled again.

* * *

><p>It was 3 pm and Yūji had Misato put on a blindfold as he led her along. "Why am I wearing this?" she asked.<p>

"Just trust me," said Yūji. "OK, we're here. You can take off the blindfold."

Misato untied and removed the blindfold, only to find herself in the school gym/auditorium. "Huh? Why are we here?" The lights were dimmed but she could see everyone inside clearly. It was all their friends along with other students. "Isn't there supposed to be a concert here?" she asked.

"Yes, but this concert isn't just for us," said Dr. Carl Washam as he stepped forward with Shiori.

"Dad? You came again today?" Misato asked.

"I wouldn't want to miss my Little Draculina's birthday now," he smiled warmly.

"Plus, it's just so sweet that Nii-san and the others are doing this," said Shiori.

"Huh?" Misato blinked

The spotlights shone on the stage to reveal Yūsei on guitar, Aki on keyboard, Jack on another guitar, Kiryū on bass, and Crow on drums. Yūsei held a microphone to his mouth and announced, "GOOD AFTERNOON, YOUKAI ACADEMY! TODAY WE HAVE A SPECIAL CONCERT TO CELEBRATE A SPECIAL GIRL'S BIRTHDAY!" His voice came out crisp, loud and clear from the amplifier speakers.

A spotlight shone on Misato.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY MISATO KURUSHINA!" Team 5Ds proclaimed in unison.

"Huh!? What!? The Hell!?" Misato exclaimed.

Yūji hugged her from behind and told her lovingly, "Happy Birthday, Misato." All eyes were on them and went wide as they watched Yūji kissing Misato deeply. Mainly, it was from students seeing it as a teacher having inappropriate relations with a student. That could get Yuji in trouble. However, he did not care about that. He was just showing Misato how much he loved her and she was reciprocating. Some may think it was scandalous, but they didn't care. They were in love.

Michiru had on an expression of bliss as she watched the scene with Hana smiling next to her. Ruby wished that she was in Misato's position right now. Flannery was a bit envious of Misato, but this was her moment so she let it slide. Blair was also wishing that she was the one in her Master's arms, seething just a little with her whiskers curling a bit.

Leon would've arrested both Yūji and Misato for inappropriate behavior between teacher and student in public, but he would let this one slide.

Yūji released the Cyborg and gave her a grin as he ran to the stage, with students clearing the way for him as he jumped onto the stage, grabbing the microphone and calling, "OK, DUDES AND DUDETTES, TIME TO SHOW YOU HOW WE DO THINGS BACK HOME!"

**Flags (the Opening song)**

As the guitar and drums started, Yūji started singing:

"_Kiso e hana no iro utsushidase ryouran ni_

_tatakau honki ga kasanaru_

_kaku mo hata no moto wakitatta kizuna_

_kagayaki wo kizanu mono ga jidai wo yoberu!"_

Yusei and the others started playing hard, the students cheering...

"_Tatsumaki no you ni araburu_

_yokubou ga egakasete iru_

_yoru dake ni giratsuku niji wa_

_dogitsukute na no ni hikarete_

_katazu wo nomikomu shisen no manimani_

_ippo mo hikanai kirameki ga semaru_

_ten wo megaketa..."_

Juvia was in the audience and screaming so much that she threatened to cut off her air supply and pass out. She kept screaming, "YUJI-SAMA! YUJI-SAMA! YUJI-SAMA!" with her arms in the air, losing her composure. The music was making her heart drum in her chest and she felt like she could erupt into a geyser at any point.

"_Tsudoe hana no en saki isoge choujou ni_

_arashi wo ashita ni butsukeru_

_yokuzo hata no moto hotobashiru tamashi_

_shinkan wo hashiranakerya inochi wa moezu!"_

"_Muriari ni mune ni shizumeta kurogane wa nemuranai darou?_

_kizuato mo minikui yami mo mitsukete onore wo shimese_

_tamerau senaka wo unmei ni osareru_

_konoyo ga hirefusu kachidoki no tame ni_

_ogori takabure..."_

Leon was holding up Tamao as the little kit pumped her fists. Nearby, members of the PSC had joined the crowd in cheering on the band. He smiled as he spotted Aphrodite and Yuki cheering on the band with Hime and Reiri doing the same.

"_Hokore natsu no ran hibiki ae saikyou ni_

_chirabaru kokoro ga kotaeru_

_mohaya hata o se ni nakusenai hikari_

_koetagaru omoi koso ga jidai wo okosu!"_

"This is for you, Yokai Academy!" Yuji cheered as he continued:

"_Ten wo megakete... ! Tsudo e hana no en saki isoge choujou ni_

_arashi wo ashita mibutsukeru_

_yokuso hata no moto hotobashiru tamashi_

_shunkan wo hashiranakerya inochi wa moezu!"_

Finally, it was time for the big finish.

"_Kagayaki wo kisanu mono yo! jidai wo okoseeee!"_

The students attending the concert were cheering like crazy as the band finished the song. It was incredibly awesome. Juvia passed out and fell on the floor with big hearts in her eyes. In the front, Misato was touched, since he was singing to her. She knew, she felt it, and his eyes were on her the entire time he sang.

"Damn, he's good," Shinichi remarked.

"Wonder if he'd let me join," Daichi said.

"Rock On! Yeah! Rock On! YEAH!" Yokoshima was head-banging while doing the rock on sign with his hands. "WOO-HOO!"

"I wish he'd sing to me someday," said Ruby.

"You know, you might get the chance someday," Shinichi said to her. While the two hadn't interacted and conversed much since their first meeting, considering Shinichi had tried to interrogate her last summer for an attempted attack on his life, they managed to be on good terms all because of Yuji. "All you girls will."

"Thank you, Shinichi," Ruby smiled at her lover's cousin.

"_It is only logical. Considering the variables, it is likely you will receive a concert in your honor for the anniversary of your birth_," said Kuro.

"_Agreed_," seconded Sheila.

"Onii-sama is just sweet like that," Yuki said, smiling.

"Yūji really loves to go all out on this stuff, doesn't he?" Qiao grinned foxily.

"He was always the 'think big' kinda guy," Netto said. "He's someone that you can always bet on."

"And what a powerful set of lungs he has," Elle admired.

"More! More!" Kiko cheered excitedly, "Encore! Encore, please!"

"This is your first time seeing a live band," Netto realized.

"How could you tell?" she grinned.

Yokoshima felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see Dr. Magi. "Pops!" He hugged the scientist. "You came!"

"Shinichi told me it was the last day, so I finished all my work for today and came down to see you," Dr. Magi smiled. "Oh, hello Dr. Washam."

"Hello, Dr. Magi," Carl greeted as they shook hands, "Glad you could make it!"

"And you came as well, Shiori?" questioned Dr. Magi.

"When I heard what Nii-san was going to do, I couldn't miss it," smiled Shiori. "Besides, I'm not one to walk away from a party."

Unbeknownst to them, Lina was also in the very same room. She looked at Shinichi who was happy. She looked down at her feet. "A choice, huh?" Moka and Yuki's words still echoed in her mind. The former NUMBERS had made their choices and did not care for the consequences. An entire organization was targeting them and still they did not care. They were happy, living the lives of students in high school, albeit a monster high school. A somewhat-carefree and youthful school life was something they had been denied of for a long, long time.

"So you are here too?" Weapon D asked as she stood next to Lina. Lina was not at all surprised at D's presence.

"Yes I am, D. What are you here for?" Lina asked.

"I just came to observe Yūji Fudō and his allies for future confrontations. But mostly Yūji," D answered.

"Sounds like you have a crush on him," Lina giggled in amusement.

"I admit that his company is enjoyable," D confessed. "He was the very first duelist and opponent to defeat me, putting an end to my perfect track record of successful missions. But that still doesn't change the fact that I must defeat him, but more importantly BLACK 13." She then admired Yūji's singing and said, "He really has a good singing voice."

"Yes, he does," Lina agreed.

"So what are you here for, #14?" D inquired.

"Oh similar reasons, which includes analyzing our opponents," Lina half-lied.

"Are you hiding something?" D cocked an eyebrow.

"So what if I am?" Lina retorted.

"I just don't think it is a good idea to lie, especially in GIN-SHOCKER. You know that they don't tolerate treachery," D reminded.

"Yes, sadly I do," Lina sighed.

* * *

><p>It was one smash hit after another as Team 5D's rocked the entire gymnasiumauditorium. The students went wild because of the music that rocked their hearts and souls. For a certain artificial Vampire, her heart was touched in so many ways. There on stage, singing his heart out for her, was Yuji Fudo.

They had met in August, months ago. Back then, she'd been revived along with Michiru and Hana and sent to kill Yuji Fudo. However, in spite of their efforts, he'd avoided their assassination attempt and invited them to stay. Thinking back, defecting from GIN-SHOCKER was the best decision she ever made. Despite the risks, she never regretted it once when she'd taken Yuji's hand and was welcomed with open arms. It was because of him that she'd found Carl Washam, her only true family.

Hana and Michiru were happy too. GIN-SHOCKER had not been so kind to them. Misato had been lucky to have Washam as her handler. Now, they could be happy with a man who loved them and willing to do anything for them, even stand up to an evil organization.

Her heart was drumming in her chest, filled with warmth. No longer was she a killer or soldier for GIN-SHOCKER. She was Misato Kurushina, Kamen Rider Seras, and the future bride of the new Boss of the Vongola.

"Yeah... This is good," Yūji smiled as he looked out to the crowd. "You know we got some more for you, right?" He received cheers for an answer, laughing to himself for the kids' enthusiasm. "You guys are loving it right now! OK, well enough stalling! It's time for HOWLING!"

"Howling (Theme Song of Darker than Black)"

Aki: "_A night sky full of cries_

_Hearts filled with lies_

_The contract..._

_Is it worth the price?_

_A soul pledged to the darkness_

_Now I've lost it_

_I know I can kill_

_The truth exists beyond the gates"_

Yūji: "_Fusagareta mabuta kara nagaredashita namida_

_Kurikaeshi mushibamareru risei to chi no kakera_

_I don't want anything anymore_

_Yusei: (Abakidasu kanjou ga around Turn round)_

_I don't feel the way as before"_

Yūsei: "(_Gang Bang Son of a gun)_

_Karameta futatsu no mune no sukima de_

_Hoshigaru dake no kawaita kono karada ga"_

"_Kegareta yubisaki de yoru o sosogikonde_

_Chigireru made kimi o kojiakete_

_Asai nemuri no naka hagareta omoi ga kishimu_

_Nani mo kamo ima wa subete keshisaretara"_

"_Sun will rise Close your eyes_

_Downfallen (Fallen) Falling_

_Hold inside_

_Just HOWLING in the shadows"_

"_Taemanaku furishikiru ame ni utarenagara_

_Shigamitsuku sono senaka ni fukaku tsume o tateta"_

"_I don't need anything anymore_

_(No one else can take my place)_

_I don't see the way as before_

_(I've been lost without a trace)"_

"_Dareka no fureta yume no tsuzuki o_

_Saegiru you ni tozashite ita kokoro ga"_

"_Kegareta yubisaki de nando mo dakiatte_

_Atedonaku kimi o taguriyosete_

_Awai kioku ga mada nokoshita itami ni nijimu_

_Te ni ireta mono ga subete ayamachi de mo"_

"_Ushinau tabi ni mezamete yuku chikara de_

_Kegareta kono tsubasa ga yoru o sosogikonde_

_Chigireru made kimi o kojiakete_

_Asai nemuri no naka hagareta omoi ga kishimu_

_Nani mo kamo ima wa subete keshisaretara"_

"_Sun will rise Close your eyes_

_Downfallen (Fallen) Falling_

_Give me sight to see inside_

_I'm calling_

_Take a bite night by night_

_Downfallen (Fallen) Falling_

_Hold inside_

_Just HOWLING in the shadows"_

The music went through its last rifts before Yūsei and the others finished playing, earning wild cheers from the students.

* * *

><p>5D's took a 15 minute break after the song Howling. As Yūji was backstage with his family, drinking water and having some refreshments, Shinichi and Leon walked over to speak to him.<p>

"You really decided to go all out with this concert thing, huh?" questioned Shinichi.

"Of course," Yūji grinned. "Nothing's worth doing if you're not doing it right."

"Still, you're a teacher and you pretty much made out with a student in front of everyone," said Leon.

"What? Are you gonna arrest me? As far as I know Misato and I are consenting adults," said Yūji. Despite being comrades, Yūji wasn't too fond of being threatened and he had a feeling it was gonna go there.

"He's got you there," Shinichi said to Leon, snickering.

"OK, I guess I can let it slide, but you should really learn to control your impulses," advised Leon.

"I will once you take that one foot pole out of your ass," teased Yūji, grinning. Leon bristled. He did not have a pole up his ass.

"So, what have you got planned next?" Shinichi asked his cousin. Yūji finished his bottle of water and tossed it to Shinichi.

"The grand finale," smirked Yuji. Shinichi smirked too. He was looking forward to it.

* * *

><p>After the 15 minute break and intermission, 5D's was back on stage and ready to rock once more. Yūji needed to make this good because it was Misato's special day.<p>

"For this last song, I would like a very special someone to sing with me," Yūji said. The spotlight shone on Misato. "Misato Kurushina, please, come on stage."

"Go on," Hana urged Misato and she walked up onto the stage, receiving another microphone from Yūji.

"Gambatte, Misato!" cheered Michiru.

"Are you nervous?" Yūji asked Misato.

"A little," she admitted as she looked at the student body. "They're all watching me."

"Hey, just relax, and enjoy yourself," Yūji advised. he spoke into the microphone, announcing, "And now, for our last song...**SORAIRO DAYS! **HIT IT!"

"Sorairo Days"

**Misato**: "_kimi wa kikoeru_

_boku no kono koe ga_

_yami ni munashiku_

_suikomareta"_

**Yuji**: "_moshimo sekai ga_

_imi wo motsu no nara_

_konna kimochi mo_

_muda de wa nai"_

**Misato**: "_akogare ni oshitsubusarete_

_akirametetan da_

_hateshinai sora no iro mo_

_shiranai de"_

**Together**: _"hashiridashita omoi ga ima demo_

_kono mune wo tashikani tataiteru kara_

_kyou no boku ga sono saki ni tsuzuku_

_bokura nari no asu wo kizuiteiku_

_kotae wa sou itsumo koko ni aru"_

Yūji then called out the students and beckoned, _"Come on! Voi! Voi! Voi! Voi!"_

The crowd followed as they cheered,_"Voi! Voi! Voi! Voi!"_

**Y**ūji: _"sugita kisetsu wo_

_nageku hima wa nai_

_nidoto mayotte_

_shimawanu you ni"_

**Misato**: _"kazoekirenai_

_honno sasayaka na_

_sonna koukai_

_kakaeta mama"_

**Y**ūj**i: **_**"**__sono senaka dake oikakete_

_koko made kitan da_

_sagashiteita_

_boku dake ni dekiru koto"_

**Together: **_**"**__ano hi kureta kotoba ga ima demo_

_kono mune ni tashikani todoiteru kara_

_kinou yori mo kyou boku wa_

_boku no umaretekita wake ni kizuiteiku_

_kotae wa sou itsumo koko ni aru"_

Shinichi listened to the lyrics and put his hand to his chest. It was like the lyrics were speaking to him. He looked to his left and right, at the friends he'd made. Just months ago, in the beginning of April he'd woken up in Youkai Academy completely with no memory of who he was and how he got here. He met the cheerful Vampire Moka and became her friend, thus awakening his powers to fight in order to protect her. She had hated humans due to her past experience but did not care for his part-human status. He then met Kurumu who fell in love with him the day they met and became friends after he protected her from Moka-sama's wrath. His eyes went towards Yukari who'd been lonely due to her status as a Witch and who desperately needed a friend. Finally, his gaze went towards Mizore who simply wanted to love again despite past heartbreaks. And then he looked to Gin. As much as a pain in the ass he was, he was actually pretty loyal to the Newspaper Club. Only his fear of the Student Police had prevented him from openly going against them, until Shinichi had echoed his speech to him.

Before that fateful summer, he never realized he had an actual past but then he was reunited with his mother, and childhood friends. He had a past aside from GIN-SHOCKER, and an actual family waiting for him.

Ever since he rediscovered the memories he'd repressed, after reuniting with the NUMBERS, then Lina, and learning of the things he'd done because of GIN-SHOCKER, he'd started to doubt himself. His past had been one of pain and torment ever since the day Gebok had taken him.

But these past few days, he started to reevaluate a few things with help from the girls. Preparing for the festival and reuniting with a couple old friends, as well as having fun with everyone, made him remember what was truly important, and what needed to be protected. The whole thing with Kuyou and then ANTI-THESIS had also made him realize something. This school was built on the foundation of peaceful coexistence between humans and monsters. It was a strong yet fragile ideal, but still an ideal worth fighting for. This school was where he'd found his friends, it was because of this school he'd been reunited with his family and found so many new comrades, and it was because of this school he'd found love that filled his mechanical heart with hope.

He looked back up at Misato and Yuji. The other former NUMBERS had changed too, and gotten over their past. Despite the scars and their traumatic pasts, they had learnt to move on and no longer dwell on the past. They had decided to live the life they had been denied for so long. They had found their happiness like he had.

Happiness and this school, family and friends, hopes and dreams of a better tomorrow; these were the things worth protecting. Though the wounds of the past were painful but the past was in the past and should be left in the past. What really mattered was the here and now.

"Arigatou, Minna," he whispered. This was his second chance and he was not going to waste it.

Meanwhile, a man in a top hat stood in the middle of the audience. His attention was not on the band on stage but on Shinichi. He smiled as he stated, "Finally, he gets it."

**Misato: **_**"**__subete ga marude atarimae mitai data"_

**Together: **_**"**__toutoi hibi wa mada owaranai_

_soshite mata_

_hashiridashita omoi ga ima demo_

_kono mune wo tashikani tataiteru kara_

_kyou no boku ga sono saki ni tsuzuku_

_bokura nari no asu wo kizuiteiku_

_kotae wa sou itsumo koko ni aru"_

And as the song ended, Misato leapt into Yuji's arms and kissed him again. The cheering grew louder and louder after that. Fireworks erupted behind the band as well. This was the big finish he had planned for.

"Happy birthday, Misato," Yuji whispered to her.

"Thank you, Yuji. This was awesome," she said to him. She whispered and suggested, "So, how about after this I act like a groupie, rock star?"

"I think I can squeeze you into my schedule," he grinned.

"Hana and Michiru too," she added.

"Now that sounds like a party."

* * *

><p>The concert was a huge success but with all good things it had to come to an end. Of course, that wasn't the end of it though. Crow decided that he wanted to profit from this so at the end of the concert he began to sell t-shirts to the students as souvenirs. The students who enjoyed the concert didn't hesitate to hand over their cash for the t-shirts of the band that had just played for them. A couple of people exited along with the crowd, undetected. Lina herself enjoyed the concert greatly. It wasn't often that she got to enjoy herself like this and act like a teenager.<p>

D had just viewed the concert stoically since she never went to any concerts before and that she was on an important mission, but even she couldn't help but become impressed by Yūji 's concert. She viewed Yūji as her rival ever since he defeated her, so she gained some interest in the dragon. Yūji Fudō just piqued her interest once more with the brilliant concert. If only Yūji was with GIN-SHOCKER, then she and Yūji could've become good partners. She suddenly wondered why she was thinking those things. She usually worked alone ever since the Psychic Corps were disbanded. Kyofu told her to have comrades and friends was a weakness that could get her KIA. But even so, D felt like she wanted to work with Yūji. She shook her head, no she must not allow herself to be tempted into betraying GIN-SHOCKER. Kyofu told her that the reason why #04, #07 and #11 deserted GIN-SHOCKER was because they allowed themselves to be manipulated by Yuji Fudo. She was wondering if what she was thinking right now was because of her interaction with Fudo. No! She must not falter, she must remain loyal to GIN-SHOCKER. That was how she was raised!

"You know it is kinda odd," Lina noted to D as they walked back to their post. The rest of the Jagers would be waiting for them there.

"What? What is odd?" D asked.

"I thought I heard you had a deal with Yūji Fudō before that you had to beat him in order to get to Kuro-kun. But from your words mentioned before a couple instances ago, it sounded like you are going to get to Kuro first instead of Yūji," Lina explained.

D averted her eyes and said, "It is none of your concern, WHITE 14."

"It is my concern when Kuro-kun is involved," Lina firmly said.

"You mean BLACK 13?" D asked.

"Yes. Him."

"I still think you should properly call him by his designation and not his nickname," D chided.

"That really isn't any of your business. But I digress. Don't you still have a promise to keep to Yūji before you get to Kuro-kun? What happened with that?" Lina asked.

"Again, it is none of your business WHITE 14," D sternly said.

"So you wanna play hardball, huh?" Lina questioned. "Alright then. I'll just read your mind to see what you're hiding."

D sighed in defeat. She wasn't strong enough to block telepathic signals. So she admitted, "I decided to break my promise to Yūji Fudo."

"What?" Lina blinked. "Why?"

"Because I was ordered by my handler to break it," D answered. Lina just stared at her colleague. "What is wrong? I have to follow orders."

Lina frowned. "If that's the case, then do what you have to do. I won't stop you. But in the end, you have to figure out for yourself if it's what you really want."

"What do you mean?" D asked.

"You'll find out. Soon enough," Lina waved off as she walked ahead. D watched her go as she was left to her thoughts. She truly didn't want to break her promise with Yuji, but she couldn't disappoint GIN-SHOCKER again. She was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

* * *

><p>Juvia woke up with a start and found herself in the infirmary. She remembered attending the concert, and then passing out at the end of Yūji's first song. Grasping the blanket, she covered her face and cried in mortification at being so weak.<p>

"Something wrong, miss?"

Juvia looked to see Dr. Akai sitting at his desk, smiling at her. He wore a dark-blue turtleneck and brown slacks under a white lab coat. His hair was long and black with a bang slicked over his left eye. His eyes were gold and he wore a pair of small glasses.

Dr. Akai was Yōkai Academy's resident physician. A mysterious individual, he wasn't regularly seen in the infirmary. However, he had tended to the students who came for medical care. He took his job seriously. It was just he was often out of his office when someone came in. He was also well aware of what students got up to while he was absent. He didn't really mind it, though. It was just teenagers and their hormones expressing themselves.

"It's good that you're awake," he smiled, "But you seem distressed. Is something wrong?"

"How did Juvia get here?" she asked.

"You fainted during the concert and a few of your schoolmates were kind enough to carry you here," he explained. It had been Mizore and Hime who'd helped to carry the poor girl to the infirmary. " Do you have regular fainting spells like this? Do you have low blood pressure or something?"

"Juvia is simply weak," she slumped, "Juvia cannot even enjoy Yūji-sama's voice without fainting..."

Speak of the Devil himself, the door opened and Yūji came in. "Dr. Akai, how's the patient doing?"

"She's right over there," Dr. Akai pointed to the bed where Juvia lay. The girl had immediately hid herself under the blanket, covering herself up at the sight of Yūji. Yūji had been worried when he heard that a student had fainted in the middle of the concert.

"Is she resting? I can come later," said Yūji.

"Oh, she's just a shy one," Dr. Akai winked.

Yūji got the signal and stifled a chuckle, "One of those, huh?" He made his way to the bed, approaching cautiously as not to disturb her and took a seat on the bed. "Hey, how you feelin'?" Juvia poked her head out from the covers, her eyes teary and her cheeks flushed bright red. _'OK, she's cute...'_ "Hey, what's the matter?"

"It's...it's..." she stuttered.

Drips of water began to fall on Yūji and Dr. Akai. "Huh?" The doctor looked up to see that moisture had collected on the ceiling. He fixed his glasses and studied it, "Hm...such a strange phenomenon..."

Yūji offered his hand to Juvia, smiling to her as he beckoned, "Hey, come on, don't cry. How about you show me the rest of that pretty face of yours, huh?"

Juvia pulled the covers down to reveal the rest of her face, which was red. Her crush was here, in the same room, sitting on the same bed. It just seemed too much for her...and it started to rain in the infirmary seconds later. Dr. Akai popped open an umbrella and held it up to protect himself from the rain. "Fudo-sensei, do you need an umbrella?"

Yūji always had a problem with water, especially large bodies of water. It was because his powers didn't work when he was soaked and it took awhile for him to dry before he could even get a spark. However, that was when he was a boy, when he needed work. He still wasn't a fan of the rain, but this rain wasn't cold like the winter storms he'd watch from his window when he was a boy. This rain had some heat to it, and watching Juvia told him that the water's condition was connected to her mood. Blushing, the red face; the girl's temperature was pretty high.

"Nah, I think I'm good," Yūji smiled. "So, do you have a name?"

"Ju...Juvia...Loxar..." she whispered.

"That's a very pretty name, Juvia," he complimented. Suddenly, he was drenched by a huge amount of water. Juvia hadn't done it on purpose, but when she got overly, emotionally stimulated, her water reacted in kind.

"Juvia's sorry! Juvia didn't mean to make you wet!" she cried out in apology.

Yūji started shaking his head from side to side, getting the water out of his hair and even getting Juvia wet as his hair was dripping and matting his face. he pulled his hair from his eyes and grinned, "Guess I won't be needing a shower now!"

"You're...you're not upset?" she questioned. Normally, people would get upset because it rained. She was always the cause of rain because of her usually depressed nature. She couldn't help it. She was lonely and whenever she was lonely she felt miserable, and whenever she felt miserable she made it rain. It didn't matter whether it was indoors or outdoors.

"Just hope I don't catch a cold," Yūji joked, "Weird shit happens when I get sick... Anyway, are you feeling better after fainting, Juvia? I heard what happened and wanted to come and see if you were OK."

Juvia smiled shyly, "I'm fine now, thanks to you."

Yūji returned her smile with his own, "Well, I'm glad then."

"Um...Yūji-sama...?" began Juvia. Yūji wasn't bothered when he was addressed with '-sama' attached to his name, though he had to wonder why she would call him that. He wasn't dense. She obviously had a crush on him, not that he was bragging or anything.

"PLEASE BE MY PARTNER FOR THE JACK-O-LANTERN DANCE!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. Realizing what she'd just done, she blushed bright red like a tomato with steam pouring out of her ears. She pulled the covers over herself in a desperate attempt to hide.

Yūji was taken aback a bit; not because of the request, but by the sheer volume that the girl went at. Whether this girl knew him somehow, or seriously admired him, he could tell Juvia was serious.

"Well, Juvia, I'm really flattered that you would wanna ask me out," Yūji chuckled, "Although, I'm sure you know that I've got a few girlfriends right now. Are you still OK with asking me out?"

"Yes! Absolutely!" Juvia exclaimed quickly.

"Alright then, Juvia," Yūji smiled. "You got yourself a date." Juvia, so overcome with joy, passed out immediately as she fell back onto the bed. "I get the feeling this is gonna be a habit..."

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: Finally, it took awhile but this chapter is done. Also, it seems that Juvia got her wish. Anyway, this chapter was done with the help of Kamen Rider Bushido, Tailsmo4Ever, GuyverGenesis, Shadow Element 13 and Kamen Rider Goji.<strong>

**TAILSMO4EVER: A nice birthday concert for Misato in this chapter, we've learned that GS is bigger, badder, and meaner than we thought before. The end game is coming close. Will our heroes survive? **


	66. Halloween Fest: Spirits of Halloween

_When I first met Shinichi, he was just another customer asking for a custom bike who later became a friend of mine. Because he revealed himself to be a Kamen Rider, I did the same, a decision I never regretted, although Shin keeps telling me that I shouldn't have turned myself into a target for GIN-SHOCKER. Well, I'm actually glad for it. Wouldn't have met Hana, Misato or Michiru otherwise. Then I learnt from Bianca that Shin was my cousin and that Shiori Banabara, my idol, was my aunt. I was excited, and happy! Since they are members of my family, I will do everything in my power to protect them._

_-Yūji Fudō_

**Chapter 66: Spirits of Halloween **

General Nagazawa was having a headache. All this stress was getting to him. First of all, their head scientist Gebok had been captured. If that wasn't enough, Todoriko had also gone rogue and deserted GIN-SHOCKER. Not only that but he had been infected by techno-organic nanobots from a terminated project. The name of the project was Project: Omega and was based on Gebok's experiment which involved BLACK 13 experiencing intense, unforgiving rage. If an enraged BLACK 13 could do a lot of damage to their agents, then why not find a way to use that rage to empower their own agents. Thus, the Omega AI was employed for the job. The nanobots had a hive mind and so just by implanting the Omega AI into one of them distributed the AI into all of the microscopic robots. Then, these nanobots would be injected into selected test subjects. At first the results had been pleasing but it didn't take long for things to turn disastrous.

Because of the Omega AI's instability which infected the nanobots, Project: Omega was scrapped and both the nanobots and Omega were put in storage. However, traces of Omega still existed in the nanobots' programming. Todoriko's hostility and aggression attracted them and bonded to him, augmenting him and enhancing his hate-filled thoughts. He was now a dangerous living weapon and would not rest until he got his revenge and paid back everyone who had wronged him.

* * *

><p>The concert that had been performed personally for Misato's 17th birthday had ended. As night had fallen and there were just a couple of hours or so left before the Jack-O-Lantern Dance, everyone went back to their dorm rooms to freshen up for the final act of the festival and get ready for their dates. The Jack-O-Lantern Dance would mark the end of the festival. Rumor has it that it would be followed by a huge fireworks show.<p>

"Some party, huh?" Shinichi asked as he and Gin walked around the school grounds together.

"I have never seen so many panties in one place," stated Gin.

"I'm not surprised _that _it's the first thing on your mind," Shinichi deadpanned. Then again, Shinichi was wondering how rock stars could get girls to do that? Did the music have some kind of mind-controlling properties? He'd have to ask Daichi about it. The guy knew his sounds.

"I mean, seriously. He got the girls so worked up they threw him their underwear!" Gin said in awe and amazement. "Why don't I get that?"

"Because if they did, you'd probably lock yourself in a room and sniff them," Shinichi criticised.

"Hey!" snapped Gin indignantly.

"Hey, I know you," Shinichi shrugged. He then changed the subject, "So, do you have a partner for the Jack-O-Lantern dance?" Gin looked depressed at the mention of the dance. "Oh...you don't." Gin grabbed him by his jacket and shook him.

"Why do you get to dance with three of the most beautiful girls in your school year and I don't get a chance!? Why!? WHY!?" Gin complained loudly. He was suddenly shoved away from Shinichi, falling on his butt as a result.

"DON'T YOU DARE HARASS OUR KAMEN RIDER-SAMA!" the Kamen Rider Fanclub demanded with Kasahara, Taira and Nagai in the lead. Also with them were the insect girls originally under Keito's control known as Tonko Oniyama, Shijimi Chono and and Sumae Mizuno. They had become fans and admirers of Shinichi ever since he'd rescued them from the Jorogumo.

"OK, this is _still _disturbing," Shinichi murmured. He hadn't gotten used to having his own fanclub. He thought he could with time but there was not enough time to get used to _this_. He really didn't want any fans or people to admire him this much. He didn't feel like he really deserved it that much.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Shogo, Daichi, Yokoshima and Chiaki didn't seem to be worried about anything as they casually played Poker with their meal tickets put on wager. They each had dates for the Jack-O-Lantern Dance.<p>

"Hey, you know, this is the first time we've been able to play Poker in peace," said Yokoshima.

"Well, what can you expect with all the free time we got?" Daichi remarked.

"I get what Yokoshima is saying. Sure, we have our studies and duties but compared to GIN-SHOCKER missions and training exercises it's all a breeze," said Shogo.

Chiaki signed, "**Of course, we are GIN-SHOCKER's Most Wanted**." He showed his hand and everyone dropped their cards in despair before Chiaki happily collected his winnings.

"OK, seriously, take off that scarf! It's unfair if you have that thing on!" Yokoshima complained, pointing at the scarf which masked the lower half of Chiaki's face.

"**I never remove it**," Chiaki signed.

"But it is unfair if we can't read your expression," Shogo criticised.

"Damn, this is as bad as playing with #13 way back in GS," Daichi muttered. Being unable to express emotions, #13 had a perfect Poker Face. Being logical and intelligent he won each game perfectly.

"**How about we make it fair by playing in our armor?**" Chiaki suggested.

"How about we just play Mahjong next time?" Yokoshima suggested.

* * *

><p>Inside the Headmaster's office, Leon and Yuki both stood at attention as they looked at the Headmaster who sat in his chair, looking over their latest report for the evening. With only a few more hours to go before the dance, the PSC had made sure that everything was going to go smoothly. Leon had also gone back later during the afternoon, just before the concert, to try and question Gebok some more but, like last time, he didn't get very far. He did get the feeling that if something was going to happen it would be very soon. With Lina and the Jagers still on the school grounds and unaccounted for, not to mention Weapon D, they wouldn't be able to let their guard down for a moment. Especially not when they had GS's most brilliant scientist locked up.<p>

"So, everything is as it should be I take it?" the Headmaster questioned as he put the PSC's report down on the desk.

"Yes sir," replied Leon. "Of course, with the Jagers still roaming about and with Dr. Gebok locked up, we should be on guard for any sign of an imminent attack from GIN-SHOCKER."

"I see. I'm pleased that you would think so far ahead and make preparations in case such events were to unfold," replied the Headmaster with a grin. "But, if you're all alert, then the entire PSC would not be able to enjoy the last night of the festival."

"Which is why we agreed to take 20 minute shifts," replied Yuki. "With all our members, we'll have half on patrol while the other half has a good time and then switch places. This will go on every 20 minutes until the finale of the festival."

"And, what about the dance?" asked the Headmaster. "I'm sure that even you two have plans made for that part."

"Well, yes...but with all that is going on, we-" Leon began until the Headmaster cut him off.

"Nonsense, just enjoy yourselves during the dance. I'll keep an eye on things while you're having fun."

"But sir! We couldn't possibly-" Yuki tried to reason but she too was cut off.

"Don't worry so much. Even though you are to enjoy it, you must still keep your senses sharp and attuned to your surroundings. Once the dance ends, you all shall go back on patrol, understood?"

Leon and Yuki smiled and nodded. Leon's expression then went back to its neutral state. As he prepared to thank the Headmaster he suddenly got the feeling that they were being watched. '_Strange, I don't sense any Youki or Reiryoku. But, if I can't sense it, then why do I get the feeling that someone is watching us?_'

"Is something the matter, Leon?" the Headmaster asked, snapping Leon back to reality.

"Oh, no sir. I just thought I..." Leon's eyes looked all around the room but he just couldn't get the feeling of prying eyes to leave.

"Enough thinking for the moment," said the Headmaster. "Go, have fun. Enjoy your youth while you still can. But, remain vigilant and expect the unexpected."

"Sir!" Leon and Yuki both said in unison as they saluted and left the room. As the exited, Leon looked at the room one last time before closing the door.

After a couple of moments passed, the Headmaster began to grin as rested his head on the top of his hands, his elbows set on his desk. He then looked over at the shadows that covered most of the back areas of his office. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, stepping out of the shadows, the black armored being that he had seen during the storm from the night before came into view.

The being looked over to the door and then back at the Headmaster; his eye lenses, hand and gauntlet orbs, waist orb and a set of strange rune-like patterns on his suit and armor flashed red before going black again. His suit and armor as a whole were black to the core, including his eye lenses and center of his belt. His suit and armor still had etched outlines of the rune-like symbols and his eye lenses were framed by what looked like demonic wings with a central horn curving backwards; a black gem at the tip in front of his face. The orb situated within the center of his belt and the orbs within his palms and on his gauntlets flashed red for a second time before going black once more.

His chest plate had a half-circle pattern under the pectoral plates with a blank gem within the center. His shoulder armor had pointed ends and a small half orb with a blank gem located near the bottom. His chest plate also had a spike horn that jutted outwards. His thighs also had armored padding on the side with orbs embedded in them, situated near his hips. His forearm gauntlets also had two segmented plates on them, one pointing backwards and the other pointing forward. In all respects, the black armored being looked like a pitch-black colored Kamen Rider, but a lot different in design than the standard Rider was known to look like.

Looking at the black Rider that stood next to his desk, the Headmaster let out a soft chuckle. "Did you get all of that, my boy?"

"Yes, Jii-jii," replied the Rider, his voice slightly distorted due to his helmet, sounding somewhat metallic in tone. "Of course, it seems that Leon Smith was able to perceive of my presence even though I have my energy suppressed to such a low level."

"That's a battle hardened Shinigami for you," retorted the Headmaster. Looking at the Rider, he asked, "So, what do you think? Can I count on you to look after them and keep them on the right path for the next few months?"

"Of course, Jii-jii," said the Rider. "I shouldn't have to worry too much about Kusanagi or Smith. They seem level headed enough from my quick recon I performed this past night. Fudō does worry me a tad bit due to his ferocious nature but, from what I can tell, he has his head in the game and seems to enjoy life enough to where it doesn't seem like he'd become a threat."

"And what of Shinichi? What did your little recon make you think of him so far?"

"Now he worries me...a lot," said the Rider. "I'll have to keep a very close eye on him during this mission you have requested of me. He may seem like he's fine, but I can easily tell from his body language and how he carries himself that he's borderline on staying a hero or going postal. I'm actually very surprised that he didn't kill that Dr. Gebok character that you informed me about."

"Not surprising at all, considering how his mind has been messed with for who knows who long. Only time will tell if the world is indeed headed on the correct path to peace or...if it is entering its final stages before a new age of death and destruction begins anew," said the Headmaster. "Remember your mission, my boy. It is vital that you keep them on the correct path...at any cost."

"By your command, Jii-jii," replied the Rider with a bow. "I'll shall do as you command and watch over them. To help them should they truly need my help or to take them down should they become evil itself."

"Well, after the festival, that is. Until the end of the festival, just go and enjoy yourself," the Headmaster suggested. "But stay alert."

"As you wish, Jii-jii."

* * *

><p>As the hours to the dance dwindled away, the students worked on their last minute preparations. One such student, Kiko, was in her room posing in front of a mirror. Standing just meters behind her was her butler, Sebastian. "What do you think, Sebastian?" Kiko asked with a smile as she twirled around, "Does this costume suit me?"<p>

"It most certainly does, Ojou-sama," Sebastian nodded.

"Ah it does, doesn't it?" Kiko smiled, "Hm-hm. I'm sure Netto will love this. And then... after the dance..." her cheeks reddened as she licked her lips, "The possibilities..." The remark caused Sebastian to sweatdrop, but he didn't say a word. "But, I wonder how Karin's invitation to Leon went," Kiko thought out loud, "She was a nervous wreck."

"You mean the young madam who is one of the many women attracted to the new PSC Captain?" Sebastian asked.

"Yes, her," Kiko nodded.

"From my understanding," Sebastian mussed, "This Karin girl is not very used to being around other peers who show her positive support. Being an outsider among Youkai can do that to one like her. I suggest that you try to give her a little more 'oomph'. The more confidence she gets, the more confident she will become."

"Yes, she's always been very shy," Kiko nodded. "Maybe she could use a little more help. I suppose I could try talking to Leon on the matter, and I did promise that she would added into his harem. I hope he has the time to spare."

"Leon is a very understanding young man," Sebastian reassured her. "A complete far cry from his predecessor."

"Exactly," Kiko agreed. She looked at the clock placed on her bedside table. "It's almost time for the party. Time I went off!"

"Have a good time, Ojou-sama," Sebastian bowed.

* * *

><p>Shinichi was looking through his wardrobe. When he first ended up in Youkai Academy, he discovered that he already had been enrolled, with a dorm, and given scholarship money to pay for his tuition and other necessities. He would receive a monthly allowance that he could pick up to use for spending. When he looked into his wardrobe back then, he only had his uniform, gym clothes, and underwear. However, the girls had taken him shopping to update his wardrobe and since then he'd gotten a larger variety of clothing to wear.<p>

His mother had decided to stay to for the Jack-O-Lantern Dance. He'd actually gotten used to the idea of her and Dr. Washam dating. He could at least trust him due to their history.

As he was picking out his outfit, he still couldn't stop worrying. Even with Gebok locked up he knew something was going to happen pretty soon. After fighting to make sure the festival would not be cancelled, he was not about to let anyone or anything ruin this night for everyone.

"Well, I guess I should go with these," he concluded as he picked out his clothing. "I wonder if I should get a hat."

Kuro appeared and suggested, "_Since it is Halloween Night, maybe you should go in costume._"

"Costume? You mean like my armor?" Shinichi asked the holographic construct. "I guess it wouldn't hurt, but I do want to hold their hands during the dance without anything in the way."

"_It was merely a recommendation_," stated Kuro.

"The girls would dress up nicely for tonight," said Shinichi in anticipation. "I can't wait." He was looking forward to the dance.

* * *

><p>"OK, is everyone here?" Phantom asked as she stood in full armor regalia. She was addressing the Jagers as they too were donned in their individual suits of armor. However, she noticed an absence among them. "Where's #17?"<p>

"She got called back to HQ. It sounded important," answered Atlas.

"General Nagazawa?" Phantom inquired and Atlas nodded.

"Come on, when do we get this show on the road?" Whiplash asked eagerly. Whiplash was small in stature but well built, wearing a black bodysuit with metallic green armor plating on his knees, elbows, legs, arms, shoulders and torso. His helmet was black on the lower jaw and the rest was green with six curved slits over his glowing green eyes and he had an armored ponytail. On his back was a box-like backpack and in his right hand was a sword with black segments running down the center of the blade and vials filled with glowing green liquid. The guard was glowing green as well and shaped like black butterfly and the handle was thin and ribbed for a firm grip, while the pommel was a rounded emerald. The number "XVI" was stamped on the left side of the helmet. In his other hand was another sword of identical design. He was eager as he couldn't wait to spill some blood. He was feeling increasingly more bloodthirsty as the hour was coming closer and closer.

"Grrr..." Whirligig growled. He had a large build and was dressed in a dark brown bodysuit, shin-high boots with spikes running vertically along the feet and shins, forearm gloves with spikes as well, turquoise and black armor covering his torso and shoulders, and a turquoise helmet with glowing red eyes and a black, fanged mouth plate. In his hands was a pair of Dao swords and the number "XV" was stamped on his right breast plate.

"When the signal is given," Phantom answered.

"And what is the signal?" asked Dynamo.

"You'll know it when you see it," said Phantom. "Right now the students are getting ready for their Jack-O-Lantern Dance. After their dance party, the signal will be released and that's when we strike."

"And what about Dr. Gebok? Do we break him out?" Storm questioned.

"Actually, someone else will be taking care of that," answered Phantom. "Now, everyone get ready. We attack tonight." She gazed at Celeste. "Celeste, do you mind if we talked for a moment?"

"Oh, right, sure," said Celeste as she got up from where she sat to speak with Phantom in private. Weapon D, who just so happened to be with the group as a member of GIN-SHOCKER, watched them go and blinked.

* * *

><p>"So, what's wrong with you?" Phantom asked.<p>

"Oh, nothing. Nothing at all," denied Celeste.

"Celeste, I'm a psychic. You can't bullshit a psychic," Lina informed the girl. Celeste sighed. "Are you...starting to have doubts...?"

"Maybe...a little..." Celeste shook her head back and forth. "I don't know!"

"Celeste, let me tell you something I've learnt while I was here," began Phantom. "Only _you_ can truly decide what you want to do with your life."

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, one of the Jagers decided to have a bit of a conversation with their competition.<p>

"Hey, what's up?" Storm greeted with a wave.

"Salutations," D returned.

"So, you must be Weapon D, right?" Storm asked.

"That is correct," D nodded. "What is it you want, #19?"

"I just thought we could talk. Have a conversation," Storm explained.

"What kind of conversation?" D tilted her head in curiosity, which made her cute.

"Just wanted to know how you got into this outfit? How did you get into GIN-SHOCKER?" Storm asked. "It's OK if you don't want to tell me. It's your business and I'm cool with that." He did not want to make D uncomfortable with his questions.

"Simple. It all started when I was a baby. I was abandoned and alone in a forest until Professor Kyofu found me during one of GIN-SHOCKER's expansion plans. He took me in, raised me as one of GIN-SHOCKER's top assassins," D calmly answered like it was nothing.

"Seriously?" Storm gaped. "Who would leave you alone in a forest by yourself? That's not right!"

"No one knows. Even GIN-SHOCKER wasn't able to track down any relatives that I may have," D said.

"Well at least this Kyofu sounds like a nice person to pick you up right?" Storm asked.

D didn't know what to say. On one hand, it did seem kind of Kyofu to pick her up, but she knew that Kyofu used it as an opportunity to take her for conscription. Her relationship with Kyofu was strictly professional. She was his creation and subordinate while Kyofu was her handler. He provided her with the necessary tools to survive, and nothing more. For some reason, Kyofu hated the relationship between Misato and Carl Washam since he saw that they were not being professional.

So she came up with her answer, "Not sure exactly whether he is nice or not. He is strictly my handler and I am strictly his creation & subordinate."

"Oh," Storm accepted and blinked. "Well do you have any hobbies?"

"I read poetry and other stories whenever I have the time," D answered. "Edgar Allan Poe is my favorite."

"That sounds cool," Storm accepted before he saw D's D-pad. "So you're a duelist huh?"

"Yes, indeed I am. A Psychic Duelist to be exact. Dr. Kyofu made me become GIN-SHOCKER's ultimate Psychic Duelist," D elaborated.

"Heh, ultimate my ass!" Whiplash interrupted as he walked up towards D and Storm.

"Hey, do you mind? We're in the middle of a conversation!" Storm glared, but Whiplash was not affected.

"Anyway, I heard you lost to Fudō. Doesn't sound like you are 'ultimate' anything to me!" Whiplash mocked.

"This coming from the person who got his arms ripped off by Yūji Fudō and ended up screaming," D noted, earning Whiplash's glare.

"Watch what you say, _witch_!" Whiplash warned. "I'll be the one to kill Fudo first!"

"Highly unlikely," D argued.

"What was that?" Whiplash narrowed his eyes behind his helmet.

"I know that you, #15 and #17 failed to cause any damage to him at all in your first battle. He didn't even use Psychic powers on you," D said, "Yūji Fudō was able to easily kill four of the NUMBERS with his Psychic powers, some of those same NUMBERS who were able to damage him whereas you and your teammates weren't able to land a hit in your first mission. I on the other hand was able to inflict damage on Yūji Fudō despite my first duel against him ending in my loss. So therefore, I have better chances of defeating Yūji Fudō than you do," D claimed.

"Is that right?" Whiplash scoffed, "Then what about General Nagazawa? None of us are match for him, but Fudō managed to kick his ass pretty hard anyway! The General was really fuckin' pissed about it too! If he couldn't beat Fudō, what makes you think you can?"

"I will find a way," D retorted.

"As if bitch! There's a good chance you were screwed over by those two!" Whiplash rudely scoffed before he suddenly fell the ground, with powerful gravitational forces crushing him.

"Whiplash, didn't your mother ever teach you that it's rude to talk to a lady like that?" Dynamo chastised with his right arm stretched out. "I'm #20 by the way."

"#18, and you already know the cursing asshole on the ground is #16," Atlas introduced. "Shut up, 16."

"Whatever," Whiplash grunted under the gravitational forces.

Whirligig was just polishing his swords, not minding D's words. He just growled to get D's attention, waving his hand at her. D just waved back. Whirligig resumed polishing his swords.

"That's #15 over there. He's okay, as long as you stay off his bad side," Storm gestured. "Nice to have you on board, D."

"Thank you, Storm," D gratefully said. "I will do my best to work with you."

"Glad to have you onboard," Storm grinned underneath his helmet.

"What is going on here?!" Phantom shouted as she came in with Celeste.

"Oh, #16 was being a jerk as usual," Storm nonchalantly said.

"#20, release him," Phantom ordered.

Dynamo complied and lifted his gravity field on Whiplash. Whiplash growled as he stood up and was about to take out his weapons until he froze, with Phantom's glowing eyepieces threatening him to stop.

"I don't know what got into you guys, but we have a job to do, so no more pointless infighting, got it?" Phantom sternly said.

All of the members, D included, nodded quickly.

"Oh, so D is your name, is it? My name is Celeste," Celeste smiled.

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Celeste," D courteously greeted.

"What was going on while I was away that made 16 snap like that?" Phantom inquired.

"D was boasting that she could successfully take on BLACK 13 and Fudō on her own, and Whiplash went postal," Storm explained whilst jabbing his thumb at D.

"I see," Phantom nodded before she turned to D. "D you should watch what you say before speaking it."

"Yes, ma'am. But I was only speaking my mind," D nodded.

"Your mind should be filtered," Phantom countered. "If you don't watch yourself you'll piss off the wrong people."

"Why don't we just let D finish up her speech?" Storm offered.

"Fine, only if D learns to think before she speaks," Phantom relented, "Alright D, what do you plan to do to BLACK 13 and Yūji Fudō when you find them? What makes you think you can beat them, especially Kuro? Like the rest of us, you may have been trained to outclass the first generation NUMBERS, but do you have what it takes to beat them?"

"BLACK 13 should not be a problem, because my sword is bigger than his," D said, invoking snickering from Storm. "What? What's so funny?" she asked innocently.

"It's nothing. Nothing. Please, continue," Storm denied while trying to hold in his laughter at D's innuendo.

"My essence is also greater than 13's," D continued, earning more stifled laughter from Storm again. "What is it, Storm?"

"Sorry, just thought of something funny! Please, continue," Storm motioned. He was trying hard to hold in his laughter.

"Once I find BLACK 13, I will blast my full essence into his face," D declared, making some of the Riders and Celeste widen their eyes at her innuendo.

"HAHAHA!" Storm laughed as he dropped down to the floor laughing.

"What…what..what?!" Phantom sputtered with a furious blushing face underneath her helmet. She knew D didn't mean what she said, but hearing it just sounded wrong.

"He will be on his knees as I blow him," D elaborated, making Phantom mortified at her statement. Even Whiplash was laughing with Storm. The other Jagers and Celeste were blushing and bugging their eyes at D's words. D cluelessly gazed as them, not understanding why some of them were laughing or blushing with bugged out eyes, but continued.

"Once I finish having my way with him, I will thrust my sword in and out of Yūji Fudō's hole. Then I will keep doing it until he submits under me, screaming as I refuse to stop doing him," D continued explaining.

"OK, stop!" Phantom ordered. "No more!"

"We get the picture, a very _disturbing_ picture," Dynamo groaned.

"OK then, how about you **(CENSORED)** Yūji Fudō and then **(CENSORED) **BLACK 13?" D suggested.

"Yeah...no," Dynamo declined.

"Ah, you're a bunch of **(CENSORED)**," D concluded.

"SHUT UP!" Phantom snapped.

* * *

><p>A TransMat activated as two figures materialized. The first stretched and sighed, "Ah...it's been so long since I was here. I wonder if they still remember me. Hopefully, they didn't hire some ignorant buffoon to take my place." She sounded female, and sultry as well.<p>

The second, much taller and masculine, snorted, "That doesn't matter. The only reason I'm here is for revenge."

"You sound quite eager, Blazing Fox," the female observed.

"That is like the pot calling the kettle black, Madame Medusa."

* * *

><p>Karin sighed as she gazed at herself in the mirror. She was wearing the same purple qípáo Qiao had given her. Surprisingly, it managed to fit even though Qiao was taller. She was almost about to not go the dance at all after she had felt that she embarrassed herself in front of Leon, but she decided to go anyway. It was the last day of the festival, so she figured that she should at least have something to do.<p>

"Guess I should get going," Karin said to herself. She took one last look at herself in the mirror to make sure nothing was out of place before walking to the door. As she approached it, there was a knock. Blinking, she wondered who it was. Reaching for the doorknob, she opened it and gasped at who it was. "Leon-san!"

"Good evening, Karin," Leon smiled. Instead of his usual uniform, he was wearing a sleeveless black kimono and hakama ensemble. "Did I startle you?"

"N-no! Not at all!" Karin smiled bashfully.

"You know, I never did get the opportunity to answer back to your question before you ran off like that," Leon said, scratching the side of his head with his finger.

"My question?" Karin blinked. Her face became rather gloomy, "Oh that. Well, sorry. I sorta panicked."

Leon rested his hand on her shoulder, "It's alright. Netto told me about it. So if you don't mind, I would like to honor your request and escort you to the dance."

Karin's eyes widened and turned to sparkles, "You would? Really?"

"One of the things I can't stand is seeing a girl cry," Leon reassured her. "It'd be rude of me not to answer your request. And you went through a lot of trouble asking me out anyway."

"But what about the other girls with you?" Karin asked.

"We're right here!" Aphrodite beamed as she, Yuki, Hime, and Reiri came into view. Even little Tamao is with them, being carried in Aphrodite's arms. Karin's face seemed to redden once she saw them. The dresses they wore seemed to increase their beauty even further.

Yuki wore a blue halter top which revealed her cleavage and a black leather skirt that came down to mid thigh. Her black stockings also came up to mid thigh with a visible gap of flesh in between the skirt and stockings. Over this she wore a white jacket with flared sleeves.

Aphrodite was dressed like her namesake, in a beautiful silk toga. Around her waist was a belt with a harp-shaped buckle. Earrings shaped like oyster shells were on her ears.

Hime was wearing what she normally wore, a black dress which came down to mid thigh, sleeveless, with opera gloves and a silver tiara. She also wore her black shin-high boots. For some reason, she had a chainsaw hanging from her back. Perhaps it was an accessory.

Reiri's blood red dress was strapless with a skirt that was split down the front, exposing a pair of red shorts and black and red striped stockings. She also wore a necklace with a bat skull hanging from it. She also had on a pair of bat earrings and had her hair up in a ponytail.

As for Tamao, she was dressed in a cute red kimono in the shade of flames. Her fox ears and tail were exposed as usual.

"Hi, pretty lady!" Tamao waved.

"Leon told us about you asking him out as well," Hime smiled. "That's quite bold of you."

"We don't really mind another wing-lady to join in," Reiri added. "The more the merrier, after all."

"Really? You don't mind?" Karin asked, surprised.

"They're perfectly willing to share, so you have nothing to worry about," Leon reassured her.

"So, shall we be off?" Yuki smiled.

Karin smiled brightly, "Yeah! Let's go!"

"Dance! Dance!" Tamao cheered.

* * *

><p>Shinichi was just straightening his hair when he heard the knock at his door. "Who is it?" he called as he straightened his necktie.<p>

"It's us, Shinichi-kun," answered Moka. However, he couldn't be too careful. Enemies could use voice modulators to pretend to be someone else. Going up to the door, he looked through the peep hole. His grip on his would-be drawn firearm hadn't went lax as he unlocked the door and saw them.

"Girls, you look lovely," he complimented as he saw what they individually wore. As always, Yukari was cute.

Moka, Mizore, Yukari and Kurumu had decided to go to the Jack-O-Lantern Dance in a group with Shinichi. It just seemed more practical. As for dress code for the dance, students were allowed to wear costumes, their school uniforms, or formal wear for the duration of the Jack-O-Lantern Dance.

Yukari had just put on a clean and exact copy of her usual outfit, which was her school uniform that also doubled as a costume. However,, could it be called a costume as she was a witch in a witch's cape and hat?

Mizore had on a beautiful kimono like the one her mother wore, though in the same shade of purple as her hair, decorated by white snowflakes on the left side and sleeve.

Kurumu was in, ironically, a white maid outfit that looked practically angelic on her. It had a short skirt but otherwise it was quite modest.

Finally, there was Moka, who was dressed in a blood red dress with a V-neckline that revealed a bit of cleavage. The skirt came down to her knees with a slit going midway up her right thigh. She had on high black heels and some jewelry like a necklace and earrings. She had also soaked in her herbal bath and smelled of roses.

They blushed at his compliment, which was genuine and sincere and not at all shallow. They then saw what he was wearing. It was a double-breasted black jacket with two rows of button and an upturned collar. There was a belt around his waist with a holster carrying his pistol. He wore black slacks and black socks. Under the jacket he wore a white shirt with a black necktie. The jacket also sported long coat tails like a trench coat that hung behind Shinichi. He still wore his glove which had the Mana Stone on the back of his right hand and another black glove on his left hand with XIII on it in red.

The way he was dressed, there was definitely something there. A sort of aura of mystery and sophistication. The twin ahoge ruined the look as they wiggled a bit but they didn't completely ruin Shinichi's appearance.

"Oops, almost forgot," said Shinichi as he went and grabbed a hat. It was a fedora. He put it on and smiled before turning back to the girls. "Shall we go, ladies?"

"Shinichi-kun, is it OK to carry that out in the open?" Moka referred to the gun.

"It's OK. People would just think it's a prop or something. Besides, I don't use live rounds with this gun," he told her, patting the gun in question. It was meant to stun. Of course, the rounds could be replaced at a moment's notice if the situation called for it.

"I...I guess you're right," Moka agreed. The movie had freaked her out. Van Hellsing had used a similar weapon that shot purified and blessed silver bullets that killed Vampires when they pierced their hearts. Shinichi put on his shoes and escorted the ladies to the dance.

* * *

><p>Netto looked himself over once more in the mirro. He was wearing a black jacket with equal black pants, with black lace up shoes. On the belt wrapped around his waist, there was was a buckle adorned with diamonds in the shape of a soaring bird, something that Togusa had given him for such an occasion on his last birthday. Under his jacket was a blue shirt with a dark navy tie. He had put on his favorite cologne and was ready.<p>

Hearing a knock on his door, he went over to answer it. As soon as he went over to answer it, he stumbled backwards as someone pressed their body against his, wrapped their arms around his neck and kissed him full on the lips. Tongue included. It was short, yet sweet. Qiao soon removed her lips from his and smiled flirtingly, _"Nihao~._ Did I surprise you? I know I did!"

"You really love doing that, don't you?" Netto chuckled slightly. He looked up and down to take in her dress. She was wearing a long red qípáo with a gold Chinese Dragon snaking from the bottom up. Her hair was done up in twin braids, with red ribbons tied on them. On her legs, she wore black shin-high boots. Around her neck she wore a silver necklace with a red jewel in the center.

Qiao took notice and grinned, leaning on him once more, "What? Like what you see~?" she purred as she slowly ran her hands over his waist.

"O-of course I do!" Netto stammered at the Chinese seductress before him.

"Maybe after tonight, we could have a little dance of our own, hmm...?" she continued. She took a whiff of his sent on his neck before giving it a small nibble, nearly making him jump.

"Hey!" Kiko shouted, coming through the doorway with Elle in tow. "Come on you two, we have plenty of time for that latter!"

"I know, I know," Qiao smiled as she let go of her childhood friend. This allowed Netto to have a look at his other two girlfriends.

Kiko was dressed up as a sexy Red Riding Hood. She wore a one piece dress with an attached black lace-up bodice that hugged her figure, as well as an attached white apron, black and white checkered ribbon trim and an attached red hood on her head. The bodice of the dress had a padded bra and the skirt had multiple layers. She also wore white pantyhose and ruby red heels.

Elle was wearing something much more daring. She wore a greenish-blue dress with jewels beaded on the V-neckline, exposing her cleavage. The waist portion was cut on both sides to expose her slender hips. The left side of the dress was was also cut to show her long legs. On her feet, she wore blue heels.

"My, my," Elle smiled alluringly. "You look quite manly, Netto."

"Thanks," Netto blushed, rubbing the back of his head. The three girls smiled. It seemed no matter how many women became attracted to him, Netto was still adorably awkward around them.

"Ara, ara. Really now?" a new voice giggled. Entering in the room was Akeno, followed by Rias. "Hello again, Net-kun," she waved.

"Akeno. Rias," Netto smiled, waving back. "Good to see you both again." Both of them had also dressed up for the dance. Akeno was wearing a platinum three-piece space cadet costume, and it really showed off her physique. It had a zipper that went from the bottom of her skirt and stopped just enough to expose her valley. Patches of silver were on her shoulders and skirt, and she also wore white knee-high boots.

Not to be outdone, Rias decided to go as a sexy pirate girl. She wore a black velvet pirate's jacket that was elaborately trimmed with skull buttons with a striped red and black satin skirt with printed ribbon detailing. On her legs she wore fishnet stockings with leather boots. The pirate hat and the skull n' crossbones earrings completed the look.

"We don't have any partners for the dance," Rias told him. "And we didn't want to intrude on Shin's harem. If you don't mind, we'd like to join you."

"So how about it, Net-kun?" Akeno asked, tilting her head slightly.

"Uh... sure, I don't mind," Netto nodded, blushing.

"Glad to have you guys join us," Qiao grinned. "So, are we ready to go?"

"Absolutely," Rias smiled brightly. She went went up to Netto and took him by the right arm, while Akeno took him by the left. Both had their cleavages pressed between his arms, causing him to blush even more.

"Oh my," Akeno giggled merrily, "You're so cute~!"

"Yeah, I tend to get that a lot," Netto nodded.

* * *

><p>Yūji was checking himself in the bathroom as Misato called, "Yūji, your hair spikes are fine! Come on or we'll be late!" Misato was dressed as a sexy musketeer with her twin rapiers in holsters on her belt. It was mainly a black stretch velvet dress with ruffled lace trim on satin collar and cuffs, and ribbon lace up the back for a great fit. She also sported a matching hat with a feather sticking out of.<p>

"Don't make Misato wait, Yū-kun! She has her swords!" warned Michiru playfully. Michiru was in a pink Bunny Girl outfit with a hair band mounted with ears. As usual, Mia was on her head. The outfit really showed off her curves with fishnet pantyhose and high heels that really put attention on her slender legs. Her hair was tied in the usual style.

Hana was wearing a catsuit inspired from Spider-Man's symbiote suit. A large white spider was on the front and back of her black costume with a spider-web pattern all over it. The suit really fit to her form, showing off all of her curves.

Flannery was dressed as a flamenco dancer, wearing a form fitting black dress, designed to show off her curves, with large red ruffles at the bottom and on the shoulders. A matching headpiece completed the look. It truly made her look like an exotic Hispanic.

Riza's outfit was a black tube top with a pair of cut off shorts. She wore fake wolf ears and a tail. Apparently, she was dressed as a wolf-girl. Her bare arms were covered in fur as she was in her demi-werewolf transformation.

Juvia went as a nurse. A sexy one, actually as it exposed her cleavage. She also sported a small cap and a stethoscope.

Ruby, Blair and Bianca were the only ones not in costume. Ruby and Blair always did dress like it was Halloween everyday anyway. And Bianca didn't feel the need to dress up. Still, who would catch on? However, deep down, Ruby was tempted to go as a dominatrix, with a whip. Of course, in her fantasy the whip would be used _on _her instead of _by _her.

"And bam!" Yūji called as he left the bathroom. He was dressed as a samurai, wearing a blue haori with white trim and a star-like spiral printed on the back. Underneath he wore classic, black, samurai armor and shoes as opposed to classic sandals.

"How do you like it?" Bianca asked.

Yūji grinned as he turned in place. "Feels good... Feels like me."

"That armor actually belonged to an ancestor of yours," she pointed out, "But we're still looking for a few more pieces.

"Descended from a samurai, huh," Yūji mused, "Who woulda thought..."

Misato snapped her fingers. "OK, now that we're in costume, let's roll! The party's waiting!"

* * *

><p>Shinichi and the girls arrived at the courtyard to see a number of their schoolmates already in attendance. As the dress code for the Jack-O-Lantern Dance allowed for them to wear either their uniforms, formal attire, or costumes, it was quite a colorful sight to behold. The Cosplay Club members were all dressed as female anime or video game characters. Other costumes included monster costumes which was funny as they were monsters who were pretending to be humans who were pretending to be monsters for tonight. The ones in formal attire were mostly girls in gowns and dresses. They still wore masks in the spirit of Halloween. Nearby there was a long table with food and beverages for those in attendance. The huge Jack-O-Lantern stood in the centre.<p>

Shinichi spotted Chiaki, Daichi, Shogo, Yokoshima and Goemon. Excusing himself from the girls, he approached the group. "So, decided to come in costume too, huh?" Daichi was dressed up as a resurrected Zombie. He wore what appeared to be a blood soaked jacket with banged up jeans. He was also wearing a messy wig, zombified makeup and a fake knife lodged on his chest that further increased his undead look.

Yokoshima had the appearance of Ezio Auditore da Firenze. He wore the signature white cloak with with the red sash and plastic ornaments wrapped around his waist. His wrists were covered with plastic gauntlets with plastic knives hidden inside. He also wore brown pants with leather boots. He had to thank the Cosplay Club for detailing the suit so well.

Chiaki went as Jason Voorhees. The hockey mask on his face was all dusty and his black shirt, black jacket and black pants were all tattered and filled with holes. Though he still kept his scarf on, it didn't do anything to ruin the look.

Shogo was dressed in a military uniform with some dog tags around his neck. It was what he would normally be seen wearing, but it was Halloween so what the hell?

Finally, Goemon was in a Native American costume, complete with the brown tunic with a beaded chest plate, matching pants, boots and sash, and a headpiece with feathers.

"Well, we didn't want to come in the school uniform, and we didn't want to use our armor, so we all got ourselves theses," said Daichi.

"Since costumes are one of the dress codes of the dance, Yoko and his Cosplay Club got all of this for us," Goemon added. "By the way, nice duds."

"I went shopping," Shinichi answered as he tipped his hat.

"You kinda look like a pimp," Daichi pointed out, earning a glare.

"And you're armed," Shogo observed, eyes looking at the holstered gun.

"We're _always _armed," Shinichi reminded. "You know that, or have you forgotten about those stingers in your arms?"

"Considering that these stingers of mine are a part of me, I have an excuse," Shogo defended, flexing his right wrist.

"And considering our status as traitors to GIN-SHOCKER, we need to always be prepared," Shinichi argued.

"Yeah, true enough," Yokoshima answered.

"So, where are your dates?" Shinichi asked.

"Right here!" beamed Haruhi as she hugged Daichi's arm, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. "We just needed to go to the ladies' room."

"Together?" Shinichi cocked an eyebrow as he saw Ren, Gemma, Shiroha and Katsumi approaching. "Good evening, ladies."

"Good evening to you too," Katsumi waved. She was wearing what Shinichi could guess was a type of African dress. It was dark green in color, with zigzag patterns running around it. She wore colorful beads around her neck and a bandana wrapped around her hair.

Shiroha was in a costume. She was dressed as a ninja, wearing a black skin-tight bodysuit with with shoulder pads, gauntlets, and knee guards. Two short swords were strapped on her back.

Ren also managed to get a costume. She was dressed up as Sonya Blade. She had on a white figure hugging tank top with equally tight green pants. The pants were tucked into black combat boots and she wore fingerless gauntlets on her forearms. The green beret on her head completed the look.

Gemma was dressed as a cheerleader. A black and red jersey hugged her rather muscled figure. A matching pleated skirt had stopped just over her knees. On her feet were white knee socks with green sneakers.

And lastly, Haruhi was in a bright blue kimono. Keeping it together was a green sash. She was cute before, but the kimono definitely brought out her beauty.

"Lovely outfits," complemented Shinichi. The girls were flattered by the compliment and the way he smiled made them blush. For some reason, in their eyes, he seemed like a smooth bishonen with sparkles around him.

"OK, OK," Daichi grumbled. "Go back and flirt with your girls." He added under his breath, "And don't steal our women."

"What was that?" Shinichi asked.

"Nothing," Daichi quickly replied.

Shinichi smiled. Seeing his old comrades paired up with girls was a relief. It showed they were adapting to their new lives. He went back to join his girls. Grabbing a plate, he filled it up with food from the refreshments table. He spotted Dr. Washam and his mother nearby with Nekonome-sensei. They had volunteered to be chaperones.

* * *

><p>Yūji's group arrived to the dance and many eyes were on them. A few whispers could be heard among the people around them.<p>

"Aniki!" Shinichi greeted.

"Yo, Shin," Yūji returned with a grin as he and his girls approached. He gave his cousin a fist bump.

"Oh, Yūji-kun!" Shiori smiled. "You look like a Feudal Lord!"

"Samurai, just a samurai," he corrected, "Apparently, I'm related to one. But thanks, Aunt Shiori," Yūji blushed. Receiving praise from Shiori Banabara was one thing, but she was his aunt as well so he was both flattered and embarrassed. Her gaze went towards the girls and she smiled.

"Oh, and you all look absolutely lovely!" Shiori's gaze seemed to settle on Michiru and she gave a thumbs up, saying, "Nice!" She approved.

Shinichi just knew that his mother was getting ideas right now.

"So, when do we get to dance?" Hana asked.

"Just as soon as something you can dance to starts to play," said Shinichi.

* * *

><p>The dancing began as soon as Leon and Netto both showed up with their girls and with the music playing everyone was pairing up to dance. A few jealous boys could only steam in envy as they watched as some of the most attractive girls in school danced with certain individuals.<p>

With everyone dancing, Shinichi needed to give each of the girls equal time on the dance floor. Taking Moka's hand, he twirled her around and dipped her before dancing cheek-to-cheek with her. After releasing Moka, it was Kurumu's turn as she exuberantly leapt into Shinichi's arms. She was quite energetic and was the one leading in their dance this time. Shinichi didn't mind at all. The petite, buxom Succubus was simply expressing herself the only way she knew how. When he had his hands on her hips, she pushed them down to hold her rear. She didn't mind if he touched her there.

Yukari then took Kurumu's place and danced with Shinichi, just smiling as the older boy smiled back at her as they danced. When a slow song came up, Mizore and Shinichi swayed together, holding each other. Slow dances were a good chance for a couple to just hold each other and Mizore enjoyed holding him. He was so warm.

On the side, Shiori was taking pictures, cheerfully uttering, "Nice, desu ne. Nice, desu ne," as he she took snapshots. Her son and the girls all looked great for the Jack-O-Lantern Dance.

"So many new memories," sighed Shiori as she turned on the camera's video function.

"Indeed," Carl agreed, his eyes on Misato and Yūji.

Haji was nearby the refreshment table, watching everyone dance in envy as he was gulping down a cup of punch. Actually, he was mostly watching Shinichi dancing with Yukari in envy. "Damn, why did it have to be him?" he moped with a sigh. Of course, like most of the other Youkai who were in his large circle of friends knew that he could use all the positive reinforcement given to him. Though he still wished that he go join the dance with his _ideal _girl.

Gin put a hand on Haji's shoulder and spoke sympathetically, "I understand how you feel, dude. I really do."

* * *

><p>Karin was naturally a shy girl, becoming a victim of loneliness and a target of bullying as a result. So, she was surprised when Leon had accepted her invitation. She hadn't expected a positive answer. She had only asked him as a gesture of thanks since he'd saved her life from the ANTI-THESIS members. She was even more surprised when he asked her to be his first dance partner of the night.<p>

Blushing a storm and stammering an answer, Karin and Leon danced together with the Anti-Vampire's eyes locked with the Shinigami's. His appearance, his posture, and his presence were just so intimidating, commanding respect from those under him. Clearly, he'd been born for the job as PSC Captain. At least he wouldn't abuse his power and position.

Nearby, Netto was dancing with Kiko, and both were also watching Leon with Karin. Kiko couldn't help but smile. It looked like they did good in helping Karin out. Leon might have a tough, commanding outlook, but he seemed that even he couldn't say no to a girl. At least it did boost up her self esteem. Who knows how much she needed that.

* * *

><p>Sora Matsuoka, garbed in her miko clothes, entered the school grounds. She had received an urgent letter with very specific instructions. Bast had suggested to go along with it. When the bus arrived to pick her up, she wondered where she was heading. The letter also included a map, guiding her towards the academy. When she arrived, she saw the students in either costumes, their school uniforms, or formal wear. When she found the courtyard, she spotted Leon.<p>

'_Go on. Go get him, kitten_,' Bast encouraged in Sora's mind. Sora gulped and approached the Shinigami who was busy dancing with Tamao. Sora couldn't help but think the little fox girl was cute.

Approaching them, watching as Tamao giggled happily with a bright smile, Sora tapped the black-clad Shinigami on the shoulder. He turned and his surprise was evident from the slight widening of his eyes. "Sora," he said. He remembered meeting the miko/mutant during summer break. She had the ability to create barriers. "How did you get here?"

"I was invited and told to come here," she said. "So, this is your school?"

"Yes," he confessed.

"Is this a party?" she questioned. The large pumpkin was an attention-grabber.

"For the students," he answered. "To celebrate the final night of the Halloween Festival."

"Halloween?" she gasped. "Oh, I don't even have a costume."

"Your outfit suits you just fine," he said, calming her down.

"Papa?" Tamao asked.

"Oh, sorry," Leon apologized. "Sora, this is Tamao. She's my daughter. And yes, I know I'm a little too young to have children. She's adopted," he interrupted her before she could inquire.

"She's adorable," Sora praised and Tamao smiled at being called adorable.

"She gets that a lot," Leon nodded.

* * *

><p>"And since I weighed the heaviest on the scale at the time, that is why I was called 'Lopez the Heavy'," Atlas finished explaining in front of Dynamo, Storm and Weapon D.<p>

"Wow that was an interesting story," Storm commented.

"Thanks," Atlas chuckled.

"Truly an interesting story to hear. Although there is a good chance #20 would be considered heavier than you due to his size if we make a comparison of each other's sizes in the scales right now," D commented as she shuffled her cards. D was preparing for her final battle. She felt very terrible of breaking her promise to Yuji, but orders were orders.

"Yeah well I don't it is necessary for scales. Size doesn't always matter, it is what you do with it," Dynamo spoke up.

"A wise saying #20," D replied.

"Thank you, D," Dynamo answered.

"You are welcome," D spoke back.

"Wow, you like to prepare for your battle huh?" Storm asked D, seeing the duelist shuffling her cards. He liked playing Duel Monsters too. Maybe once they were finished with this mission, he and D could play one on one in a Duel Monsters game.

"Yes, because I have an important mission involving BLACK 13," D replied.

"That's cool with me. Just try not kill him. Not that it would matter anyway. They'll just revive and reprogram him," Storm requested.

"I highly doubt she can," Dynamo said, earning D's stare. "He's always been one of the strongest. I was close to putting him in a coma that one time, before those other guys messed up my focus."

"You mean Yuji and Netto?" D asked.

"Yes those two," Dynamo nodded.

"How strong was Yuji when you fought him? How did he fight?" D inquired.

"He was pretty strong, stubborn too. Managed to give me a run for my money," Dynamo explained. Then his eyes narrowed behind his helmet, "Though I can't help but feel that I know him from somewhere..."

"You knew him?" D stopped shuffling her deck and snapped to attention. "Did you really meet Fudo before?" She was more curious than ever with Dynamo's previous encounter with Yuji.

"I never said that," Dynamo denied. "I just get this odd feeling whenever I see him."

"Interesting. If I had mind-reading powers, then with your permission, I could've search your memories for verification," D offered.

"Yeah, well thanks for the offer." His wrist started to beep, prompting him to look at it. "It's time. Let's move."

"Roger that," D nodded. She inserted her deck into her activated D-Pad and wore her D-Gazer.

"Time to move out," Atlas spun his gatling cannons.

"And do our jobs," Storm finished with his swords drawn.

* * *

><p>At the stroke of midnight, the fireworks display began. Rockets were fired into the night's sky before exploding into patterns of color that brightened the dark and star-filled background. It was truly a sight to behold. Tamao was sitting on Leon's shoulders and watching with wide eyes and a bright smile.<p>

It would seem that nothing could go wrong with tonight.

* * *

><p>As the fireworks display continued, the mysterious black Rider stood atop the school building, hiding within the shadows. He had been told to go and enjoy the festival but decided it was best to remain vigilant. As he looked at the fireworks, he looked down to see the others having a good time, holding hands and the arms of those they cared for and loved deeply. He also spotted a smiling and very happy Tamao sitting on Leon's shoulders. The sight of the little kit enjoying herself made him smile under his helmet.<p>

For a single moment, he dropped his guard and took in the wonder that was the Halloween Festival, allowing himself one slight moment of peace.

* * *

><p>The guards at the dungeon had been turned to stone, posed with expressions of shock and terror. Meanwhile, Gebok was whistling a tune in his cell as he shook his foot. When he saw who'd come to his cell, he smiled. "Well, you sure took your sweet time. Now, please come and get me out. I really need to use a proper bathroom."<p>

"Just get out of there."

"In a moment. First it's time I initiated the final act," Gebok answered. He reached into his coat and pulled out a remote, "And now, let the chaos commence!" He pressed the switch on.

* * *

><p>As Shinichi was enjoying the fireworks show, his head started getting itchy. Removing his hat, his antennae hair bounced free and began to twitch and wiggle. The two strands of hair normally did that when something bad was about to happen. They were alerting him of something, but what?<p>

He then got his answer as one of the students turned into their true form, followed by another and another. One by one the students' human disguises were discarded and replaced by their true monster forms. "Huh? What's going on?" Was this another tradition of the Halloween Festival? Were they supposed to reveal their true forms at midnight?

He heard a scream and turned to see Sora whose eyes were wide with horror. Mummies, Cyclopses, Ogres, Orcs and various monsters had revealed themselves to her.

"OK, I'm starting to get the feeling that this isn't normal," murmured Shinichi as he took in his surroundings as students began to attack each other. "Definitely..." The entire Jack-O-Lantern Dance had suddenly fallen into chaos as the monster students and staff went crazy as they carelessly discarded their human disguises.

"What's going on?" Moka asked. Kurumu's wings and tails were unveiled and Mizore's hair had turned into ice as her ice claws were conjured.

"Kurumu-chan? Mizore-chan?" Shinichi questioned.

"I...I feel..." Kurumu was flushed.

As he tried to reach out to her, he was suddenly grabbed by Mizore. "Mizore-chan?" Her face was also flushed and she began letting out strange euphoric moans as she placed his arm between her breasts, squeezing his arm tightly.

Before he could even react, he found Kurumu looping her arms around his neck, trying to kiss him as she pressed her breasts against his chest. Even Yukari wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, holding onto him as if her life depended on it.

"Minna!" Moka shouted. "This isn't the time for that!"

"Sh-Shinichi...san," Yukari stammered.

"Anata~," Mizore purred as she rubbed her head against his shoulder.

"Shinichi darling...onegai!" Kurumu pleaded. He could see the looks in their eyes and he knew what it was that they wanted.

"Girls, come on," he pleaded. "Now is not the ti-HEY!" he yelped. "Kurumu-chan, stop grabbing my crotch!"

Shinichi began to squirm as Moka came and helped him, pulling on Kurumu and Yukari, yanking them off of him. As she removed the Succubus and little Witch, Shinichi was able to free himself from Mizore's grip when the crowd suddenly became more wild and rampant.

"Shinichi-kun!" Moka cried out as she lost him and the others in the sea of out of control students. "Shinichi-kun!"

Shinichi had lost them in the crowd and cursed himself. He felt a throbbing in his head and fell onto his hands and knees. His Spark Core appeared without warning as green veins showed up on his face, and his eyes turning red. "OK...something...definitely..." he groaned. "Isn't...right."

One of the monsters noticed Shinichi and grinned at the vulnerable target. Licking his lips, he went to have a bite. Something smelled human, and smelled delicious. As he got close, he was suddenly punched in the face with such force, that he was sent twinkling into the sky.

Hell had just broken loose in Youkai Academy.


	67. Halloween Fest: Monster Mash

_We at this moment head into the decisive battle. Have faith that our blades will not shatter. Have faith that our hearts will not waiver. And even if our paths should diverge, we all share a heart of iron. Swear that even if the ground beneath us should be rent asunder we will live and return to this place again._

_-Leon Smith_

**Chapter 67: Monster Mash**

What had begun as a nice night for dancing, had suddenly turned into something out of a horror movie. Netto grunted as he was holding a Werehyena at bay. It was snapping its jaws at his face, flashing its sharp teeth. He kneed it straight in the jaw before power dunking it into the dirt. He gave a heaving sigh as his massaged his shoulders.

"What the hell is going on?" he muttered to himself, looking left and right at the crazed monsters. They were all actually students and staff members of the school. Why were they all suddenly breaking the the rules and going nuts like this?

"Airen~..." a voice purred.

"What the-?" Netto blinked. Before he could react quickly, he was suddenly shoved onto the ground forcefully. When he looked up, he had found Qiao straddling his waist, her face red and her breath hot and heavy. Her foxtails swished out with anticipation.

"Airen..." she breathed out, "I wanna do it... I wanna have sex right now...!"

"Right now?!" Netto exclaimed. She wanted to have sex out in the open in the middle of this!? "H-h-hold on a minute!"

"What's wrong?" Qiao asked, as she was slowly undoing her dress. "You always did like it whenever we played like this together~..."

"But this isn't the right time or place for this!" Netto pleaded as he sat up to gently push her off. He suddenly felt a pair of breasts squeeze behind his head before going down to his back, followed by a warm breath against his ear.

"Netto, darling~," Kiko moaned in his ear. "Let's make babies~!" She then proceeded to munch and suck on his ear, thus giving him the same effect as before.

"Kiko-chan!?" Netto stammered, his face turning red, "Kiko... HEY!"

"There's no reason to worry," Qiao smiled, leering at his face, "Just relax and enjoy the ride..." she closed her eyes and inched forward to claim his lips...

Just then, a wave of crimson energy washed over them without warning. It didn't do anything to Netto, but it did linger on Qiao and Kiko before disappearing. Both girls shook the cobwebs out of their heads before coming to once more.

"Huh?" Qiao blinked, looking around. "What was I...?"

"Are you both alright?" Netto asked.

"What happened?" Kiko groaned.

"Most likely something to cause everyone to go haywire," all three of them looked up to see Rias and Akeno kneeling by them. "Glad to see you alright," Rias smiled.

"Wait, where's Elle-chan?" Netto questioned.

A loud shout was heard before a huge tornado erupted, blowing several Youkai into the air. As the tornado died down, a figured jumped out and landed before them.

"Everyone, you are safe, yes?" Elle said hopefully.

"Elle," Akeno blinked, "You aren't affected?"

"It seems so," Elle shrugged. "Whatever is causing this is targeting only Youkai, and Dragons are not truly Youkai at all."

Rias blinked at her statement, "It seems that way."

"Wait a minute," Qiao began as the rest of them stood back up, "So you two aren't really Youkai either?"

Akeno sighed, "No. We are something much different from Youkai. We're called-"

A scream sudden interrupted Akeno's explanation. Looking to the side, she saw Sora, Ren, and Flannery backing up slowly as they were surrounded by drooling monsters. Both Ren and Flannery didn't appear to be all that intimidated, but Sora was down right quivering.

"Hold that thought!" Kiko said, dashing forward. Purple light appeared in her hands before forming into an archery bow. Pulling the string back, a set a three arrows appeared before she released them. The arrows struck the ground and blew away the monsters as the three human girls covered their eyes. As the light dimmed, Kiko quickly reached them.

"No one is hurt, right?" she asked.

"We're fine," Flannery nodded before directing to the shaking Sora. "But this kid looks pretty pale."

"Alright, you need to get somewhere safe," Kiko said gruffly. Then she raised her hand over her mouth and called, "SEBASTIAN!"

A Magic Circle appeared before them, and Sebastian stepped out. "Yes, Ojou-sama?"

"Please take these girls to my dorm," she ordered. "They will be safe there for the night."

"As you wish, Ojou-sama," Sebastian snapped his fingers, and a Magic Circle appeared underneath him and the three human girls. The circle rose upward before vanishing, taking the passengers with him.

"Alright, that's taken care for now," Netto nodded. "I'm going to find out what's causing this. Rias, can you do more of that dispelling thing that you did with Qiao-chan and Kiko-chan?"

"I can, but it would take some time. Good luck to you though," Rias nodded. "Akeno? We should split up to cover more ground."

"Hai, Buchou," Akeno nodded. Both girls ran off rather quickly, leaving a trail of dust behind.

"I'm going off too," Netto said, his Cyber Core appearing.

"Be careful, Netto!" Elle pleaded.

"I'll be back," Netto smiled. He turned around and raced off to find whatever was responsible.

* * *

><p>As the students and staff continued their rampage in monster form, Leon took hold of Tamao and tried to get her to safety. He had already used some of his reiatsu to induce sleep into Karin so that she wouldn't go berserk like the others and he had her on his back while he held Tamao in his arms. Looking around for a safe place to put them, he turned around when he felt someone grab his arm. Looking at the person, it was Hime but her eyes had a glazed look in them and her face was slightly flushed. Sensing someone else behind him, he turned to see Reiri but she also had a flushed but wild looking face, as if she wanted to pounce on him and take him right then and there while feeding off of him at the same time.<p>

"Girls, whatever is making the Youkai here act this way, you have to fight it," Leon told them but it didn't seem to work.

"Leon-kun, I feel so hungry right now," said Reiri as she began to trace circles on one of his arms. Tamao looked at the two of them and clung to her father tightly.

"Oh Leon~" Leon looked at Hime who was licking her lips. "Why don't we go somewhere and have some fun?~"

'_Great, whatever is making the students and staff go berserk has caused these two to become highly aroused instead_,' he thought as he began to back away a bit.

Hime and Reiri looked at him with predatory gleams in their eyes as they stalked towards him. As they closed in, they suddenly found their legs frozen in place. Looking around, they were instantly knocked out with a set of well placed punches to the gut, courtesy of Yuki and Aphrodite. Leon, seeing the two Manakytes and noticing that they weren't suffering from the same effects as the Youkai, breathed a sigh of relief.

"Nice timing," said Leon as he handed Karin over to Yuki who draped the Anti-Vampire over her shoulder.

"It's not a problem," smiled Aphrodite as she set Hime and Reiri's legs free before hefting them over her shoulders as well.

"We just wanted to get to you and Tamao so that we could make a plan," added Yuki. They all then looked at Tamao and pondered a bit. "It's strange. All the Youkai here have gone crazy but Tamao seems to be unaffected."

"Well, it could have something to do with a difference in power level when it comes to individual Youkai," suggested Leon. As they were about to go and look for a safe place to deposit Tamao and the three unconscious girls, two Youkai who were fighting both slammed into Leon, forcing him to drop Tamao who went flying out of his arms and landing on the ground, rolling away from them. "Tamao!"

Tamao came to a stop and, shaking her head out, noticed that she was sitting next to what appeared to be a very hungry looking tiger-like Youkai. It looked at her and let out a snarl as drool dangled from its fangs, its maw opened wide. Tamao developed tears in her eyes as fear set on her face.

"Papa! Help me!" Tamao screamed as she began to cry as the Tiger Youkai lunged for her, wanting to make her into its next meal.

"Hang on Tamao, I'm-" Leon began until someone appeared instantly between Tamao and the Tiger Youkai. "Huh? Who is that?"

Neither he nor Yuki recognized the man but Aphrodite knew who he was just by seeing him. It was the same young man who taught Tamao how to win at the goldfish catching game the night before. The young man delivered an elbow strike, the hit connecting right between the Tiger Youkai's eyes, knocking it out cold. He then knelt down and placed his hand on Tamao's head, calming her down.

"There, there now. It's alright, little one," he told her soothingly. Tamao looked up at him and stopped crying, recognizing the man.

"Onii-chan, arigato."

"Anything for a cute little kit like yourself," he replied as he picked her up.

As he prepared to take her back over to Leon, another pair of Youkai, a Lizardman and a Troll, charged at him, wanting to eat the little Kitsune as well. The two wouldn't get far though as the young man pulled out a pair of enchanted sutras and slapped them on their heads, paralyzing them before delivering a set of swift punches to their guts, knocking them out cold. Removing and pocketing the sutras, he moved over towards Leon, returning Tamao to him.

"Thank you," said Leon gratefully as he hugged Tamao who hugged him back, holding onto him for dear life.

"It was no problem," the young man said. Turning around, "I'll go see if I can take down a few more of these berserk Youkai. In the meantime, it might be best for you to go and find out what's causing all this craziness."

"You're right," Leon replied as he handed Tamao to Yuki. "Look after Tamao and keep her safe."

"We will," replied Yuki and Aphrodite.

Leon then turned to face the young man. "You know, I never got your- huh? He's gone?" The young man was already gone, having vanished from sight, without leaving a single trace of his presence. "Not bad."

"He did the same thing the other night after showing Tamao how to catch goldfish at the vendor's stall," said Aphrodite as she and Yuki prepared to move out.

"I see," said Leon as he began to think about that event. "Well, in any case, we got jobs to do so it's best we move out."

"Right," replied Yuki and Aphrodite in unison.

As they went their separate ways, Leon had the feeling that that wouldn't be the last that they would see of the mysterious young man. If anything, he felt that their paths would cross again a few more times down the road. And he vowed he would find out who the man was so that he could thank him properly next time.

Watching them leave, the young man stood atop a downed column. He then looked at the rest of the Youkai before vanishing from sight. He had a job to do so he needed to get started and not waste anymore time.

* * *

><p>Yūji was throwing punches left and right at the out-of-control monster students. Feeling a grip on his shoulder, he spun around and decked the guy who'd just touched him. The monster fell and Yūji could see it was a humanoid insect bedecked in green exoskeleton skin. It had sharp claws, long black antennae, and red compound eyes.<p>

It also looked annoyed as it yelled at Yūji, "Aniki, that hurt!"

Hearing that coming from the bug man made Yūji momentarily face fault in shock. Looking at the waist, he saw a familiar belt with a green crystal sphere lodged in the centre.

"Shin, is that you?" questioned Yūji.

"No, I'm Doras the Ultimate Lifeform," retorted the bug man sarcastically as he got back up. "Of course it's me!"

"But what are you?" Yūji asked. "You said you were a Cyborg."

"Still am," said Showa-Shin. "Meet Kamen Rider Shin."

"This is a Rider?" Yūji was skeptical. It looked more like a Kaijin than a Rider in his opinion.

"Yeah, pretty much. Just unlocked him," Showa-Shin said.

"But why?" Yūji asked. "And can you change back?"

"I don't know why or how I unlocked this form," Showa-Shin answered. A Youkai lunging at him from behind was knocked out as Showa-Shin spun and performed a roundhouse kick to knock it out before turning to face and address Yuji again, "But it's pretty effective in this situation. Have you seen Kaa-chan?"

"No, but I think Carl's with her," said Yūji. "Where are the others?" Moka, Kurumu, Mizore and Yukari were nowhere in sight.

"I got separated from them when everything went crazy. I'm looking for them now," said Showa-Shin. "What about you?" He couldn't see Yuji's dates either.

"The same," Yūji nodded. "Lost them in the crowd, but we shouldn't be talking it out right now. We gotta juice it!"

"I couldn't agree more," Showa-Shin nodded and both cousins ran off in separate ways to find their loved ones, praying that they were safe.

* * *

><p>"OK, is this part of the party?" Yokoshima asked in confusion as the chaos continued.<p>

"No, it isn't," Shogo answered, frowning. Even if this was Halloween, that didn't mean that the rules had been lifted. They weren't supposed to assume their true monster forms on school grounds unless it's an emergency.

"Kinda obvious," said Daichi. Monsters were everywhere. Suddenly everyone decided to break the rules.

"**This can't be normal," **Chiaki signed.

"When has it ever been normal in this place?" retorted Daichi.

"Hey, boys!" Michiru called over. She, Misato and Hana made their way up to their friends, knocking out monsters that went up to their faces while they did so. "You guys OK?"

"**We're fine," **Chiaki signed. **"But our dates got lost in the chaos.**"

"Damn, we have to find them soon," Goemon grimaced. "Ren's only human, ya know!"

"Yeah, and so is Flannery," Hana added. "What the hell happened to make everyone so crazy?"

"Well, we just have to do what we have to do to find out," said Misato as she cracked her knuckles. "You guys with me?"

"Need you ask?" Daichi retorted.

"No problem," Yokoshima nodded.

"Let's hurry up and go!" Hana snapped. All of their respective Spark Cores soon formed around their waists.

"Sorry kids," a voice spoke behind them. "But I'm afraid we can't let you leave just yet..." The ex-NUMBERS turned around swift and saw five armored figures walking up behind from the midst of the chaos. Atlas, Whirligig, Whiplash, Storm and Dynamo all walked towards their predecessors.

"The Jagers," Misato growled. She recognized Whirligig and Whiplash from the last time she and girls fought them.

"..." Whirligig growled lowly.

"Your boyfriend ain't here to help you now!" Whiplash laughed madly, "Too bad though, I was hoping to have a go at him again after what he did to me!"

"Sorry, but you're not getting the drop on us this time!" Michiru declared. "Everyone! Henshin!"

"Henshin!" the remainder of the first generation NUMBERS chorused. All of them activated their own transformations; wasps of light forming onto Shogo, a tornado of rusted metal appearing on Goemon, a swarm of flowers with Michiru, liquid blood substance flying onto Misato, a cocoon of webbing wrapping around Hana, a sound wave ripple on Daichi, blocks of wood on Chiaki, and metal strapping onto Yokoshima. Their transformations complete, the Renegades stood before the Jagers.

"Jager Unit, attack!" Atlas commanded.

"Everyone! Take them down!" Zero ordered.

Both Cyborg forces rushed at each other for a full rematch. Whirligig roared as he chased after Arachnea, already recognizing her from the day before. Dancing her way around the Dao Swords, she shot some string of webbing at his eyepieces. If she couldn't beat him physically, she would have to outwit him. Whirligig roared as he swung about wildly. Arachnea then shot another string of webbing at the mouthplate, dove underneath his legs and pulled hard. Using the turquoise Rider's own weight against him, she flipped him onto his back and quickly sprayed a cocoon of webbing onto him before he had the chance to get back up.

"That should hold him," Arachnea nodded. However, Whirligig began to struggle and tear off the webs from himself. "Or not," she quickly amended before she ran off to join the others.

Whiplash was having a ball with his blades as both Carman and Seras double-teamed him. Above them, Zero and Atlas were having an aerial dogfight. "So, I see you guys are two Jagers short," Michiru remarked as she parried against one of Whiplash's blades. "What happened to Shinichi's psycho ex-girlfriend and that other one?"

"Don't know, don't care," Whiplash sneered, swinging out his sword to drive them back. "All I'm focused on is having my fun with you babes!"

"Huh, was I really that crazy?" Seras remarked, somehow being reminded of her own insane antics when she was still with GIN-SHOCKER. "Hey, Michiru!"

"I got it!" Carmen nodded. Seras aimed her fists at Whiplash while the flowers on Carmen's shoulders glowed. Both of them fired rapid shots of red and pink energy at the Scorpion Rider, who merely cackled as he deflected the shots with his Scorpio.

"Hoho! Not bad!" he laughed. "Now there's something that caught me off guard! But you'll have to do better!" With that, the blades of his backpack emerged and shot towards the female riders, forcing them to dodge as the blades impaled the ground where they once stood. "Dance bitches! Dance!" Carmen and Seras were forced to parry Whiplash's backpack blades with their own weapons while dodging some of them at the same time.

Meanwhile, Breaker was having his own rumble with Storm. Both of them were the CQC experts of their respective groups, so it was natural that they fought as such. Their kicks connected and their blades clashed, each of them neck and neck in their fight. Then they held their blades in a deadlock and glared at one another in the face.

"You ain't bad," Breaker remarked.

"Neither are you," Storm returned. "But me? I'm just better." He soon vanished from Breaker's sight.

"What?" Breaker demanded. He was soon bombarded by slashes that came out from every corner, causing sparks on his armor. Breaker shouted out as he was unable to defend himself, and was kicked further into a corner.

Breaker jumped back to his feet as he stood back up. "I may be down but not out. Get ready to get your ass kicked by Break-AAAH!" Breaker was shocked by Storm's lightning attack, knocking him down. Breaker slowly stood back up with smoking armor and said, "OK, as I was saying, get ready to get your ass kicked by Break-AAAH SON OF A BITCH!" He got knocked down by Storm's lightning again. He quickly flipped back to his feet to stand up again, saying, "OK seriously! I've been gone for like about 35 chapters and in this first team fight after my long absence I'm getting shocked for my troubles! That is seriously fucking bullshit!"

Storm just stood there in front of Breaker, blinking in confusion, before he continued to zap Breaker down to the ground again.

"GODDAMMT! THIS SUCKS SO MUCH BALLS!" Breaker complained.

Sonix yelled as he jumped over Dynamo with his Cricket Fork spinning overhead. The largest of all the Jagers saw him come before activating his jetpack and hovered to move out of the way. Sonix landed and slammed his weapon down, causing a burst of sound to erupt and kick up rocks and dust. The distortion caused Dynamo to lose concentration momentarily, but he recovered quickly. Flicking his hand, he shot a short burst of anti-gravity to knock Sonix backwards. Slasher came in after him with his chainsaws bared. Now, Slasher really was shorter than Dynamo, his head reaching the older Rider's shoulders. Dynamo took out his Gravity Hammer and clashed his weapon against the chainsaws. As both giants fought each other, Armadillo came rolling in and smashed against Dynamo, causing him to skid backwards with his feet sinking in the dirt. He unrolled himself and brought out his maces before charging into join the fight. He reared his weapons back and threw them down on Dynamo, forcing the Kabuto Rider to block them with his arms. He grunted, feeling the force and weight of the attack. He pushed himself up and slammed his hammer down, sending the two Riders back from the gravitational force.

Armadillo coughed as he pushed himself off of Slasher. "Is it just me, or are these guys kicking our butts?" Slasher beeped in response. "Yeah. Thought so."

* * *

><p>"OK, I'm back to normal," Shinichi said as he flexed his fingers. The Kamen Rider Shin transformation hadn't lasted very long. He looked around the corner. There were monsters everywhere. However, they were academy students and staff first. They had simply lost control of themselves. And if they had lost control, then that could mean the same thing had happened to the girls.<p>

Shiori had Dr. Washam with her, so she should be safe. Still, Shinichi would never be able to forgive himself if anything terrible happened to her. She was his only mother after all and the only immediate family he had. Shinichi's danger senses alerted him and he ducked as a fireball soared over him. Turning to face his assailant, his eyes widened as he saw who it was.

"Kuyou...?" Shinichi uttered in surprise.

It was Kuyou, the previous leader of the Student Police. However, his entire organization was disbanded following his defeat at Shinichi's hands. He had been humiliated by the Cyborg and had never forgiven him since. The fact that he'd been expelled didn't hurt as much as being defeated by someone he deemed inferior.

"I've been looking forward to this day for a long time, Shinichi Banabara," said Kuyou as he cracked his knuckles.

"Yeah, I get that a lot," said Shinichi. He didn't have time for this. He had to find the others quickly. However, Kuyou wasn't about to let him pass without a fight. He also noticed something else when he looked at the Youko. Kuyou was still dressed in his Student Police uniform with only one minor accessory. He now sported a belt with GIN-SHOCKER's symbol on the buckle, signifying his allegiance. It was obvious that he, like the other Cyborg Youkai, had joined the organization and Shinichi didn't have to be a genius to guess why.

"I guess you joined GIN-SHOCKER," said Shinichi.

"That's right," answered Kuyou. "And they told me a lot about you."

"Then you know that this will end with only one of us walking away alive," Shinichi responded.

"I know..." a fiery aura gathered around Kuyou. "And that'll be me!" He punched the air and launched a pillar of fire at Shinichi, aiming to incinerate the Cyborg. Shinichi activated his Spark Core to transform. However, the fire was blocked as a shield of shadow matter rose and protected Shinichi. Kuyou carried on with the flames, only stop when he realized that he wasn't doing any damage. The shadow shield fell, revealing Leon.

"Leon?" Shinichi asked.

"Let me handle things here, Shinichi," Leon said as he stepped forward.

"Stay out of this, Gaijin!" Kuyou spat in disgust. "This is between me and him!"

Ignoring Kuyou, Leon told the Cicada Cyborg, "Shinichi, go and find your mother. I'll take care of him for you."

"You're always saving my ass during stuff like this," Shinichi retorted in a playful manner. "You can expect me to do the same for you later in the future." He gave a salute and ran off.

"Don't you walk away from me!" roared Kuyou as he launched a fireball at Shinichi's back only for it to be put out by Leon with his sword. "You! Who are you!?"

"I guess you didn't get the memo," Leon replied, eyes narrowed. "You're Kuyou, right? I'm your replacement."

"My replacement!?" Kuyou shouted in outrage.

"The Student Police is under new management and we've been cleaning up the mess you left behind, ridding it of your corruption," Leon explained.

"Corruption!? What we strived for was justice!" Kuyou shouted in response.

"I guess justice is subjective then," Leon rolled his eyes. "You're so deluded that you think harassment and bullying is how justice is accomplished."

"Call it what you will! But in this world the strong must govern the weak!" Kuyou yelled at Leon.

"No, the duty of the strong is to _protect_ the weak," Leon argued.

"Heh, pathetic ideals," Kuyou snorted.

"Maybe to you, but not to me," Leon said as he put on his goggles. "I know you want Shinichi because he ended your tyranny, but there's no way I'm letting you get past me."

"THEN DIE!"

"BRING IT!"

* * *

><p>Shinichi was looking for his mother, looking worried. "OK, where is she? Where is she!?" Shinichi questioned as he looked around. "Kaa-chan? Kaa-chan!"<p>

"Shinichi..."

Shinichi heard the voice and turned to see that it was Kurumu. Finally, a familiar face. However, her wings were exposed, spreading out from her back and her tail hung from her rear. "Kurumu-chan, I'm so glad to see you're OK," he started as he approached her. "Listen, the school's gone nuts and...Why are you looking at me like _that_?" Kurumu's face was flushed and she was breathing in a way that told him that she was aroused. "Kurumu-chan?" he asked and she tackled him to the floor. She straddled his waist and tore open her dress. "Kurumu-chan!?" Her breasts were exposed.

"Shinichi, let's fuck right here, right now!" she demanded, grinding against him.

"Now is not the time!" he cried out frantically. Kurumu was suddenly frozen in a block of ice and shoved away as Mizore took her place, straddling him. "Mizore-chan?"

"Give me your seed. Let me have your baby," she said, pulling open her kimono. "My breasts are like snow white mountains peaked with cherries..."

"Che...Che...Cherries!?" He reached out to touch them. "Wait...Wait, stop! Bad hands! No touch!" He pulled his hands away and slapped them. A wash basin fell on Mizore's head and knocked her out. Yukari took her place.

"You know, Shinichi-san. I might be young but I've read plenty of ways to pleasure you," she said. "And my breasts might be small but they're great too. A loaded with a lot of hidden potential," she boasted.

"Yukari-chan, this isn't appropriate behavior! You're just a kid so that makes this illegal!" he panicked.

**BOOM!**

Yukari, Mizore and Kurumu cried out in shock from the explosion and Shinichi stood up as he gently shoved Yukari off him. "That must be Leon and Kuyou..." he murmured. So much was going on. He turned his attention towards the girls. "They must be affected too," he theorized.

"Shinichi..." purred Kurumu.

"Shinichi...babies..." Mizore moaned.

"Shinichi-san...make me a woman..." Yukari pleaded, making groping motions with her hands as she drooled.

If this wasn't a serious situation, he might've taken up on Kurumu and Mizore's offers, but he knew they weren't acting like normal. Before he could think of a way to break them out of their trance, a voice suddenly shouted out, "Shin! Stand back!"

Shinichi blinked before jumping backwards. As soon as he did, a wave of crimson demonic energy suddenly washed over the trio. The energy lingered on them for a moment before vanishing. The blushes on their faces faded as they started to come to their senses, returning back to normal. Kurumu tried to cover herself up. Nobody else was meant to see her bare save for Shinichi.

"What happened?" Mizore asked as a haze lifted from her mind.

"Something happened that made all the students here lose their sanity," Rias answered, hovering down before them before landing. She sported a pair of dark, bat-like wings, not unlike the ones Kurumu had. "So far I've been doing what I can to break them out of it."

"You can do that?" Kurumu blinked.

"Of course," Rias smiled, wagging her finger. "I can do a lot of things."

"Multi-talented as usual, Ri-chan," smiled Shinichi in approval. "How come you weren't affected, though?"

"Because I'm different," Rias boasted.

There was another explosion and flames burst out from a wall. They saw Leon getting shot out by a huge fireball. The group gaped as Leon smashed into a wall. Slowly, he stood up as he coughed the dust out of his mouth. His clothes appeared to be scorched and musty, and his shoulder was flickering with fire. He soon took notice of them. "Oh, hello."

"Leon, are you OK?" asked Kurumu.

Leon got up and dusted himself off, "Fine."

"You're on fire," Mizore pointed out.

Leon looked at his shoulder and quickly patted it out. "Thanks."

"Kuyou isn't giving you any trouble, is he?" Shinichi asked.

"Kuyou!? That psycho's back!?" shouted Kurumu.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention him," Shinichi realized.

"You need to be careful with him. He's a dangerous enemy," Mizore warned Leon.

Leon said confidently, "I'll be fine."

"What are you going to do?" asked Yukari.

"To borrow a phrase from my father, I'm going to show that bastard it is physically possible to shove someone's head up their own ass." He looked to Shinichi, "Are you still here? What about your mother?"

"Right," nodded Shinichi. "Girls, I gotta go find Kaa-chan!"

"We're coming with you to help," insisted Kurumu.

"No, you girls go and find Moka-chan!" he shouted back as he took off. Why did the campus have to be so damn big?

"I'll keep trying to break the students out of their trances! The rest of you be careful!" Rias added, before flying back into the air.

"LEON SMITH!" Kuyou roared as he leapt out of the hole to face Leon. Interestingly enough, he was sporting cuts from a sword and his entire right sleeve was missing. He looked pissed, really pissed, as his eyes blazed in anger.

"Go!" Leon shouted at Yukari, Kurumu and Mizore. They nodded and ran out of the danger zone.

It was time to use the gift that GIN-SHOCKER had given him. Igniting fully, Kuyou assumed his true Youko form, his tails blazing and whipping flames about. Leon, however, wasn't concerned as he stared down the fox with five flaming tails. He seemed to have grown an extra one since his loss to Shinichi months ago. Kuyou then changed against, adopting a humanoid form with fox features but then he assumed another transformation as his entire body became clad in a black bodysuit, skintight to show off his musculature. Crimson armor with gold trim outfitted themselves onto his body, materializing out of thin air. Long claws were mounted on the back of the gauntlets, going over his hands. His tails were still the same though as they swished about. His head was concealed under a helmet with a vulpine-faceplate and GIN-SHOCKER's emblem on top.

Kuyou, former Student Police Captain, had transformed into the Cyborg Youkai known as Blazing Fox. With a howl, he lunged with his claws, enveloping them with flames to increase their potential for damage as Leon took out a pair of familiar items.

"Rider Change!"

"**KAMEN RIDER NECROS!"**

Summoning his armor, he drew his Ankh Sword and parried Blazing Fox's claws and the force of the impact caused a shockwave that nearly blew them apart.

"You're a... Kamen Rider...?" snarled Blazing Fox venomously in disgust. Withdrawing his claws, he began to slash at Necros like a wild beast. "I HATE RIDERS! I'LL KILL YOU!" His loss to Shinichi had left its mark and since then he'd developed a hatred for the 'heroes of justice' known as Kamen Riders.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Mega had been investigating in the midst of the chaos, attempting to find the source of the students and teachers' madness. Seeing Nekonome-sensei act like a cat had been strange but she hadn't tried to attack him. Still, he managed to avoid the other students. He saw the former NUMBERS fighting against the Jager Unit, and both teams appeared to be evenly matched. Using his armor's scanning capabilities, he detected a strange frequency being transmitted and spread out around Youkai Academy being the cause of the monsters in the school losing control of themselves.<p>

"OK, this is it," Mega said as he climbed in the pumpkin. He brought out his Photon Debugger to slice open the stem and found his target. "Gotcha. Damn, I'm good."

Mega found the machine hidden within the pumpkin's stem on the top. It was strange looking, with a circular base of silver and blue metal that reached up to his knees. It was a platform and floating in the middle of the platform was a mirror. It wasn't any old mirror, but an artifact known as the Lilith Mirror. The mirror was suspended by an energy field supplied by the claw-like structures surrounding it, like curved columns of sinister design.

"So this is what's causing everyone to go crazy," Mega muttered as he scanned the mirror. His HUD was give him very abnormal readings. "Looks like there's just one thing to do now."

Just then, shots were fired at his feet, causing him to jump back. Looking up to the top of the pumpkin, he found the one responsible.

"That's as far as you go," Gebok grinned, twirling his EMP Gun around his finger.

"You..." Mega growled, eyes narrowing. He jumped out from inside the pumpkin and brought his blade down on the scientist. Gebok simply blocked the oncoming blade with his gun with a loud clank.

"You know, no matter what generation, Kamen Riders are always so insolent! It's actually quite impressive, and annoying as well!" Gebok said, shoving Mega off of him.

"It's because of freaks like you that Kamen Riders exist in the first place!" Mega retorted, moving into a stance. "You kidnapped children just for you sick experimentations! Why wouldn't you think that people would get angry at all the things you've done? And guess what? You didn't just piss off humans, but Youkai too! You pissed off a lot folks ever since we found out about you. As long as you exist, Kamen Riders will too!"

"Well, then it will be because of us that you Riders will cease to exist today!" Gebok cackled as he changed into his Kaijin form, Satan Roach. His antennae twitched and he fired a bolt of red electricity at his opponent. Mega instinctively moved the tip of his sword to collect the electricity, and spun it around before tossing it aside. Satan Roach changed his tactics as he clicked his claws together before spreading across the pumpkin and directly at Mega. Using his Accelerated Vision, he quickly swerved left and right and even arched his back to avoid all the slashes Satan Roach threw at him. He rolled backwards before blocking more slashes with his sword and throwing him off. The cockroach skidded across the pumpkin before coming to a stop. Mega kept on the attack as he charged forward and sent a drop kick on Satan Roach's chest, sending him flying off the pumpkin and landing on the ground. Mega was close behind as he too jumped off and landed, the dust kicking off as he did.

Satan Roach dusted off his shoulders as he looked at the glaring Rider. He said, "Hm, not bad. I did have my eye on you for quite sometime as well. May as well take you while I'm here."

"What are you talking about?" Mega asked.

"Ah, my dear boy. Don't you understand?" Satan Roach laughed. "At this very moment, you have unlimited energy flowing within your body. None of our Cyborgs possess that type of power, not even the NUMBERS. Whatever kind of power you have within your Rider System, it has enough energy to supply a country for centuries, and never run out."

"So... Sting Chameleon wasn't kidding," Mega frowned, moving into a defensive stance "You guys _are _after me." He had a feeling that GIN-SHOCKER had been observing him possibly a lot closer than the others, but was more surprised to find out that his belt was had that kind of power inside. He never really knew much about it, only that it was what was keeping him alive. He tried to ask Daisuke and Xianglian about it, but they both said that he'll know when the time comes, whatever they meant by that.

"That's right!" Satan Roach laughed. "Just think of all the possibilities we can accomplish! Unlimited power within our grasp, power that will never run out no matter how much it is used! Power that can easily destroy cities, countries, planets! Our technology already sarpasses that of all the militaries and organizations around the world, but with you-ho, ho, ho! The thoughts just make be all giddy inside!"

"Over my dead body!" Mega shouted, his eyepieces and circuit patterns glowing brighter in the night.

"Far enough, that can be arranged," Satan Roach grinned, aiming his EMP Gun. He fired a trio shots at the Firefly Rider. Mega responded by standing up straight. At first, Satan Roach thought Mega was surrendering, but then blinked in surprise as an orb of electromagnetic energy appeared around him and absorbed the shots harmlessly. The orb vanished as quickly as it came.

"Surprised?" Mega smiled. "I can make my own EMP bursts."

"All the more reasons why I must have you!" Satan Roach shouted as he clicked his claws and dashed forward. Mega brought up the Photon Debugger again and blocked against all of the sword slashes, while attacking at the opened spots as well. Satan Roach may have greater speed, but Mega outclassed him in agility. With each swing Satan Roach sent out, Mega either blocked, jumped and rolled away from each of them, not once getting hit. Satan Roach decided to go for another tactic, speeding around him and striking him all around. Mega blocked each attack that went around him, and then jumping out of center. He jumped again and sent his foot at Satan Roach's face, sending him flying before skidding on his feet. Satan Roach's antennae twitched before they fired a red laser beam. Mega ducked and rolled out of the way as the laser swept behind him. There was a glowing red line on the ground, which was the trail of the lasers. The line glowed bright before exploding in a bright flash. Mega was quick on Satan Roach and send a chain of sword slashes and kicks before finishing the combo with with a backflip kick, sending Satan Roach up into the air. The giant roach tumble into the air before his wings opened up and buzzed, halting himself as he flipped upright.

"Hm, you're pretty sharp. So how about we turn up this shindig a little?" Satan Roach declared as he took out his tablet device and tapped the screen with his fingers. The screen showed the image of the machine and the pumpkin on it. The words, **"Commencing Transformation Sequence," **appeared on the screen.

The Jack-O-Lantern suddenly began to shake and started to rise. Mega, alarmed by the sudden reaction, turned around and watched the Jack-O-Lantern suddenly fold out on itself. Almost... like a machine. The fleshy skin of the fruit expanded, folded and began to harden into steel. Compartments around it opened up and long, orange hulking arms with gold veins, long enough to reach the ground, armed with what appeared to be powerful laser emitters on the gauntlets came out. The fingers were clawed and trimmed in gold. A set of heavy armored legs also appeared out of the "torso", and stomped onto the ground with a heavy thunk. Finally, a pair of orange turret machine guns materialized. The pumpkin wasn't just disguising the transmitter causing everyone to go crazy, but something else all enterally.

"The pumpkin is... a robot?!" Mega gasped in disbelief.

"Meet my 'Pumped Up Pumpkin King'!" Satan Roach laughed. "I'd like to continue our little dance, but I still have much to do! You can play with him for the time being!" He continued laughing as he took off into the sky.

"Come back here!" Mega shouted, "Tenma Henshin!"

"**DIAMOND PEGASUS."**

Mega was soon engulfed in a cyan light as he switched to his Diamond Pegasus Form. His cape folded out into wings and he quickly took off after Gebok. But the Pumpkin King lifted its large hulking arms before firing laser shots from the emitters on its gauntlets.

"Ah!" Mega shouted as he barely avoided the shots. He frowned as he looked down at the Pumpkin King, "I so did not need this."

The on the back of the Pumpkin King, pair of rocket jets popped out. The rocket jets flared up along with the soles of it's feet. A shockwave erupted underneath it before the Pumpkin King launched upward and straight up after Mega.

"Oh... great!" Mega frowned before flying further, with the Pumpkin King in hot pursuit.

* * *

><p>Necros knocked Blazing Fox backwards with his sword. In retaliation, the Cyborg Youkai attempted to incinerate Necros but he used shunpo to dodge the oncoming fireball. Taking out his Mobirider, he took out a Rider Key and activated it.<p>

"**KAMEN RIDER DARK KIVA!**"

Green quiksilver surrounded his body, forming a new armor as soon as it shattered. He was donned in regal blood red armor which seemed to be sharp on every edge it produced. His chest was covered with a black crest similar to bat wings with three green gems embedded in it. A black cape hung regally from his shoulders like he was royalty. His helmet was blood red with large dark green eyes and a silver mouthguard with fangs on it. Bat wings extended from the temples as if they were part of a crown suitable for a king. From the centre of the forehead was a bat-like head which completed the vampire theme of the armor.

Once he'd assumed the Fangire King's Rider Form, Necros used Dark Kiva's power to conjure up the symbol which appeared beneath his feet. It resembled a pair of bat wings with a crescent moon replacing the bat's head. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the symbol rushing along the ground before it materialized in midair and slammed into Blazing Fox, electrocuting him with its dark power and sending him flying.

Necros reverted back to his normal armor and strode towards Blazing Fox. However, he was nearly knocked over by a blur that flew out of nowhere. He was then put on the defensive as he blocked with his sword. He jumped back and got a better look at his new opponent. It was Acid Snake and now with her joining forces with Blazing Fox, this fight had turned into a 2 VS 1 battle. Oddly enough, Necros thought there was something oddly familiar about the snake-woman.

"He's mine, wench!" snarled Blazing Fox.

"I have my orders, and you got yours!" she hissed back as she swung her tail at Necros. He leapt over it and lunged at Blazing Fox, slashing him across the chest. In retaliation, Blazing Fox slashed Necros' chest a few times and kicked out at him, but missed as Necros used Shunpo before striking him in the back.

"It doesn't matter how many of you there are. I'll take you all on," boasted Necros.

"Papa?"

Necros was shocked to see Tamao out in the open. Weren't Aphrodite and Yuki supposed to be watching her? How did she get away? "Tamao, what are you doing here!? Run!"

Blazing Fox had read the file on Necros. He had a fox girl under his care. He was infuriated that another of his kind was under a care of someone he deemed inferior like all the rest. Even if it was a child, she would not be spared. Seeing his chance, he conjured a ball of flame which he hurled at Tamao.

"NO!" Necros was about to perform Shunpo to rescue his daughter but someone else decided to be a hero. All of a sudden, Acid Snake leapt in the path of the fireball, shielding Tamao. The half-snake Kaijin let out a hiss of agony as the flames burnt her body. Slowly, her body began to revert back to her human form, injured, and bare of any clothes.

"Onee-chan!" Tamao cried.

"Celeste!?" Necros shouted in shock. His features under his helmet were a picture of rage. He turned to glare at Blazing Fox but he'd gone, vanished in a swirl of flames and leaving only a scorch spot where he had stood.

Blazing Fox reappeared in front of Tamao and the injured Celeste. "This is how we deal with traitors..." His fist was engulfed in flames as he swung down at Celeste. His fist stopped before connecting. Blazing Fox turned to the side to see Necros, holding his arm.

"You made a big mistake Kuyou," threatened Necros.

"Let me go!" Blazing Fox demanded only to receive the flat side of Necros' blade against his face as it was smashed against him, sending him skidding backwards.

"Actually, you made two mistakes. First: you tried to harm my daughter. Second: you harmed the person who saved her," said Necros as he produced a Rider Key. "I hope you enjoy hell, because that is where you'll be going! Rider Change!"

"**KAMEN RIDER ETERNAL!"**

Transforming into Kamen Rider Eternal, Necros threw a punch so strong when it connected to Blazing Fox's face, it shattered half of his helmet, the force sending him reeling in pain. Enraged, Blazing Fox decided to go all out in order to cleanse the sight before him. This ability of his had yet to be fully tested, but at the moment, he just didn't care.

"This is my true power!" Blazing Fox boasted. The heat around him suddenly increased into unbearable temperatures at an alarming rate. Necros-Eternal's eyes widened only a fraction of an inch as he felt the Cyborg Youkai's power start to rise even higher. "Now...BURN!"

A tornado of flames wrapped around him and shot to the sky, nearly touching the barrier. Necros-Eternal grunted as he shielded his face from intense heat and flames with his cloak. The tornado flew out and Blazing Fox stood proudly. Necros-Eternal soon noticed something that made his teeth grind. Blazing Fox no longer had five tails. He had NINE!

"I'll be honest with you," Blazing Fox snarled, "This power of mine was not fully tested. But now you've forced me to show the full extent of my power. I now have enough strength to match that of a full fledged Kyuubi!"

"A Kyuubi you say?" Necros-Eternal remarked. "That's funny, considering how your other tails are clearly artificial." The other four tails Blazing Fox had were metallic, and seemed to be made out of some flexible alloy. They were in an orange color and inside there seemed to be some type of power generators that could be seen.

"A small sacrifice to gain more power," Blazing Fox retorted. "A bit dishonorable, I'll admit, but in the end power is power. And once I'm finished with you, Banabara is next!" The turbine generators in his tails started to spin as flames lit up from the inside. He raised his foot up before stomping it down. The area Necros-Eternal stood on suddenly heated up before spewing out like a volcano. Blazing Fox could only smirk at his deed. He was about to mock the apparently dead Rider, until he heard something.

"**ZONE: MAXIMUM DRIVE!**"

The flames dispersed quickly, revealing that Necros-Eternal was unharmed. His cloak was gone but that was only because he was in his Strengthened Armament Mode, drawing power from all 26 T2 Gaia Memories within the Maximum Slots lots on his armor

"Now, time to enjoy Hell!" Necros-Eternal shouted as he dashed with Shunpo speed. Coming up in front of Blazing Fox he began to rain down pure punishment as he pummeled the Cyborg Youkai with a barrage of punches. Each blow was strong enough to crush bone but Blazing Fox's body had been augmented to become more durable. However, that didn't mean he would be able to escape this fight unscathed.

Taking out the Eternal Edge, he took out the Eternal Memory and placed it inside the combat knife's Memory Slot. "**ETERNAL: MAXIMUM DRIVE!**"

Blazing Fox's body suddenly stiffened. "What...what is this!? I...I can't move...!"

"Now...Rest in Peace!" Necros-Eternal leapt up to execute his finisher, a devastating jump kick enhanced by the power of 26 T2 Gaia Memories. Seeing the attack coming, Blazing Fox quickly retaliated by inhaling his breath and shooting out a stream of fire with the intensity of 50 volcanoes. The two attacks met in a violent clash and surged for a moment before the flames broke through Necros-Eternal's kick, and sent the Rider flying back into a wall, breaking it into pieces upon impact. The force of the blast also caused Necros to return to his default state. With the paralysis done by the Eternal Memory gone, Blazing Fox quickly engulfed himself in fire before shrinking down into a smaller size, having warped away.

Necros pushed the bricks off of him before he stood up and went towards Celeste, gently lifted her up, cradling her in his arms. "Tamao, let's give her some help."

"Will she be OK?" Tamao asked, following him as he walked away from the battlefield.

"She will be, and she owes us some answers," he told her. He spotted Aphrodite and frowned. "I told you to watch Tamao. Where's Yuki."

"I'm sorry," apologized Aphrodite. "We got ambushed and Tamao ran off in the confusion. Yuki told me to find Tamao while she took care of them." She apologized again, "I'm sorry."

Necros sighed. "Just...just don't let it happen again."

Aphrodite looked at Celeste who was in Necros' arms. "Who is she?"

"A friend," said Necros. Aphrodite scooped Tamao up into her arms and this time swore to not take her eyes off the Kitsune.

* * *

><p>Shinichi still hadn't found his mother or Moka. He was scratching his head in frustration as it was like looking for a needle in a haystack. He did run into a few monster students gone wild but he harmlessly subdued them with his gun, stunning them. They will be sore when they regained consciousness but that would be hours away.<p>

"Now I knew I should've put a tracking device on her when I had the chance," mumbled Shinichi.

"Seems to me like you've lost something," a familiar voice hissed. It was a voice of someone he hadn't heard from in months, not since that day. He turned and saw Ishigami standing atop the wall surrounding the school grounds. She leapt down and landed with her feet planted on the ground, pocketing her hands. "Long time no see, Shinichi Banabara.

"Ishigami…" Shinichi's eyes narrowed as he recognized the former art teacher who'd used her Gorgon powers to turn beautiful students to statues for her own amusement and collection.

Ishigami's attire had changed since she left Youkai Academy. Her hair was still in numerous braids but she no longer wore her bandanna. She had on a pair of loop earrings which on closer inspection resembled snakes that were eating their own tails. She wore a black, belly-baring turtleneck top and tight leather pants, showing off her hourglass figure. She wore snakeskin boots and a snakeskin coat that reached down to her knees. She wore a belt buckle resembling GIN-SHOCKER's insignia.

"I'm happy you recognize me," Ishigami smiled.

"Hard not to, after what you tried to do to Moka-chan." Shinichi's fists were clenched.

"Still holding a grudge?" questioned Ishigami.

"What are you doing here and why have you joined GIN-SHOCKER?" demanded Shinichi.

"Joining GIN-SHOCKER has its benefits, as for why I am here…" she paused as she snapped her fingers. "I'm here to create the greatest piece of art in the universe!"

"Like I'd let you!" Shinichi shouted.

"By the way, I'm known as Madame Medusa now!" Her hair changed into snakes and they snapped their jaws at him. "A fitting title for a great artist such as I, don't you think?"

"An artist?" scoffed Shinichi. "You're just a madwoman who doesn't know when to quit!"

"And who are you to lecture me, BLACK 13?" Ishigami shot back, causing Shinichi to flinch. "That's right. I know about your past, and I have to admit that it was impressive. You turned death and destruction into a work of art!"

"It wasn't art! It was HELL!" The memories plagued his nights and the only comfort he had was that they were in the past. Still, Ishigami was just atrocious as to call all that "art".

"Whatever you call it, it was the most beautiful thing I have ever heard," praised Ishigami, earning a glare of hatred from Shinichi.

"Whatever, I'm just going to look for my mother," he said, turning away from her.

"Aren't you the least bit curious about what's been happening? How do you think this all happened?" Ishigami questioned rhetorically. "I did say I wanted to create the greatest piece of art in the universe."

"_You_ did this," Shinichi concluded as he spun around to glare at her.

"With a little help, but this was my plan to begin with," she claimed. "Chaos and destruction, insanity and bloodlust, and a monster's true nature brought to the front. Clearly, this entire event could be a masterpiece."

Shinichi's mother could be dead because of this. Glaring at Ishigami, he knew he needed to stop this and the only way was to get the answers from her. "How are you doing this?"

"Now, that will be telling," Ishigami teased and then she saw Shinichi whip out his sidearm.

"Don't make me ask again," Shinichi warned. "How are you doing this and how do I stop it?"

"You'll just have to figure that out for yourself," said Ishigami. "Or are you going to kill me if I don't give you what you want? You're good at that at least. You did kill your fellow schoolmates." She was referring to Saizou and the others. "How did it feel? I bet it felt good."

Shinichi pulled the trigger and Ishigami leapt out of the way. One of her snakes stretched and lunged for Shinichi, knocking his gun out of his grip.

"Ne, ne, do you want to know something funny?" Ishigami grinned, "Those schoolmates of yours were unwilling."

Shinichi's eyes widened. "...What?"

"It was pretty funny really," Ishigami grinned. "I asked them that if wanted power to be able to fight you as equals, all they had to do was follow my lead and become Cyborgs. But they refused, quite strongly as well. So I had to be a bit more... persuasive..."

Shinichi growled, "You... you turned Saizou and the others into Cyborgs by force... after they said no?..." He couldn't believe it. All this time he thought they had wasted their chances that he gave them, but look and behold it turned out they were taken by GIN-SHOCKER by force.

"If they had said yes I wouldn't have gone to such lengths," Ishigami shrugged. "They put up quite a struggle too, but it really didn't matter in the end. Oh well, sucks to be them, right?"

"You bitch!" Shinichi roared. One of Ishigami's snakes shot at Shinichi then coiled itself around his wrist before it dragged him towards the Cyborg Gorgon.

"I know you are, but what am I?" she laughed. For some reason, those snakes made Shinichi feel icky as a tentacle sex scenario played out in his head. He involuntarily shivered.

* * *

><p>Moka needed to find Shinichi. Meanwhile, something was wrong with her rosario seal. It was shorting out, becoming unstable. "Shinichi..." she uttered. A few monsters were coming at her, led by Ririko-sensei.<p>

"Oh, what do we have here? Another straggler? A student in need of education?" the Lamia questioned. She was in her true form and the tip of her tail was opened up.

"No...get away..." Moka pleaded.

"Sorry, but you're in need of re-education," said Ririko as her tail shot at Moka. Suddenly, there was an explosion of crimson energy that blew them away.

Moka-sama exhaled. "Hm...now this is new..." She took hold of her rosario seal and pulled it off, studying it. "Well, I can't waste my chance to be free." She pocketed her rosario and continued her search for Shinichi, leaving a dazed Ririko behind her. "I swear, if he's fighting without me, he's going to get an earful."

* * *

><p>D was walking through the woods, searching for BLACK 13 to kill him. She really didn' t want to break her promise to Yuji. She truly didn't. She felt that if she did beat Yuji first to get to BLACK 13, then that would be satisfying. Yet what she was doing right now was wrong. But what could she do? She wouldn't dare go against her handler and her organization. They had given her everything.<p>

"Sorry Yuji, but I have no choice," D sadly muttered. She continued walking until she suddenly got a beep on her D-Pad. Kyofu's face appeared on the D-Pad's screen. "Professor Kyofu, what is it, sir?"

"_I managed to pinpoint BLACK 13's position. He is currently engaged in combat with Madame Medusa. You are to meet up with Madame Medusa and kill BLACK 13. Don't let let anyone else kill BLACK 13 but yourself! Remember, do not fail më! This is what you've been preparing for! Kill BLACK 13 and show GIN-SHOCKER why you are the Ultimate Psychic Duelist!" _Kyofu ordered.

"Yes sir!" D saluted.

"_Good girl. I am glad you broke your foolish promise with Yuji Fudo. This mission is far more important than such a trivial thing." _Kyofu smiled.

D flinched at Kyofu's mention of 'the promise', as she didn't enjoy breaking her promises. She especially didn't like to break her promise to someone she considered a respected rival.

She nodded, "Yes, Professor Kyofu. I will not let you down."

"_Good child. Now go!"_

The screen went blank. D prepared her legs as she sped off towards Shinichi's and Madame Medusa 's location.

'_Prepare yourself BLACK 13. I am coming for you. For the glory of GIN-SHOCKER I will not lose!' _D thought as she continued speeding off. As she was running, she failed to notice Phantom peering at her from one of the trees, her visors glowing in the night.

"Well D, if you can break your promise, then so can I..." she muttered to herself before teleporting in a flash.

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER DATABASE<strong>

"Good evening viewers. I hope all of you have had a pleasant Halloween. My name is Hitomi Ishigami, also known Madame Medusa. And today, I have several more Riders to introduce to you," the former art teacher of Youkai Academy said.

The image of Kamen Rider Shin appeared behind her, "At first glance, Kamen Rider Shin may look like another mutant Kaijin monster based on a grasshopper. But in truth, he is another Kamen Rider. His human alter-ego, Shin Kazamatsuri, is a motorcycle racer who gave everything up to volunteer for his father's experiment, not knowing the true ambitions of his father's partner or the organization they worked for. He struggles to uncover the conspiracies, not completely knowing just how much his loved ones are truly involved. When being compared to the other Riders, there isn't all that much unique about Shin. However, what he does have are regenerative abilities, which surpasses that of even ZX's, as well as enhanced sight, hearing and sense of smell along with stealth. And he is physically one of the strongest Kamen Riders to exist, his punches being able to shatter even the strongest metal alloys. But he also has the slowest transformation out of all the Riders, and also the most painful."

Shin's image was replaced with Dark Kiva. "This is Dark Kiva, the ruler and protector of a much stronger race of Vampires known as the Fangires. Now, what sets Dark Kiva separate from most Kamen Riders is the fact that he had three different users. The first user was the Fangire King that existed until the late 1980s. He was a heartless man who killed anyone he deemed a threat to his clan, innocent or guilty. The second was a human named Otoya Kurenai, a Fangire Hunter who actually stole the Kiva Contract from the King. The third and apparently final user was the original Fangire King's son, Taiga Nobori, who wanted to use the power of Dark Kiva to defeat his half-brother Wataru, who was also Otoya's son, before he switched sides. Kamen Rider Dark Kiva's Rider System is actually a bat named Kivat-bat the 2nd, who bites the user he's contracted to in order to activate the Rider form. Dark Kiva is one of the most feared Kamen Riders to this day, with his power matching that of Kuuga and Decade's, but that's another story."

Dark Kiva's image was quickly switched with Whirligig's, "#15, Kamen Rider Whirligig, is one of the Jager Riders that were created to retrieve BLACK 13. His possesses incredible strength and uses a pair of Dao Swords that can detach at his command. And, as his name suggests, he can turn into a powerful cyclone that can tear up anything in his path. He doesn't speak all that much, but is highly obedient to WHITE 14 and listens only to her."

Whiplash's image appeared in the screen next. "Now here is someone interesting. #16, Whiplash. Like #10 before him, he is the expert sword user of the group. On both his arms he uses a pair of blades for close quarter combat, and he can extend them with each segment of the blade connected by a rubber-like chain. He also uses a metallic box on his back filled with battle-ready puppet arms to fight and by packing all his puppet arms together he can use they as a bladed whip, named Scorpio, on which can whip at 90 miles per hour. Scorpio itself is highly deadly, being filled with hemotoxins, necrotoxins and neurotoxins and it's one hundred times more painful than a jellyfish sting. He also has heat vision, and is able to detect hidden objects. As for Whiplash, he is a very murderous individual, making him the least liked among the Jager Unit. While the rest of them see their work as a means to an end, Whiplash seems to take great pleasure in-." The door suddenly slammed opened, and both Kurumu and Mizore stomped in.

"Hey! Who said you could be in here?" Kurumu asked.

"Oh, I just let myself in," Ishigami said with no concern.

"You shouldn't be here," Mizore chided, "Staff only."

"Then can't I be part of the staff?" Ishigami asked.

"NO!" both girls answered.

"Well then," the Cyborg Gorgon frowned, adjusting her coat, "If that's really how you feel, then no candy for you!" She stomped out of the room in a huff.

"We should really update the pass code," Mizore muttered. Kurumu nodded in agreement.


	68. Halloween Fest: Last Day of School

**Chapter 68: The Last Day of School**

**SLASH!**

**SLASH!**

**BOOM!**

Once Whirligig had gotten out of Arachnea's webbing, he had jumped into the fight with Dynamo, Sonix, Slasher, Arachnea, and Armadillo. The fight with the ex-NUMBERS and their successors, the Jager Unit, was still going hot. Both seemed to be at an even steven. While the Jagers had more power on their side, the ex-NUMBERS had skill and experience. Even so, the old generation Cyborgs were getting knocked onto their backs rather quickly.

"Damn, damn, damn!" Sonix swore as he clashed his Cricket Fork against Whirligig's Dao Swords, each blow causing him to skid backwards against the dirt. Growling, Whirligig reared both his swords back before slamming them against the fork, making Sonix fly backwards across the ground, screaming, "SONAOVBITCH!"

"Daichi! Hang on!" Arachnea shouted as she shot webbing from her hands. The webbing curled around Sonix's ankles and pulled him backwards, straight back at Whirligig. The webbing detached and the Cricket Rider went flying as his Spark Core started to shine. Sonix stuck out one of his feet and moved into a kicking position as soundwaves started to ripple from his foot, **"Sonix Overdrive!"** The Rider Kick slammed into Whirligig and knocked several feet into the air with a loud, air vibrating bang. Sonix landed back on his feet and pointed triumphantly, "Yeah! Take that you motherfucker!"

"No time for celebration, dude!" Armadillo shouted, "We still go-ARG!" he screamed as he saw sent flying from the blow of Dynamo's Gravity Hammer.

"Pay attention, kid!" Dynamo warned, "You don't wanna end up a head shorter, do ya?"

"This guy is really pissing me off!" Arachnea growled, rushing forward with her Spider Kamas armed and ready. Dynamo, seeing her approaching, dismissed his Gravity Hammer and put up his dukes. Quick and nimble, she made use of her agility as she leaped forward and attacked with a combos of kicks and and slashes. It didn't seem to do much of anything, but she didn't let up as she bounced off and flung a storm of kunai at him. Each one stuck onto him like needles as he crossed his arms to shield himself. He reached to pull them out, but then noticed several tags on each one. The tags glowed before exploding in a bright flash.

Dynamo coughed as he swatted the dust away. "Nice trick," he admitted, "Let me show you mine!" The horn on his head glowed as it charged up with red electricity. With a shout, he slammed both of his fists down as the lightning rushed directly at Arachnea. Thinking quickly, she flicked out several more kunai from her fingers and threw them to the left. Her quick thinking paid off as the kunai acted as a conductor and redirected the electricity away from her and right to them. The electric current reached the kunai and exploded in a bright flash of red light.

"Ah, you're good," Dynamo said.

"You don't know how good," Arachnea replied.

"Hey! Big red!" Dynamo was suddenly slammed onto his side by a big armored ball causing him to regain balance by activating his jetpack. Armadillo uncured himself and cheered, "Payback!"

"Check your six, kid!" Dynamo warned. Armadillo blinked at the statement, but then got his answer when he heard a roar behind him. Turning around, he saw Whirligig rushing at him with his swords drawn.

"Oh, come on!"

In the air, both Zero and Atlas were still flying about in the middle of their own battle. Atlas fired his gatling guns rapidly as Zero returned fire with his stingers. The colored beams of yellow and red flashed through the air as the Wasp and Moth Riders continued firing at one another.

"You're not half bad!" Atlas admitted, "Now I see why you're the second best of the NUMBERS! But..." he pointed his gauntlets at him and they shot the powder out towards him. Zero, not knowing what the powder could do, but still wary, flew back to get out of its range but the powder seemed to follow him even as he zigzagged, left and right. The moment the powder was within range it exploded and Zero screamed out as several more explosions shook him out of the air. He was sent tumbling for a short while before his wings buzzed back to power and he gathered himself just long enough to see Atlas flying right at him.

"You aren't the only one with tricks up his sleeves!" Zero declared as he pulled out what looked like a bee hive which was small enough to fit in his hand. He pressed a button on the top and threw it right at Atlas' face. The mini-hive turned out to be a flashbang as it suddenly blew up with a flash and a loud pop, disorienting Atlas as he screamed out and covered his visors. Seeing his chance, Zero connected his stingers together as they glowed with a bright light. **"Zero Storm!" **He fired his laser directly at his adversary, sending him falling towards the ground.

"There," Zero nodded as he powered down his laser, "That wasn't too bad." And then Murphy's Law came into play as Atlas quickly flew back up, shocking Zero.

"Pretty good!" Atlas complimented, "You nearly had me! You'll have to do a lot better than that though!" His body charged with red lightning as he charged forward.

Zero shot his stingers at Atlas but he drew his weapon, a butterfly axe with glowing red edges, and slapped away the stingers like they were nothing. Atlas laughed, "Sorry! Gotta do better than that to beat me!" He swung his axe at Zero when he got close enough, only for Zero to block it with stingers. Zero kicked Atlas away with a kick, sending the Moth Rider flying a few meters.

Zero followed up by firing his stingers again at Atlas, only for Atlas to shoot them out of the with air with his gatling guns. The stingers were blown out of the sky and littered the battlefield. Some stingers nearly fell on some of the Riders, but they managed to avoid them. Whirligig wasn't really deterred by the fallen stingers as he batted them away with his swords.

"Oi, watch it!" Armadillo shouted as he dodged the falling stingers.

"Sorry!" Zero apologized as he and Atlas grappled with each other.

Back on the ground, Whiplash was still going toe-to-toe with both Carmen and Seras, going blade against blade with them. Slasher, seeing that the girls needed help, jumped into the fight to make it three on one, much to Whiplash's ire.

"This is a private party, ya beeping giant!" Whiplash shouted as he ground his sword against Slasher's chainsaws, "Go play somewhere else!" Slasher responded with several beeps."What? I should try to be a little nicer with the people I play with?" Whiplash translated. "Like I give a fuck!" His backpack opened and his blades came out. Seeing them, Slasher quickly jumped backwards before they had a chance to impale him. Whiplash rushed after him, only for sets of chains to wrap around his arms and threw him backwards.

"Chiaki! Take him!" Carmen shouted.

Slasher nodded and his Spark Core glowed bright blue, the power transferring into his chainsaws. He disappeared in a flash before reappearing behind Whiplash. He dashed right through Whiplash as the empowered chainsaws cut through the air like lasers. Twin streaks of lines appeared on Whiplash before exploding in a burning flash, causing him to scream out as Slasher's Texas Chainsaw Massacre sent him spinning through the air.

"My turn!" Carmen cheered as her Spark Core glowed bright pink. She began spinning around in place before she turned into a huge tornado of flowers, rushing towards the still airborne Whiplash, **"Elemental Tornado!"** she called out as she rammed into Whiplash. Whiplash continued to scream out as the flowers shocked him something fierce before throwing him once more.

"Don't forget about me!" Seras grinned as her own Spark Core glowed purple. She twisted on her heels before jumping onto her hands and performed flips towards the falling Whiplash. She then kicked off the ground in a high backflip, positioning herself for a corkscrew kick. **"Blood Haze!"** she shouted as her Rider Kick slammed into Whiplash, knocking him to the ground.

Seras landed back on the ground as both Carmen and Slasher joined her. "Did we finish him?"

Whiplash groaned as he slowly staggered back to his feet. "You'll have to... do better than that...!" he sneered.

"God damnit!" Seras swore, "How much will it take to kill you!?"

"A lot more, that's for sure!" Whiplash laughed as he charged forward.

Zero headbutted Atlas and delivered one-two punches at the Moth Rider's helmet. Zero then rammed himself into Atlas, flying through their air until they crashed into a stand. Zero and Atlas stood back up, gaining distance from each other as they aimed their dangerous weapons, Zero's stingers and Atlas' gatling guns, at each other. They were having a standoff for a couple of moments until Atlas broke the silence.

"You are good," Atlas complimented "But I'm better!" Atlas fired his gatling guns at Zero, forcing the Hornet Rider to dodge while screaming, "Woah!" Zero then found himself dancing to Atlas' bullet barrage with Mexican music being played from out his large wings. He laughed, "Come on, enjoy the fiesta!"

Zero took to the air and Atlas gave chase. Both of the two aerial fighters were clashing with flash of sparks occurring from each blow. They clashed one more time with Atlas' axe forced against one of Zero's stingers. The clash between between the stingers and the axe was creating lightning. Both of them were equally determined to win their fights. Zero was fighting to protect the people he cared about while Atlas was fighting hard for Lina.

Whirligig roared "RAGH! RAGH! RAGH!" He threw his swords like a wild Tasmanian Devil at Armadillo, prompting the Pillbug Rider to parry the swords with his maces. Sparks went flying and the weapons were reverberating from each contact.

"Damn, are you always this crazy before or after GS modified you!?" Armadillo demanded. Armadillo was able to get some good hits and land his maces into Whirligig's chest, forcing the wild Rider to skid a few distance. "Booyah sucker! Take that!" Whirligig massaged his chest armor and didn't listen to Armadillo's words. He cared about fighting and listening to Lina's orders. He spun like a tornado and was heading towards Armadillo's way.

"Oh crap," Armadillo paled. "This just like that Looney Tunes cartoon I watched with the Tasmanian Devil! OH MY GOD I AM RUNNING!'' Armadillo ran away with Whirligig giving chase. Whirligig continued pursuing Armadillo as a tornado as Armadillo screamed with his maces held in the air, "OH GOD! OH GOD! OH GOD! OH GOD!" Whirligig roared as he continued chasing Armadillo back and forth with the Pillbug Rider continued screaming repeatedly, "OH GOD!" He also repeated "RUNNING! RUNNING! RUNNING!"

"Yokoshima, you dumbass! Stop running and right!" Sonix ordered as Dynamo's Gravity Hammer clashed against his Cricket Fork.

"You should learn to stay focused and also not call your teammates by their real names," Dynamo reminded.

"Shut up! You don't tell me what to do!" Sonix shouted.

"And not doing as you are told is why GS wants you dead," Dynamo retorted.

"GS is just crap! They just used us as tools waiting to be disposed of and it is only a matter of time until they dispose of you guys too!" Sonix shot back.

"A soldier's gotta do what a soldier's gotta do. Besides, I'll burn that bridge when I cross it," Dynamo shrugged. Dynamo then got hit with exploding kunai, which disrupted his concentration. He spotted Arachnea holding kunai in between her fingers.

"Then you're a fool," Arachnea deducted. She put away her kunai before she drew her Spider-Kama only to get held down by Dynamo's gravity field. She grunted under the forces.

"Hana!" Sonix shouted in concern, only to get kicked in the gut by Dynamo, sending the Cricket Rider soaring through the air and crashing into a stand before it fell on top of him.

"You should really stay focused," Dynamo chided. He then cupped his hands together before forming his Piercing Void. Without a word, he threw it at the buried Sonix. Sonix was able to dig himself out of the pile, as he quickly regained his focus and barely dodged out of the ball's way. The ball hit the ruined stand, crushing it with immense gravitational force. Sonix looked at the gravity ball's damage and gulped, being glad the stand was not him. He then looked back to see Dynamo with his hammer drawn. Sonix dodged the hammer, having the hammer hit the ground and made a small crater.

"Oh shit!" Sonix swore, gawking at the crater.

"Yep still needed to work on controlling my strength," Dynamo muttered.

"RAGH!" Whirligig roared as he slammed a mace against the Pillbug Rider's face. He was not holding his swords since put them away, and had stolen one of Armadillo's maces to use it against the poor boy.

"DAMMIT!" Armadillo screamed. He attempted to counter attack by swinging his remaining mace at Whirligig. Whirligig dodged it before quickly running around behind Armadillo to slam the mace into Armadillo's face, knocking the Pillbug Rider down face-first. Whirligig capitalized on the boy's defenselessness by jumping on the fallen Armadillo and beating the crap out of him with the stolen mace.

"Someone please get him off of me!" Armadillo frightfully screamed over the sound of pounding metal. "Ow! Stop that! Ow! Ow! HELP!"

Breaker managed to break out of Storm's electrocution and continued to go mono-y-mono. He managed to maintain movement as he crossed blades, however, were still sluggish from the shock. Their swords clashed together, but Storm managed to slip a few strikes on to the armor, causing Breaker to grunt out with each blow.

"I'm surprised you managed to hold out for this long," Storm said. "Anyone else would be down for the count." His electrical powers were nothing to scoff at. During testing he managed to kill plenty of expendable GS Troopers. That was what made his power an effective weapon.

"Screw you!" Breaker spat, clenching his teeth.

"Whatever, pal," Storm shrugged. He jumped up and slammed both of his feet against against Breaker's chest, causing him to skid backwards before he came to a stop. "And here's some more!" Storm swung his Lightning Scimitars in an X pattern, the attack flying right towards him. Breaker backed up slightly, and then jumped and spun over the attack quickly. He landed quickly and rushed forward at Storm.

"Nice try, dude!" Breaker laughed as his Spark Core glowed. Energized metal appeared on his right arm as he stretched it out. **"Clothesline from Hell!"** he shouted as he smashed his arm into Storm's chest. The Stag Beetle Cyborg tumbled through the air before landing on the ground face first.

"Man..." he stammered, getting back up to his feet. "Looks like I really have to go all out on you. Hope you have medical insurance because now I am gonna-" He was suddenly interrupted by a transmission from someone he didn't expect.

"_#19!"_ a voice called in his helmet, _"What are you and the Jagers doing?"_

"What the-D?" Storm asked.

"_Madame Medusa has located BLACK 13. Whatever it is you are doing, cease at once. Yuji Fudo and his sister are moving in to assist him,"_ D explained and instructed.

"What about WHITE 14? Is she with you?"

"_No she is not, but knowing her she should be joining us soon."_

"Yeah, sure," Storm nodded. He then called over the others. "Guys, it's time to go!"

"What? Already?!" Whiplash complained. "We haven't even killed these guys yet!" He wanted to kill them. His bloodlust would not be satisfied until they were all dead!

"Let's go or I'll shock the hell outta you," Storm threatened. He turned to the ex-NUMBERS and said, "We'd love to stay a little while longer, but we've got other business to attend to. Ja ne!" One by one, he and the Jagers vanished in beams of light.

"Ow, ow, ow. Oh the the pain, I think my spleen ruptured from the wild guy's beatings," Armadillo groaned as he limped to meet up with his fellow Riders. He was clutching his left side with his right arm.

"Well, that was weird," Carmen admitted, looking at where the Jagers once stood. "Why do you think they bailed on us like that?"

"Maybe because we aren't their primary objective," Zero said, hovering down to the ground, "I have a bad feeling about this."

"Then we have to figure out why they're here and what they're after," Sonix nodded. "We'll have to take care of these monsters too."

"Right..." Breaker nodded. His eyes widened as he remembered, "Oh shit! Ren and the others, I forgot!"

"That's right!" Arachnea realized, "We were gonna look for them before we got interrupted!"

"Then what are we standing here for?!" Armadillo demanded, "Let's hurry up and find them!" Slasher beeped in agreement.

* * *

><p>Shinichi managed to tear himself free of Ishigami's grasp and went on the assault. He swung at her with a right hook but she evaded before lashing out with her snakes. Remembering what their venom could do, Shinichi made sure to avoid from getting bitten by bobbing and weaving his body. He did not want to become a sort of lawn ornament or room accessory for this woman. She was perverse and he didn't want to think of what she might do to his petrified body.<p>

"Come on, transform and fight me for real!" challenged Ishigami as she hissed, her snake hair doing the same as they waved about her head. Shinichi swung a kick at her which she countered with her own. The two broke apart, glaring at each other.

"If you want to die so much, I'd be happy to oblige, but you got information I need," Shinichi shot back as he flicked his wrist. Dashing towards her, he closed the gap and before any of her snakes could strike he slammed his palm into her chest, knocking the wind out of her. Stunned, Ishigami could not avoid the uppercut that knocked her backwards. She staggered on her feet and spat out some blood before going into stance. She threw her arms at him, palms flat and fingers pointed as he tried to use a knife strike and the knife edge strike with her hands. She wanted to incapacitate him and painfully too. She was out for revenge because he'd ruined her art so many months ago. If it wasn't for her, she wouldn't have had to leave the school. It was because of him that her collection was ruined. Why did he have to be so against the preserving of beauty?

Shinichi dodged her attacks but the snakes almost got him too before he made some distance by quickly backing away. Those snakes were the most troublesome but in his armor he may not have anything to fear. However, he didn't want to kill her, at least not at the moment. Unfortunately, she wasn't making it any easier as she was pretty much asking to be killed by the way she was mercilessly trying to strike him down.

Ishigami grinned. Gebok was right. Shinichi was hesitant. If he was anything like his past self, he would've put her down without question. However, regaining his humanity had made him weak. Emotions were holding him back and she was capitalizing on them as he was hesitant to use his true power on her.

"_Shinichi, I recommend the use of your armor_," suggested Kuro promptly. "_It is highly probable that she has become enhanced and augmented since joining GIN-SHOCKER._"

"I do that then I might kill her," Shinichi argued.

"_Then use as much minimal force as you can afford in order to incapacitate her_," Kuro advised.

He recalled that back when he had fought Ishigami he had to rely on his and V3's powers. Now she was much stronger and faster after being modified by GIN-SHOCKER, making her even deadlier.

"OK! Let's Ride: Showa!" His Spark Core glowed and his armor formed over his body as the jigsaw puzzle pieces converged and bonded together into his suit. Green eyes flashed, signalling the finished transformation. Now in armor, he was protected from anything Ishigami might pull.

"If you think that armor will help you like last time, think again," said Ishigami as she slipped her arms out of her sleeves. She dropped her coat and began her transformation into her newly enhanced Gorgon form. With glowing yellow eyes, her skin slowly began to take on a scale-like texture like a reptile with a metallic sheen. Her nails lengthened into claws and her upper canines extended to turn into fangs. Her snake hair waved about around her hair, snapping jaws as their venom dripped from their fangs.

"I'm an entirely new Gorgon now," hissed Ishigami, aka Madame Medusa. With that said she lunged at Shinichi. She swiped at him and he ducked to the side, avoiding those claws. He really didn't want to know how else GIN-SHOCKER had remodelled the former art teacher. However, whatever modifications and enhancements she'd received had to be bad.

That was proven true when one of her snakes fired a laser beam at him. He dodged and some blades of grass were hit instead as they were turned to stone. "OK," Showa grimaced. "This is worse that before now." Now Ishigami could turn things into stone from long-range. "You're right, you are a new Gorgon now. You're _uglier_! Looking at your face now will turn anyone to stone!"

"_Is it wise to antagonize her?_" Kuro inquired.

"Wise, definitely not. But it's sure as Hell fun!" Showa called as he dodged from the snakes firing at him. "OK, time for round two!" He drew his Vulcan Shooter and fired rapidly at her. However, her metallic snake hair formed a protective barrier in front of her. Grimacing in annoyance, he replaced his Vulcan Shooter with his Gravity Hammer and slammed it into the barrier, breaking the snakes apart and sending Madame Medusa flying. She went tumbling and hissed in anger as she rose up. She fired petrification lasers at him.

"_Dome Shield, Activate!_" Kuro announced.

Showa slammed his fist into the ground and the dome shield formed around him, protecting him from the lasers. She still continued firing at him, attempting to break the shield.

"You can't keep that up forever!" Madame Medusa shouted at him. Suddenly, there was a loud electronic shout.

"**FULL CHARGE!"**

And then it was followed by a roar.

"**Strike Laser CLAW!"**

Madame Medusa screamed as a blue blur ran past and she was slashed in the side. A visible gash was seen in her side and she let out a hiss of pain which her snakes echoed.

"What!?" Madame Medusa roared in outrage.

The blue blur zipped in front of Showa, revealing it to be none other than Liger Jager. "Kamen Rider Liger is on the scene!" he cheered, pressing the button on his belt.

"**ZERO FORM!"**

"And now it's time to get wild!" Liger Zero continued, his claws folding out.

Madame Medusa snarled at the two Riders before her. Her ire only increased as she spotted a beam of ice coming her way. She jumped upward, avoiding being frozen over, and skid backwards. The one responsible was Yuki, and she was skating towards the group at full speed before skidding to a stop.

"Hitomi Ishigami," she declared, pointing at the Cyborg Gorgon, "I hereby place you under arrest by the authority of the Public Safety Committee. Surrender."

"Way to show up in the nick of time, Yuki," Liger grinned.

"Tsk!" Madame Medusa growled has her snakes glowed in green light, "No problem. I can't just turn my victims into stone anymore!" She proved her point by firing green energy beams at the cousins, to which the quickly jumped away. Liger turned back to where one of the lasers landed and gulped as he saw a statue glow bright green before melting.

"That's right, I can also melt objects now," Madame Medusa grinned. "And here's another new trick!" Her snakes started to fire beams of red and blue energy. Showa jumped in cartwheels to avoid the blasts, but Liger, for some reason, jumped at the direction of the red beams and seemed to inhale them through his mouthplate. Yuki did the same with the blue beams as she opened her mouth and swallowed it whole.

"You ATE them?!" Madame Medusa shrieked. She had actually been aiming the opposite elements at the twins, but she didn't think they were THAT immune to their own element.

Yuki covered her mouth as she released a small belch, "Thanks for the meal," she complemented.

"And now that we're charged up, we can kick your ass! With _extreme _prejudice!" Liger added, punching his palm. Wanting to return the favor, he let out a flame breath from his mouthplate. Her snakes formed a barrier around her again to protect her from the heat. Seeing this, Yuki sank her fingers into the ground and sent icicles crawling rapidly towards the insane Cyborg Gorgan. By the time Madame Medusa noticed, her feet had already been trapped within the ice. Showa, not wanting to remain idle, saw his chance saw Madame Medusa struggled to get out of the ice. He jumped into the air and reared his fist back.

"**Rider Punch!"** he shouted as he slammed the fist down onto the steel barrier, blasting Madame Medusa from the ice as she was sent flying backwards onto her back. She hissed as she got back onto her feet and stared down the trio.

"You're outnumbered and outmatched, Ishigami," Showa stated, "I suggest you do what my cousin said and give up."

Madame Medusa only smiled. "Is that right? I think you'd better recheck your mathematics." And she snapped her fingers. In an instant, Atlas, Whirligig, Storm, Dynamo, Whiplash and Weapon D appeared in streaks of light and surrounded the cousins. Smiling, Madame Medusa told the Jagers and Weapon D, "I'll leave the rest to you," before slipping away.

"Alright, it's our turn now," said Whiplash as he brandished his swords.

"Prepare to be-" D began.

"D, please don't say anything that would make this fight uncomfortably awkward for us," Dynamo interrupted. He did not want to go through a similar conversation like the one that happened earlier.

"Very well," D accepted.

"Oh thank Kami," Storm gratefully breathed out.

"D?" Showa blinked. He heard about D from Yuji but this was the first time he saw her.

"Yes, I am Weapon D. I am here to kill you as well," D said.

"Sorry D, but that ain't happening!" denied Liger. "Because there no way I'm ever going to lose my cousin to you people!"

"Aniki..." Showa felt touched.

"Very well then," Weapon D acknowledged. She looked at them and then at their own forces. Whirligig, Storm, Dynamo, Whiplash and Atlas were ready to fight. However, Lina was nowhere to be seen. Weapon D did rank higher than the other Jagers and with Lina absent she could give the command.

Weapon D was about to give the command when...

"HALT!" a commanding voice ordered, prompting the Jagers and Weapon D to cease their assault. Yuki, Liger and Showa saw Phantom coming towards them.

"Che, it's about damn time," spat Whiplash.

"You're kinda late to the party," said Dynamo.

"Just where were you, anyway?" questioned Storm.

"#14?" Atlas questioned when she didn't give a response. "Lina?"

Phantom looked at Yuki, Liger and Showa and gave them a nod before turning her back to them. Facing the Jagers, her eyes glowed as she shoved them back with a telekinetic blast that nearly knocked them onto their backs.

The Jagers and Weapon D were shocked by this turn of events and so was Showa. Liger and Yuki, however, were both smiling.

"Lina?" Showa questioned in confusion.

"I'm going to buy you some time," said Phantom as she faced her now former comrades. "I'll stall these guys for you."

"#14, what the Hell are you doing!?" Whiplash shouted in outrage.

"Making my choice!" Phantom shot back as she brought out her small cylinder. She pressed a button on the side, allowing twin curved blades of plasma energy to appear out of it. "And making my stand!" She attacked and swung her Energy Sword at them, prompting them to backpedal to avoid being slashed.

"Hey, don't forget about me!" shouted Liger as he joined in.

"Hup!" Yuki added, also jumping in. Both twins were pleased with the choice the Cyborg Esper made. Phantom and the Fudo twins then attacked D and the Jagers who recovered from their shock to fight back. A violent brawl ensued with the Jagers fighting Yuki, Liger and their now former leader. Blows were exchanged, screams were heard, and curses were shouted as the level of violence intensified. Yuki drew her pistols, popping off rounds as parts of Whiplash's armor started to ice up. Liger followed up with flame-powered drop kick that sent Whiplash through a carnival stand.

"Fuck yeah!" Liger cheered as he and his sister high-fived. Shots of energy bullets then blasted around them, causing the twins to jump backwards. Liger soon found himself face to face with D.

"I am sorry, but I must defeat BLACK 13," D apologized.

"His name is Shinichi!" Liger snapped, correcting her. She shook her head.

"That doesn't matter. It is part of protocol to call GS operatives, traitors or not, by their assigned codenames," D retorted.

"I don't give two fucks about their protocols!" Liger snapped. "I thought we had a deal. I told you that I wouldn't let you touch Shin till you've beaten me. What's with you?"

D averted her eyes from Liger as she spoke, "I was ordered to break my promise. Again, I am sorry."

Liger disappointingly sighed and said, "D, you can't just break a promise. A promise is something you swear upon."

D felt really hurt for some reason when Liger explained it further. "I am truly sorry, Fudo, but orders are orders."

"And promises are promises, regardless of orders. I didn't wanna do this, but now I'm gonna have to kick your ass!" Liger challenged while making a stance.

"Very well. It looks like I am going to have to plough you then!" D declared.

"Yeah well-" Liger began before he did a double take, "Wait what?!"

"D, what did I say about saying something awkward in the middle of a fight?!" Dynamo reprimanded, using a gravity field against Yuki's bullets.

"I am sorry that made you all uncomfortable," D apologized to Dynamo and Liger.

Showa, seeing Lina/Phantom fight with him instead of against him, was confused, but he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. Reaching behind him, he reached behind his back and took out his Legacy Driver. "Well…" he spoke. "Here goes nothing."

Whiplash sneered as he saw Showa take out his Legacy Driver, "That won't work! We've already heard that you can't even use that power anymore!"

"Maybe, maybe not," Showa argued as he attached the Driver to his Spark Core. Up until now his mind had been clouded with doubts; doubts about his reason for living, doubts if he had any place in the world, and doubts about his feelings. "Let's find out."

"**ULTIMATE RIDE: LEGACY MODE!"**

He no longer had doubts.

**(INSERT SONG: SAMURAI BY TACKEY AND TSUBASA)**

A bright flash of gold light surrounded the area. It caused the combatants to stop fighting and look in shock at the development before them. It was Kamen Rider Showa in Legacy Mode! He was the same as before but now there was an addition of Kamen Rider Shin's symbol on his chestplate, the Legacy Shield.

"You too, Cicadroid!" The robot beeped happily as it flew down and attached to his back. Instantly his energy discharged in the form of wings and with such power, dust and rocks flew up high as everyone was knocked off their feet. The dust settled and Showa stood tall within the wide crater done by his discharge, glowing with golden light. "Piercing the Darkness and Cutting Through the Skies! The Heir of the Kamen Riders of Legend! Kamen Rider Showa…Higurashi Legacy Mode...!" Showa cheered as he crouched down with his arms crossed before he stood back up with his arms spread out wide yelling, "ON STAGE!" His yelling was so loud it rang the ears of everyone in the area. "I'M BACK, BABY!"

D's eyes widened as she let out a loud gasp. It was unexpected for her. Showa was supposed to be unable to use Legacy Mode. What had brought about this change? The Jagers recovered from the sudden change and began their assault on Showa.

"GGRRRRRAAAAAAA!" Whirligig roared as he charged at the golden Rider. He pulled out his Dao Swords and swung wildly at him. Gold wings jetted out from the Cicadroid as Showa quickly jumped up and flew about, blocking the Dao Swords with his Legacy Saber. The giant Rider snarled as the blades of his swords detached from their hilts, connected only by chains. Showa ducked and flipped over the chains as he flew towards Whirligig. He made a powerful headbutt against his chest, causing a shockwave to erupt as Whirligig was sent skidding back. Whirligig growled as stood back up. Then he started to spin himself around. As he continued spinning, his RPM speed increased. Soon, Whirligig was true to his namesake as he became a deadly tornado that threatened to draw Showa in and tear him apart.

The Legacy Shield's outer ring rotated and the symbol of Riderman was situated at the top, granting Showa the use of his power as his right arm became Riderman's default Hook Arm. He shot the Hook Arm into the tornado and it grabbed hold of Whirligig. He landed down and tugged on the hook hard, sending Whirligig spinning up into the air before slamming back on the ground with a loud crash. The large Beetle Rider groaned as he slowly tried to get back up.

"Stay down, bitch," Showa commanded. "You'll live longer."

Whirligig was quickly on his feet, quicker than Showa expected, which was a big shock. The savage Rider was about to attack again when Phantom stood in his path. "Enough," she ordered, "It's OK. There's no need to fight anymore."

Whirligig stared down at her, growling softly before relaxing and taking a seat as he folded his legs and letting out a dragged sigh.

Showa stared at the scene and blinked, "Huh...?"

"It's OK," Phantom assured, "He only listens to me."

"Is there something going on between you guys?" Showa questioned.

"Lina...friend," Whirligig growled slowly as he put a hand to his chest.

Showa looked to the Beetle Brothers and sighed, "Any chance they're on your side too?"

"Don't think so," she denied, "They usually just listen to each other and only follow my orders during assignments."

The Beetle Brothers shot lightning bolts at Showa but they had no effect as he used Stronger's abilities to absorb the lightning. "My turn," said Showa Legacy as he fired his Legacy Shotgun at the brothers, knocking them off their feet. Dynamo grunted and slammed his hand down on the ground to trap Showa in a gravity field. At the same time, the Mana Stone on Showa's right hand glowed and he vanished from sight.

"Where'd he go!?" Storm shouted. Several blurs were visible before they struck the brothers. Sparks flew off their armor as they shouted out. Showa quickly appeared before them.

"Surprise," Showa spoke. Both brothers quickly recovered and brought out their weapons. Showa activated his forearm mounted crescent energy blades, which were now in gold. He blocked them both just as they came at him before pushing them off. The two beetles Cyborgs clashed their weapons with Showa's with blinding speed before they suddenly became nothing more than blurs of sound and light. The speedy clashes of the weapons shook the ground below them at an alarming rate. Showa finally got the upperhand and he punched Dynamo into the air through an opening and kicked away Storm. He flew after the flying Storm, went passed him and reared his fist back. Using the power of Super-1's Power Hands, he smashed his fist down onto the maroon Rider, slamming him into the ground with a heavy thud, blowing rocks and dust upward as Dynamo sank into the ground. Then he flew back at Storm, where the younger brother was recovering. He landed in a sliding skid and shot a blast of ice-cold energy with the power of Super-1's Hot and Cold Hands, effectively freezing Storm in place.

"Now then, it's my turn!" D called out as she summoned her Psychic Blade and Psychic Trigger. She then charged towards Showa. She fired her Psychic Trigger, but the shots seemed to only bounce off his armor. Once she reached Showa, she attempted to stab her blade into Showa's chest, only to be propelled as it projected backwards a circular shield of similar design, knocking the Psychic Duelist onto her back.

"Legacy Guard," Showa named as the shield mounted itself on his left forearm. It shone, displaying the symbols of the Legendary Riders around it with his XIII in the centre of the ring. "So you're Weapon D, huh? Aniki warned me about you. If they couldn't stop me, what makes you think you can?" Showa challenged.

"I can!" D claimed as she stood back up. She then brought out two cards, "For the good of GIN-SHOCKER, I will not lose! Hyper Psychic Blaster and Thought Ruler Archfiend, come forth!" She slipped the cards into her D-Pad the instant she said that both Duel Monsters soon materialized beside her.

"Interesting," Showa mused.

"Battle!" D called, pointing at the Rider, "Defeat BLACK 13!" Both of them obeyed and flew after Showa, who in turn flew back into the air. Hyper Psychic Blaster fired shots of energy blasts as Thought Ruler Archfiend launched streams of dark energy. Showa flew around the energy blasts swiftly. There was no way he was letting himself get hit.

"So these are Duel Monsters made real by a Psychic Duelist, huh?" Showa mused, narrowly avoiding another energy blast.

Kuro analyzed them and reported, _"They are constructs of psychic energy."_

"Ah, so that's it," Showa nodded. "I might not be a duelist, but it's time I sent them to the Graveyard!" He flew straight at Thought Ruler Archfiend. The demonic beast saw him coming and fired more of its dark energy blasts. He shifted his Legacy Saber into its Shotgun Mode, aimed just as it opened its mouth again, and fired. Using the power of Roborider's Voltech Shooter, a shot of solar energy blasted directly into Thought Ruler Archfiend's mouth, causing it to explode into particles. "Headshot," Showa uttered. He then turned his attention to Hyper Psychic Gunner and dashed at it at mach speed. He switched his Legacy Saber back into Sword Mode and it began to crackle with electricity arcing around the blade, having been infused with the power of Stronger's Electro Fire. In a split second, he ran right through the Duel Monster and landed in a crouch. Hyper Psychic Gunner only stood for a few short seconds before a lightning bolt struck it down. It instantly vanished after that. "Perfect Kill!" With both monsters gone, Showa stood back up and faced D.

D was becoming nervous inside and starting to panic a bit. She knew all about the Legacy Mode, but never knew that the Cicadroid could combine with the form to create such a powerful combo! He even defeated the Jagers within a matter of seconds, who, like her, were designed to outclass him! This was not in the data or calculations! Growling, she dashed back at him and clashed swords with him. Their blades clashed like lightning in the very same manner Showa did with Storm and Dynamo earlier. Weapon D gritted her teeth as she kept up with Showa's movements.

"Why did you abandon GIN-SHOCKER!?" Weapon D demanded over the sounds of battle, "Answer me!"

"It's because they took my life away from me! My childhood was taken from me! My comrades were taken from me! After all that, I got sick of it!" Showa shot back. "I can say this, though: The only good thing that came out of it was that I was brought to this school! I found a purpose to fight, an actual purpose, and people who became important to me! No longer will I fight _for _GIN-SHOCKER's goals! Rather, I'll fight to protect those precious to me! That's my Rider Way!"

"Rider Way? A purpose? As weapons we need no such thing!" D retorted.

"None of us are mindless weapons!" Showa shouted at her. "Even now, you're fighting for someone, aren't you?"

"I fight because it is what I was made to do! My reason for being!" D answered. However, she was also fighting for Professor Kyofu's approval.

"But what about what you want? Your desires? What about them?" he questioned.

"What I want is the same as what GIN-SHOCKER wants! It is how I was raised!" D continued.

"There's more in the world than that, Weapon D! So much more! There's friendship! There's love! And also...LIFE! HYAH!" He swiftly disarmed Weapon D and sent the female Psychic Duelist tumbling painfully with a powerful kick. She smashed through a wall before weakly looking back up at Showa. "For as long as I've been here, I wondered why I was put in this school. Without my memories holding me back, I forged bonds, strong bonds and these bonds have made me stronger. When my memories returned, I asked myself if I was even worthy to have such bonds. I know the answer now. So, there's no way I'm going back to GIN-SHOCKER except to blow up everything it stands for!"

D could only grimace. She was clearly at a disadvantage. Everything had gone down the drain. Showa was too strong for her to fight now. Deciding that a strategic retreat was in order, she slowly put her hand on her D-Pad and teleported out of the battle to lick her wounds. She didn't have any intentions of dying just yet.

**(END SONG)**

"YOU TREACHEROUS BITCH!" Whiplash went towards Phantom to strike her down only for someone to get in his way. His blade penetrated his obstacle and blood splattered the ground.

It was Atlas, and he had jumped to shield Lina, taking the blow for himself. "WHAT!?" shouted Whiplash as he withdrew his blade. Atlas fell to his knees before falling on his face, his armor vanishing in a spark of lightning

"JUDE!" Phantom screamed in horror at her comrade's damage. She kneeled down shakily and turned him over. The wound was deep. Blood was staining on his clothing, and he was barely breathing. Looking up, she glared hatefully at Whiplash. Her visors burned brightly and a blue aura engulfed her. "You... you..."

"Oh shit," Whiplash cursed. He had only realized now that he had just pissed off one of the few people who could rip him apart. He heard a roar and was hit face first with a claw that slashed sparks from his faceplate. He cursed in pain and glared hatefully at Liger Schneider-Sword. The armor was a deeper shade of orange, almost red, and the arm blades were gone as a hexagonal red shield with a gold cross in the center was mounted on the left arm. On his back was a black pack, carrying a wide V-shaped wing and a pair of blue longswords.

"Yo, fucker," Liger greeted as he gripped his sword-lance tightly. "You good?" he called to Phantom who was on her knees behind him.

"I'm fine," she growled. "You shouldn't be here."

"Well, I owe this fucker a rematch anyways," he shrugged, "Might as well entertain him and kick his ass anyways." He eyed Whiplash who was wielding his two Scorpios. "So, got two now huh?"

"That's right, shitface," Whiplash sneered. "Now I'm twice as deadly!"

"It ain't the weapon, dumbass, it's the man behind it," Liger argued.

"We'll see about that!" Whiplash challenged as he charged forward. swinging his swords as they extended into the whip-like configurations.

Schneider-Sword met the Rider's charge with his own, disconnecting his swords as he quickly entangled the whips around his own weapons and stabbing them into the ground, trapping Whiplash's weapons as Schneider-Sword double-punched him in the chest and sent him flying back. The Scorpion Rider tumbled along the ground before he backflipped and landed on his feet, growling as he ran back at his top speed. Liger met Whiplash's charge again as they started trading punches. Liger went into his boxing stance and used his footwork as he bobbed and weaved around Whiplash's punches and gave him a shot in his left kidney, the Rider recoiling before Schneider-Sword gave him a left roundhouse kick in the chest.

"Fuck this!" Whiplash roared as the blades of his backpack emerged. They converged on Liger, ready to impale him when the Rider back flipped to avoid them.

Schneider-Sword wound up with his swords at his sides. Thankful for his timing, he grabbed them and their energy blades activated. His vernier engines activating, Schneider-Sword flew straight at Whiplash, connecting his swords together again as he cut the giant blades to bits.

"Dammit...!" Whiplash panicked as he went for a grab, screaming as his right arm was cut clean off by the energy blade of one of the swords as Liger had disconnected them yet again. "FUCK! AGAIN?!" He was holding onto the remaining stump where his arm had occupied.

"So, wanna repeat? Cuz I could go for an encore if you want," Schneider-Sword taunted.

Whiplash growled at Liger. However, even he wasn't stupid enough to remain. He was at least smart enough to see when he was outmatched. Most of his team had been taken down, their leader had defected, and he was down one arm. He cursed under his breath and turned tail to flee.

"Least he's learning," Liger acknowledged. He didn't have the time to mess around and fight needless battles. He hit a button on his belt and his armor had broken down and disappeared. He turned to Lina and called, "You gonna be OK on your own? This place ain't safe and you're a sitting duck out here."

"I'll be fine," Lina mumbled as she held #18's body. Liger nodded and gave her the peace she needed, leaving to assist where he may be needed.

Moka-sama came upon the end of the battle and scowled. "Damn, I'm too late." Her gaze went towards Phantom, who was cradling the mortally wounded #18. "Or not..." She strode towards the white Rider but was stopped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned her gaze at Showa. "Shinichi."

"You're OK," he said, sounding relieved. His armor vanished and he pulled the proud Vampire into a hug. "You're OK..."

Blushing in embarrassment, Moka-sama struggled, "Let me go! Shinichi, I order you to release me at once!"

"I was so worried," he told her. She understood. He'd experienced so much loss and there was only so much he could handle. She sighed and put her arms around him, returning his embrace.

"There's no need to be, Kamen Rider," she told him. "I'm not a delicate flower like my other self."

A thought crossed Shinichi's mind as he released her from the hug. "Wait...how did you get unsealed?"

"Whatever is causing the monsters here to go berserk was possibly the same thing that negated my Rosario seal," said Moka-sama. "It's a good thing too. My other self would've been overwhelmed."

"Yeah, I was about to beat the answers out of Ishigami earlier," mentioned Shinichi.

"Ishigami? The Gorgon's here?" Moka-sama questioned, surprised.

"Yeah, and she's with GIN-SHOCKER now," Shinichi added.

"Somehow, I am not surprised," deadpanned Moka-sama. "What about Lina there?" She asked as she jabbed her thumb at Phantom.

"Don't worry she's on our side now," Showa nodded.

"Oh really?" Moka-sama cocked an eyebrow. "Are you sure she isn't deceiving you?"

"I'm sure. She did save my butt and helped me fight against the Jagers rather than fight with them," Showa replied.

"And your judgment isn't misplaced due to old feelings?" Moka-sama continued to question.

"No," Shinichi said. "Old feelings don't apply here."

Phantom in the meantime gently held #18's body whilst kneeling on the ground. She was confused and in grief.

"Why did you shield me?" Phantom sobbed as she continued cradling her friend.

"Because, I'd follow you anywhere," #18, Jude, coughed. "After all you've done for me, I'd be stupid not to return the favor. If you want to leave GIN-SHOCKER, then I'll help to make sure that happens."

"You idiot..." Phantom uttered. "Don't worry though, we can get you re-"

"No. Not this time," Jude interrupted her. "This time, I just want to rest... I want... to see my big sister again..."

"Jude..."

"Heh, this is the first time you said my name..." Jude smiled weakly, his vision becoming blurry. "Man... funny how... things work out..." He slowly raised his hand and gently caressed her helmet. With one last smile on his face, one that wished her luck, his hand fell with a dull thump.

"Jude? Jude?" Phantom's eyes widened behind her helmet. "Jude, please tell me you're just asleep. Come on, stop kidding around. Jude? Jude?" He gave no response. "No...Jude..." She sobbed.

Yuki walked over to where Phantom was as her armor disappeared in the form of puzzle pieces. She knelt down behind her and put a hand to her shoulder. "I'm...sorry..."

"I know..." Lina nodded slowly. "Please. I just need to be alone for a little while."

"Come on. Let's give her some space," Shinichi said softly. Yuki slowly nodded and ran to meet up with her brother.

* * *

><p>Mega crashed through the main school building and landed into one of the hallways. The Pumpkin King crashed through after him and put up it's arms to crush him down. Mega reacted fast, flapping his wings to boost himself across the floor, causing the Pumpkin King to smash the floor. A huge shockwave erupted, causing the floor and walls to cave in around them. The robotic Jack-O-Lantern crossed its arms before firing its machine guns. The purple blasts flew all around the halls, causing explosions and more destruction to erupt. Mega swerved left and right from the blasts and fired his own retaliation shots from his Pegasus Magnum. At best, the shots froze several portions of the Pumpkin King's armor, though it did cause it to slow down a bit more. Seeing his chance, Mega rushed forward and slammed his legs down on the Pumpkin King. Both crashed through the lower floor of the school, allowing more dust to pick up. Mega quickly blew away the dust with his wings, but once it all cleared up the Pumpkin King was suddenly hidden.<p>

Mega looked around the dust, keeping an eye out for the robot. "Where did he go...?" There was a sudden rush of sound from behind him, prompting him to turn around. Before he could react, a metal fist appeared out of the smoke and smashed into him. Mega choked as he was sent flying into several walls before crashing in a tumble. The robots hands opened up and it sent out score of small missiles at the Rider. Kicking up his wings he quickly flew out of the classroom, through one of the windows and into another, trying to lose the missiles. His quick flight maneuvers managed to keep himself away from the arrowheads as they went after him. He also ran across the walls and ceilings to increase the space between them. He landed and shortly spun about before throwing out his hand to unleash a blizzard wave to freeze the missiles in place, making them short circuit before falling down flat. At that moment, a hand came out from underneath where he stood and reached out to grab him. Luckily, Mega went up into the air before it could. As the Pumpkin King crawled out, the face on its "torso" glowed bright purple and fired a large laser blast at full force. The laser was so powerful, so destructive, it tore through all the walls of the school, and could be seen from the outside. Mega flew about and across the ceiling to avoid getting hit. Seeing as how the walls were narrow, it was not an easy effort.

It was at that moment that a thought hit Mega. He mentally slapped himself for not realizing it sooner. "What am I doing?" he muttered to himself. He jumped off the ceiling and landed. The eyepieces of his helmet glowed as he slammed his hands down on the ground. Instantly, blue circuitry patterns crawled out from underneath him, and various wires suddenly shot out from the floor, walls and ceiling. They all quickly wrapped around the Pumpkin King tightly, holding it into place as it struggled to get out.

"That should hold it," Mega nodded. He tapped onto his Cyber Core, and aimed his gun. "Time for some de-resolution!"

"**FINAL DOWNLOAD."**

He squeezed onto the trigger, allowing it to pull in arctic energy. The area around grew freezing cold as sheets of ice quickly covered the hallways. As soon as the power gained maximum output, he released the trigger and the ball of energy shot out of the gun and rushed towards the Pumpkin King. The attack struck, erupting in a large blizzard-like eruption, further causing the floor to be even move frozen. As the blizzard died down, Mega could see that the Pumpkin King had been torn apart from the shot. The Lilith Mirror which also powered the machine was also gone, having been destroyed.

"Target deleted," Mega nodded. "That should stop everyone from going crazy. Now to call the others."

* * *

><p>Shinichi received a call from Netto, "What, you took care of the thing causing the insanity? Good job, Netto!" He was relieved. "OK, now to find Kaa-chan."<p>

"You mean this woman?" The teens turned to see Madame Medusa and she was holding Shiori Banabara who'd been turned to stone and wearing a look of shock on her stony face. With her was Gebok, looking smug as always.

"Kaa-chan!" Shinichi screamed.

"Auntie Shiori!" Yuji and Yuki cried.

"Surprised?" Gebok grinned. "Madame Medusa bump into to her and Washam all by chance. She's still alive, of course. But for how long I wonder?"

"_You cock sucking, piss eating, ass licking, motherfucker you!"_ Yuji snarled. "So they let you out?"

"Hehehahaha!" Gebok laughed. "You really thought that I would be that stupid to be captured so easily? In the game of Chess, you have to make a few sacrifices in order to achieve victory. I simply allowed myself to be captured in order to activate the signal to weaken the barrier around the Lilith Mirror as to cause all the students and staff members to run amok. You see, I needed to get close enough to do so while your guard was down, and the dungeons were the perfect place for the job. It was actually very easy! For a respectable captain, that Smith boy was surprisingly very foolish!"

"You bastard!" Shinichi shouted. "I knew I should've killed you when I had chance!"

"Yes, you should've. But you didn't." Madame Medusa put her hand around Shiori's neck. "I heard you can reverse time, Banabara, but can you undo death?" Madame Medusa questioned as she tightened her grip around a petrified woman's neck.

Shinichi could undo damage, but he had never once brought someone back from the dead, and he couldn't risk it. This was his mother, and Madame Medusa was threatening him through her. He trembled, fists clenched, and looked down to the ground.

"...Fine, I surrender," he said.

"Shinichi, don't," Moka-sama said as she took his arm. He pulled his arm away. His bangs shadowed his eyes as he didn't even look at her. Suddenly, he turned and pulled his proud Vampire into a hug.

"I'm sorry, Moka," he apologized. "But she's my mother. She's all I got of my family." He released her, and gave her a sad smile. "I guess this is the end of our happy school days, huh?"

Shinichi went towards Madame Medusa who smiled as she said, "Good, you can follow reason."

"Undo what you did to my mother," demanded Shinichi.

"Done," Madame Medusa snapped her fingers and Shiori's stone body returned to flesh and blood. The woman collapsed but Shinichi caught her before she landed on the ground. He laid her down gently.

Dr. Gebok produced a pair of EMP cuffs. "Put these on," he ordered. Shinichi did as told.

"Hold on!" Yūji shouted. "If you're gonna take Shin, take me along with you!"

"Onii-sama?!" Yuki gasped.

Yūji looked back at his elder sister with a weak smile, "Someone's gotta look after our cuz, right?"

"Hm, two-for-one?" Gebok smiled. "A nice offer, isn't it, Madame Medusa?" He'd wanted some new specimens for a long time. And General Nagazawa would be happy to have the man who humiliated him so at his clutches.

"Indeed," she agreed. "But first, drop your belt," she commanded Yūji.

Yūji held up his Liger Belt and dropped it to the ground.

"Hands behind your head, and walk towards us, slowly," she ordered. He approached them with his hands folded behind his head. She produced a pair of Youki-Suppression Cuffs and slapped them onto Yūji.

"Activate TransMat!" Gebok called.

"NO!" Moka-sama and Yuki lunged to stop them but they vanished in a flash of light. "SHINICHI!"

"Onii-sama..." Yuki sobbed tearfully as her fangs clenched, "ONII-SAAAMAAA! SHIN-CHAAAAAAAN!"

* * *

><p>"No! Damn it!" the young man that Leon, Aphrodite and Yuki had met shouted as he watched Shinichi and Yuji being taken away from afar. He punched the tree next to him in frustration, sinking his arm inside, "Damn... I couldn't save them... I failed again..." he muttered hoarsely, shutting his eyes and clenching his teeth. He removed his arm and looked up at the red moon. "What the hell do we do now?"<p>

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: Well, this looks like it's all over for Shinichi. He's been running from GIN-SHOCKER for so many months but now they've got him. How do his friends and lovers react to the news? Not too well in fact. If it wasn't bad enough, Yuji's a prisoner of GIN-SHOCKER too. This also marks the first season finale of Showa and Vampire. I know that ending it as a cliffhanger is a dick move, but it works for some people in the creative industry. Makes people crave more they say. Anyway, thanks a lot for supporting Showa+Vampire. As for Season 2, it should be rolling onto in early 2013. We are collaborating and have a lot of ideas to work with so be patient and pls keep on enjoying our stories.<strong>

**KAMEN RIDER BUSHIDO: Shit is goin' down and things don't look good. Two heavy hitters of the gang are forced to surrender to GIN-SHOCKER. Let's hope and things work out for the best, yeah? Yeah. Good stuff. Till next time.**

**TAILSMO4EVER: Who ever said that all good things must come to an end must really get kicked in the nuts. But this isn't the end my friends. Our heroes will get back GS for this, and then some. Later.**

**KAMEN RIDER GOJI: Well Weapon D finally got her chance to fight Shinichi, but was still defeated in the end. Not that it matters now that Shinichi surrendered. Well I gotta say though, this remake is better than original Showa story and KR X GL! The fights in this chapter are awesome. Let me say it is an honor in joining the collabs and this comment. Thanks Chrome and other writers for letting me be here. Anyway, look forward to more epicness in the next volume! **

**SHADOW ELEMENT13: **** And so ends Season 1 on a rather downer note. But this is far from the end. You can all expect to see more Leon in the future. This story is far from over.**


	69. Halloween Fest: Is it Game Over?

**Chapter 69: Is it Game Over?**

**(Insert Song – Wolverines~Orchestral Version– Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 OST)**

In a GIN-SHOCKER laboratory, screams were heard that echoed inside. In Kyofu's lab, Kyofu was stretching his arms out, shooting out bolts of blue electricity from his fingers and into D, causing her to scream in pain. Eventually, Kyofu relented, allowing the girl to drop down to the floor.

"D, why did you retreat in the middle of battle?!" Kyofu demanded.

"Because... because I was faced with... th-the unexpected turn of events as BLACK 13 activated his upgrade and combined it w-with the Cicadaroid Support Unit," D skittishly answered as she slowly stood back up. "H-he had become too powerful, so I was forced to make a strategic retreat. My most deepest apologies... sir."

"ENOUGH EXCUSES!" Kyofu harshly berated, sending a short bolt to bring D back to her knees. "Because of your retreat, Gebok was not only able to recapture BLACK 13, but also Yūji Fudō as a bonus! We missed our opportunity to show the fruits of my labor to GIN-SHOCKER, thus losing in gaining approval for my project because of your cowardice! If you had defeated Fudō in your first duel, you would've been able to succeed in killing BLACK 13 and not put us in this position! I am getting fed up with you and your failures!"

"B-b-but, Professor..." D coughed while her body was smoking from the brutal electrocution, "Why do you want BLACK 13 dead so badly? Isn't it beneficial for GIN-SHOCKER to have their Ultimate Weapon back in their hands?"

Kyofu shook with even more outrage than before once she said that. "Don't... YOU DARE QUESTION ME!" he roared as he stretched out his arms and shot electricity out of his fingers, causing D to scream out in further pain, "I don't give a damn about their Ultimate Weapon! Do you remember when they disbanded the Psychic Corps? Do you remember when we were practically tossed to the side? It's all because of Gebok always one-upping me! And now because of you, he has shown me up yet again!" he snarled as he slightly increased the intensity of the electricity.

"STOP! PLEASE! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!" D cried through the torture.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, back at what was left of Youkai Academy, all the students and staff members immediately stopped their rampage and stood around, looking dazed and confused.<p>

"Huh? What happened?"

"Hey, why are we in our true forms?"

"Uh... I think I just did something really embarrassing!"

"Where is my dress? I'm naked here!"

"Oh yeah~!"

**POW!**

"Hentai!"

"What the hell just happened?" Sonix muttered, looking around. "Everyone... just stopped going nuts!"

"If I were you, I'd be counting my blessings right now," Breaker retorted.

"Yeah, but Dai's right," Armadillo said, "One moment everyone went all crazy and stuff, and the next they went like nothing happened."

"Which means that someone was behind all this," Arachnea added. "And considering that the Jagers were here just moments ago, I'd say it was them."

"But what would they gain from making everyone in school go crazy?" Carmen asked. She noticed some ice falling from the sky and looked up. There, she saw Mega flying over them. "Hey! Netto! Down here!" she waved.

Mega heard her voice and looked at their direction. He dove down and hovered a few feet from the ground, his wings flapping as the ice dust escaped from the wings with each flap. "Hey, everyone alright?"

"Yeah, we're fine," Seras nodded. "You know what happened here?"

"And did you see Flannery and those other girls?" Zero asked.

"Yeah. Don't worry, Kiko-chan sent those three to her dorm room, so they're safe," Mega nodded. "It was apparently phase two of Gebok's plan. He used a mystic mirror artifact to make all the Youkai here go berserk. It was also used to power a giant robot that was disguised as the Jack-O-Lantern. I managed to destroy it, but it did a lot of damage to the school."

"Mystic mirror?" Zero blinked.

"Jack-O-Lantern robot?" Breaker blinked.

"Yeah, crazy, I know," said Mega. "But everything is OK now."

"No, everything is far from OK," said a sombre Moka-sama as she approached the group with a distraught Yuki, a devastated Shiori, and Carl trying to comfort the poor woman.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Carmen asked worriedly. "Where's Yuji and Shinichi?"

"And why do you look like someone just died?" Sonix added. Oh, Daichi. Why did you have to say the wrong thing at the wrong time?

"Dad, what happened?" Misato asked Carl.

* * *

><p>"Yes, sir. We got him, and we have a bonus too," Dr. Gebok reported to General Nagazawa whose face appeared on a large computer monitor. "Yes, the plan worked out perfectly. None of them expected it at all."<p>

"Don't forget, I was the one who got Shinichi Banabara and Yuji Fudo to surrender themselves," said Ishigami, aka Madame Medusa.

"Yes, of course," Gebok admitted, "Can't forget about you."

"_Regardless, you both did good work,"_ General Nagazawa nodded, _"It appears you won't be handing over your chair anytime soon, Dr. Gebok."_

"It certainly appears not, General," Dr. Gebok nodded. "We will begin reconditioning and re-education of BLACK 13 very soon."

"_Good,"_ Nagazawa said. _"I expect your return soon. And I look forward to meeting the young Fudo once again."_

"Of course," Gebok answered. "Signing off now." The holographic communicator blinked offline.

"So, what is his re-education going to involve?" Ishigami asked the mad scientist in interest.

"A mindwipe. We'll get rid of his memories and his emotions, but leave the training and fighting experience intact. All he'll remember and feel is his loyalty to GIN-SHOCKER," said Gebok.

"Oh my," Ishigami blinked. "In other words, he won't remember anything about Youkai Academy. Not even his friends."

"That part of him isn't needed," Gebok defended. "GIN-SHOCKER needs soldiers and weapons, not children. I know I'm sounding hypocritical with what I do, but children are much easier to manipulate than adults."

"And what about Fudo?" Ishigami asked, "What do we do about him?"

"It'll be interesting to experiment on such a rare species," smirked Gebok.

* * *

><p>"What do you mean Shinichi's gone!?" Kurumu screamed.<p>

"They took him," said Moka-sama, fists clenched. "They took him and Yuji Fudo."

"And you just let them!?" accused Kurumu.

"He made his choice," retorted Moka-sama.

"It's my fault," said Shiori. "He only gave himself up to save me."

"That idiot," scowled Leon. "He should've waited for backup."

"He wasn't given a choice," Carl sighed, "It was either surrender or watch his mother crumble into dust. You can't blame him for that."

"So what are going to do now?" Michiru asked. "Shinichi's been running from GIN-SHOCKER for months, but now they got him again!"

"They'll reprogram him back into a cold blooded machine," Hana grimaced. "By the time they're done with him, he may not even remember us."

"And they got Yuji too," Misato added, her face in a twisted frown, "They might try to convert him into another of their grunts. Some birthday this turned out to be."

"Then we have to go and look for them and save him," said Yokoshima. Everyone looked to him. "I mean, Shinichi used to always come and get us whenever we were in trouble, right? 'Leave No Man Behind'. That was his motto." Yokoshima was actually referring to the old #13, but that loyalty to his comrades still existed in Shinichi. "He never gave up on us, so we shouldn't either. We're going to save him and Yuji, or die trying!"

"Wow, Yokoshima, never heard you talk like that," remarked Daichi.

"Eh, I have my moments," Yokoshima shrugged.

"Where's Yuki?" Hana asked. "Wasn't she here just a while ago?"

"She's still crying," Leon answered. "Aphrodite's trying to calm her down before she starts another ice age again. I'd better see if they're alright." With that said, Leon gave a mock salute and left to check on the two Manakytes.

"Anyway, Yokoshima does have a point," Shogo said. "If we're going to rescue those guys, we'll need to think of a plan."

"True, but right now this place isn't safe anymore," Netto added. "I think we should all head back to the Hive Queen to rest before we think of a strategy. And by we, I mean all of us."

"Do Hime-chan and Shinichi's other onee-chan's know about this?" Michiru asked.

"...No," Netto admitted. "In fact, not everyone knows what just happened here. Let's just get to finding them and then call it quits for the night. We'll need the rest for what's to come."

"Yeah," Mizore nodded. "They are not going to get away with this."

"No, they won't." Moka-sama was extremely upset. Due to her pride, she did not handle failure very well. In fact, she hated the word. The word 'failure' was non-existent in her mental dictionary. Her pride would not allow her to surrender to the enemy so she couldn't completely fathom it. However, she understood that he wanted to protect his mother, one of the links to his past prior to GIN-SHOCKER. She was going to save the Cyborg.

"I wouldn't recommend going after them without preparation," said Hana. "We're just a ragtag group, GIN-SHOCKER has an army."

"We might be a ragtag group of rebels, but we have do have powers of our own," Kurumu pointed out. "We just need to figure out what to do. That's all."

"You should run a few sessions in the simulator," said Michiru.

"Would we even have the time for it?" Mizore asked.

"Use all the time we have," Hana said, "We're going to need it."

"We need to be ready for anything. It'd be bad if we got killed or captured trying to save them," said Shogo logically.

"Exactly," Yokoshima nodded, "Hey guys, do you know why we're here? It's to have a second chance in life. To live like ordinary kids in a school for monsters. Alright, I know that sounds backwards, but GIN-SHOCKER took us from our lives and forced into a world of terrorism and military shit. And now they think they still own us? I say hell no to that!" He continued, "So, are we just gonna let GS take our friends away? Hell no!"

"Yokoshima's right, and I don't often say that," said Misato. "Those two helped us find a different path. We owe them."

"Did you get hit in the head or something? Is that why you're starting to say smart stuff?" Daichi asked Yokoshima. "Cause if you did, I might have to hit you on the head more often."

"GS has messed with us our whole lives. We were taken from our families, corrupted and made into weapons. Well, we're going to show them what happens when they mistreat their weapons," said Yokoshima.

"This sounds completely reckless," said Shogo.

"Well, yeah, but sometimes you just have to be completely reckless to get the job done. So, lemme ask you guys, are we just going to let GS screw us over, or show them how screwed they are?" Yokoshima said.

"That sounds like something Shinichi would say," said Mizore.

"And it's what he would do," Yokoshima retorted.

"Don't know about you guys, but I'm in the mood for a little payback," Misato nodded.

"Seconded," Hana nodded.

"Third," Goemon agreed with pounding his open palm. "GS is so gonna get it."

**つづく**

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: Thank you for staying with us all this time. I'd like to also give my thanks to <strong>**Shadow Element 13, KR Bushido, KR Goji, GuyverGenesis, and Tailsmo4ever for providing ideas and OC's to make this project huge. This is my first group collaboration. At most, I've worked with three people or just co-write with someone. Now, as one door closes, another door opens. If you want to see what happens next, you have to wait for season 2! Oh, and happy holidays to everyone on !**


	70. The Rescue: Beast Wars

**Chapter 70: Beast Wars**

**(Insert Song – The Story So Far – Metroid: Other M OST)**

The first day Shinji "Shinichi" Banabara woke up in Youkai Academy was literally the beginning of the rest of his life. At first, "Shinichi" could not remember anything about himself. He couldn't remember his mother, father, where he lived, or how his childhood was like. Although, it didn't matter to him too much as made new friends that were like family to him. How ironic that the new friends he made were all monsters.

The first friend he ever made, as far as he could remember, was a cute pink-haired girl named Moka Akashiya, who literally ran into him with her bike. One of her first reactions was to bite his neck and drink his blood, revealing herself to be a Vampire, but she was a nice girl nonetheless. This would earn Moka the attention and Shinichi the ire of Saizou Komiya, a thug and bully. When Saizou attempted to drive Shinichi away from Moka, Shinichi stood up to Saizou and intimidated the bully when his eyes momentarily turned hollow. Shinichi and Moka nearly had a falling out when Moka revealed she hated humans after attending school in the human world. When Shinichi revealed that he was human (he believed he was), he walked away to leave Moka by herself and clear his thoughts. It was when he heard her scream that he went to help her. This would result in him revealing a secret that he didn't even know about.

Deep within his mindscape, he learned that he was really human at all, but a Super Cyborg, created for the purpose of combat and destruction. He didn't know how or why he was created, but was thankful for the moment as all he wanted to do was save his best friend. With this in mind, he transformed into an armored figure which he calls Kamen Rider Showa, shocking both Moka and Saizou. Once transformed, Shinichi was able to overpower Saizou who initially and erroneously assumed that Shinichi's "true form" was weak. It was mostly a one-sided battle as Saizou wasn't able to land a hit on Shinichi who was able to dodge and counter all his attacks. Shinichi also discovered his ability to assume the form of another Kamen Rider. In this case, it was Ichigo the First Rider.

In the middle of his fight, Saizou got a lucky and landed a hit on Showa to send him flying. As he flew past Moka, his hand got caught on her rosario cross, removing it. This unsealed Moka's true form, her silver-haired cool-hearted personality, and she ended up landing the finishing blow that knocked out Saizou. After getting the full story from Shinichi, Moka-sama made Shinichi swear to look after her other self. Afterwards, Shinichi and Moka reconciled and she promised to help him regain his lost memories.

During his time in Youkai Academy, Shinichi and Moka made new friends. Kurumu Kurono, a Succubus, was at first jealous of Moka with all the attention she received, so she attempted get back at her by stealing away Shinichi through her Charm. This plan backfired because, instead of putting him under her control, this gave him a painful headache. He later ended up in the infirmary, and she felt very guilty about it. Shinichi was quick to forgive her, and Moka, ablit angry with her at first, did the same.

Shinichi and his friends then joined the Newspaper Club and meet Gin Morioka who tried to drive Shinichi away by framing him as a pervert. However, Shinichi is a lot smarter than Gin assumed and was always three steps ahead of the perverted Werewolf. When Gin is revealed to be the serial peeping tom, he attacked Shinichi who accessed the powers of Kamen Rider BLACK RX for the first time. Gin was soundly defeated and seemingly renounced his peeping tom ways. After the midterm exams, Yukari Sendou was rescued from her bullying classmates by Shinichi and Moka. She then proclaimed her love for Moka and tried to drive Shinichi away with her magic. After the Witchling was scolded by Moka and Shinichi, she ran off and bumped into her Class Rep and his cronies who were Lizardmen. Just as they were about to eat her, Shinichi came to her rescue. He revealed that he understood what it was like to be a "border being" as he himself was half-machine. He became Amazon and defeated the Lizardmen. He then declared himself Yukari's friend with Amazon's friendship sign. Later, Yukari confessed that she had fallen in love with Shinichi. She then joined the Newspaper Club as well to be close to Shinichi and Moka.

Not long after that, Shinichi met Mizore Shirayuki who had been stalking him. She came up to him and the others at their newspaper stand. She had been collecting his articles and compiled in a scrapbook. They were her favorite because they were written in the perspective of an outsider so she could relate to them and him as well. The Yuki-Onna thought she'd found her soulmate but he had resisted her attempt at freezing him. When Kotsubo had tried to assault her again, Shinichi had come to her rescue and she fell in love with him for real, cutting her hair and joining him in the Newspaper Club.

However, in gaining friends, he also created some enemies as well. When the Student Police caught wind of Shinichi and the Newspaper Club's activities, they attempted to shut them down as they did with the last Newspaper Club. But Shinichi and the his friends were not willing to go down so easily. They took the fight to Kuyou, the Student Police Captain, and after a harsh battle, defeated him. All the Student Police members were expelled and everyone in Youkai Academy rejoiced, happy that they no longer had to be oppressed ever again.

During the summer break, Shinichi and his friends encountered new Riders. First was Leon Smith, a mysterious Shinigami who could turn into Kamen Rider Necros, and could switch Rider Forms like Shinichi can. He too was a student of Youkai Academy, but he had never introduced himself until that moment. Then there was Yuji Fudo, a Volcano Manakyte, which was a type of Dragon. His Rider System allowed him to transform into Kamen Rider Liger. He actually made Shinichi his new bike, the Cyclone-X3. Lastly, there was Netto Kusanagi, another Cyborg, but unlike Shinichi he wasn't made for combat. In spite of that, he could turn into Kamen Rider Mega. He helped Yuji in making Shinichi his motorcycle. Other meetings included Ruby Toujou, a Witch who once hated humans due to the death of her parents but changed her ways with Yuji's help, his long lost mother Shiori, and two of his childhood friends that were like sisters to him; Hime and Reiri Kamura.

The reunion with his mother had been an emotional one. To think Shiori Banabara was his mother. It was from her that he learnt he'd disappeared the day before his birthday and he also learnt that she never gave up hope, believing that he would return to her. He'd felt some amount of shame because he didn't want her to know what he truly was and what he'd done, but it didn't matter if he was a cyborg or not, what mattered most was that her son had returned.

But not all of those reunions were good ones. The one responsible for his cybernetic enhancements, Dr. Gebok, the Head Scientist of the organization GIN-SHOCKER, made himself known, and attempted to take him back but retreated quickly. And then there were the NUMBERS, his old team that carried a nasty grudge against him. Each one claimed that he had killed them, but Shinichi and his friends refused to believe that. Battle after battle went throughout the month of August as he fought against GIN-SHOCKER's NUMBERS, and eventually eight of them managed to reform. The rest remained with GIN-SHOCKER, only to be killed by Yuji, with the exception of one, later on.

Summer inevitably ended and Shinichi, his friends, along with the reformed NUMBERS, returned to Youkai Academy. Yuji later arrived to the school with the announcement that he and Shinichi were cousins, which was surprising at best, but very good news. But everything had begun to fall to pieces at the time. Shinichi's dead ex-girlfriend, Lina Shishigami, had been brought back to life and was trying to get him return to GIN-SHOCKER. Not to mention that the GS scientist, Professor Kyofu, had sent the Psychic Duelist assassin, Weapon D, after him as well, only for Yuji to make a deal with her to defeat him first. ANTI-THESIS also made things complicated for everyone, trying to shut down the Halloween Festival. Thankfully, things managed to return to normal... at least for the moment.

During the Halloween Festival, Shinichi was reunited with his two other sister figures; Rias Gremory and Akeno Himejima. Both of them being older than him as they were third years in high school, they enjoyed doting on him a lot. But as enjoyable as things were, reality crashed again as the festival was attacked by Weapon D, Hitomi Ishigami (Madame Medusa), Kuyou (Blazing Fox), and a new generation of NUMBERS, the Jager Unit.

Things became insane when the students and staff of Youkai Academy were driven mad by the Lilith Mirror, turning them into the true monster forms. With all this happening, Youkai Academy became a battlefield. Despite winning against the Jagers, Shinichi and Yuji surrendered themselves to GIN-SHOCKER to save Shiori's life when Ishigami threatened her life.

It was several hours since the end of the Halloween Festival. While the school had been saved, albeit trashed due to Mega's fight with Gebok's Pumpkin King, as well as Leon's battle with Kuyou, things did not turn out well for them. Shinichi and Yūji were now POW (Prisoners of War). Dr. Carl Washam had been found nearby, petrified, but soon recovered after Madame Medusa had left. Shiori was recovering but she was distraught when she heard what had happened. She had lost her son yet again. She was terrified. There was no telling what was happening to her son right now.

With the Lilith Mirror destroyed, all the students and staff members had returned back to normal. Nobody remembered anything about the attack save for those who were still sane in the middle of the madness. All they recalled was a strange sensation before blacking out.

**(End Song)**

While sitting in their individual cells of a dropship, Shinichi looked up at Yūji. Both of Shinichi's wrists were locked within EMP cuffs to prevent him from breaking free. "You didn't have to surrender yourself," Shinichi told his cousin.

"Couldn't leave you alone," reasoned Yūji. "You were alone the last time but not this time. I'm going to be there for you." He was wearing Youki-Suppression cuffs as well.

"I'm sorry," Shinichi apologized, feeling regretful. "This whole thing is my fault."

"Now, don't go emo on me, cousin," Yūji warned.

"If you'd never met me, you wouldn't have been put in this position."

"Well, no use crying over spilled motor oil," Yūji shrugged.

The door to the holding chamber opened and Gebok came walking in. "How are your accommodations, boys?" Shinichi was glaring hatefully at Gebok but his glare paled in comparison to Yūji's.

"If I didn't have these cuffs, I would barbeque you right now," Yūji snarled.

"Lucky for me, you _are _wearing those cuffs then," retorted Gebok smugly. He addressed Shinichi, "Oh, don't look at me like that, BLACK 13. Once you've been re-educated, everything will be as it should be."

"Re-educated? Is that what you call what you did when he was a kid? You're sick!" Yūji snapped.

"I consider myself a visionary," Gebok replied. "Converting and reprogramming adults brings out good results, but children are just so easily malleable. It was the reason behind Project BLACK 13; to create the ultimate weapon." He smiled at Shinichi, "And here he is. All I need to do is to discard all the unnecessary things like his his emotions and free will so BLACK 13 will be nice and ready for the Great Leader..."

"My name is Shinichi," Shinichi interrupted.

"For now, but you'll answer to BLACK 13 again soon enough," smiled Gebok. He then looked at Yūji, "As for you, dragon boy, you're going to be a present for General Nagazawa. He enjoyed the taste of your energy and can't wait for another helping. This time around, he's going to drain you dry." He exited the room, leaving the cousins alone.

"So, we're not in their main Headquarters," Yūji frowned. If that had been the case, he could've had the chance to destroy them quickly and finally be able to move on.

"GIN-SHOCKER has branches and facilities all over the world. We must be in one of their hidden facilities which uses a front to disguise itself," Shinichi told him.

"Shinichi, we're going to get out of this," Yūji promised. "Everyone is going to come save us."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Shinichi sighed. "GIN-SHOCKER knows that they'll come and will set a trap. This time they have the home-field advantage."

"Do you doubt our friends that much?" Yūji asked.

"I just don't want anyone to die because of me," Shinichi answered.

"Then you clearly don't see the resolve we all share," Yūji retorted. "It's our resolve that drives us to do the things we do, and it is with that resolve that we _will_ be rescued. I have faith in our friends & comrades. And as Kamen Rider Showa, you should do the same and believe in our friends."

"But am I worth saving?" Shinichi asked.

"To the girls, you are," Yūji answered. "And besides, you have family. Not just me, but your own mother, our great-grandfather, and my own parents."

"Aniki, can you promise me something?" Shinichi asked

"Depends on the promise," Yūji retorted.

"I might not be able to come back after what they do to me. So, please do what you have to do so they don't get their ultimate weapon," Shinichi told him.

"I won't do it," said Yūji when he realized what Shinichi meant. "Shinichi, I want you to promise _me _something instead. Promise you'll fight! Resist these fuckers with everything you got!"

"Aniki..."

"Swear to me right now! As the future Boss of the Vongola Family, I order you to swear to me that you'll fight and never stop fighting!"

Shinichi listened to Yūji's words and the tone, which somehow pierced through the haze of doubt and depression in his mind. He shook his mind. Why was he giving up now? Was it because of something inside him, or something Gebok did.

"I...I swear," Shinichi whispered. "I swear!" he shouted. He had not stopped fighting since he escaped the last time, so why should he stop now? Yūji was right about one thing, though. The others would not give up and neither would he.

"Excellent," Yūji grinned, "Then I want you to listen carefully..."

* * *

><p><strong>Meanwhile, in a lobby of the Hive Queen...<strong>

"Damn it..." Daichi cursed, wiping the make-up from his face while holding an ice pack on the back of his neck. "I feel...like crap..." The news of Shinichi and Yūji's capture hadn't been taken very well. Misato, Hana and Michiru had been shocked and mortified when they learnt about it from Moka-sama.

"None of us was expecting it at all," Shogo said. "Gebok's always been crafty and now he has a partner. What was her name again? Ishigami?"

"Yeah..." Mizore wiped her tears as they formed into ice droplets. "She... was our art teacher."

"Art teacher?" Hana blinked. "How did a psycho like her get hired?"

"She wasn't always like that, or at least none of us thought she was," Gin said. "Back in our first term, some girls in our school started going missing without a trace. I sent Shinichi to investigate to see who was behind the disappearances. It turned out that Ishigami was the culprit. She was turning her students into statues because 'beauty needs to be preserved' as she said. She also said that she was doing the girls a favor by preserve their natural beauty. She was even going to add Moka-chan to her collection. Shinichi kicked her to the curb, but she wasn't heard from since."

"Wow," Misato blinked, fanning her face with her hat. "She must be one sick puppy."

"You don't know the half of it," Gin remarked grimly. "I just never would have thought that she would join up with GIN-SHOCKER just to get back at us." And neither did Nekonome. When Shinichi was taken, the catwoman freaked. She acted almost like a mother cat in regards to her kittens about Shinichi and Yūji's whereabouts. She was crying and bemoaning about what a horrible teacher she was. Yuki wasn't all that better off. After Gebok and that Gorgon bitch took them both away, she flipped out, nearly causing another ice age. Again. She had been crying for three hours straight, despite Leon and Aphrodite's efforts to calm her down. Hime, Reiri, Rias, and Akeno were the worse. All four of them were Shinichi's long time childhood friends, and as such the treated him like their little brother. For ten long years they were unable to grow up with him. As the years passed, they wondered what happened to him, and if he was even still alive. And now they were reunited with him at last, only to have him snatched away again.

"Yep. A sick puppy," Daichi nodded. "Hey, what happened to those Jager guys?"

"Gebok and Ishigami just abandoned them," Shogo explained. "After the chaos winded down, Bianca rounded them up and sent them to the Hive Queen's cells. I'm actually surprised she managed to capture them all so quickly. Although I'm guessing that they were weakened greatly after what Shinichi did to them."

"And Lina?" Michiru asked.

"She went to Mexico to bury #18, Jude Lopez, as he requested," Shogo continued, sighing. "Aphrodite went with her for emotional support."

"Oh... OK," Michiru nodded slowly. Jude was the only known casualty from the ambush, as he was killed by Whiplash when the Scorpion Cyborg tried to kill Lina for her joining the resistance. She would've torn Whiplash to pieces hadn't Yūji beaten her to the punch. Yokoshima soon walked inside with an ice pack on his head and a garlic necklace around his neck. "What's with the necklace?"

Daichi stared at him, "Dude, fucking seriously?"

"We're in a helicarrier with Vampires," Yokoshima replied, referring to Reiri, Moka-sama and Misato. "And I don't want either of them to drink my blood."

"I prefer a high quality meal, not low-rate garbage," Misato snorted.

"And if you keep this bullshit up, I'll kick you in the balls, not bite you on the neck," Moka-sama retorted. As fun as it was to mess with the Pillbug Cyborg, his fear of bats- and anything remotely related to bats- was getting ridiculous, "Oh, and the rumors of garlic being Vampire repellents is false. I find garlic to be quite the delicacy, really."

"Fuck!" Yokoshima snapped as threw the garlic chain off him. He was wearing that necklace for a while now too. Now he had to get rid of the smell, or else he would end up as Shinichi's replacement.

"Hey, how come you haven't put your seal back on?" Misato asked her.

"Because Shinichi is the only one who can remove it," Moka-sama replied. "If I place it back on now, I will be defenseless."

Moka-sama looked down at her hand which held her rosario and frowned. So much had changed since that first day at Youkai Academy. Shinichi was an... interesting boy, to put it mildly. At first, he thought he was human, but then learned from a "grasshopper man" that he was a cyborg. A cyborg made for mass destruction. A cyborg created to cause death wherever he went. In short, there was only one thing that he could be classified as.

A weapon.

The difference between her and him was clear. She was trained since she was young to gain the abilities she had now. Those same abilities and much more was forced on to him. How it was forced, she didn't want to know, despite another part of her (not her Outer part mind you), wanted to know how a human could become so powerful. The evidence was in the duel they had.

Shinichi was also observant. He saw how her Outer personality reacted to the water. That also earned him some major points. Then there was the incident with the onimodoki. Although she knew that he was watching them from afar, she could tell that he wanted to respect her privacy. And the moment her Outer personality pushed Shinichi out of the way to take Kuyou's fireball just proved that Shinichi was unlike any other boy she met.

It was Gebok's fault. Yes, that bastard was the root of all Shinichi's suffering. He was the one who turned Shinichi into a cyborg and caused him to commit all of those crimes. And now he had gotten back what he wanted.

She was not going to let a bastard scientist take away what was hers. Doing so was an instant death sentence. Moka stood up and walked towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Kurumu asked. Moka-sama ignored her and stepped out.

* * *

><p>Netto walked through the hallways of the Hive Queen, his hands in his pockets and a deep frown on his face. He had just left Dr. Magi's lab after helping the former GIN-SHOCKER scientist in trying to locate Shinichi's position and find where he was being kept prisoner. Unfortunately, all their efforts were for naught. Gebok must have cloaked the signal from Shinichi's Spark Core somehow. Bottomline, they knew next to nothing about where they may have taken him and Yūji. By now, it may already be too late.<p>

Going past an observation deck, he spotted Rias looking over the scenery below. She had a look of great sadness on her face. He knew how devastated she felt. Her childhood friend was gone again, taken by the very same people he'd escaped from, and was being subjected to who knows what. Worst of all, she had not been able to save him. Sighing to himself, he walked over to greet her. Hearing his footsteps, Rias turned and saw him approach. "Netto," she greeted.

"Hey," Netto waved back, joining her on the deck, "How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine," Rias answered stiffly, turning back to the scenery. "I just needed to be alone for bit."

"Come on, I know you aren't," Netto rebutted, "If you want to talk about, I'll listen-"

"_**I SAID I'M FINE, OK?"**_ she snapped, her voice distorted and her eyes blazing blood red. They returned to their greenish-blue color as she covered her mouth and caught herself. "Sorry."

"It's alright," Netto answered, holding his hands out in front of him. "You're upset, I know."

"I guess I'm just a bit tired," Rias sighed, leaning on the rails. "I can't believe it's been ten years since I saw him. He was just so cute and vulnerable, you know? He was always seen with Hime and Reiri, so the much older kids would mock and make fun of him. That day I made quite an entrance, making a running start of a slide before jumping off and landing between Shinji and the bullies. Then I said 'This boy is under the protection of me, Rias Gremory! If I catch any of you making fun of him again, I'm telling!'"

Netto whistled, "You must've been some wild child back then."

Rias gave a short laugh, "They refused to back off so I had to resort to more drastic measures. I scared them off." And by scare them she meant engulfing herself an a crimson aura with her hair flying about and making a monster face with her voice sounding very creepy. "Shinji was afraid as well, but I reassured him that I would be his friend and keep all the mean kids away from him. And soon after that, Hime introduced me and Akeno to him."

"And so began your friendship with him," Netto summarized.

Rias nodded. "We didn't get to spend that much time with him as Hime and Reiri did, but every moment with him was special. I remember when I was jumping on his bed along with him once. We pretended that we were astronauts on the moon and we were both laughing together, having fun. Of course, Auntie Shiori had to pull us off since we were making such a racket. And then his birthday came around and we were invited for a party. But..."

"But the party was canceled when he was declared missing," Netto concluded.

"And now... he's gone again," Rias sobbed, the tears welling up in her eyes again. "They took him away from me again..."

Netto sighed and placed his hands on her shoulders, prompting her to look at him, "Whatever it takes, we'll get him back. Both him and Yūji. Those two are strong. They aren't going to go down without a fight. And neither are we," he swore.

"You sound so sure," Rias said.

"Because I am," Netto smiled, removing his hands, "Shinichi would want you crying like this, would he?"

Rias slowly smiled before she leaned at him and place gentle kiss on his cheek. Netto's eyes widened in surprise as the beautiful redhead separated and blushed, twirling her hair.

"Shinji's lucky to have friends like you," Rias giggled slightly,

Netto blinked dumbly, and then laughed as he rubbed the back of his head, blushing also. "Yeah, he is, isn't he?"

"But thanks for cheering me up," Rias smiled, "I definitely needed it."

"I'm always glad to help," Netto smiled back. He took out his cell phone and dialed a number, "If were going to catch these guys, we'll need some professional help."

"Who are you calling?" Rias asked.

"Some relatives of mine," Netto answered, bring the cell phone to his face. "They've dealt with terrorists before. I think it's time we got their help."

"Alright then," Rias nodded, bring out her own phone. "I think I should summon some help as well."

"From who?" Netto asked.

"My servants," Rias responded.

* * *

><p>Moka-sama had entered the training room. She looked at the holographic wireframes of the walls, floor and ceiling. This was where Shinichi normally went to in order to be alone while sharpening his skills.<p>

Moka-sama was holding Shinichi's earpiece, examining it critically. Shinichi had slipped it into her hand during their hug. "Why did you give this to me?" Her finger pressed a button and a holographic projection of Shinichi appeared. "Shinichi?"

"_If you've found this message and are watching it right now, that means I've been captured. If that has happened, don't come after me. It's suicide and I don't want anyone dying for me. However, since I know you all are too stubborn and will disregard this warning, I should prepare you for what you will be facing._

"_#1: I will likely be kept in a secured facility crawling with guards, ranging from the standard grunts and Cyborg Mutants. At least one executive will be present as well. You will need all your resources if you wish to gain entry._

"_#2: I have a huge box marked 'Emergency Kit' under my bed. It's where I've stashed some MREs, backup weapons, and ammunition, and a few grenades. Don't ask me why I keep grenades under my bed. Also, I have about 5,000 yen hidden under my mattress. You can use those._

"_#3: GIN-SHOCKER won't show you mercy so you shouldn't give them any either. They will try to kill you so don't even give them a chance. Run or fight back as if your life depends on it, which it most likely will._

"_And finally, #4: If GIN-SHOCKER has taken me, then they will try to reprogram me and turn me into a weapon. When that happens, I won't be the same nor will I be able to recognize you. I will try to kill you so do whatever it takes to save yourselves. That is all. Good luck._

"_Oh, before I forget, #5: I think I have some leftovers in the fridge so help yourself to that. Again, good luck. You're going to need it."_

Moka-sama couldn't help but smile at that final instruction. Shinichi was always trying to make sure they were safe and happy. He intended to cheer them up.

"Phyllis," Moka-sama called out. The Hive Queen's AI's appeared before her instantly.

"_Yes?"_ Phyllis responded. _"Would you like to use the training room?"_

"Could you bring up footage of Shinichi's training sessions for me? All of them?" Moka-sama requested. A series of holographic screens appeared in front of the Vampire and in each she saw Shinichi training either alone or with his team. This was how Shinichi always sharpened his skills. She, on the other hand, had not spent much time unsealed so her training opportunities had only been limited to those when she and Shinichi would spar.

Shinichi's training covered different skill sets. In one, she watched him with his weapons and while she normally fought bare-handed, Moka-sama couldn't help but be impressed by his skill with his armaments. He was also skilled at hand-to-hand combat as she watched him fight against virtual enemies. Another piece of footage caught her attention, this one where he was without his armor as he struck holographic targets which rotated around him. Once he was finished, he repeated the exercise. Checking the date, she remembered that it was the night Gebok had been captured: October 30th 22XX.

But now Shinichi had been captured instead. She would need to be ready. "Phyllis, could you start that training session?"

"_Affirmative," _obeyed Phyllis. Holographic targets soon materialized around Moka-sama as she got into her stance. By the time she confronted Gebok and Madame Medusa, they would be shown their places.

* * *

><p>The group needed to rest and the Hive Queen was the most secure location for it. Still, Moka-sama continued training. She even had Phyllis put the training sessions into the levels that the NUMBERS had been training with.<p>

Watching her from the observation deck was Mizore. She heard the door behind her open and saw Kurumu enter. "Can't sleep either?" Mizore asked.

"I'm worried sick about Shinichi," said the Succubus. She looked out the observation deck's window. "Look at her. How long has she been at it?"

"_2 hours and 35 minutes," _Phyllis reported. _"Without breaks."_

"She really doesn't know her limits, does she?" Kurumu questioned.

"She's coping the only way she knows how, by fighting," said Mizore. "She's just as upset about what happened to Shinichi as we are. She just doesn't know how to show it."

"So, she's training," said Kurumu as she watched. "She wants to save him and wants to be at her best. While everyone's resting, she's down there getting stronger."

The door opened and both Mizore and Kurumu saw Lina enter the training room floor. She didn't look so good either. Granted, she had just buried a comrade. Now, she knew how Shinichi must've felt the day he'd killed the NUMBERS originally.

"Shouldn't you be resting?" Lina questioned.

"Mind your own business," retorted Moka-sama rudely as she struck at the holographic targets.

"You look tired," Lina observed, seeing the sweat covering Moka-sama's body, dampening her dress. "You should hit the showers and get some rest."

"And I told you to mind your own business!" Moka-sama roared as she struck the last target.

"_Round Complete. Measuring a 5.6% increase in efficiency_," Phyllis concluded.

"Kuro-kun-I mean Shinichi and I, we used to do this together," said Lina as she remembered the training exercises.

"Must've been nice," Moka-sama remarked sarcastically.

"Not really, considering what the training was for. But it was always nice when we were watching each other's backs," Lina admitted.

Moka-sama continued to eye the tomboyish Esper critically, and then her expression softened as she let out a sigh. Lina was once their enemy, who tried to sway Shinichi into returning to GIN-SHOCKER. She was still in love with him, and it was obvious she was saddened that he apparently forgot about her. But it was mostly thanks to her Outer Self that Lina had now defected from GIN-SHOCKER.

"Do you truly not know where Shinichi is being held?" Moka-sama asked.

"Even I wasn't told everything. I guess they suspected that I couldn't be trusted anymore," answered Lina.

"How can I trust you when you've been trying to bring him back to GIN-SHOCKER since you first appeared?" questioned Moka-sama.

"I guess you'll just have to risk it," Lina told her. "Because, like you, I don't want Shinichi to become a mindless weapon again."

"You don't, really?"

"No, I don't," Lina said, shaking her head. "To tell you the truth, I didn't know about his conditioning, or the fact that his emotions were blocked off. Almost no one but the Executives knew that. He seemed kinda creepy at first, but he was actually nice to be around."

"Didn't he have the inability to express emotion?" Moka-sama questioned. Kuro did not smile and was always logical. Cold and logical.

"I always thought he was a good listener," said Lina, "And he only spoke when he had anything worth saying. He may not be able to sound nice but he expressed himself through his actions. It's what made me trust him."

"He has that effect on people," said Moka-sama.

"Hey, are you up for a match?" Lina challenged. Moka-sama cocked an eyebrow and in response Lina elaborated, "Well, seeing as you can't sleep and I can't sleep, how about we expel our excess energy by beating the crap outta each other? We never did have a chance to go 1-on-1."

Moka-sama grinned, "Are you sure you're up for it?"

"I'm every bit as strong as Shinichi," Lina grinned back, levitating backwards so to gain a gap, "If he can handle you, then so can I."

"We'll see about that," said Moka-sama. She commanded, "Phyllis, please keep score."

"_Affirmative,"_ Phyllis obeyed, _"Which scenario would you like?"_

"Can you create a simulation of Youkai Academy's rooftop?" Moka-sama asked.

"_That will not be a problem,"_ said Phyllis and the space around them changed, shifting until it resembled the school building's rooftop. "_Beginning match: Moka Akashiya VS Lina Shishigami. Best of luck, ladies._"

"Thanks," both girls said in unison, "But I won't be needing it." Both stood at opposite ends of the rooftop, a look of intensity in their eyes. They then charged at each other and met in the middle to land the first blow of the match.

* * *

><p>The match between Moka-sama and Lina had rules. First of all, Lina wasn't allowed to use her psychic powers. However, even without them, Lina could still fight. She did have cybernetic augmentation and genetic enhancements done on her like Shinichi so it only made sense that the Cyborg Esper could stand up to Moka-sama.<p>

Eventually, Moka-sama needed to sleep. She, like the other guests on the Hive Queen, had been given a room. While she tried to relax and sleep, she couldn't help but think of Shinichi. How could she sleep knowing GIN-SHOCKER had him and were torturing him right now, doing horrible things to him. Her other self was worried too and she could feel it. Why did Shinichi have to give himself up like that?

He did it for his mother.

Still, couldn't have he done something else?

No, he couldn't. Shiori was in danger and he couldn't risk it.

Moka-sama screwed her eyes shut, trying to block out her fears and anxieties so she could get some rest. They would need to rest because they were going to rescue Shinichi and they needed to be at full strength to do it.

* * *

><p><em>Moka-sama found herself floating in a dark space, filled with stars and planets. Looking around, she looked at the Earth right above her. She never imagined it could be so beautiful. All of a sudden, the Earth exploded, causing Moka-sama to scream out in shock as she shielded her eyes. And then, a large figure appeared out of the flames and came towards her. It was a ghastly silver skull, surrounded in green space dust, as if it were its own aura. Moka-sama was unable to keep herself from trembling as it's evil red eyes gazed at her. There was just about nothing that could frighten her, but this... skull somehow succeeded into doing just that.<em>

"_**You..."**__ the skull spoke on a thunderous voice, __**"You are the one responsible for BLACK 13's corruption. You are the one responsible for the rebellion against GIN-SHOCKER. This... is something I cannot allow to go unpunished. I will destroy your home, your family, and your friends. Then... I will destroy you..."**_

"_Wh... what are you?" Moka-sama demanded._

_The glow in the skull's eyes burned brighter, __**"I... am... JUDO!"**_

* * *

><p>Moka-sama screamed as she shot up from her bed, covered in cold sweat. Panting, she quickly tucked her hair from her face. "What... was that?" she muttered to herself.<p>

* * *

><p>The next morning, Netto went down to Youkai Academy to check on things. The chaos from last night had left its mark on the school. The main building was very much empty. Not even the staff was present. Massive property damage had been done to the school as a result with several classrooms thrashed during the night. Sparks were flying out of wires that came from the busted walls, floors, and ceilings. The computer lab was one of the rooms thrashed and over half of the computers were damaged beyond repair.<p>

With him was Qiao, and she wasn't her usual upbeat, energetic self, having also been shakened by the events of yesterday. Rias and Akeno were accompanying him as well since they didn't want to be cooped up in the Hive Queen. It was obvious that the redhead and her best friend were upset over Shinichi's disappearance. However, they still held onto the hope that they would save both him and Yūji.

Akeno said to Rias, "Rias, you shouldn't worry so much. You've seen Shin-chan in action. He can take care of himself."

"I still can't help thinking of him as that scared little boy we needed to protect from bullies, Akeno," Rias said to her. She could only imagine how terrified he'd been as a little boy.

"Poor Auntie Shiori," sighed Akeno sadly.

"At least she has Dr. Washam to offer comfort to her," Rias said optimistically. Shiori had been devastated when Shinichi first disappeared. She couldn't even write a page of her books. Her late husband, Shotaro, had stayed by her side when he hadn't been out searching for Shinichi. Then when he'd died, Shiori nearly had an emotional breakdown. Fortunately, Hime, Reiri, Rias and Akeno had been there for her, becoming Shiori's surrogate daughters of sorts. It was through them that Shiori found the will to live and held onto the hope that her son was still alive, a hope fulfilled when they reunited in August.

"Don't worry, girls," Netto told them reassuringly. "Shinichi has Yūji with him, and I know Yūji. Most likely, he'll try to stall whatever they're trying to do to him."

"Mm hm," Qiao added, nodding, "He's a genius. He's always got something planned up. I'm sure he's working on finding ways to bust himself and Shinichi out right now."

"And what about Shinichi?" Akeno questioned. Netto and Qiao had the pleasure of knowing the now teenage Shinichi much longer than she and Rias had. "What will they try to do to him?"

Netto hesitated slightly before responding, "Did you... see the footage?"

"What footage?" Rias asked. He was silent as he did not reply. "Netto, what footage?" she repeated. Akeno waited expectantly for his answer. How could he tell them? How could he tell them that ever since he went missing at the age of 5 that he'd been systematically tortured? How could he tell them about the horrifying series of cybernetic surgical procedures that Shinichi had gone under for ten whole years?

He had to tell them something and so he answered, "Dr. Magi has video files of what Shinichi went through in that place when he was a child. It...it wasn't pretty." Just seeing the first few minutes had made him sick.

"How bad?" Akeno asked, fearing the answer.

"Bad enough that he had to block out those memories," Netto clarified. "But they came back anyway. He had trouble coping with them at first."

"Can you imagine having all those horrible memories just come bursting out and assaulting you all at once, while you're unprepared for them?" Qiao asked the two older girls. "Not all his memories were good ones."

"Netto, Qiao," Rias began, "What exactly did they do to him?"

"At first, they tortured him. They put him into a machine to strip him of his emotions. It was a painful process. I think they did it to him immediately after they kidnapped him. And that wasn't all they did. From what we saw from another footage, Gebok also scanned his brain repeated just so he could create AIs. According to the psycho, the same kind of AI would be made if the same brain is scanned. In Shinichi's case, different parts of his brain was scanned and simulated repeatedly for more unique AI. The process wasn't pleasant as his mind was broken bit by bit by the trauma," Netto explained

"And it get's worse," Qiao added. "As it turns out, Shinichi wasn't the only kid that Gebok kidnapped and experimented on. That crackpot was doing it for years. Shinichi was, though, the only one to survive."

Rias and Akeno were horrified by this revelation. To think that such people would do this to other children, all for the sake of science. But by the looks on Netto and Qiao's faces, that wasn't all that happened to him.

"There's more... isn't there?" Akeno asked.

"Yeah," Netto nodded. "You already know that they made him kill a lot of people, right? Well they also made him kill his team, the comrades that he grew up with. And then, a year later, they tricked him into killing the first girl he loved. That made him snap and he wound up killing nearly everyone in the facility before blowing it up."

"And even if he knows that ultimately GIN-SHOCKER is responsible for all that, he still blames himself. Not only does he suffer from survivor's guilt, he's filled with so much guilt that he blames himself for all those people he killed. He can't even forgive himself," Qiao added.

"But he was controlled," Akeno argued. "He had no choice."

"It doesn't make a difference to him whether he was given orders or that he was a puppet. His hands are stained in blood and the memories still haunt him. Even though he knows GIN-SHOCKER is to blame for what happened to him, he feels that he shares the blame for letting it happen" Qiao continued. "It's a miracle he's not some psychotic serial killer after all the trauma he's been through."

Akeno was horrified and sorrowful over what had happened to Shinichi. To think that he'd gone through so much trauma. He'd been tortured and manipulated. He didn't deserve it at all. He had just been a child, an innocent child. It wasn't supposed to happen to someone as nice as him.

Rias trembled, her fists clenched and teeth gritted as a blood red aura rose from her body. Her crimson tresses waved about, dancing about like snakes under the thrall of a snake charmer's flute. Her eyes were glowing, red, all red as the color dominated her eyes which were filled with rage. GIN-SHOCKER would pay for their cruelty. By the name of the Gremory Clan, GIN-SHOCKER would fall and be punished for their sins.

"Hey, Airen?" Qiao asked, noting how vexed both girls were becoming, "You think we went too far?"

"Maybe..." Netto answered. "But these are his friends. The deserved the truth, as horrible as it is. We didn't like as much as they did when we were first told."

"If only the answers weren't so difficult," Qiao frowned. Her fox ears suddenly emerged out of her bangs as she picked up a sound. "Did you hear something?"

"Huh?" Netto blinked. Akeno and Rias were also alerted by the sudden warning the foxgirl made. "What is it?"

"Someone else is here," Qiao said, her narrowed eyes darting around. "We aren't alone."

"What?" Rias frowned.

"_Hehehehe..."_

"What the-?" Netto gawked, his eyes widening, "That voice!"

"_I never expected to see you again, kiddo,"_ a voice that seemed to come from everywhere, and yet nowhere at all sneered, _"And in a fucked up place like this. This sure is some reunion, isn't it? Well, I sure think so! Hyeee hee hee heeee!"_

"Is it one of _them_?" Rias asked, referring to GIN-SHOCKER.

"Yeah, one of their assassins," Netto nodded. "And I fought him before. He was irritating back then too."

"_Aww, that hurts!"_ the voice crooned mockingly, _"How could you say that? And after all we've been through? Looks like I'll have to teach you a lesson in respect!"_ Above them on the broken ceiling just before them, the air warped around and became distorted. After a few short seconds, the air warped back to normal, revealing a green mechanical lizard hanging on to the ledge by its long tongue. It dropped down and sneered at the Cyborg and three demons.

"Nya ha ha hah! Heeeeereeee's Sting Chameleon!" the assassin Beastroid laughed, flicking his tongue at them. Now in her line of work, Rias has seen many things, but she still couldn't help but recoil in disgust at the mechanical abomination before her. However, the sight of the creature also reminded her of the reason she was angry. This Sting Chameleon was a member of GIN-SHOCKER.

"You, I demand you tell me where Shinji is right now!" Rias ordered.

"Shinji? Shinji Who?" Sting Chameleon asked condescendingly.

"Don't play games with me!" she snapped.

"Oh, do you mean BLACK 13? Should I tell you~? Should I~? Should I~?" He paused, considering it, before giving her the "finger" and blowing a raspberry, "Nyaaaah! Flock off, Red!" Not a smart move as Rias reacted aggressively, throwing a black and red blot of pure destruction at the Beastroid, though he quickly jumped upward, landing right on the ceiling. He looked on to where the bolt stuck and gulped, seeing a trail of holes already on the damaged wall. "Hoho! A feisty one, huh? You got a name, Red?"

"I am Rias Gremory, heiress of the Gremory Clan and I do not have time to play games!" she shot back at him furiously.

"Gremory Clan, eh?" Sting Chameleon pondered, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, "Is that Swedish? Maybe German? No, wait, I think that was Scandinavian..."

"Enough!" Rias boomed, "Where have you taken Shinji and Yūji?!"

"Oh?" Sting Chameleon laughed, dropping down in a crouch. "Well I ain't here to tell you. In fact, I'm here to do the exact opposite. Ya see, the General's been pretty peeved about how you brats have been getting in our business. The only reason why you've been alive for this long was because BLACK 13 was with you. But now, we have him and that Fudo guy right where we want them. Long story short, we don't need you anymore."

"What are you saying?" Netto frowned.

"I'm saying that I'm here to rub you guys out!" Sting Chameleon laughed, jumping about. "And with all of you so worn out from the party last night, this makes my job even sweeter~! Ever heard the expression 'Kick Them When They're Down'? Well... there you go! Geh he he he he he~!"

"He's like Freed," observed Akeno. "Completely insane. Off his rocker."

"You'd have to be crazy to work for GIN-SHOCKER," Qiao agreed.

"Don't know if you've noticed, but we have you outnumbered," Netto retorted, his Cyber Core materializing over his waist, "You've managed to keep me and Leon on our toes, but do you really think you can beat all four us?"

"Hmm..." Sting Chameleon pondered, tapping his chin, "...You're right! Good thing I came with a squaddie this time around!" And he pulled out a small switch and pressed it on, causing it to beep loudly.

"Squaddie?" Netto, Qiao, Rias and Akeno repeated. In a split moment, the ceiling caved in on all of them. All of them shouted out in shock and shielded themselves as the debris fell around on top of them. The group coughed and hacked to get all the dust out of their lungs. As everything settled, they suddenly found themselves surrounded by several other beast-like androids.

"It never fails. They always travel in packs," Netto commented. "Typical."

The first of them had the appearance of an ostrich. It looked exactly like one, aside from the fact that it had a set of arms. Its back was blue and had a set of spikes on the sides. The abdomen and neck was gold in color. Its arms were also gold, and it had metal wristbands with purple power generators on each. Lastly, its legs were black and was covered in blue metallic webbed feet.

The next one was the largest of the all of them. It looked like a hulking walrus. Its tusks appeared to be made out of ice and so did its spiked shoulders. Its armor was pure white in color, along with some trims of green and blue. Its large fists were covered in blue and white gauntlets, and the knuckles were spiked. As it breathed, chilling vapor came out of its mouth.

The next Beastroid took the shape of a short, red owl in what appeared to be a green, distinguished military uniform. As the wings of his back flapped, air seemed to swarm around him.

Another Beastroid had the shape of a blue catfish with arms and legs. The boots had some red trimmed on to them and the gauntlets appeared to be screwed on. The whiskers squirmed wildly as electricity ran across them. On its back was what seemed to be a powerful electric generator, and on its face was a childish smile.

The last one appeared to be a red-hot rooster. Literally. The cowl on its head was actually fire. Underneath its maroon bodysuit was dark armor, with orange highlighted on the arms. On its belt was a thermometer with gas pipes on the sides.

"About time you called us," Overdrive Ostrich crowned, "I was getting bored out of my mind!"

"So these are the threats that General Nagazawa wants eliminated?" Frost Walrus scoffed, slamming his fists together, "How weak they are. They are but children!"

"And yet, these children have been proven to be more of a danger to us every time," Storm Owl said crossly, "To underestimate them is unwise."

"Humph," Burn Rooster merely spat, arms crossed.

"Hey, Sting! We get to play with them, right? Can we? We can?" Volt Catfish asked childishly.

"Is this what Shin-chan regularly has to deal with?" Akeno inquired.

"More often than you think," Netto responded.

"Airen, I think it's time you taught them why it's a bad idea to mess with Riders," suggested Qiao.

"Oh, yeah. Time to get to work," Netto nodded, slapping his hands on his belt, "Henshin!"

"**DIGITIZING."**

Netto broke apart in squares before reforming back into the Basic form of Mega. He summoned his Photon Debugger and held it in a reverse grip. "You girls ready?"

"Always!" Qiao grinned, her hands glowing brightly.

Rias nodded sternly as her wings spirited out from her back. Akeno also had her wings sprout out, and curled her fingers as electricity sparked around them. "Akeno, it seems the only way we'll get any answers is to fight," said Rias.

"It appears so, Buchou," Akeno nodded, licking her lips sadistically.

"GET THEM! GET THEM! WIPE 'EM OUT!" Sting Chameleon ordered.

And all Hell broke loose.

* * *

><p>A small white cat with a bit of blue fur on the side of its head pranced along one of the fences of the school, looking around as it surveyed the damage. A sudden explosion sounded throughout the air, catching its attention. The cat stared at what was left of the school and blinked. With a small meow of curiosity, the cat jumped off the fence and ran towards the school.<p>

* * *

><p>A wall gave way as a golden figure jumped out and dashed along the hallway. The figure was a large majestic looking demon fox, with fur that glowed like the brilliant sun. Its five tails swished as it ran at neck breaking speeds.<p>

Tornados ripped out from the floors, trying to impede on the fox's path. She swerved left and right to avoid the tornados, avoiding being blown away. Just in front of her, a wall was smashed through, and Storm Owl flew out of it. The fox came to a stop before rolling into a ball of light, reforming into Qiao in her battle form.

"Why are you doing this?" Qiao demanded. "Why can't you freaks leave us alone?"

"We have our orders!" Storm Owl answered back. He stretched out his arms and flicked out several feathers from his hands. Seeing how they showed her reflection, Qiao realized that those feathers were not soft at all. "And our orders is to eliminate you all!" He threw out the feathers with deadly accuracy. Qiao jumped and back flipped from the projectiles to avoid getting sliced up. Each one sank into the floor with a sharp **SHINK.**

"Like you can hit me with those!" Qiao shouted. Her tails expanded like a peacock's tail feathers and glowed brightly. The shining light nearly made Storm Owl go blind as he was forced to cover his eyes. Seeing her chance, she jumped upward before coming down in a somersault, her tails spinning out like a wheel. The tails struck fast and hard, but as they did a green barrier appeared around Storm Owl, protecting him from any sort of damage. Qiao recoiled backwards and recovered from her assault.

"My Tornado Shield was made to withstand some of the most strongest of assaults," Storm Owl boasted. "It is imperneratable."

"Every shield has a weak spot," Qiao returned, "Yours is no different."

"We'll see," Storm Owl said gruffly. He held out his hand, and a neon green ball with a small gale storm surrounding it appeared. It hovered into the air, and several more balls just like it appeared above Storm Owl. "Take this," he declared, snapping his fingers. The balls of wind stormed all at Qiao, who stood her ground with her glowing tails stretched out once more. She spun her tails behind her, creating a glowing circle of light, before spinning herself around and lashing them out, deflecting all the balls thrown at her.

Qiao stopped spinning and eyed Storm Owl. "Is that all you got?"

"Not in the slightest!" Storm Owl answered. Her ears twitched as she heard a noise behind her. She quickly turned around, only for one of the orbs to slam into her chest. She gasped out loud as she was thrown into a wall from the force.

"The orbs are made of condensed air," Storm Owl explained. "You can't just deflect them and expect that they'll go away. They will only vanish when I allow them to."

Qiao shook her head to get the dizziness out, and looked up to spot more of the green orbs flying towards her.

"_Aiya!"_ Qiao cried before getting on her legs and on the move again. The flying orbs were close on her heels. As she was running away from the orbs, a sudden blur appeared before her. Her eyes widened as she blocked her face with her arms as a punch knocked her several feet backwards. She skidded on her feet and landed against a wall, cracks forming from the impact.

Overdrive Ostrich walked forward, cracking his knuckles. "Think you can take both of us on?"

"I don't think so, I know so," Qiao replied, moving into a Kung Fu stance.

* * *

><p>Burn Rooster roared as she spat out fireballs on both Rias and Akeno. Akeno quickly produced a Magic Barrier to shield them both, though the force of the blast caused her to recoil backwards. Volt Catfish came jumping into the fray and shot blue balls of lightning from his whiskers. Those were also blocked by Akeno's barrier. Rias levitated over her friend as a large ball of black and red energy formed in her hands. With a shout, she launched the ball directly at Volt Catfish who panicked once he saw it coming.<p>

"Yaaaaahh! Save me! Save me!" Volt Catfish whined. A wall of ice instantly formed in between of the Catfish Beastroid and the raging ball of death. The attack hit the ice wall, causing said wall to explode and splatter ice shards everywhere, and also blasted Volt Catfish backwards onto his back, causing him to be momentarily dazed, with his eyes as spirals and stars circling his head.

"Heh," Frost Walrus huffed, stomping towards the girls, "Is this the best you can do?"

"If you want more, than I shall oblige," Rias said as she accepted the challenge.

"You really like to talk trash, don't you?" Burn Rooster spoke.

"And what's that to you?" Rias asked. "Your leader's took away a dear friend of mine. What is your reason for doing all of this?"

"Our master," Burn Rooster thundered, "Will burn the old world into ashes, and from those ashes a new world will rise. Your resistance is futile!"

"Whoever this master of yours is, there's no way I'm going to live in a world with him in charge!" Rias spat.

"THEN DIE!" Frost Walrus shouted, jumping on his belly with a loud slam before sliding towards the girls. Both of them flew out of the way and launched a joint attack of both lightning and demonic energy. Both attacks struck and actually flipped the large Beastroid and sent him flying through a wall and out of the school. He let out an enraged screamed as he fell and crashed onto the pavement.

Frost Walrus growled as he staggered back on his feet, shakely. A sudden blast of energy zapped him in the back, but it didn't appear to do much, except anger him further. Turning around, he watched Ryoko leveled to his sight.

"I haven't seen anything like you around here before," the demon admitted, smiling. She was absent during the whole crisis so she missed out on all the action, much to her disappointment. When she arrived to investigate, the sounds of the fight caught her ears, and she became eager to join. "Just what are you?" Frost Walrus answered with a burst of ice from his mouth. "Oops!" Ryoko chirped, flipping over the blast. "Sorry, big boy! I hate catching colds!"

"Insolent woman! Get down here!" Frost Walrus shouted.

"If you say so," Ryoko smiled. She disappeared and then reappeared in front of Frost Walrus, and landed on punch on his armor, strong enough to send him tumbling him several feet back. Ryoko smiled cheekily as she shook her hand, "Looks like I've got something to do after all!" She laughed, gliding forward. She was so going to enjoy this.

* * *

><p>Mega and Sting Chameleon crashed through one of the few untouched windows of the school and landed onto a grassy field. After sliding across the grass, Sting Chameleon charged at Mega, but the Rider struck first with a quick slash. Sting Chameleon jumped over in a flip, and then struck Mega in the back with his tongue, causing him to double over. He spun on his heels and deflected the follow-up attacks with the Photon Debugger. Sting Chameleon landed on his hands and performed a twisting spin as he launched shots of plasma from his swinging tail, which was repaired since the last time they fought. Mega slashed at each of the shots, deflecting most of them, before resorting to spinning his sword right in front of him to block it.<p>

Mega charged forward and sank his sword into the dirt before using it like a pole and lifted himself up to send his feet crashing against Sting Chameleon's face. The force made him stumble slightly before retaliating with some swift kicks of his own. Mega rolled out of the way and swung his legs at Sting Chameleon. Sting Chameleon leapt up to avoid the kicks then planted his feet into Mega's chest, shoving him back violently. Flipping backwards, he landed perfectly on his feet.

"Nyahahahaha!" Sting Chameleon laughed. "Is that all you got? Is that all you got!? You're lame! I really can't see why you're even a threat to GIN-SHOCKER!"

Mega had already sprung back to his feet, "Trust me, I'm a lot stronger than you think," he retorted, pointing his sword, "Or did you forget that I sent you running away the last time?"

"That's all in the past! Since then I've been upgraded!" Sting Chameleon spat out a boast. "You won't beat me like you did last time, Kusanagi!"

"Oh really?" a new voice said, "Is that a fact?"

Mega turned to his right and saw a new figure entering the field. It was none other than Yuki, the elder twin sister of Yuji. She seemed to have calmed down since her recent freak out, though it was obvious that she was still upset, as seen in the glare she was aiming at Sting Chameleon. She wasn't in her PSC uniform, but rather in her Youkai Academy uniform, without the jacket. In her right hand, Yuji's Liger Belt was clenched in her fingers.

"And who's this?" Sting Chameleon questioned.

"I'm Yuki Fudo, and right now you know where my brother and cousin are," she answered.

"Oh, and so you want me to just tell you?" Sting Chameleon challenged.

"Yes, but even if you don't, I can just rip the information out of your data banks," threatened Yuki. "Netto, mind if I cut in?"

"I have no objections," Mega nodded. Yuki smiled and swung the belt around, buckling it on and is made snapping sound. The Liger Belt was secured and ready for activation. Flicking her wrist, she produced the CAS card.

"Now, you'll feel my fury!" Yuki declared, sliding the card into the buckle, "Hen... shin!"

"**ZERO FORM!"**

(**Insert Song – NO FUTURE– Zoids: New Century Zero OST**)

The belt produced the Z from the buckle and broke apart in white energy shards as it engulfed Yuki. One the energy completely covered her up, she was soon wearing a feminine version of the Liger Zero armor. It fitted around her perfectly, showing her curvy figure and even put some emphasis on her bust. With the transformation complete, Kamen Rider She-Liger gave out an animalistic roar.

The claws folded out as she got on all fours. Snarling, she lunged at Sting Chameleon who was stunned by this turn of events. The claws on her right arm struck and pierced the Beastroid's chest and he screamed as they went tumbling. Sting Chameleon kicked She-Liger off of him before jumping up and spinning around, firing green plasma shots at her in a rapid fashion. She-Liger weaved back and forth from the shots, rushing around like a big cat. Before she get within reach, Sting Chameleon tried to make a jump for it, only for her to grab him by the tail and slam him back on the ground. Gripping it hard, She-Liger swung him about, causing him him to scream out, before sending him flying through a column. Sting Chameleon crashed and tumble about with the pieces of the column trailing behind him.

"This should help be deal with my aggression slightly," She-Liger nodded. "Netto, let's finish this."

"Right!" Mega nodded. Both Riders walked side by side as they approached Sting Chameleon. The Beastroid got up dizzily and growled at the Riders. He couldn't die just yet, but he couldn't return empty handed either. Luckily, he had some extra help.

"Gazelle Troopers!" Sting Chameleon called out and several androids came jumping in, leaping and flipping in the air as they appeared. They landed in crouches, standing around Sting Chameleon. They were identical, in black and brown armor. They also sported long and sharp horns and their feet were hoof-shaped. Judging by their slender build, they were made for speed and agility. And there were a lot of them, as the practically covered the whole field. Their glowing red eyes were on their foes in front of them, cackling.

"More foot soldiers?" Mega gasped.

"I thought it was too easy," She-Liger frowned.

"Attack!" Sting Chameleon ordered. Whipping out their weapons, which were pronged polearms, the Gazelle Troopers went on the assault. As the Gazelle Troopers came closer, Mega arched his legs and moved into a guard while She-Liger crouched low and growled, both preparing to meet the attack head on. The Gazelle Troopers jumped and lunged at the Riders, but as they did, something unexpected happened.

**BOOM!**

There was a loud crash in the front and the Gazelle Troopers were sent flying back, much to Mega and She-Liger's surprise. As the dust settled, a new figure could be seen.

"Hm?" She-Liger blinked, "Shiroha, is that you?"

"Hi~!" Shiroha Himegami waved, smiling. Shiroha was an Amazoness, a Succubus with incredible strength. As such, there were often seen as a warlike race, who kidnapped men to wed them and bed them. Shiroha's hands were holding a huge stone slab that was in the shape of a large sword. Large purple, birdlike wings were on her back as well. A thick reptilian tail also appeared out of her skirt.

"How did you get here?" Mega asked.

"We heard some noise over here and since everyone is in their dorms, so we thought we could see what was up," Shiroha answered, hefting the sword over her back.

"'We'?" She-Liger asked. Another crash occurred and more Gazelle Troopers were blown away. The dust dispersed, showing the attacker to be Haruhi Kawakami, in her own true form.

"Come and get some, you robot douchebags!" Haruhi shouted, holding one of the Troopers over her head before tearing it in half. Haruhi was an Ogre, a monster that could ignore the weight of anything they touched, allowing them to lift virtually anything. They were often said to be some of the most dangerous kinds of monsters. And right now, Haruhi was very dangerous as she was absolutely pissed off as the last night of the Halloween Festival had been ruined by GIN-SHOCKER.

Several other Gazelle Troopers were torn apart by a speeding blur. The one responsible was Katsumi Korin, and she was speeding around the machines as she tore them apart. Katsumi was an Inugami, a type of Werewolf. Inugamis were regarded with the same type of fear and respect as Vampires. She was not the type of person who would get mad at anyone, but she was very upset at GIN-SHOCKER for causing the mess yesterday.

Over at another corner of the field, Gemma Ishikawa let out a beastly roar as she smacked around the Gazelle Troopers, sending the flying though the air. Gemma was a Minotaur, a mythical Greek monster. They were often the guardians of labyrinths and were known to eat trespassers. The sounds of her roars indicated how angry she was on how her date got ruined.

"Juvia will fight too!" Juvia Loxar shouted, lashing out at the Gazelle Troopers with a pair of water whips. Juvia was an Undine, a water elemental Youkai that could freely manipulate water at will. Juvia had only gotten to know Yuji for a day, only to hear that he and his cousin had been kidnapped. She was mad as Hell and she knew just who to take her anger out on.

Even with the new reinforcements, several more Gazelle Troopers came out of noehwere and landed with their weapons drawn. All of them hopped towards the Youkai as they all of them stood their ground.

"There's really no end to them, is there?" Katsumi frowned, looking around.

"They just keep coming!" Gemma growled. "Everytime we get rid of a batch, they double!"

"Is there some kind of way to stop them from coming?" Shiroha asked, looking around. "Maybe if we had some extra help, it could give us a chance."

And so help came.

"**Soul Fist!"**

Glowing energy balls rained down onto the the Gazelle Troopers, blasting them backwards and even destroying most of the numbers. The two Riders and group of Youkai looked on in surprise at the sudden air support.

"What was that?!" Haruhi gapped, looking on in shock.

"Up there!" Juvia pointed.

Descending from the sky was Morrigan Aensland, the school counselor. She was in her full Succubus form and wore a neutral expression on her face. Obviously she had learnt that her favorite student and target of interest were taken. Pointing forward, her wings sudden melted and turned into several spikes. The spikes then stretched and rushed forward at more of the Troopers. The spikes hit hard, destroying more of the Troopers in flashes of explosions.

"Woah!" Mega cried in amazement.

"She took out so many!" She-Liger added.

"Oh crap!" Sting Chameleon cursed, "Time for me to bail out of here!" He lept through the air and jumped through one of the windows.

"We can't let him escape this time!" Mega shouted.

"We can handle things from here!" Morrigan said, blasting another Gazelle Trooper. "Go after him!" Juvia lashed at another Gazelle Trooper and nodded at the pair.

"Well, you heard them," Mega told She-Liger. "Let's go."

"Right," She-Liger agreed. Both of them jumped into window to chase after Sting Chameleon.

* * *

><p>Qiao's fight with Storm Owl and Overdrive Ostrich reached topside on the roof. Overdrive Ostrich apparently stayed true to his namesake speed around the roof in blurs. Qiao matched him with every step. Both fighters traded blows against one another. Overdrive Ostrich's legs were also powerful not only for running, but kicking as well. They were powerful enough to create vacuums of air, and Qiao really needed to keep on her toes to avoid getting hit. It didn't help that those damned orbs were still chasing after her.<p>

"You're not half bad!" Overdrive Ostrich praised after a connected kick to the shins knocked them backwards. "Not many can actually keep up with me!"

"I'm a lot stronger then I look, you know," Qiao shot back.

"Maybe," Overdrive Ostrich stated, "But strength isn't everything." The ground Qiao stood on gave way before a tornado shot up and sent her flying the air. Storm Owl, who summoned said tornado, saw his chance and dive bombed at her. Luckily, Qiao recovered quickly and counterattacked with a set of five tail whips. However, the Tornado Shield around Storm Owl was still active as the attack merely knocked him backwards. Overdrive Ostrich joined them in the air and performed an ax kick on the fox demon, which she quickly blocked. Qiao's hands glowed with golden light before firing rapid shots of solar blasts. Overdrive Ostrich zipped and blurred through the air and around the assault, before knocking Qiao with a clothesline. She cried out as she was sent tumbling but managed to halt herself. Her ears twitched as she heard objects being thrown through the air. She weaved to the side, seeing the sharp feathers fly downward, although one managed to nick her. She hissed in pain, but ignored it. Looking up, she saw Storm Owl fly towards her once more.

"I've got do something about that shield of his..." she muttered to himself. An idea came to her head and she smiled, "I got it!" She started to glow with a huge intensity. The brilliant light once again forced Storm Owl to cover his eyes. Qiao once more rolled herself into a spiked wheel and charged at Storm Owl. The attack struck the Tornado Shield, and buzzed against it.

"Are you a fool!?" Storm Owl shouted, "I told you that my Tornado Shield is impenetrable! You can't hope to get through it!" The Tornado Shield continued to buffered against the wheel as smoke seeped out of it. Suddenly, it started to crack, much to his shock. "What?!" he demanded. Cracks engulfed the shield further before finally it couldn't handle the pressure. It exploded in a large burst of wind, knocking back both Qiao and Storm Owl.

Qiao quickly righted herself up, and shook her head to get out the dizziness. Stretching out her arms, the began to glow as they absorbed red ki. "Chew on this and choke!" Qiao declared. **"Kaiser Wave!"** She crossed her arms sharply, throwing out a red wave of power. Storm Owl only had a moment to blink before the Kaiser Wave struck him in a bright explosion, obliterating him complete.

"You BITCH!" Overdrive Ostrich roared, jumping back into the air. Qiao turned around just in time as Overdrive Ostrich met up with her as he throw out rapid kicks and punches. Qiao matched him blow for blow, the sounds of their mid air fight thundering the air. While Overdrive Ostrich was a competitive fighter, Qiao was a highly skilled martial artist. Her leg slipped to Overdrive Ostrich's side and sent a blow to his hip. Then a knee to his stomach, and a fist to his face. Qiao brought her arms over the stunned machine and slammed him down back to the roof. She cupped her hands to the side and allowed them charge up with a bright light.

"It's over," she said coldly. With a shout, she released a laser of bright solar energy. The laser went through the roof and into the school, resulting in a fiery blaze, indicating Overdrive Ostrich's destruction. Qiao sighed and wiped her brow. "Phew! That was intense," she smiled to herself, placing her hands on her hips. "But I showed them, right?"

* * *

><p>Ryoko was still having her own bout with Frost Walrus. Much to her amazement, she quickly found out that the armor of the metal beast was tough enough to withstand the blows of her punches and kicks. Each time she knocked Frost Walrus down, he got back up.<p>

"Damn, what the hell is that thing made of?" Ryoko growled, arching away from another ice blast. There were very few things in the world the Millennium Devil couldn't break, but the armor of this giant lard with teeth seemed to be made of some type of metal that was like solid rock to her. And at best, her lasers just managed to scratch the armor, but not enough for them to go all the way through. "There has to be something to..." she trailed off as she noticed Frost Walrus open his mouth once more, charging up one of his ice burst again. After avoiding the attack, she smiled as the idea came to her, "Now I see!"

"What's wrong, woman?" Frost Walrus mocked, "Have you run out of tricks already?"

"Why don't you hit me with that ice breath of yours, fatso?" Ryoko taunted, giving him a "come here" gesture, "I promise I won't move this time?"

"I'll give you more than that!" Frost Walrus roared as he unleashed a lethal ice blast at Ryoko. The demon cupped her hands and charged up a sphere of energy at the same time before firing it back at Frost Walrus' blast. Both beams of energy collided explosively as they met in the middle. It seemed like they were pushing at each other but it didn't take long for Ryoko's energy beam to overpower Frost Walrus' and in an instant the Beastroid had swallowed his own ice blast and received a mouthful of demon energy. There was a large explosion and once the smoke dissipated and dust settled, what remained of Frost Walrus were his legs as everything above the waist had been destroyed, smoke rising from his midsection.

"Well, that was challenging," said an amused Ryoko. "Now, I wonder what else I can find here."

* * *

><p>Volt Catfish had recovered from his knockout, and joined the fight to assist Burn Rooster against the two demon girls. Jumping up into the air, he shouted out <strong>"Tri Thunder!"<strong> and the generator on his back glowed with bright electric power. His was surrounded in a barrier of electricity and thunder strikes jumped out from it. The lightning was strong enough to rip along the floor and ceiling. Akeno had Rias behind her as she protected them both with a Magic Barrier. Burn Rooster took the advantage of their position and breathed out a stream of flames. Rias quickly saw the flames approach and countered them with a swing of demonic energy. Both attacks connected and exploded, canceling them both out.

"Hehe! You girls are really putting up a fight!" Volt Catfish admitted, landing down from his attack. "But it's not like it's gonna make a difference anyway. We already got BLACK 13, and we're not telling you where he is!"

"It's likely that he's already been reprogrammed by now," Burn Rooster added. "I don't see why you're going through all this trouble when it's completely pointless. Why don't you make it easy on yourselves and just give up already?"

"Hahaha! That's right~!" Volt Catfish laughed, bouncing around. "You can just all give up like good little girls! Or better yet, we'll make you give up!" He fired out three bolts of lightning directly at Rias, who merely stood there as she had her eyes covered underneath her bangs.

Her arms moved faster than they could see as she deflected the lightning bolts, redirecting them harmlessly away for them to strike the ground around her. Volt Catfish's mouth opened and closed repeatedly like a fish out of water as he saw her do the impossible.

Her fingers were curled and then she balled her fists as she spoke slowly, "Your organization hurt my cute little Shinji enough already and went unpunished before. However, they're not getting a second chance this time." Demonic energy swarmed around her fist, brimming brightly with power. With a single motion, she shot it directly at Volt Catfish, who was too stunned to even move. Bolt completely vaporised him in a bright explosion, leaving nothing behind but a smoking crater.

"Wh... what the hell?!" Burn Rooster choked, staggering backwards from the shock. How could this kid take out one of his comrades with so little effort?

"Akeno, if you please?" Rias asked.

"Hai, Buchou," Akeno smiled, and oh how she smiled. Walking towards the panicking Burn Rooster, her smile grew even colder. "Ara, ara. Backing out already, are you? I can't let you leave just yet, I'm afraid..." Her hands shot up into the air, and a large lightning bolt ripped through what was left of the ceiling and hit Burn Rooster directly. The mechanical Rooster let loose a shriek as he was being roasted like a turkey for Christmas Dinner. He shuffled backwards from the force of the strike, his metal body smoking.

"Ara, ara. It seems like you are _still _energetic," Akeno grinned sadistically, licking the tips of her fingers sensually. "Looks like you can take more of THIS!" She summoned yet another lightning bolt on Burn Rooster, laughing maniacally as she continued to cook the robotic bird. "Fufufufufufu~! How much of my lightning can you take, Rooster-san?!" Akeno laughed. "You still can't die yet! The one who finishes you off will be my master! Ohohohoh~!"

To most people, Akeno was the beautiful and graceful onee-sama; a true Yamato Nadeshiko. And for the most part she was. But when under the heat of battle, she transforms into a complete sadist. She was extremely violent and enjoyed causing pain and torment for her enemies.

"That will be enough, Akeno," Rias confirmed. Akeno obeyed and calmed down, allowing Burn Rooster to fall on his back. Rias nodded and walked towards the Beastroid. Stopping in front of him, she could see that the flame on his head was nearly depleted, and his armor was scorched from Akeno's lightning. She aimed her palm at him and said, "Any last words?"

"You... have just made a powerful enemy," Burn Rooster wheezed, his teeth gritted hard, "GIN-SHOCKER now knows of your existence... and will hunt you down..."

"_...Checkmate."_

Rias fired a blast at his body, vaporizing him instantly. There was nothing left but a crater.

"Weren't we going to ask him where to find Shin-chan?" Akeno questioned.

"He wasn't going to talk so he was useless to begin with," said Rias coldly. "We should go find Netto and Qiao. Perhaps they had better luck than we did."

* * *

><p>"Are you sure he went here?" She-Liger asked. She and Mega had just entered the school's cafeteria, where the latter had just seen him enter.<p>

"Yeah, I saw him," Mega nodded, walking around as he looked. "We should be careful too. With that invisibility of his, he could be anywhere." Looking around, he quickly noticed Sting Chameleon's tongue shot at him. With a shout, he rolled over a table to avoid it, leaving a crater where he stood.

Sting Chameleon cackled as he appeared before the them, "Well, it seems like you two really are top notch after all," he said. "In this case, it's time for me to bring out the REALLY big guns!" A pair of large laser cannons suddenly appeared from behind Sting Chameleon's back. Dropping down on all fours, he fired large lasers at both of them. Both Riders ran around the cafeteria in efforts to not get hit by any of the lasers. "Yaahhaa! That's right! Run! Run!"

"This is getting us nowhere!" She-Liger shouted. "We need to bring him down now!"

"Way ahead of you!" Mega nodded. "Let's end it quickly! Shishi Henshin!"

"**INFERNO LEO."**

She-Liger also performed a form chance by sliding another CAS card into the slot of the belt.

"**JAGER FORM!"**

Inferno Leo Mega jumped up into the air and fired large fireballs straight at Sting Chameleon. Sting Chameleon saw him coming as the fireballs exploded around him, and jumped away just as one fireball destroyed the desk he was standing on. As soon as he landed, She-Liger Jager blurred around him, slashing her claws all over his body. Sting Chameleon shrieked in pain as sparks all poured out from his wounds, and his yells increased as his cannons were ripped out from his back. Rearing his leg back, he sent a well placed kick on She-Liger, sending her sprawling back before using the claws to slow herself down.

"You punks!" Sting Chameleon growled, "You pay for that!"

"Will you just shut up already?" Mega demanded, rushing forward and throwing a flaming fist at Sting Chameleon's gut, sending him soaring across the floor. Mega and She-Liger then picked up Sting Chameleon and pinned him against a wall, the two of them constantly kneeing him in the gut. Then throwing him to the ground, they then kicked him in the backside, sending him skidding across the floor and face first into a table, send it flying upward upon impact. Sting Chameleon weakly tried to get back on his feet, only to fall on his back.

"Looks like he's just about finished," Mega smirked, bring out his Leo Staff. "How about a double whammy?"

"I'm game," She-Liger agreed.

But then...

**FAASH-BOOM!**

"GAH!"

**(End Song)**

A sudden bolt of lightning ripped through the ceiling and struck down between Mega and She-Liger, send the both of them flying onto their backs. As the lightning died down, Mega and She-Liger lifted their heads up to see what caused it. Standing where the lightning struck, was a milky-white skinned girl that appeared to be the same age as Yuki. Her breasts were also just as big. Her hair was long and dark, reaching the small of her back and some bangs framed her forehead. Her purple eyes looked doe-ish but had a somewhat sinister gaze on them. She was dressed in a white leotard with one left pant leg, a right detached sleeve and a gold left gauntlet from shoulder to finger that had a gold spike sprouting from the shoulder pad. She wore white knee-high boots and a white right forearm-length glove. On her head was a white helmet with a gold horn rising from the crown and the GS symbol on the left side of the helmet. A black plus sign was stamped on the front of the leotard. And around her neck was a necklace with a pendant that resembled a yellow thunderbolt.

"G-Gemini... Spark..." Sting Chameleon coughed.

"Gemini Spark?" Mega repeated, getting into a kneeling position. She-Liger's eyes widened behind her helmet, sensing something coming from the newcomer.

"Hehehehe..." Sting Chameleon laughed, sitting himself upright, "You fuckers are in trouble now! Gemini Spark here is one of our strongest assassins!"

"Sting Chameleon, be silent. I don't need a loser like you to sanction me," said Gemini Spark, closing her eyes. Her arm stretched out, and a sword of yellow lightning projected out of her hand. "And besides..."

**STAB!**

Mega and She-Liger gaped in shock at what they saw. In a split motion, Gemini Spark had just stabbed Sting Chameleon in the chest. Sting Chameleon could only stare at Gemini Spark in a mixture of shock and betrayal before falling down, dead. She then withdrew her arm and kicked the mechanical corpse to the side.

"How...why did you do that!?" She-Liger demanded.

"GIN-SHOCKER has no need for obsolete pieces of junk," said Gemini Spark coldly.

"By that logic, you'll end up being tossed away like junk as well," Mega argued.

"As long as I keep the number of kills, I'm safe," Gemini Spark rebutted. "Simple as that."

The door to the exit was blown opened with the hinges torn off as Haruhi charged her way though. Followed by her was Qiao, Rias, Akeno, Shiroha, Gemma, Katsumi, Morrigan, Juvia and Ryoko. Both of them quickly joined Mega and She-Liger.

"We got here as soon as we- DAMN!" Qiao began, before noticing Sting Chameleon's corpse leaning on the side. "What happened to him?"

"_She_ happened," Mega pointed, "She calls herself Gemini Spark. She offed him because she decided there was no use for him." He added as he addressed Gemini Spark, "To think that you came all this way just to kill Sting Chameleon. Why don't you tell us what you really want?"

Gemini Spark responded with throwing her gauntlet hand forward. An invisible force suddenly knocked the group backwards, throwing Mega, She-Liger, Rias, Qiao, Gemma and Juvia across the floor, and Ryoko, Morrigan, Katsumi, Akeno, Shiroha and Haruhi against the wall. The tables and chairs in her sight got knocked over by the magnetic discharge as well.

"Some of you will be executed," said Gemini Spark, referring to Mega and She-Liger. By default, Riders were GIN-SHOCKER's enemies. "The rest of you, however, could be added to our ranks after some reconditioning. But for now, I think I'll leave you be. You may have escaped from this battle... but the war is only beginning." Another flash of lightning struck her, this time taking her away, and leaving a smoking crater behind.

"She...she had us at her mercy...and she released us," said Juvia, shaken.

"And you're complaining?" asked Shiroha. Gemini Spark's exit had released them from her invisible grip. Mega quickly knelt before Sting Chameleon's body. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to see if I can still salvage some data," said Mega quickly. He had to be quick. The data could be corrupted and any longer he could miss his opportunity to retrieve it. He slapped his hand on the chest and blue circuitry patterns crawled across the body. His eyepieces glowed as he put his technopathic powers to work. It was a few short seconds as everyone watched in silence and/or curiosity. Finally, Mega stood up as the armor vanished from his body, and smiled before the collection of women. "I know where they took Shinichi and Yuji."

"Really?" questioned Akeno.

"That's great!" Juvia beamed. Now she could rescue her Yuji-sama.

"Where?" Rias asked. There was hope, actual hope in finding them now. Thanks to Netto, they now had directions to the enemy base.

"Baghdad, Iraq," was his answer.

Meanwhile, outside one of the windows, a small white cat watched with interest, staring at the group with large blue eyes.

**つづく**

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: In the next chapter, the Riders and their allies plan to rescue Shinichi and Yuji. They need to work fast as they're running out of time.<strong>

**TAILSMO4EVER: This version of Gemini Spark, which along with the Beastroids is a property of Capcom, was made by Bushido, but I made a few alterations of my own. If Bushido can make Weapon D look like a shorter Sekai Saionji, I can make Gemini Spark look like a taller Kotonoha Katsura.**


	71. The Rescue: Declaration of War

_Demons run when a good man goes to war._

_Night will fall and drown the sun,_

_When a good man goes to war._

_Friendship dies and true love lies,_

_Night will fall and the dark will rise,_

_When a good man goes to war._

_Demons run, but count the cost._

_The battle's won but the child is lost._

**Chapter 71: Declaration of War**

"Baghdad?" Shiroha blinked, "That's like, really far from here, right?"

"Yeah, it is," Qiao nodded. "I guess GIN-SHOCKER has several bases around the world where they can operate more easily." Netto had just informed everyone that Shinichi and Yuji had been taken to Baghdad, Iraq after he had managed to salvage data from Sting Chameleon's body. The Beastroid in question had appeared in the ruins of the academy to off their group while they were weakened, and also brought his own team of Beastroids. However, he met resistance at the hands of some pissed off Youkai, including Ryoko and Morrigan. And then another assassin named Gemini Spark appeared and killed Sting Chameleon herself. She even had the group at her mercy, but for some reason she let them go, for the moment.

"So, what should we do now?" Haruhi asked.

"Right now the best thing to do is tell Dr. Magi about this," Netto answered. "What comes next, is to plan for what's ahead."

"Hm... you do that," Ryoko said, folding her legs, "Too bad though. Wish I could come, but these damn shackles keep me from leaving the barrier," she frowned as she gazed at the metal wristbands. "Although, these GIN-SHOCKER guys sound pretty strong. I really look forward to another bout. Later~!" She waved playfully as she vanished.

"Hey!" Rias shouted after the demon.

"Oh, don't worry," Morrigan said reassuringly. "So long as she doesn't get excited she won't cause any more trouble. Though after everything that has happened, I highly doubt she can cause much trouble anyway."

"Perhaps..." Rias frowned in thought, "But... I feel as though I've seen that woman from somewhere..." Morrigan cocked an eyebrow at the red-headed demon, wondering that she meant.

"Never mind that," Juvia interrupted, "We now know where those people are keeping Yūji-sama!"

"And Shinichi," Katsumi added, "Don't forget him."

"Oh, right," Juvia blushed sheepishly.

"Hold on," Qiao blinked, "Are you saying that all of you are coming?"

"Well, yeah!" Shiroha said, pumping her fist. "You guys are going all the way to Iraq too, right?"

"You're right, we are," Yuki nodded. "But we have already been labeled as enemies of GIN-SHOCKER. Do you really want to join us? Once you do, there's no turning back from this."

This was going to be a life changing decision for them. This was no joke.

"Hey, we kinda helped you out earlier," said Shiroha. "I think we're marked anyway."

"Yes, at least this way we can be of assistance," said Katsumi.

"And I think you're going to need all the help you can get," added Gemma.

"Juvia wishes to save Yūji-sama and Juvia doesn't care what happens to her," said Juvia.

"You think I would say 'no' to that?" Morrigan smiled. "I've actually faced many things way before you kids were even born. A terrorist organisation is just something else to add in my long resume. Besides, they took two of my new favorite people. I can't let that slide." Rias and Akeno just nodded. Their answer was obvious.

Netto understood their decisions. Bringing out his cell phone, he hit several numbers before bringing it up to his face, "Dr. Magi? Can you bring up a Warp Portal to these coordinates? I've found out where they took Shinichi and Yūji." Instantly, the green Warp Portal swirled before group.

"Woah!" Haruhi gasped, "What is that?!"

"This is how we're going to get to our base of operations," Qiao answered. "Are you all ready?"

"Be careful. The first time can make your bones tingle," Rias warned.

"What do you mean, 'tingle'?" Morrigan asked.

"Eh... you'll find out. Soon enough," Akeno smiled slightly.

Morrigan and the others followed Netto, Qiao, Rias and Akeno into the Warp Portal one by one. As they did, the white cat managed to slip into the cafeteria and run towards the portal. Just as the Warp Portal was closing, the cat jumped in.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, the former NUMBERS had not been sitting idle. After some rest, they ran training exercises for hours, preparing themselves for the upcoming rescue mission. This would be their first team mission in a long time. But first, some training was necessary. As the training room was large, each of them could focus on their own training sessions. Some decided to pair up while others did individual training with the equipment.<p>

Their minds were completely focused on the mission ahead. With the data Netto managed to recover, Dr. Magi and Dr. Washam would be devising a strategy for them. They themselves would also be adding in their own suggestion to the strategy. Normally, in the past, Shinichi had done that as he helped to brief them on their assignments. This time, Shinichi was their assignment.

Unlike most of the Jagers, Lina was allowed freedom as thanks for helping to fight off the Jagers at the last minute. The others, however, were locked up in holding cells aboard the Hive Queen, wearing handcuffs and collars to prevent them from using their powers.

Sharing a cell together were Takeru and his older brother Takeshi, also known as Storm and Dynamo. Takeshi was a tall young man with sun-kissed skin that towered over most people. His eyes were crimson red in color and his wavy, burgundy hair went past his shoulders. He was wearing a crimson leather jacket with a black shirt and matching pants. Takeshi looked at his younger brother who was upset. It was because of a visit he had earlier from Yukari.

* * *

><p><em>Yukari couldn't believe it. The boy she'd befriended named Takeru Raimei was a member of GIN-SHOCKER this whole time. She felt betrayed and upset as she confronted him. She found him in a holding cell and now could believe it for herself that he and the others had been involved in the chaos which led to Shinichi and Yuji's capture.<em>

"_Sendou...san..." uttered Takeru, afraid to meet her gaze._

"_So, you were with GIN-SHOCKER all along?" Yukari asked accusingly. To think she had been fooled. She was a genius and she had been tricked by this...this spy!_

_Takeru offered no other answer but the truth, "Yes...I am..."_

_Yukari's body trembled with anger as tears fell from her eyes. "How could you!? I thought we were friends! You were the one who hurt Shinichi-san before!" She was referring to the ambush set up by Storm and Dynamo against Shinichi in the past. "Now, because of you, Shinichi-san's been taken prisoner!"_

_Takeru looked up at her, feeling awful at what he'd done. But, he simply had no choice. Her next words would stab into his heart like a knife that had been twisted._

"_I hate you! I HATE YOU!" Yukari screamed at him before running off._

"_There, there, little brother. There, there," Takeshi placated._

"_Do you think she will ever forgive me?" Takeru asked his brother._

"_Maybe she will, little brother. Only time will tell," Takeshi solemnly answered._

* * *

><p>Now GIN-SHOCKER had abandoned them as Shinichi had been captured. They had only existed to enable his capture and once the mission was accomplished they were discarded like trash...as predicted by Lina. Once their usefulness had ended, they were dropped like they never even mattered.<p>

* * *

><p>Celeste was in the infirmary, recovering from Kuyou's fireball from last night. She had gotten hurt protecting Tamao, a gesture which had surprised Leon until he found out it was her. Even she wasn't sure why she had done so, only that she had to protect an innocent girl from harm. That act spared her from being locked up in a cell but she was still handcuffed to the infirmary bed.<p>

Leon had gone to check on Celeste. She was still asleep since the events of last night, recovering. Dr. Magi had taken a blood sample and ran some tests. Along with him was Karin. During the mess GIN-SHOCKER made the night before, Leon had called Dr. Magi to take her, Hime and Reiri to the Hive Queen for safety. The girl in question was now dressed in a black shirt with a matching skirt in place of the cheongsam she wore during the disastrous party. She was confused over everything that'd happened, but she would have an explanation soon.

"How is she?" Karin asked.

"She's stable," Leon answered. "She got burnt pretty badly but she's lucky that it was all she got. I guess she was more resilient anyway."

"So this girl is... really a Cyborg?" Karin continued, blinking.

"No," Leon said. "She doesn't have any mechanical implants or augmentations. Scans confirmed it. She has, however, had her DNA altered. It's what lets her transform like that."

"You mean she's like an artificial Lamia?" Karin questioned. Ririko-sensei was a Lamia but to think that someone could artificially change a human into a Lamia was... well, disturbing.

"Anything's possible with a little gene-splicing," said Leon. "Even if she's a member of GIN-SHOCKER, she's not a bad person. I can tell she only joined them because she felt she had no other choice and nowhere else to go. Even when she was ordered to fight me, she risked her life to protect Tamao."

"So she's staying with us then?"

"My father has a habit of picking up strays and giving them a place to call home. Celeste needs a home and I'm not the type of person to ignore a person in need, especially since I owe her for saving Tamao's life," said Leon. Leon stood up from his seat. "I'm going to check up on everyone else. Could you look after her?"

"Yeah, sure," Karin nodded. Leon nodded and went on his way. She looked to Celeste and took her seat, wondering about the circumstances that led to the artificial snake-girl to join the GS organization.

* * *

><p>Leon yawned as he walked through the hallway of the Hive Queen. These past few days had been very exhausting. With the events that took place in the Halloween Festival; confessing to Riza about her brother, capturing Gebok, grilling him about GIN-SHOCKER, and then the ambush that ended in Shinichi and Yuji's capture. He wanted to be mad at Shinichi for surrendering the way he did, but he also knew that his mother was being held hostage at the time. It just wasn't something he could risk.<p>

Leon found Kurumu and Mizore alone. He knew how devastated they felt. The boy they loved was gone now, taken by the very same people he'd escaped from, and was being subjected to god knots what. Worst of all, they had not been able to save him.

Leon had seen them cry after Shinichi's capture, how they felt like they had failed him. Leon was like his father in that respect; he hated seeing girls cry.

"How are you holding up?" he asked gently.

"How do you think?" Kurumu answered venomously. Leon wouldn't hold it against her. She was upset and so was Mizore. The low temperature was evidence of that.

"We'll get him back," Leon promised. "And you know how strong Shinichi is, right?"

"We do, but they'll hurt him again," Mizore replied, rolling the lollipop in her mouth. Seeing that video gave her an idea of what they were possibly doing to him right now.

"No, they won't," said Leon. "I swear I won't let them hurt him or anyone else again."

"Why do you care so much?" Kurumu asked.

"You're my friends," he answered. "What other reason do I need? And since Shinichi's my friend, I'm going to do everything in my power to save him. I'd stake my life on it."

Kurumu suddenly hugged Leon and sobbed into his chest. He returned the embrace. "Save him..." she begged. "Please...just save him."

"I promise," Leon said. He looked to Mizore who stared back at him. "I swear." Mizore nodded, acknowledging his promise. "I've lost too many people already; because I wasn't strong enough, because I wasn't fast enough, because I wasn't good enough. I'm not going to lose anyone else, ever again."

* * *

><p>"...So, that's pretty much it up until now," Gin finished explaining to Haji. Both boys were in one of the Hive Queen's lobby rooms, and Gin had just gone through a very lengthy explanation. After everything that happened during Halloween, Haji was told everything about GIN-SHOCKER, including the mess they caused during the last summer vacation.<p>

"Damn, that all bites," Haji frowned. "Can't believe you guys got yourselves in this kinda shit."

"Yeah, I couldn't believe it either," admitted Gin. "I never would've thought that there would be humans like that out there, but they are. Some humans aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some humans just want to watch the world burn."

"Really now? And all this started since you met Banabara," Haji remarked.

"Uh-huh," Gin nodded. "He had amnesia when I first met him, so he didn't remember much of anything back then, except how to fight. But then things really got out of hand when his memories started coming back. Then it got worse when they sent his old teammates and his ex-girlfriend after him. They all joined up with us now, but Shinichi and the new teacher Fudo-sensei got caught."

"And you're all going to rescue them," said Haji.

"Yeah," Gin nodded. "Sure, Shinichi can be a bit of a pain in my ass sometimes, but nobody deserves what happened to him. He's a good kid; he's honest, caring, and willing to put his life on the line for his friends. I respect him."

"Sounds familiar. Reminds you of Sun-sempai, doesn't he?" Haji asked.

"Heh," Gin smiled, "You know what? I think he does."

"Well, in that case someone has to be there to watch your ass," Haji grinned, folding his arms. "I'm gonna join up with you guys."

"Are you sure? This ain't some kind of school brawl or contest. These guys make monsters for war and they're armed," Gin cautioned. "They could kill us, or worse convert us like they did those other students and Ishigami."

"Bring it on! No weapon is a match for my Empty Fist technique!" Haji boasted with a fist to his chest. Gin and Haji exchanged high-fives then grasped their hands tightly.

"Let's do Sun-sempai proud, OK?" Gin grinned.

"Oh yeah!" Haji cheered.

* * *

><p>"So, at least now we got some prisoners too," Misato said as she looked down on the brothers who were sitting in their cell. Hana and Michiru were with her. Hana was the only one to fight Takeshi, but they knew how powerful both of them were.<p>

Takeru glared at the girls and turned, facing the wall of the cell.

"Sorry, he's not in the best mood," Takeshi apologized.

"We were hoping to ask you some questions," Hana informed, "The only issue is if you'll be willing to cooperate and give us the answers we want. According to Lina, you're both #19 and #20."

"Yes, but you can call me Takeshi now," Takeshi introduced before he gestured to Takeru, "And my brother, Takeru."

"What is up with your little bro anyway?" Misato asked, noting Takeru's mood.

"He just got rejected by the first friend he made in years," said Takeshi.

"I deserve it," Takeru mumbled.

"Who?" Hana asked.

"Some Witch girl. Yukari...yeah, her name's Yukari," answered Takeshi.

"Oh, I saw her a while ago. She looked upset," Michiru recalled.

"Why wouldn't she be?" said Misato. She addressed the Thunder Beetle Brothers, "You and your team did try to capture Shinichi. Yukari's got a crush on him."

"She has a crush on Shinichi?" Takeru asked before he slumped. "Figures...the reports were correct."

"Oh, what's the matter? Had a crush on the little witch?" Misato teased with a cheshire grin on her lips.

Takeru spun around to glare at her denying, "NO!" But the truth was evident with the faint blush on his cheeks that made his glare less threatening. "She is just a friend..." He sighed, "A friend who rejected me for betraying her." Takeru went downcast.

"Oh, don't lie. It is written all over your face," Misato continued teasing, making imaginary drawing with her fingers.

"Are you gonna keep making fun of me or ask questions?" Takeru groaned. It would be less embarrassing than this.

"OK. Think about it this way, Takeru: what would happen if GIN-SHOCKER succeeds in reprogramming Shinichi? How would this affect Yukari? Who would Yukari hate? GIN-SHOCKER, but not just that. She would hate the people who got Shinichi captured in the first place," Hana explained. Takeshi quirked an eyebrow at Hana's explanation, knowing what she was trying to do.

"I get what you're saying, #07. We don't owe GS anything," Takeru sighed, "Well, we kinda did."

"That was then, and this is now," Takeshi reminded, his little brother nodding. "We'll assist in anyway we can."

Misato turned towards Whirligig, otherwise known as Jason Wolowitz. He was a tall figure in a trench coat that covered his whole body. His mouth was covered by a grey scarf and his chestnut-hair looked burnt and messy. Jason turned his eyes downward at Misato as she asked, "And what about you? Since I heard you only listen to Lina, you wanna to help out Lina by telling us what you know so that Lina can save Shinichi, right?"

"..."

Misato then turned towards the Beetle Brothers asking, "What was that?"

"He can barely talk. Sometimes he speaks slowly, but it's mostly growls that we hear," Takeshi shrugged. "The only one he really talks to is Lina, and I don't know why. Even then he just speaks slowly and uses simple words."

"Have you ever asked Lina why he's like this?" Hana asked.

"Never really did," Takeshi answered. "But then again, it's just better to have Lina being the only one holding the leash instead of letting someone like Jason loose."

"I... can see your point," Hana nodded, looking back up at their trenchcoat wearing giant. Jason's stare didn't waver as he scanned the three girls. It unnerved her.

* * *

><p>Daichi and Shogo were in the locker room, taking a break from their training sessions. Shogo had a towel draped over his shoulder, while Daichi was rubbing his back, smoothing out the soreness.<p>

"You're really just making a big deal out of it, you know?" Shogo scolded.

"A big deal?" Daichi glared, "Her kicks are like fucking missiles! How is it not a big deal? You're only saying that because you gave her more of a challenge!" The two boys had just walked from a sparring match with Moka-sama. Daichi saw it as an opportunity to have a little payback from the beatdown of last summer, but the Vampire was completely relentless as she handed his ass to him, again. Shogo, on the other hand, managed to end his match with her in a draw. As expected from the lieutenant of the former NUMBERS after all.

"Only because of luck and experience. She nearly had me," argued Shogo.

"Well, I can't believe Shinichi ever got her to date him," Daichi remarked.

"I think it's more than that," said Shogo. "When you date someone it's one thing. No, she's fighting to save him because she loves him alot. Even the blind can see."

"Yeah, I know," Daichi nodded. "Come on, that match gave me an appetite. Let's go down to the cafeteria."

* * *

><p>In the hallway, the Cricket and Wasp Cyborgs spotted Rias, with Hime, Reiri &amp; Akeno, "Oh, hello boys," Hime waved.<p>

"Hello to you too, Hime-san, Reiri-san," Shogo nodded. He then turned to the other to girls with them. "Rias and Akeno, right?" Shogo asked. "Nice to meet you. I am Shogo Kuso." Both Rias and Akeno stiffened in slight giggles at the sound of his name. Shogo's eyebrow twitched in irritation. "I know what my name means. You don't have to rub it in," he frowned.

"Aye, aye. Sorry," Akeno smiled, waving her hand in a teasing gesture.

"So, you girls are Shinichi's childhood friends, huh?" Daichi asked.

"Indeed," Rias confirmed.

"OK, didn't he make any guy friends?" Daichi asked.

"There's Ginei Morioka-sempai," said Shogo.

"Yeah, but that's just one. It seems that the majority of the friends he ends up making are girls," Daichi remarked.

"We're really the only childhood friends he has," Reiri answered. "Shin-chan used to be bullied by older boys a lot. We looked out for him like he was our little brother."

"And he was so cute," said Akeno, beaming. "Especially when we dressed him up in gowns and dresses." Both boys shivered as they recalled the pictures they had seen.

Daichi whispered to Shogo, "You know, between you and me, I'd actually pay good money to see Shinichi in one of those dresses."

"I highly doubt Shinichi would appreciate that," Shogo whispered back.

"So?" Daichi snorted, "It's payback for teasing me about my snake phobia. And he's the one to talk with being such a pussy around dolls. And as an added bonus, I'll sell em. I'll be a rich man in a week."

"Think about it," Shogo reasoned, "Even if Gebok hadn't kidnapped him all those years ago, he'd still be messed up in the head thanks to those four. He'd end up like one of those girly crossdressers."

Daichi followed the reasoning and picture Shinichi in a dress acting girlish. His spine shivered as he got goosebumps on his skin from the thought, "You... have a point," Daichi admitted, forcing the forbidden thought out of his head.

"So, when will we be going out to rescue Shinichi and Yūji?" Hime asked expectantly.

"That sounds like you think you'll be going," Daichi countered.

"Yes, we are," Hime answered.

"No, you aren't," he denied. Hime glared. "Believe it or not, this rescue mission is a military operation. Unlike us, you don't have the experience or training for something like this. You'll just be a liability."

"What Daichi means is that Shinichi wouldn't want you getting hurt," said Shogo.

"You boys underestimate us," Hime said, flipping her hair.

"And you girls underestimate GIN-SHOCKER," said Daichi.

"We're much stronger than you can believe, Takashima," Rias retorted. "However, we understand your concern. So, I've called my servants to assist us."

"Servants?" the male Cyborgs responded.

"That's right," a male voice answered. Four people of high school age walked out of a corner of the hallway and approached the group. "Yo," the first of the group waved. He was a young man of average height, very handsome too. The embodiment of a fairytale prince charming that girls would go gaga over. He had short blonde hair and grey eyes. He was dressed in a male uniform similar to Rias and Akeno's, though his blazer was blue with black pants.

The second one next to him was a short, petite girl with white hair with and hazel eyes, and seemed to have a bored look on her face. At the front, her hair had two long bangs going past her shoulders and several loose bangs hanging over her forehead, while the back had a short bob cut. She also wore a black cat-shaped hair clip on both sides of her hair. She was wearing the same uniform as the two older girls with them, but instead of a blazer she was wearing a vest.

The next girl was somewhat taller than the other one, reaching the noses of the boys. She was very cute with long blonde hair and green eyes. Her hair flowed all the way down to her back, with split bangs over her forehead and a single strand sticking out from the top, sloping backwards. She wore a dark teal nun outfit with light blue accents, a white veil over her head with light blue accents, a brown satchel on her right hip, and brown boots with black straps in an X-shaped pattern.

The last one was... androgynous-looking... and was as short as the first girl. He had platinum blonde hair and pinkish-violet eyes. His hair was styled in a short bob cut with several small fringes over his forehead. He also had a single fang sticking out of his mouth. For some reason, he was wearing the same female uniform as the girls. He hid behind the taller boy, looking at the Cyborgs timidly.

Daichi stared dumbly at the group, and then pointed, "Your servants, I'm guessing?"

"That's right," Rias smiled, "Allow me to introduce you to Yuto Kiba, Koneko Toujou, Asia Argento, and Gasper Vladi."

"Hello..." Koneko nodded stoically.

Asia bowed, "Greetings."

"Wait, you're a nun," Shogo pointed. "And you serve a demon?"

"It's a long and complex story," Yuto told him.

"When Rias-sempai told us that her old friend was kidnapped, I knew I had to come along to offer my assistance," said Asia. "Such a poor boy. He doesn't deserve to suffer anymore."

"Well, do you know how to fire a gun or rocket launcher?" Daichi questioned.

"No, I'm a healer," she said.

"Well, we always could use more medics," said Shogo. "I mean it's not like we won't be getting hurt if memory serves."

"But we already have Hana," Daichi argued. "And Michiru."

"Having more medics is a good thing," Shogo rebutted. "Plus, they're offering."

Michiru peered out from the corner, "Hey guys, come quick! Yuki found something!"

"What is it?" Shogo asked.

"It's a message Yu-kun made in case he and Shin-kun ever got captured!" the Mantis Cyborg said.

"What?" Shogo, Daichi, Hime, Reiri, Rias and Akeno all exclaimed.

* * *

><p>"Everyone, look at this!" Yuki called as she stormed into the room carrying a disk which was marked in Yūji's handwriting. It was marked as "<strong>WATCH IT: VERY FUCKING IMPORTANT!<strong>" in big bold letters.

"What is it?" Misato questioned.

"A message...from Onii-sama...!" Yuki said frantically as she popped the disk into the main computer terminal.

Everyone gathered around the huge computer monitor as Yūji came onto the screen, checking the camera to see if it was working.

"_Testing...testing... This shit on? Yeah, DVD FTW, fuckers!_" Yūji coughed before speaking, "_OK, if anybody gets this, then that means that Shin and I have been taken prisoner by the illustrious faggots known as GIN-SHOCKER. I would like to say that if I gave myself up it's because Shin needs me. He was alone when it happened to him the last time so I'm not leaving him alone this time. This time he knows I'll always watch his back and Auntie Shiori will know that I'll be taking care of him. So, in case the both of us do get captured, I have devised a plan that my friends should follow. First off, I spoke to Bianca and asked her to call my great-grandfather as a means of backup. Hopefully, he'll provide you with the right assistance. Next, I'll tell you right now that Gebok will try and revert my cousin back to the state in which he served GIN-SHOCKER. Odds are it's gonna be bad_."

"Wait...a plan?" Yokoshima questioned only to be shushed.

"Quiet, I wanna hear this," scolded Misato.

"Call his great-grandfather?" Flannery questioned. "What for?"

"Connections," was Hana's answer.

"_Moving on then,"_ he continued, "_As for me, someone will probably be experimenting on me to test the limits of my body and what I can do. Should these events occur, we simply have to bide our time and endure. I suspect the others will either sneak in through access points or barge in through the front door. Should they choose the former, which is wise, they will split up and look for us. I dunno if those Jager guys will be there to intercept, so do your best against them. Individually, they're tricky; together, they're like a bomb in a bottle. Anyway, Netto will be in charge of hacking. If you can find a bigass terminal, Netto, I want you to hack the shit outta the fucker and get as much dirt on these fags as possible!"_

Netto grinned in anticipation. Like Yūji, he was an expert hacker. He hasn't encountered any machine he couldn't hack into.

"_Next, should Yokoshima find any important locations, such as a weapons depot and whatnot, he will destroy as much as he can. Ya hear, Yoko? Break shit! Have a ball and break the fuck outta everything in sight!"_

"Why is it that everyone thinks all I'm ever good for is breaking things?" Yokoshima questioned with a frown of irritation. He felt offended. "Seriously, why?"

"You're a living wrecking ball," Misato deadpanned. "It's all you're ever good for."

"You also make a nice beach ball," Michiru smiled, trying to cheer Yokoshima up.

"I'm more than that," Yokoshima said defensively. He turned to Daichi for support. "Right, Dai?"

"What? I got nothing," Daichi told him. Yokoshima just grumbled incoherently in response.

"_Daichi will disrupt communications among all GIN-SHOCKER units once he finds the control room," _Yūji continued._ "You better make some noise, Dai."_

Daichi smirked, "Oh, I'll bring the noise, alright." With the right equipment he could literally bring the house down.

"_Should Chiaki find a transportation storage area, aka a garage," _Yūji said,_ "He'll work on disabling any and all vehicles, restricting the enemy's mobility."_

Chiaki smiled under his scarf. Oh, he knew how to break vehicles as much as he did fixing them. This would be easy for him and he had just the tools for the job. His best tools were his hands.

"_Leon will... Leon... Hmm..."_ Yūji paused as he tried to think, everyone watching as he spun around in his chair before facing the camera again. _"OK, I got nothing for Leon, so just go nuts man. Beat fuckers, blow shit up, just straight up own bitches. Can't get any simpler than that, right?_"

Leon's right eyebrow twitched, "Alright, now we have to save them...so I can kick Yuji's ass for underestimating me."

"If I were you, I'd take it as a compliment," Daichi retorted. "Blowing shit up is all he ever sees you do."

Leon gave a half-smile as he closed his eyes, "I was joking."

"You suck at comedy," Hana deadpanned.

Yūji relaxed, breathing and letting out a sigh before facing the camera. _"Now then, this next bit is for the girls whom I've come to love. Ruby, if you find me fucked up and beaten and whatnot, odds are you might get horny; don't worry. Odds are I've had worse shit done to me cuz of my asshole of a brother. Michiru, Hana, Misato, if you find me in a bloody mess or something...please, don't worry too much. I might get fucked up, but I can take a beating here and there. So...try not to worry too much. Oh, and make sure Misato doesn't try to drink from me in that mess. Riza, you're a bomb-ass chick and you know how to rumble with the best of'em. I'll be seein' ya. Flannery, you're one of the hottest babes I've ever met, and I am glad we got to meet face-to-face back in Neo Domino. And yes, I knew you were a girl. Blair, try not to miss me too badly. I'll feed you the best milk I can buy when I get back from the bullshit I might go through. Oh, and if I meet anymore hot girls before this recording, sorry I couldn't think of anything cool to say since I haven't met you yet."_

Ruby seemed more worried now than before. What did cross her mind was that he would need some of her tender loving care. She already planned on giving him some special treatment after his rescue, healing him with love.

Michiru was worried about Yūji. Just imagining him being hurt reminded her of the suffering she and the NUMBERS had endured together. She didn't want that. This message just motivated her further and her childlike, fun-loving expression darkened, replaced by a mask of determination.

Hana shared Michiru's thoughts as well. How could Yūji be so calm if he knew what was coming? Did he believe he could survive or was this just his way of reassuring them? It worked, though. It gave her a little bit of hope and motivation.

Misato giggled a little at Yūji's joke but her expression turned serious. As much as she enjoyed blood, she did not want Yūji's blood to be spilt in such a horrible manner. It just wasn't something she'd enjoy if it was him. She may have enjoyed spilling blood in the past but that had changed.

Riza smiled at Yūji's compliment. Even in their short time he knew her well.

Flannery smiled as she remembered that duel, how intense it had been, and how close they had grown.

Blair looked forward to the milk, but not as much as the fact that they would be getting Yūji back.

Juvia frowned a bit that she wasn't mentioned, but it didn't matter. This plan of Yūji's gave her hope.

"_And Yuki..."_ Yūji continued. The sister jumped a little, at her mention, paying attention closely to know what her brother needed to say. He smiled softly and said, _"I'll be alright. I've been through a lot of shit and we both know I can take whatever GIN-SHOCKER can dish. I will come back and I will see you again. It's not just a fact, it's a promise. Please take care, sis. I love you, and I always will,_" He gave a wink before the recording stopped, the screen blacking out.

"Onii-sama...He had this all planned out," Yuki realized with tears in her eyes. Her brother was a genius so he knew what could happen. He had prepared all this in the likely event that he would be captured along with Shinichi. She wiped her tears away and looked to everyone who had received the message. Yuji made some good suggestions so now it was time to incorporate his ideas into the rescue plan.

"I don't know about you guys, but I think that this is going to be totally sick," Lina grinned in anticipation.

"Wow, Fudo-sensei swears a lot," Shiroha whispered.

"Yeah, he really likes swearing," Kurumu nodded.

"_Everyone, please report to the briefing room. Dr. Magi and Dr. Washam are ready,"_ Sheila reported.

"OK, people. Let's go," Shogo ordered.

* * *

><p>"Is everything alright, Carl?" Dr. Magi asked, has he walked over to the taller doctor.<p>

"Hm?" Dr. Washam blinked, looking at him. "Oh yeah. Sure. Shiori is still pretty choked up about the whole ordeal. She's calmed down for the moment though. I don't blame her."

Dr. Magi frowned in concern, "Are you still distrustful of Shinichi-kun?"

"To be honest... I really don't know," Dr. Washam sighed. "Part of me still hates him for what he did to Misato, but... but then she told me everything."

"Everything?" Dr. Magi questioned.

Washam nodded. "Yes. To think that Gebok controlled him when he refused... it's unthinkable," his eyes narrowed as his fist clenched, "I never would've thought that my Little Draculina and the others had such an influence on BLACK 13 in the first place."

"BLACK 13 was never able to fully understand emotions," Dr. Magi said, "Even so, he used his actions to show how much he cared for his teammates. How he went insane after being forced to slaughter the NUMBERS showed how crushed and outraged he was."

"Now that is something I wish I saw," Washam mused.

"Even if he was manipulated, Shinichi still finds it hard to forgive himself for all that he's done," Dr. Magi continued. "He needs to learn how to forgive himself, and I do believe that you must be there for the boy. After all, you're dating his mother."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Dr. Washam nodded.

"Dr. Magi, Dr. Washam, everyone has arrived," said Lina, walking over to the two scientists.

"Ah, good. Then let us begin," nodded Dr. Magi. The men joined her and walked over to the group.

The resistance team (Anti-GS Alliance) against GIN-SHOCKER that was made up of Cyborgs and Youkai, were all assembled in the Hive's briefing room. The large group in question was standing around a large grid that gave off a holographic projection of the planet. This was an important meeting for them all. What was at stake was not only their friend, ally, comrade, and love interest, but the rest of the world as well.

"As you all already know, Hitomi Ishigami, aka Madame Medusa, has most probably taken Shinichi and Yuji to one of GIN-SHOCKER's closest facilities," said Dr. Magi, "The good news is that thanks to Netto we know where it is."

Dr. Magi hit several buttons on a panel beside him. The holographic display of Earth expanded, and a small city zoomed into view with one of the buildings colored red. That was the target building.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Moka-sama urged.

"Easy there," said Shogo. "Let Dr. Magi finish." He gulped at the murderous look she gave him in response.

"Considering Shinichi is a high level asset to the organization, there would be a lot of security in the building," said Dr. Washam.

"Yeah, like when we grabbed the Sarcophagus a while back," recalled Yokoshima.

"Sarcophagus?" Lina questioned.

"An old mission," answered Shogo.

"And the satellite blew it up," said Yokoshima.

"Wait…" Yuto blinked. "That was you guys!?" He remembered seeing it on the news. Two years ago, a 110 storey building in America had collapsed and witnesses claimed to have seen a beam of light smash right through it.

"Yeah, that was us," confirmed Misato.

"Let's not waste time walking down memory lane," Daichi remarked.

"Didn't think you'd care enough to save them," Kurumu retorted. Daichi glared back at her.

"Let's not fight," pleaded Michiru.

"Michiru's right," said Hana. "Needless arguing is a waste of time. We need to work together."

"OK, what about security?" Goemon asked.

Dr. Magi. He continued, "As for security, there will be enough troops to fill up the entire building."

"That's a lot," said Yukari, staring at the display.

"It's not something we haven't dealt with before," said Misato.

"Normally, prisoners are locked up in cells in the basement levels, but Shinichi is likely to be at the very top floor," Dr. Washam pointed. "They're probably going to have him reprogrammed before shipping him back to the main HQ. I managed to intercept some communications after Shinichi was taken earlier. The pickup will show up in less than 24 hours."

"Reprogrammed…" Mizore repeated, not liking how that sounded. Lina didn't either.

"And…it could already be too late," added Dr. Magi grimly.

"You can't know that!" Kurumu cried.

"We need to consider the possibility," said Dr. Magi.

"I agree, but Kurumu's right. There's always a chance to save someone," said Yuki, "Even if it's small, there's always a chance."

"GS has done enough damage as it is," Netto nodded. "I say it's time to put a huge wrench in their gears."

"And Shinichi's one of us, a Rider," said Leon. "We need to save him. He told me that Riders look out for each other. It's time we make his words true."

"Are you girls sure you want to do this?" Lina asked Shinichi's harem. "You're about to officially go into battle against an evil terrorist organization to save a weapon."

"We're prepared," said Moka-sama firmly. "Aren't we?"

"Wherever Moka-san goes, I go!" said Yukari.

"I think that Yukari-chan should stay," said Michiru. "She's only a child."

"But I wanna help!" Yukari whined.

"Listen, kid, this isn't a game. You know those bad guys that you would see on weekend morning cartoons? These bad guys aren't like those bad guys. They won't restrain themselves just because you're a kid. If you give them a chance to kill you, they will kill you," said Daichi sternly.

"He's right," said Ruby. "A battlefield is no place for a child."

Yukari quickly pointed at Koneko and Gasper, "Then how come they get to go?"

"H-Hey!" Gasper stammered, "I'm fifteen! I'm just small for my age!"

"And I can take care of myself just fine," Koneko finished neutrally, "I'm a lot stronger than I look. Besides, we've taken care of a lot of dangerous enemies even before we heard of GIN-SHOCKER."

Yukari crossed her arms, having been beat. She mumbled angrily in response to Koneko and Gasper's answers. She was also mad because she couldn't help.

"Maybe Yukari can help here while I'm monitoring you," said Dr. Magi. "She can be your eyes and ears."

"Well, then let's get ready," said Gin.

"You're going to need disguises," said Dr. Washam. "This is as much an infiltration mission and a rescue mission. You'll require stealth and also information if you want to get in."

"Leave it to me!" Qiao smiled. "Disguises are my forte."

"Huh?" Yokoshima asked. "What can you do?"

Qiao gave one of her foxy grins, "Just watch, this is cool." She instantly spun around, golden dust forming around her as she did. Once the dust cleared, and exact duplicate of Misato was standing in Qiao's place. "Ta-da!"

"Wow!" Kurumu gasped.

"How did you do that?!" Misato gaped.

The Duplicate Misato gave a self-assured smile as she place her hands on her hips. "While fox demons are in the S-Ranks among other Youkai such as Vampires and Werewolves, we're also known as trickster demons alongside doppelgangers and onimodoki," her voice was also very alike to that of the Mosquito Cyborg. She was also in the same height, same bust size, and same shade of hair and eyes. There were absolutely no flaws. "As such, we also have the ability to shape shift to conceal ourselves when we have to." She spun around in a flash of gold once more, this time turning into Yūji. "Turning into the opposite sex isn't all that difficult either," Qiao said with a grin.

"Shape shifting, huh?" Mizore pondered, "That's useful."

"Thank you, Qiao," Dr. Magi said. "Looks like we know who will be in charge of stealth." Duplicate Yūji nodded before spinning around again, returning to her human form. "Even if we'll be using Warp Portals, we'll need a backup escape plan, which is why I've assigned Michiru to fly the dropship."

"WHAT!?" the former NUMBERS shouted.

"What's wrong?" Reiri asked, bewildered.

"Michiru's the worst choice!" Daichi pointed out.

"Hey, I'm a great pilot!" Michiru huffed defensively. "I got the highest score each time."

"It's not your piloting skills we're criticizing, Michiru," Shogo placated. "It's your..."

"You can't land worth crap," Yokoshima finished bluntly.

"How bad of a pilot is she?" Hime asked.

"She's good at flying. One of the best pilots GIN-SHOCKER has ever produced, but when she lands she _always _crashes," said Misato. "She even crashed the simulator."

"**I'm still wondering how she does that,"** signed Chiaki

"I know, it shouldn't even be possible."

"You guys are meanies!" Michiru cried, flailng her arms around childishly. Hana patted her head as she hugged her to calm her down. Mia was also nuzzling her cheek to calm her down.

"Fortunately, dropships are equipped with an auto-landing program," said Hana.

"Yeah, I still doubt that will help," said Daichi.

"Dr. Magi, I have an idea," Netto spoke up. A holographic screen appeared before him in a blink and he started to type on it. "What if we steal the information that GIN-SHOCKER has in their archives? Maybe we can use it against them later on and even locate their bases."

"Alright, but how can you do all of that before the alarms detect you?" Hana asked him.

"Heh, you underestimate my tech, Hana," Netto snickered. "But I'm aware of that possibility. I've created spider-bot viruses programmed to savagely wreak havoc on any computer they infect. While all their files will safely be in my mainframe, everything electronic in the building will go haywire. I estimate that we would have about 30 minutes before the viruses completely destroys the building's electronic systems. That should give us enough time to locate Shinichi and Yuji, and then get them out of there."

"Good," Moka-sama nodded. "That will serve as a promising message to GIN-SHOCKER."

"I will go with you," Yuki said. "You'll need someone to watch your back while downloading those files."

"I appreciate it, Yuki," Netto nodded.

"Alright, then Netto and Yuki will be responsible for hacking," Dr. Magi answered. "Security will be tight and we're running out of time as well. Shogo will lead this mission. Leon & Netto, as Riders as well will you all swear to do all you can to rescue Shinichi and Yuji?"

"Better believe it," said Netto.

"Of course," added Leon.

"Yeah, but there's also a possibility you may have to kill him too," said Daichi. All eyes glared at him. "We can't let them have their ultimate weapon back, whatever the cost."

"We're not killing a friend," said Rias, glaring.

"He wouldn't want to kill you either, but they'll make him, like they made him kill us," retorted Daichi, glaring.

"Look, calm down," Akeno placated. "Let's focus on tearing our enemies to pieces instead of each other."

"I wouldn't normally send children to do this kind of thing." said Dr. Magi. "But we don't have any choice. You all are exceptional and some of you I've seen have grown up into fine men and women."

"And what of the rest of us?" Morrigan questioned.

"I actually think your talents would be more useful back in Youkai Academy. Now that GIN-SHOCKER has Shinichi, there is nothing stopping them from capturing your students for experimentation and conversion," said Dr. Magi.

"So then some of us will have to stay behind to defend Youkai Academy in case GIN-SHOCKER does return," Misato said. "Which means two teams."

"Two teams," Dr. Washam confirmed.

"Doesn't anyone get a strange sense of deja vu?" Yokoshima whispered to Shogo as he remembered this part from an old mission.

"Now that you mention it, I think it does," Shogo nodded.

"So, Team A will be rescuing Shinichi while Team B will stay back in Youkai Academy to protect it," organized Dr. Magi.

"Alright time for me to make up for long absence from this team and pay Shinichi back for sparing my life," Goemon pounded his open fist with his other one. "It is time to show these people why I am called Breaker!"

"I will lead the infiltration team to success," Lina stated.

Phyllis alerted them, "_Excuse me, but you have an incoming message from Bianca._"

"Patch her through," prompted Dr. Magi.

"_Hello, everyone. This is Bianca. I have some people here to see you_," said Bianca.

"This isn't the time for a social visit," Daichi said.

"_Don't worry about that. These guys are here to help_," said Bianca.

"Who?" Dr. Magi asked.

"_People you can't do without. So, are you going to beam us up or keep us waiting?_" Bianca asked.

"Phyllis, turn on a Warp Portal and prepare to receive our guests," Dr. Magi commanded.

"_Affirmative, Dr. Magi_," Phyllis obeyed.

The Warp Portal opened up in the conference room and several silhouettes could be soon coming in from the other side. They then stepped out of the Warp Portal. In front was Bianca in her usual mafioso outfit and she was accompanied by two men and several other individuals. "Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the 19th Boss of the Vongola Famiglia, Goryu Katsu, and the head of Public Security Section 9, Chief Daisuke Aramaki."

* * *

><p>Gebok stood before Shinichi's cell with a couple of GIN-SHOCKER soldiers. His suit had been discarded and he was dressed back into the GS uniform that he hated. "Ready for your re-education, BLACK 13?"<p>

Shinichi glared at Gebok and spat, "Fuck you."

Gebok's brows furrowed in agitation and he pressed a button on his remote. Shinichi suddenly started to convulse and scream in agonizing pain inside his cell, screaming bloody murder as the voltage from the cuffs ran through his body.

Yūji, who was in the adjacent cell, leapt to his feet and shouted, "STOP THAT!" His costume was also thrown away, and he was now dressed in the same GS uniform. He rushed at the bars of his cell but was repelled by the electrical field which sent him sprawling. He rose up to watch Shinichi being tortured for a few more seconds before it stopped. Shinichi had passed out, his entire body twitching as smoke rose up from his electrocuted body.

"Open the cell and pick him up," Gebok ordered and the soldiers opened up the cell door before lifting Shinichi up and dragging him out.

Yūji screamed as Gebok exited with the soldiers and his cousin, "GEBOK!" Gebok looked over his shoulder to stare at Yūji. "When I get out of here, I swear, you're going to pay! I'm going to send you to Hell, fucker!"

Gebok cocked an eyebrow. "You know what?" he asked as he took out a bag of potato chips from his coat and tore it open. "I'm going to take this potato chip... and _eat _it." And he did just that with a loud crunch. He continued chewing as he left Yūji's presence with Shinichi.

"Get back here, fucker! I'll show you what I can do by tearing your fucking head off! Come on, you fucking pussy! You know you can't fight us head-on, you stupid chicken shit! **FUUUUCK!"** Yūji roared before kicking his cell bars.

**つづく**

**KAMEN RIDER CHROME: As the gang plans their opening moves, GS is starting the process to re-educate Shinichi. Will Shinichi's friends be able to rescue him in time? So, as you have seen, we've brought in more characters from High School DxD. In addition, you now know what happened to the abandoned Jagers. Lina's also shown which side she's on. Anyway, what comes next is a series of action-packed chapters that will put you at the edge of your seats. Kamen Rider Goji, Tailsmo4ever and Kamen Rider Bushido were a great help in writing this chapter with all their scenes which develop the plot. Expect more from them and a few others too in the near future.**


	72. The Rescue: Till I Collapse

**KAMEN RIDER CHROME: This is it, people! It's the rescue! The fucking rescue!**

**Chapter 72: Till I Collapse**

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the 19th Boss of the Vongola Famiglia, Katsu Goryu, and the head of Public Security Section 9, Chief Daisuke Aramaki."

Standing with Bianca was a tall, muscular and elderly gentleman in a business suit. His skin was tanned and scars were visible on parts of his face, a fairly distinctive one on his forehead in the shape of a cross. He was bald, but he had a long beard of white-silver hair. In his hand was a cane and the elder wasn't alone.

With him was another gentleman, fairly younger in appearance but giving off an air of superiority as he stood by him. His skin was somewhat dark and his short spiky hair was blond, with green eyes shielded by a pair of glasses as he wore a grin on his face. He also wore a silver cross around his neck that hung from a long chain. His attire consisted of a gray coat and trousers, with white gloves with inscriptions written across the crosses drawn on the back. The right hand says "_Jesus Christ is in Heaven_". The left hand says "_Speak with the Dead_".

A third man was present, a tall and muscular gentleman with shoulder-length reddish orange hair, which was slicked back, and some stubble around his mouth and on his chin. His attire was simple and practical, compared to the other two; consisting of a dark, tattered cape over his bare chest, with a high collar and armored plates on the shoulders, held closed by a belt and usually covering his whole figure, and loose dark pants, complete with an armored waist-guard with plates similar to the ones on his shoulders, tucked inside simple boots.

At the side of the eldest man, was a young woman with long, flowing silver hair and indigo eyes. She was slender, yet fairly busty, wearing a long indigo dress and a matching hat adorned with black roses.

Their youngest companion was light-skinned, appearing to be in his 20's, wearing a red coat that covered his body and brown, knee-high boots with matching arm-length gloves. His eyes were shielded by a pair of orange-lensed sunglasses and his hair was blonde, slicked up into spikes. A few strands of hair dangled over his forehead.

An elderly gentleman was dressed up as a old-school detective, complete with a smoking pipe and a monocle worn over his left eye. The hair spotted under his cap was black and white-streaking hair and he also had a black moustache.

There was also a man who was tall, muscular, dark-skinned, and he had wild black hair and a scruffy beard with gray-blue eyes. Around the inside of his right eye was a crescent moon-shaped scar. The only clothes he had on were a pair of white jeans that had torn legs, and shackles on his wrist. The rest of him showed off nothing but pure muscle. A headband with crashing tidal waves on it was wrapped around his head.

Standing closer to the front was an elderly man that seemed to be a bit younger than the first man standing next to Bianca. His skin was lightly tanned and his face was wrinkled and stern. For the most part, he was bald, but he had some grey hair on the sides of his head and some grey on his chin. He was wearing a fine black suit with a red tie.

The last one next to the elder was a tall and muscular middle aged man. His hair was in a pale blond and tied in a small ponytail. His eyes appeared to be cybernetic, being completely white in color. He was wearing a coat over a black muscle shirt, grey pants and black combat boots.

"Hmm...so these are the kids with the 20th," the redhead muttered.

"They're so bloomin' tiny," the dark-skinned blonde jeered.

"Hey, come on, let's be nice," the red-coated blonde placated. "It's nice to meet you guys. I'm Vash," he introduced.

"Uh... hello," Juvia waved.

"You'll have to forgive Father Anderson," the pipe-smoking gentleman apologized, "He can be quite rude and blunt when he wants."

"He can be such an idiot sometimes," the silver-haired woman sighed. She smiled and gave a subtle, courteous bow, "Anastasia, Guardian of the Mist, children."

"Gildarts Clive," the redhead greeted, "Guardian of the Storm."

"Owen Holmes," the detective bowed, "Guardian of Cloud."

"Morgan Moonscar," the seafarer introduced gruffly, "Guardian of the Rain."

"I'm the Sun Guardian," Vash beamed.

The priest, known as Anderson, merely gave a huff and said, "Guardian of Lightnin'..."

"And I am Katsu Goryu," the eldest man introduced, "Guardian of Sky, and 19th Boss of the Vongola mafia family." He gestured to the two other men that had yet to introduce themselves, "And these two are..."

"Daisuke Aramaki, head of Public Security Section 9," the gruff man in the suit bowed, "Pleased to make your acquaintances."

"And I'm Batou, field commander of Section 9," the tall blonde said with a reassuring smile. "So you're the kids who decided to take on a terrorist organization, huh? What's the world comin' to these days?" He and the others had been told that while they were young, most of them weren't human at all. He couldn't wait to tell the guys about this when he got back.

"Heh, Katsu wanted us to just go in and blow everything up ourselves," Gildarts shrugged.

"Yeah, only reason we're playin' babysitter with the lotta ya is so he can get his boys outta there without a problem," Anderson frowned.

"Regardless, we are going to destroy anyone and everyone who gets in our way," Anastasia declared as she pointed to the ceiling, "AND RESCUE MY DARLING HATCHLINGS!"

"Miss Ana," Owen sighed, "Please be calm..."

"CALM YOU SAY!? HOW CAN I BE CALM AT A TIME LIKE THIS!?" she roared, startling everyone except for Katsu and Daisuke as they both remained calm. A purple aura seemed to flare from her body, "WHO KNOWS WHAT THOSE VILE SAVAGES ARE DOING TO THEM!?"

"She's a real firecracker, isn't she?" Batou chuckled lightly.

"You have no idea," Vash laughed nervously.

"Regardless of the of the situation," Daisuke continued, seemingly ignoring the ranting French woman, "From what my godson said to me, GIN-SHOCKER is an imminent threat that must be taken care of immediately. Therefore, from this moment onward, Section 9 will support you children in any operations."

"The Vongola mafia family will also lend their support in the battle against GIN-SHOCKER," Katsu added. "They declared war on us the moment they kidnapped one of our own years ago."

"We'll gut those sorry scoundrels like the swine they are," Morgan grinned, "Aye?"

"Aye!" Yukari, Asia, and Michiru cheered.

"Aye, that's the spirit, lasses," Morgan laughed, "HAHAHAHA!"

Lina gave of a short sigh, "So these are their family, huh? Pretty interesting."

"You should see my family," Hime remarked, "I'm sure they would love to blow up GIN-SHOCKER as much as I do." That would've been true though if all the members of her family was on her side.

"The more help we get the better," Hana said firmly, "We'll burn the whole of GIN-SHOCKER to the ground for what they did to us."

"Oh yeah! We are totally gonna make them so sorry for killing us before," Goemon grinned while pounding his open palm. "Heh, heh! This will be fun!"

* * *

><p>After the briefing concluded, everyone went to the locker rooms to get ready for the mission. With Michiru, she stood in front of the a soldier transport ship. It was a deep green dropship that was 30.5 meters long and 23.4 meters wide, and made with heavy armor. It was known as the Dropship 77 Heavy-Troop CarrierInfantry, abbreviated D77H-TCI, more commonly known as the Pelican. She remembered when they had 479'er help fly them to their missions. She was in her armor, helmet tucked under her right arm and Mia on her shoulder. "Well, looks like this is my chance to fly for real again." Mia gave Michiru a pat on the cheek.

"Hey, kid." Michiru turned to see a blonde woman who had her hair in a ponytail. She was dressed in a white blouse, under a black blazer with a matching pencil skirt. "Admiring the plane?"

"Um...who are you?" asked Michiru.

"Oh, we haven't been introduced yet," the woman said with a smile. "I'm Dr. Washam's secretary. You may call me Skyla Sparrow." She held her hand out to Michiru but then asked, "Or do I have to bow, since you're Japanese?"

"Oh, sorry," Michiru shook her hand. "It's just, well, we didn't know anyone new was coming onboard."

"Oh, Dr. Washam just wanted me to come up here to discuss a few things with me and to handle things for his work while he's away," said Skyla. She looked sympathetic, "I'm sorry about your friends."

"Since you're up here, you know..."

"Let's just say I know a lot," Skyla smiled mysteriously. "But you can trust me." She looked at the dropship. "So, you just admiring the machine?"

"A bit. I'm gonna be flying it for the first time in a long time," said Michiru as she flexed her fingers. "I feel nervous. I'm afraid I might be rusty."

"You never forget it when you earn your wings, kid," Skyla told Michiru. "Trust me."

"You're a pilot?" Michiru asked.

"I fly Dr. Washam's private jet for him when he needs to go overseas for business," Skyla said.

"Do you have any helpful pointers?" Michiru asked.

"Just keep your hands steady, your mind clear, and don't worry about crashing," said Skyla and she gave Michiru a pat on the back.

"Don't worry about crashing, huh? Easier said than done," Michiru murmured. Skyla took something out of her pocket.

"Here, take this for good luck." Skyla opened her hand and presented Michiru was a brooch which looked like a single right wing. It was polished and looked like it was made of silver.

"It's so pretty~" Michiru marveled.

"It's supposed to be an angel's wing and it's my lucky charm. It's helped me out a lot so I thought I should give it to you," said Skyla as she put it in Michiru's hand.

"But I can't take this," Michiru began to protest but Skyla put her index finger against the Mantis Cyborg's lips.

"Trust me, you seem to need it more than I do. Well, see ya." She winked and left Michiru in the vehicle bay.

"Yūji-kun calls me his angel..." Michiru stared at the wing-like brooch, holding it close to her heart as she thought of him. She was determined to get him back, no matter what.

Exiting, Skyla walked past Misato who turned to her.

"It's good to see you again, 479'er," Misato said to Skyla.

Skyla smiled back, "I haven't been called _that _in a long time, #04."

"And I haven't been called '#04' in a long time either," replied Misato. "So, you gave Michiru a pep talk, huh?"

"She needed it. She really needs to stop worrying about the crashing. More than likely she'll get shot down first," said Skyla.

"Do you believe that?"

"Hell no! Girl's a natural pilot! Best out of all of you schmucks, next to #13 anyway."

"Well, anyway, it's good to see you again," smiled Misato.

"Yeah, you too, kid," Skyla smiled back.

* * *

><p>Kyofu had just requested a meeting with General Nagazawa in his laboratory. GIN-SHOCKER's second-in-command was not someone to be trifled with and a busy man so personnel were warned to not waste his time with trivial matters.<p>

"What did you call me for, Kyofu?" Nagazawa said with a stern frown and no nonsense attitude.

Kyofu nervously gulped and adjusted his collar. "Well, General Nagazawa, sir. I know for a fact that even though Gebok managed to capture BLACK 13, he did not do it as promised. BLACK 13 surrendered."

"Tell me something I don't know, Kyofu," General Nagazawa ordered.

"Well, he and I had a bet that his Jagers would be able to capture BLACK 13. However-"

General Nagazawa cut him off, "I know about the wager you and Gebok made, I was there. But as far as I'm concerned it no longer matters. We have BLACK 13 back in custody, not to mention that punk who humiliated me, which pleases me even more. On the other hand, all I have seen you do was humiliate #01, which I can guarantee will return to haunt you one day. In the end result, despite the details, Gebok still managed to capture BLACK 13 and you didn't. Therefore, he will remain as our Executive chief scientist."

"Wait a minute, sir! There is still the matter of the Renegade Cyborgs! There is still the matter of the Jagers that were captured! What about them?"

"The Jagers have served their purpose and were disbanded as soon as BLACK 13 was reacquired. Therefore, the ones captured by the enemy are of no more use to us. They will be eliminated if they are ever seen again. That is all," Nagazawa concluded as he turned away.

"MATTE! MATTE!" Kyofu pleaded desperately

"What is it?" Nagazawa glared back in annoyance, prompting Kyofu to gulp and reconsider his actions.

"Please! Give me one last chance! What if my Weapon D eliminates all of BLACK 13's allies and all of the Renegade Cyborgs for you? That would surely show that she's just as good to be the weapon as well as BLACK 13."

"Oh, can she now?" Nagazawa quirked an eyebrow at Kyofu's claim as he retorted, "Your Weapon D wasn't able to beat Yuji Fudo and more importantly BLACK 13. And even if you did create her to outmatch the first generation NUMBERS, there is no guarantee that she can defeat all of them. There is also the Jagers to be considered. As each one of them surpasses the first generation, they also outclass Weapon D herself. They could kill her without second thought." His eyes narrowed, "And another thing. If by any chance Weapon D should succeed, this will not make her into the Ultimate Weapon as you desire."

"What?" Kyofu blinked.

"BLACK 13 was created upon the Great Leader's request," Nagazawa continued. "From the very beginning he was made into the way he is. Do not think that for a second the Great Leader will change his mind about Weapon D. While not a Psychic Duelist, BLACK 13 possesses a power that Weapon D lacks. And it's that very power that the Great Leader wants."

"What power is that?" Kyofu asked, clenching his teeth behind his mouth.

"That is none of your concern," Nagazawa denied.

"Fine then. But I will make sure that she gets the job done, sir. She will eliminate her foes with the same efficiency which you expect of BLACK 13, possibly even more. She will destroy our enemies, including the rogue NUMBERS," Kyofu promised.

General Nagazawa's intense gaze met Kyofu's and he spoke, "Very well then, but this is your last chance to redeem yourself. Should Weapon D fall once more-she'll be scrapped."

"I promise that I won't let you down, sir!" Kyofu said, saluting.

"I will hold you to that," General Nagazawa ordered/threatened before leaving Kyofu's presence.

As soon as General Nagazawa left, Kyofu roared as he fired his lightning bolts at all of his equipment, frying them. Kyofu was fuming and snarling at what he just heard as blue electricity was crackling in his hands. D was never even considered to be a candidate for the Great Leader's Ultimate Weapon all this time!? It was excruciatingly infuriating!

ALL OF THE TIME HE SPENT ON RESEARCH! ALL OF HIS HARD WORK! ALL OF IT WAS JUST A WASTE!

It was bad enough that Gebok upstaged him all the time, but now this?! It was unforgivable for the Great Leader and Gebok to do this to him! Well, he would soon have the Great Leader see that D was the better weapon, or have the girl die trying. He would have to make her stronger even if it killed her!

The door slid open to reveal an alarmed D. She spoke out in concern, "What is the matter, Professor? I heard noises."

"SHUT UP!" Kyofu snapped as he electrocuted D, making her scream in pain as she fell to her knees. "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT! IF YOU HAD KILLED BLACK 13 WHEN HE WAS IN A COMA, IGNORING YOUR PROMISE TO FUDO, I WOULD'VE BEEN RECOGNIZED! BUT NO! YOU JUST HAD TO SCREW UP EVERYTHING WITH YOUR PROCRASTINATION! YOU ARE A FAILURE AND I WILL NOT TOLERATE IT!"

"NO STOP! PLEASE FORGIVE ME PROFESSOR! I AM SORRY!" D begged. She didn't know what happened, but she knew that this was her fault for some reason.

"SORRY IS NOT ENOUGH!" Kyofu ceased his treatment, having D drop down to the floor face-first, smoking. He approached the fallen D. She was weakly looking up to the see angry professor.

"This is your final chance, D! You are to kill all of BLACK 13's allies and the captured Jager Units!" he ordered.

"The Jager Unit?" D asked.

"If you're wondering why you must destroy them, it's because they've failed GIN-SHOCKER and labeled as useless as a result," he told her, half-lying to her. The Jagers had actually been disbanded and were going to be killed anyway for outliving their usefulness since BLACK 13 had been captured. But they were Gebok's creations and he wanted D to destroy them to spite him. "Do I make myself clear?"

D nodded weakly and answered, "Yes, Professor Kyofu."

"Good, now get yourself fixed up in the medical bay. Once you are done, I want you to seek out your targets and destroy them. I don't care how you do it, just do it! Now, be off with you," he commanded.

"Yes...Professor..." D nodded as she stood up, struggling to stand, before limping out of the room.

* * *

><p>Leon sat within one of the lobbies of the Hive Queen, clad in his sleeveless black shirt, black slacks and leather boots. With him were the newer additions to the resistance; Yuto, Koneko and Gasper who was hiding in a cardboard box for some reason. They even had Aphrodite along with them. The five of them would be the main distraction for their attack on GIN-SHOCKER in Baghdad. Another team, composed of Morrigan, Juvia, Riza, Ruby, Kiko, Elle, and Haji had gone back to Youkai Academy in case GIN-SHOCKER sent out a second wave to capture all the students and faculty who had high level battle forms and re-optimize them into Kaijin that would serve GIN-SHOCKER as a new army of soldiers. With all the Riders gone, the Youkai would have to fight for themselves against an overwhelming army of Cyborg Mutants with one objective: Capture any usable material and eliminate any and all resistance.<p>

Speaking of Riza, she hadn't tried anything else since Leon broke the truth to her that day, which was something of a surprise since she was someone who could get ticked off rather easily and hold a grudge. While the Shinigami was counting his blessings for the moment, he knew that it would only be a matter of time before she decided to confront him again. And while the Demi-Werewolf was no match against him, he just hoped that she could calm down long enough to at least hear his side of what happened.

"Phaaa~!" Aphrodite moaned, stretching her arms out, "Baghdad, hm? I never imagined that I would ever go there."

"Hehe, to be honest I don't think any of us did," Yuto smiled half heartedly, crossing his legs. Next to him, Koneko was eating some sweets silently. "Seems kinda surreal if you ask me."

"Most people say that," Leon nodded. He then addressed Yuto, "You sure you wanna do this? I've fought agents of GIN-SHOCKER before, and each one was more vicious than the last."

"You won't have to worry," Yuto answered, "I'd rather die than get turned into one of their soldiers."

"And even if you did, they'd revive you and make you serve them anyway," Leon pointed out.

Gasper popped out of his box, "GIN-SHOCKER sounds too-too scary! I don't wanna fight them! I wanna stay in my box just like this!"

"What a good for nothing Vampire..." Koneko mumbled through her chewing.

"Uwaaaaaaah!" Gasper wailed, tears flying comically, "Koneko-chan is a meanie~!"

"There, there. That's alright," Aphrodite cooed softly, picking up Gasper from his box, "You don't have to listen to whatever Koneko-chan says."

"Waa..." Gasper sniffed as the Water Manakyte stroked his head.

"Hm?" Leon blinked, "Did Koneko just say that he's a Vampire?"

"Actually, he's a Dhampir," Yuto answered. "His father was a Vampire lord, while his mother was his human mistress."

"Oh. I see," Leon nodded, "But why is he wearing a girl's uniform?"

"B-b-because girl clothes are super cute!" Gasper exclaimed from Aphrodite's embrace.

"You don't say...?" Leon deadpanned.

"Rias-neesama said that her best friend used to wear girl clothes all the time!" Gasper continued, referring to Shinichi, "How come he stopped? He would look super cute too!"

"I doubt he would agree with you on that," Leon answered, sweatdropping.

"Buchou did show us some pictures of him when they were younger once," Yuto added. "No wonder she took such a liking to Gasper. He must've reminded her of Banabara-kun in some ways."

"I guess," Leon shrugged.

* * *

><p>It had been hours since Gebok left with Shinichi before the scientist returned to see Yuji in his cell. "So, are you comfortable, Mr. Fudo?" Yūji glared at him. "Don't give me that look. It could be worse."<p>

"Where's Shin? What have you done with him?" Yūji demanded.

Gebok looked clueless. "Shin? I don't know anybody by that name."

"FUCK YOU, ASSHOLE!" Yūji roared. "You know _exactly_ who I'm fucking talking about!"

"Oh! You mean BLACK 13!" Gebok smiled.

"His name is Shinichi! Now tell me! What have you done to him!?" Yūji demanded.

"Well, first we needed to discipline him. He did go AWOL and desert the organization," said Gebok.

"I bet you _love _hearing yourself talk," Yūji grinned, "Wonder how you'd feel if I tore that tongue of yours outta yer fuckin' skull..."

Gebok ignored the threat as he continued, "Now he's being made back into a weapon, like he was meant to be.."

"He's not a weapon!" Yūji snapped.

Gebok spoke, "Give us time. He can be again. All we need to do is to rid him of those unnecessary things called emotions." Grinning, he added, "Now, as for you, I don't believe you realize the honor of becoming part of GIN-SHOCKER, you lucky boy. You're about to be studied so we can see what makes you you tick and then duplicate it for our soldiers."

"Just don't ask me to turn my head and cough," Yūji joked.

"But first, you'll need to be sedated," said Gebok as he pressed the button on his remote, activating Yūji's cuffs. He was electrocuted like Shinichi had been. Yūji resisted, gritting his teeth in pain as he was being zapped by the cuffs. "Just relax. It'll be all over soon."

"Hehe...compared...to the shit...Yuri put me through," Yūji grinned, "This is...cake...!"

Gebok turned the dial, increasing the voltage.

"OK...now that hurts...!" Yūji grunted before he finally dropped.

"Hm?" Gebok blinked, "Is that all he can really take? How... anti-climatic."

"You could say that again," a voice said as two men walked over to Gebok. "This boy is supposed to be a Dragon? I can't say I'm impressed at all." The owner of the voice had was a Spanish man with short brown hair, a soul patch and droopy brown eyes. He wore a red shirt and black pants under his lab coat.

"Indeed. But to think that such creatures even exist, and to possess human forms," the second man continued. He spoke in a thick British accent. "To think that these beings walk among us everyday without drawing attention. Truly a great discovery you have made, Dr. Gebok." He looked like any other average man that nobody would look at twice. He was tall and lanky with bags under his eyes and short brown hair. He wore a black shirt and black slacks under his lab coat.

Gebok turned to greet the men with a smile, "Ah, Dr. Montesinos and Dr. Phobist. Long time no see. How long were you standing there?"

"Long enough," Phobist answered. "So, will this one be part of one of your experiments?"

"Actually, since I'll be too busy dealing with BLACK 13's reeducation, I thought of handing this one over someone else. Are you gentlemen both interested?"

"I definitely am," Montesinos smiled cruelly, "I heard that this boy was the one who convinced my #11 to leave GIN-SHOCKER. That is something I need to fix."

"And #07 is still valuable to me as well," Phobist answered. "I still have some toxins I need to test on her. But testing the limits on a magnificent creature such as a Dragon also sounds enjoyable. Such an opportunity happens only once in a lifetime. A bit of karmic payback seems in order anyway."

"Good," Gebok smiled, handing the remote to them. Walking out the door, he gave a wave. "Enjoy yourselves then."

"So what should we do now?" Phobist asked.

"How about we get him onto the wall?" Montesinos recommend, deactivating the force field. "I have a much better idea for some experimentations." He walked inside the cell, grabbed Yuji by the back of his shirt and literally dragged him out.

* * *

><p>D laid within a capsule as a swarm nanomachines covered up her wounds. As she laid there, she was given a moment to think to herself. Why had Kyofu become so angry? As the days went on, the professor was becoming more and more aggressive. Was it because of Gebok? But he was the organization's best scientist. In spite of his most recent screwups, he was highly respected. Was that why Kyofu hated him so much? Was that why he wanted her to kill BLACK 13? But even if she did, BLACK 13 could easily be revived, so it made no difference. And while she didn't care all that much about BLACK 13, she did secretly admire him for his accomplishments and abilities. But anytime she spoke highly of him, Kyofu punished her severely, just like he had done earlier.<p>

Checking on her vitals on a computer near the machine was a young scientist named Dr. Rain Mikamura. She was an attractive woman in her early twenties with shoulder-length brown hair and crystal blue eyes. Under her lab coat she pink blouse with a matching skirt and belt. She was also wearing short white boots.

"All vital signs are normal," Rain reported, "Alright D, everything looks good. You're ready to go." A few more keystrokes on the computer and the capsule opened up, allowing D to jump out, good as new.

"Thank you, Dr. Mikamura," D bowed.

"Now, answer me this," Rain began, "How did you get so roughed up in the first place? To my knowledge you aren't the type to take that kind of damage... at least not willingly."

D averted her eyes, "It's none of your concern, Dr. Mikamura."

"It's Kyofu, isn't it?" Rain frowned, "You said something he didn't like again?"

"I said it's none of your concern!" D repeated, her voice louder.

"It is when I'm one of the top GS Scientists. They may say that weapon maintenance is my job, but what I see before me is no weapon at all," Rain retorted, tucking her hair. "I see a young girl who is being abused."

D's eyes softened as she turned to address Rain, "I... I just don't understand. Why does Prof. Kyofu hate Dr. Gebok so much? What reason does he have to hate him?"

"Well, I don't know much about that. But I can answer this: he's an unhappy man," Rain sighed. "And he resents it when people around him find happiness, particularly Gebok and yourself. He feels that if he can't have happiness, then no one else should."

"Happiness..." D muttered in thought. "Has anyone in GIN-SHOCKER ever felt happiness?"

"Probably," Rain shrugged. "But then again, the happiness you're referring to is often never good."

"_Dr. Rain Mikamura, you are needed at the G-Tech Tower immediately,"_ a voice from the surrounding speaks said.

Rain sighed, "Now what do they want?" She then smiled at the young girl as she ruffled D's hair. "Well, see you later kid." She walked over to the automatic door, which opened as she walked through. The door closed after Rain exited, leaving D to her thoughts again.

"Happiness?" D muttered. "Is it really that important?"

* * *

><p>Gebok had gone back to visit Shinichi, who was strapped to a chair to prevent him from escaping. Shinichi glared at him with utter loathing. Dr. Gebok was the cause for all his misery so there was no love lost. All Shinichi could feel towards him was resentment as he despised the scientist with every fiber of his being.<p>

"Now, before we begin the process, there's something I want you to know. It's about what happened to your father," said Gebok.

Shinichi eyed Gebok, "What do you know about him?"

"I know how he died," Gebok answered, causing Shinichi's eyes to go wide. "I figured you deserve to know before we begin the process."

"Shut up," Shinichi threatened.

"BLACK 13, you killed your own father," Gebok grinned.

Shinichi's eyes widened with horror before he roared, trying to break free from his restraints, "THAT'S A LIE! A LIE! YOU'RE A LIAR, GEBOK!" Gebok ignored Shinichi's cries of outrage and prepared the machine which would put Shinichi in his armor and sedate him. All the while, Shinichi was shouting curses at him. "LET ME OUT OF THIS CHAIR SO I CAN KILL YOU! LET ME SEND YOU TO HELL! GEBOK! GEBOOOOOK!"

* * *

><p>"Hey, Mizore," began Kurumu.<p>

"Yeah?" Mizore responded. Both were in the Hive Queen's locker room together. Since their school uniforms were not suitable for a rescue mission of this magnitude, they were given black jackets made of a flexible, leather-like matherial and matching shorts with combat boots. Mesh stockings were also included and the outfits had armor padding stitched within.

"You ever wonder why we're here?" Kurumu asked.

"Well, we're here to help rescue Shinichi," answered Mizore.

"No, I mean...when you first got into Youkai Academy, you were thinking of finding a husband. When I first got in I wanted to form a harem to find my future soulmate. Then we found him," Kurumu answered.

"Yes," said Mizore. "We did."

"We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into, did we? Do you have any regrets? Any doubts?" Kurumu asked.

"None," said Mizore. "Because I know that if we were ever in trouble, Shinichi would do the same for us."

"Yeah, you're right," Kurumu smiled. "If we ever got captured, he'd storm in with guns blazing to rescue us."

The door opened and Lina entered. She was in her armor, with her helmet tucked underneath her arm. The two girls looked to her as she stared back. "Are you both ready?" Lina asked.

"We are," said Kurumu. "Why wouldn't we?"

"Because this is pretty much a military operation," said Lina. "I don't want to discourage you but you might be in way over your head with this. Besides, this isn't the kind of thing for high school girls."

"So you just want us to give up?" Mizore asked.

"I was thinking you should put this mission in more capable hands, especially in well-trained hands," Lina argued. She continued, "But I can't really stop you, can I?"

"No, you can't," smirked Kurumu.

"Just don't get yourself killed," Lina cautioned. "I doubt he could survive another heartbreak." The death of anyone close to him had driven him mad with grief. Even if he had not been expressive, Kuro could still feel a bond with his teammates and partners. It was the only thing that Gebok couldn't get rid of.

"We won't die," Mizore swore. "Dying at this point would mean dishonoring everything Shinichi had ever done for us. I mean, I tried to take him against his will. He should hate me because it was something GIN-SHOCKER had done to him. But he doesn't hate me and despite my actions he saved me."

"Same here," said Kurumu. Trying to Charm him months ago had not turned out well and after learning what had been done to him, she felt disgusted with herself. However, Shinichi's love for her made her forget about it and she'd won his heart without any dirty tricks.

Lina smiled, "That's good to hear." She was happy. Kuro, or Shinichi as he preferred to be called now, had indeed found a group of loyal friends who would risk their lives for him.

"_Excuse me, ladies, but it is time to go_," Phyllis spoke to them.

* * *

><p>As Moka-sama stood in the hangar bay of the Hive Queen, she looked at the polished wall next to her to see her Outer Self staring back at her from the reflection.<p>

"_Let's do this. Let's save Shinichi-kun,_" said Moka.

Moka-sama nodded. She was dressed like Kurumu and Mizore and her boots had steel toes and armor plating on them to add more damage when she used her signature kicks. "They're going to be sorry that they crossed me."

The others soon arrived to the hangar, all ready to head to Baghdad. The team consisted of the ex-NUMBERS with Phantom, She-Liger, Mega, Qiao, Gin, Kurumu, Mizore, Shiroha, Haruhi, Gemma, Katsumi, Hime, Reiri, Rias, and Akeno.

"Are we good to go?" Zero asked.

Carmen was already in the cockpit, with her helmet on her head and Mia on her shoulder. She was their assigned pilot for this mission. She answered, "Yeah, just running final checks now." She was checking all the gauges and systems. Fuel was full and everything was alright, which included shielding, weapons and defence systems which included the cloaking system.

"Just promise not to crash us," joked Sonix only for Arachnea to elbow his stomach.

"Not appropriate," the Tarantula Rider hissed. Carmen had enough issues about her flying skills on her own. She didn't need someone adding to them.

"Alright, everybody onboard," Carmen called. The Pelican's rear bay door opened up and they all entered before taking their seats. There was plenty of seating space for them. Fortunately. "Just strap yourselves in and get ready for departure."

Arachnea took her seat as co-pilot behind Carmen, who looked over her shoulder to smile at her friend. Carmen continued, "OK, everyone. We'll be departing for Baghdad pretty soon. Make sure your harnesses are on tight. Oh, and this might be a good time to use the bathroom because there is none on this flight. We don't even have inflight movies or snacks. Oh, and if you feel nauseous then too bad because we don't include barf bags either. And in case of a water landing, your fellow passenger may be used as a floatation device. In case of a crash landing, pray to whatever deity or divine being you worship and brace for impact." As she said all this, sweatdrops and at least a few panics filled the air.

"Does she really have to say all that?" asked Armadillo, getting even more nervous. He was already starting to sweat under his armor.

"I think it's a way for her to calm herself down," said Zero.

"Yeah, and freak us out even more," added Breaker.

"Hey, she really isn't a bad pilot, is she?" Shiroha asked. "I know this is a bad time to say this but... this is my first flight."

"It's not her flying that you should worry about. It's her landing skills," said Zero. "Luckily, this ship has an auto-landing system. It's absolutely foolproof."

Kurumu shivered a bit. She wasn't used to planes. She still couldn't understand how a big hunk of metal could fly. It took her awhile to get used to the Hive Queen when she learnt it was flying all the time.

"OK, Dr. Washam. We are wheels up and engines hot. Please open hangar doors," Carmen requested.

* * *

><p>"Roger that, Carmen. Good luck," Carl nodded from one of the monitors of the main bridge.<p>

"Good luck, everyone. Bring my baby boy and nephew home," Shiori spoke from a seat next to him.

"_Roger that,"_ Carmen answered.

"Just remember to come back safely," said Nekonome-sensei. They were still her students after all.

"May God guide you all," Asia added.

"I still wish I could go," Ren huffed as she sat on one of the chairs in the bridge.

"Yeah, me too," said Yukari, her feet dangling as she sat in another chair.

"I understand how you girls feel, but Yukari is still a child, while you Ren are only human," Dr. Magi told them. "We couldn't allow you both to be put in such danger."

"I know, I know," sighed Ren. "I just hate feeling so damn useless." Next to her, Sora nodded silently.

"Well, I think I know what we should do," said Flannery. "We should organize a party to celebrate when they come back."

"A party?" Karin questioned. "Are you sure that would be appropriate?"

"Do you doubt them?" Flannery asked.

"Papa is the strongest!" Tamao cheered.

"See? Even she believes in them," Flannery pointed out.

"Leon, Yuto, Koneko, Gasper, and Aphrodite are standing by for the Warp Portal right now," Dr. Magi informed, "Once the Portal is activated, the signal will alert guards and they'll zero in on them. Once that happens, you need to reach the tower as quickly as you can." He addressed the second team, "Are you ready?"

"Yes, we're ready," said Leon. He wasn't in his armor. For something as simple as playing distraction, he wouldn't be needing it."Fire up the Warp Portal."

"On my mark then," Dr. Magi nodded. Three... two... one... mark!" The Warp Portal shined through, and Leon and his group jumped in quickly. The Portal soon closed as quickly as it opened.

"Alright, that's your cue," Carl radioed in.

* * *

><p>"Got it. Carmen out," Carmen nodded as she fired up the engines. The Pelican's engines fired up and it ascended before the vertical engines turned horizontal and shot the dropship out of the hangar. She pushed the throttle and it shot through the air at high speeds. The passengers could already feel the turbulence shaking them.<p>

Kurumu was hyperventilating in her seat. Her face had become as blue as her hair and her pupils had dilated. Her chest bounced up and down as her breathing shot up and she gripped onto her harness hard.

"Hey, what's wrong with her?" Armadillo asked.

"I think she's scared of flying," said Seras.

"But she's got wings! She flies all the time!"

"I don't think she's used to flying in a plane. Can't say I blame her though. I still don't like flying all that much."

"She's not the only one," Sonix pointed. Qiao was screaming out at the top of her lungs while next to her Reiri looked like she was about to puke. "We really should've tested them to see how they handled flying."

"We were on a tight schedule," said Seras. "Besides, they'll get used to it...eventually."

"Hey, Sheila. Are you in here?" Carmen asked.

Sheila appeared as her holographic avatar, "_I'm here. What do you require?_"

"Could you plot a spot where we can land? Not too close so they can detect us but not too far either," said Carmen.

"_I've already brought up the map of the target area. Please, wait a moment_," said Sheila. _"I have found a spot. Entering coordinates now."_

"Thanks, Sheila. You really make flying much easier," Carmen smiled.

"Myah!" agreed Mia.

"_You're welcome, Michiru. It is nice to be appreciated_."

* * *

><p>Shinichi was in a chair, his arms, neck and legs bound so he wouldn't escape. They emitted a low frequency EMP to prevent him from moving, freezing him in his seat. Covering his entire body was his BLACK 13 armor helmet which was connected to a computer via wires attached to the back of his helmet. The computer was currently reprogramming Shinichi but the process was slow. Trying to rewrite his brain wasn't easy when the subject was resisting. However, the computer would be able to break Shinichi's resistance eventually. The door hissed opened and Kuyou walked in with a smug grin, hands in his pockets.<p>

"Look at the mighty Shinichi Banabara now," Kuyou taunted as he looked at Shinichi with a arrogant and self-satisfied smirk, sneering at him mockingly. "Thought you could get away with making me look like a fool back then? Look's like I have the last laugh now."

"Kuyou-san, move aside," ordered Hitomi Ishigami, former Art Teacher of Youkai Academy and now Madame Medusa, an elite member of GIN-SHOCKER. It was all because of her that Shinichi was in this state since she was able to capture Shinichi. Actually, Shinichi had given himself up willingly but only because Madame Medusa hadn't given him a choice but to give up or watch his mother die at her hands.

"I still don't understand why they would want Banabara alive," said Kuyou.

"Then you don't understand his potential, Kuyou," said Ishigami. "He is capable of so much destruction and, unlike you, actually has experience in killing humans." Kuyou bristled. It was true while Kuyou hated humans he hadn't exactly killed one before. "He has such a high body count, Kuyou-san. You should learn from him. He is practically your sempai."

Kuyou snorted in dismissal, offended by the very suggestion. "The day I follow Banabara's orders is the day I die."

"Which might come sooner than you think," Ishigami warned. She tapped Shinichi's helmet. "I wonder what's going on in his mind right now..."

* * *

><p><em>Inside Shinichi's mind, he was being tortured in the worst way possible. He was being forced to confront his memories, the ones he'd tried to put behind but failed.<em>

"_MAKE THEM STOP! MAKE THE VOICES STOP!" Shinichi screamed as he clutched his head while on his knees in pain. "PLEASE, IT HURTS! THE VOICES! IT HURTS!"_

* * *

><p>It was already twilight in the city of Baghdad. The G-Tech Tower was the tallest building in the city, completely towering over the Ishtar Sheraton Hotel. In the eyes of the public, it was a computer and electronics entertainment development facility, but in truth it was a front for one of GIN-SHOCKER's R&amp;D labs which specialised in weaponry. That was where Shinichi and Yuji were being kept before they can be transported to GIN-SHOCKER's main HQ.<p>

Qiao, Mizore, Kurumu, Gin and Moka-sama were hiding in an alleyway opposite the building. Guards were patrolling around the perimeter of the building, armed and dangerous. "Alright, this is the place," Qiao whispered.

"So, how do we get in?" Kurumu asked.

Mizore smirked. "I know what to do."

Four GS-Soldiers walked by the alley, only to suddenly be grabbed by an invisible force and pulled into the alley. And then the sounds of punching and kicking erupted. And before long, silence. Around half a minute later, five GS-Soldiers emerged out of the alley. They marched to the entrance and gave the GIN-SHOCKER salute. The guards saluted back. One of the guards passed his ID through the scanner and the door opened, giving them access. The GS-Soldiers saluted again and marched inside as the door closed behind them.

One of the soldiers let out a feminine sigh, "I can't believe that worked."

"To be fair they were too busy looking at your boobs," another soldier with a cool female voice pointed out. They had entered the lobby when one of them broke away.

"Where are you going?" asked the one with a smooth male voice asked.

"I'm going to look for Shinichi," said the one with a mature feminine voice.

"But we still have to get the others," said the last feminine voice. The lone soldier ignored her and went on her way.

* * *

><p>Yukari was in the Hive Queen, monitoring alongside Dr. Magi, Carl, Shiori, Nekonome, Asia, Ren, Sora, Flannery and Karin. She reported, "The infiltration team has entered, and Leon-san's already started on the diversion."<p>

"Good," nodded Dr. Magi.

"Wait, it looks like Moka-san's going off on her own," said Yukari.

* * *

><p>Leon marched right into the lobby, which didn't go unnoticed by some of the guards. One of them, a GS-Soldier, walked up to him and said in Arabic, <em>"I'm sorry, but this building is for personnel only."<em>

Leon looked at him and drew his sword. The GS-Soldier realized this was a threat and started calling for backup. The GS-Soldiers came and surrounded Leon and he narrowed his eyes. He then pulled his goggles over his eyes and said to the soldiers, "Come on, hit me with your best shot." The group's plan called for a distraction, and Leon volunteered. He stood, surrounded by guards. Two guards had their guns trained on him. In a blink of an eye their heads were cut clean off, a fountain of blood squirting from their necks.

"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth...and Punishment of Death for Evil. Now rise from the depths...Kage no Shi!" Leon now brandished Kage no Shi, in its released state, proud and intimidating. "They wanted a distraction, so let's get to work."

He then started viciously attacking the guards, causing an alarm, and sending all the guards down to the lobby.

Meanwhile, Yuto, Koneko, Gasper, and Aphrodite were dealing with the other set of guards that went after them. They were noticed and labeled as intruders that needed to be dealt with.

"He really has everything covered, doesn't he?" Yuto admired as he kicked off a guard.

"Oh, Leon never needs help, or so he claims. He always works alone," said Aphrodite, blasting another guard with a water ball. "He's used to fighting many opponents by himself."

"You don't say?" Yuto smiled. Just as five guards all charged at him with weapons drawn, he vanished into thin air. As the guards all looked around in confusion, slashes appeared on them and they splashed out blood before falling on the floor flat. Yuto reappeared where he stood, swinging his sword to flick the blood off.

"_Meraviglioso!"_ Aphrodite praised, "You'd make a good sparring partner for Leon!" She reached for her hair and removed two clam shells, gripping the ends as blue blades of energy materialized before she chucked them at some guards like knives.

A guard was buried in the wall by a punch from Leon and he kicked another one into the air before slashing at him rapidly, splattering blood everywhere. He grabbed one charging at him by the throat and smashed him headfirst into the floor. Looking up, he watched momentarily as Aphrodite and the others fended off the other guards that went after them. He at first wanted to do this on his own, though Rias had brought her servants to assist him. He didn't really need any help being a distraction, but the redhead demon told him that the more people there were to cause chaos, the more guards would be sent after them. He had to agree with that logic. Aphrodite, of course, took the opportunity to join in.

Whatever chance they had against GIN-SHOCKER, they could use the lot of it. They were going to tear this place up bit by bit.

* * *

><p>"Fuck, fuck, fuckberrries on a stick!" a GS Soldier shouted as he rushed into the bathroom to unzip his pants. "I knew I shouldn't have had those twenty pints of beer!" Being a cyborg, he was immune to getting drunk and getting hangovers, though that didn't stop him from having an overweight bladder. After finally getting his pants undone, he sighed as he let Mother Nature do the work. No later than that, however, the mirror before him suddenly moved before sinking into the wall. "Ara?" the GS Soldier blinked at what he saw.<p>

Moka-sama stared back at the Soldier with one of her normal stoic stares. Suddenly, she started to grin, showing her frighteningly sharp canines, "Hello."

"ARRRRGGG...!" the GS Soldier shrieked as Moka-sama reached out and pulled him into to the hole. Some struggling was heard before there was a punch and a collapsing sound, indicating a knockout blow. A few short seconds passed before Moka-sama jumped out of the hole, dusting herself off. Unknown to her, a small, sliver bug buzzed around behind her before landing on her bare neck. It quickly bit down, though Moka-sama flicked it off her, the force actually sending it through a wall with a small, smoking hole remaining. With the tiny nuisance gone, she continued forward.

**つづく**

**KAMEN RIDER CHROME: And so the rescue team had been sent to get back the boys. Also, here's the song that the title is based on. The plot of the chap may not fit the song but it was seen fit to include the lyrics as the chapter's title was based on the song.**

_Till I collapse I'm spilling these raps long as you feel 'em_

_Till the day that I drop you'll never say that I'm not killing them_

_'Cause when I am not then I'ma stop penning 'em_

_And I am not hip-hop and I'm just not Eminem._

_Subliminal thoughts when I'm stop sending them women are caught in webs spin and hauk venom_

_Adrenaline shots of penicillin could not get the illing to stop._

_Amoxacilin is just not real enough._

_The criminal cop killing hip-hop filling minimal swap to cop millions of Pac listeners._

_You're coming with me, feel it or not you're gonna fear it like I showed you the spirit of god lives in us._

_You hear it a lot, lyrics the shock is it a miracle or am I just a product of pop fizzing up._

_For shizzle my whizzle this is the plot listen up you bizzles forgot slizzle does not give a fuck._

**KAMEN RIDER BUSHIDO: Just so there is no confusion, most of the Guardians debuted are original characters (Owen, Morgan, Katsu, and Anastasia). Alexander Anderson, Vash the Stampede, and Gildarts Clive are from the Hellsing, Trigun, and Fairy Tail franchises respectively.**


	73. The Rescue: Data Theft

**Chapter 73: Data Theft**

(**Insert Song – Pakistan Run – Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 OST**)

The sun had already set and several loud noises and explosions could be heard from within the G-Tech tower, attracting quite a crowd. The spectators were being held back by the police and a yellow line of tape, keeping them at a distance from the entrance of the tower. A couple of swat cars were also present, showing just how serious the incident was. Aside from the SWAT cars, there were also news crews among the audience reporting the incident worldwide, with more news crews to come. And there were a few helicopters flying around the tower, trying to get a good fix of what was going on with their searchlights.

A huge boom exploded from the entrance to the lobby from beyond the steps, causing smoke and debris to fly outward and the crowd to shriek in shock. One of the officers held a receiver to his face and addressed the crowd in the local language, _"Everyone! Please remain calm!"_ his voice was being projected through a speaker that was on top of his car, _"There has been a sudden accident in the G-Tech tower and we are investigating it at this moment! Right now we need all of you to return to your homes where it is safe! We have this situation under control so I assure you, remain calm!"_

Of course, that's just what the officer wanted everyone to think. The truth was that some very pissed off demons and Cyborgs had invaded one of the branches of a terrorist organization. An organization that had the local media wrapped around their fingers. The police too. GIN-SHOCKER was hiding in the one place no one seems to think of; the public. Now an all out war has begun against them, and the world's fight for survival was in the hands of some very unlikely heroes.

* * *

><p>"Looks like Leon and his group has already begun their assault," Flannery said, looking through the video monitor.<p>

"There's a crowd gathering around the tower!" Sora pointed at another monitor, "It looks like the attack's attracting them."

"With the big-ass tower smacked in the center of the city like that, it's obvious that it would attract people if anything happened to it," Carl said gruffly.

"What about the other group?" Dr. Magi asked.

Ren looked around the screens before she spotted them, "Yeah! They're getting through the back door right now."

"So far so good then," Dr. Magi nodded. "Everything is going according to plan. Let's just hope we don't jinx anything."

* * *

><p>Realizing that they didn't stand a chance in their current forms, the GS-Soldiers began to transform, their clothes shredding to pieces as they assumed their Cyborg Mutant forms. It seemed that GIN-SHOCKER had filled a fraction of their GS-Soldier ranks with Cyborg Mutants as a surprise for anyone who thought they could challenge their foot soldiers.<p>

Leon's eyes simply narrowed. It didn't matter how much bigger or uglier they became, his enemies would be defeated. '_It looks like they were probably expecting us._'

Koneko was moving swiftly, knocking GS-Soldiers into the air with her earth shattering punches. She also broke one's back over her shoulders before discarding him. Despite her petite size, she possessed incredible physical strength. Gasper, in the meantime, had turned into a swarm of bats and was flying around as the guards were shooting at him, much to his horror, though his speed managed to keep him from getting hit.

One of the GS-Soldiers aimed an assault rifle at Koneko and fired without mercy just as she turned around. Unfortunately for the poor sap, the bullets all bounced off of her as if she was unbreakable steel. Still, the Soldier continued firing, hoping to find a weak spot, the shells falling around the small demon's feet. That wouldn't be the case as he soon ran out of bullets, his gun clicking from each squeeze of the trigger.

"Guns won't work on me," Koneko said boredly. Using her Youki, Koneko could toughen her skin and thus make herself bulletproof. Without warning, she leapt at the GS-Soldier and smashed her fist into his stomach. A shockwave sounded from the blow and the Soldier gasped in pain before he was sent flying through several columns before crashing into a wall. Koneko landed in a crouch and stretched her arm with a bored expression. "How weak."

When Rias had called her and the others for assistance, Koneko was slightly surprised when she learnt this was a mission to save the life of a childhood friend. Rias had not once mentioned Shinichi but then again it hurt just to think of the boy she loved like a little brother when he went missing all of a sudden.

She kept to herself most of the time, and hardly showed any form of emotion to anyone. However, she had a great deal of respect and looked up to Rias, both her master and club president. She was highly loyal to her and was more than willing to help save her surrogate brother. Asia, Yuto and Gasper all agreed.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Ishigami and Kuyou were watching the security feed. "Hm... looks like the party has started," Ishigami said with mild amusement.<p>

Kuyou didn't answer as he snarled as he saw that it was Leon. He wanted payback against the Shinigami for humiliating him so and changing the divine order of his Student Police. He didn't even deserve to hold that title or position. Kuyou was the Captain, not some upstart who thought he could change the ironclad rules of the Student Police!

"Gaijin, you will die for mocking the Student Police," Kuyou swore as he gritted his teeth.

"Yes, yes, we get the point. You hate Banabara, Smith, and all the Riders. We get it. There's no need to stew over it," Ishigami responded dryly.

Kuyou just gave the woman a glare before he resumed watching the screen and said, "Whatever you say. I'll deal with him myself."

"Good idea," Ishigami agreed. "But why don't you take some Cyborg Mutants to back you up?"

"Like I need a bunch of former humans helping me," Kuyou snorted. "I'm fine by myself. I can take him on my own."

"I suggest you take my advice, after all GIN-SHOCKER has zero to low intolerance for failure," Ishigami warned.

"They don't scare me," Kuyou scoffed.

"Then you have clearly not met or felt the Great Leader's presence before," Ishigami replied before she shivered a bit. She had felt the Great Leader's presence briefly and had been terrified of it. But at the same time, she was in awe and admiration to the leader's power. It was just awe-inspiring.

"Oh please," snorted Kuyou arrogantly, "What could the Great Leader do to me? I am a Kitsune; an elite Youkai!"

"True, but the Great Leader is an ancient evil that has existed for a very long time. So crossing that person is a major no-no," Ishigami explained.

"Whatever," Kuyou rolled his eyes, "Now if you'll excuse me, I will move out without _any _backup." He turned away and left.

"Kuyou-san, you are going to find yourself in an early grave with that attitude," Ishigami sighed, following him out.

**(End Song)**

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, the rest of the infiltration team had gone through the backdoor. Being trained at infiltration a long time ago, they had an easy time sneaking in. Though, it was easier for some rather than others. They each had their assignments. They were going to wreck this place.<p>

"OK, this is where we split up," spoke Phantom. "Since we're in GS territory, they're sure to monitor our comlinks. So, I'll set up a telepathic network with all you guys and serve as the hub. Now, you all know what to do. You were all given your assignments."

"Right, break shit," Armadillo frowned.

"Are you still complaining about _that_?" Sonix asked.

"I just thought my talents would be better suited for something else," remarked Armadillo.

"What other talents do you have?" Arachnea asked.

Slasher beeped several times, reminding them that they had a job to do and could not afford to waste anymore time.

"Chiaki's right. Come on, Hana. We got a dragon to save," said Seras promptly.

"Please save Onii-sama," said She-Liger.

"You got it," promised Seras.

"Shogo, deploy your drones please," Phantom said. She had read the NUMBERS' files and Shogo's forte was reconnaissance.

Zero nodded and opened up a panel on his left gauntlet, revealing a touchpad inside. He hit a few keys and a total of seven robotic wasps appeared around him. "Done. The drones will scout around the facility and display everything they see on our HUD."

"So now we can see what we're up against. Good." Phantom then regarded their non-Cyborg allies: Shiroha, Haruhi, Gemma, Katsumi, Hime, Reiri, Rias, and Akeno. "You all know what to do, right?"

"I'm going with Yokoshima," said Shiroha.

"I'm with Chiaki," said Gemma.

"I'm paired with Shogo," said Katsumi.

"And I'm joining Daichi," said Haruhi, hooking arms with Sonix.

"We're going to save Shinji-kun too," said Rias firmly. They would not lose him again.

"Agreed," seconded Hime, armed with her trademark chainsaw.

Phantom watched them go, splitting off to perform their assignments.

Phantom spoke out with a telepathic message, speaking to the other members of their infiltration team which had gone through the front door. '_Do you hear me loud and clear?_'

It was Gin who answered, '_Yeah, we're here. __But why are we hearing you in our heads and not through the comlinks?'_

'_We're in enemy territory, so we need an alternate means of communication and this is the one way we can all stay in touch without being heard by the enemy_,' Phantom explained.

'_Oh, OK then_,' said Ginei. '_Well, __we kinda split up. Moka, Kurumu and Mizore went to look for Shinichi. I'm here with Qiao._'

'_Ginei, do you remember your assignment?_' questioned Phantom.

'_Of course I do. You told me to destroy their Youkai DNA samples and that's what I'm going to do,_' Gin replied. '_Uh-oh._'

'_What do you mean 'uh-oh'?_' Phantom asked. There was no response. '_Ginei? Come in! Respond!_'

* * *

><p>"Well, what do we have here?" sneered Kuyou as he spotted Gin and Qiao. He had been making his way to the ground floor when he bumped into them. He sniffed the air. "Ah, so it's you Morioka."<p>

"Dammit," Gin cursed as he removed the mask he was wearing. Even disguised as GS-Grunts couldn't hide their scent from Kuyou. Qiao dismissed her shapeshifting disguise as well to regard the Kitsune standing across from her with disdain.

"I was thinking of going down to the lobby to take out some pests, but I think you'll both do for a warmup," Kuyou grinned, flames radiating off his fingertips.

"Damn..." Qiao frowned, switching to her Hybrid form.

Kuyou cocked an eyebrow, "Oh, and what's this? Another Kitsune? What's an elite Youkai like you doing with a band of losers?"

"It's a matter of opinion," Qiao answered. "These people are my friends, and if anyone messes with them, I'll kick their ass!" Her eyes narrowed, "And you, I can't believe you'd turn yourself into a machine just because someone kicked _your _ass! You suck!"

"I did what I did to ensure my supremacy!" Kuyou snapped.

Qiao snorted, "Oh please! The only reason you let these guys turn you into a Cyborg was because you got beaten in a fight, by a human! Humans aren't weak creatures to be looked down upon, they're in fact just as frightening as the rest of us monsters and demons! You couldn't stand the fact that you got beat by one of the humans you looked down on so you forsaken your own powers to make room for cybernetic ones! It just proves how weak you are!"

Kuyou's brow furrowed in anger as he gritted his teeth, his canines nearly snapping from his rage. "Just shut up and die!" he roared, flames surrounding his body as his tails appeared.

"You first, wimp!" Qiao shot back, solar light engulfing her body.

Gin gulped at the two foxes' auras. This was going to be a clash between two Kitsunes. Despite being an S-Class monster himself, he was wondering whether or not he should get involved.

Kuyou roared as he cupped his hands together and fired a beam of flames. Qiao shouted as she mimicked his moves and fired a blast of solar energy. Both powers of pure heat collided and exploded into a huge orb of gold and orange light before...

**BLAMMO!**

The explosion blasted everything surrounding them into an oblivion, the walls and windows shattering instantly. Gin grunted as he shield himself from the debris. The uniform, apparently, was very durable as it deflected anything that was thrown at it.

The smoke suddenly dispersed and Kuyou lowered his hand. "Pretty good. As expected from a member of an elite race of Youkai... even if she's been softened by humans," Kuyou complemented. Flames engulfed him as he twisted around and transformed into his flaming Kitsune form. "Now, show me what you got," he growled.

Qiao backflipped as she moved into her own golden Kitsune form, "Gladly!" she shouted back.

Both Kitsunes charged at each other and connected into a headlock, trying to force the other to submit by pushing hard on the head, growling loudly as they did so. With that not working, both jumped backwards, with Kuyou landing on a damage platform. He opened his mouth and fired a rapid burst of fire balls that pelted along the ground. Qiao strafed to the side as she fired blasts of solar energy from her mouth. Kuyou quickly jumped off just as the platform exploded and continued his assault. Both five-tailed Kitsunes continued shooting at each other with blasts of heat.

Seeing that the shootout wasn't going anywhere, Qiao sent out a howl as five streams of light suddenly shot out from underneath her and homed on to Kuyou. The male Kitsune stood his ground as a barrier of flames surrounded him and deflected them all.

"Yo shitface!" Kuyou looked up and saw what appeared be a spinning ball of fur falling right on top of him. Dismissing his barrier, Kuyou jumped to the side just as the ball crashed down. The smoke cleared out and the Werewolf, Gin, walked out of the crater. Growling, he sped forward and around Kuyou. The Kitsune Cyborg was unable to track his movements and ended up getting slashed from all sides, annoying him greatly.

"Eat this!" Kuyou roared as he fired a stream of flames from his mouth. Gin just barely avoided getting burnt as he rushed in further, but Kuyou didn't let up on the lethal inferno as he continued adding onto the heat.

"You think that's gonna hit me?" Gin taunted before running up on a wall with the attack still tailing him. He bounced off and came down with an axe kick aimed for Kuyou.

"Pointless!" Kuyou shouted as his flames erupted around to form a geyser of fire. Gin quickly rebounded and flipped over to the side, watching as Kuyou returned to his Hybrid form. Qiao walked up next to the Werewolf, also back in her Hybrid form. "Neither of you can stop me! I've become much stronger than any of you can hope to become!" boasted Kuyou.

"We'll see," Qiao challenged, rushing forward with right next to Gin.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, in the main control room, the scientists who were watching the surveillance monitors got wind of the attack. "What the hell is going on out there?!" the scientist in charge demanded. He was the only one of them in his Cyborg Mutant form; he had the appearance of a raven, with silver steel feathers covering his body, hands curled in sharp claws with equally sharp talons on his feet.<p>

Dr. Mikamura, who was looking at the feed from her monitor answered, "It appears that we're under attack..."

"No shit, Sherlock!" Metal Ravenborg snapped. "Damn, they must be here to retrieve BLACK 13 and that Dragon!" He ordered shrilly, "Don't just sit there! Send GIN-SHOCKER Angel Alita to intercept then, on the double!"

"Y-yes sir," Mikamura nodded, typing the command quickly at her terminal.

"Sir! There are several more intruders infiltrating the tower!" another scientist claimed.

"On screen! Now!" Metal Ravenborg ordered. The main screen in the center showed Mega and She-Liger fighting their way up some stairs. "Just what we need, more Riders! Send Valkyrie Strikers KOS-MOS and Telos to get rid of those two first!"

"Yes sir!" all the scientists, but one, obeyed. Mikamura looked on to the footage at the two Riders and then glanced back to the carnage in the lobby. Maybe this is the only chance she had to finally break out of this hellhole.

* * *

><p>Mega and She-Liger were racing up a spiral staircase, knocking any Cyborg Mutants in their path off the staircase and down to the long abyss below. Their assignment was to find any sort of master computer and hack it to retrieve any useful information they could find and use to their advantage. After that was done, Mega would infect the computer with a virus that would destroy everything electronic in the tower.<p>

She-Liger was slashing at the Cyborg Mutants with her gauntlet and boot-mounted claws, tearing them new holes to bleed out of. She even went as far as to grab one of the beast's by the leg, pulled it onto its back before ramming her claws into its manhood, causing it to screech in pain. Mega, in the meantime, slashed and stabbed at the Cyborg Mutants with his Photon Debugger, which hummed and glowed as he swung with each stroke. Growling, he kicked off a Cyborg Mutant from his sword. "Damn, where is that terminal?!"

"It's a big tower, Netto," She-Liger said, tossing another Cyborg Mutant off the spiral staircase, "There could be almost hundreds of computers here."

"I know that," Mega frowned, slashing at another attacker, "But... ARG!" He flinched as the sound of static invaded his ears, "That noise again!"

"What noise?" She-Liger asked, backhanding a beast.

"It's..." Mega began, but paused as he noticed a neon arrow pointing at the next door before them. "This way!" He raced up to the door with She-Liger close behind him. Kicking it off its hinges, both he and She-Liger entered the hallway. The hallway was metallic blue. The floor, walls and ceiling were all the same metallic blue. Blue neon lights lined up against the walls and ceiling. Looking ahead, he saw some Elite Guardsmen rushing at them, weapons drawn. Charging midway, he got on his hands and spun around wildly like a top, knocking the Soldiers into the air. She-Liger, seeing this, jumped after the airborne GS-Elites and slammed their heads hard onto the floor.

"Do you know where you're going?" She-Liger asked.

Mega looked left and right, pondering on the split road ahead of them. An arrow appeared on the floor and it pointed to the left. "It seems like someone is trying to help us from the inside," Netto guessed.

"Is it a good idea to follow it?" She-Liger questioned, looking at the arrow suspiciously. "It might be a trap."

"Maybe not, but we don't really have the time or much of a choice right now," Mega shrugged. "Let's go!" She-Liger nodded and followed the arrow.

* * *

><p>The fight with Kuyou had spilled out into one of the bio labs, conveniently the one where Youkai DNA was stored. The transformed Werewolf and Huli Jing traded blows for blows against the Cyborg Kitsune, who hadn't even transformed into his armor as he arrogantly figured that he wouldn't be needing it. As much as he hated Shinichi for ruining his righteous rule on Youkai Academy, he also hated Leon for making the Student Police weaker. He would've gone down there to deal with his successor for round two, but he had bumped into these two instead.<p>

It made no difference. He would burn them to to a crisp as payback and then he'd go finish off Leon and Shinichi when their turn came. He didn't care what GIN-SHOCKER wanted with Shinichi. Even though he was working for them, he considered membership with them as a way to get his revenge on Shinichi. He could kill Shinichi and make it look like an accident. He would not be punished and nobody would suspect foul play. With thoughts of revenge on his mind, Kuyou was even more determined to destroy all his foes.

Gin swiped his claws and threw kicks at the insane cybernetic Fox Spirit, using his natural speed to match up with Kuyou's cybernetically enhanced abilities. Qiao was with him, also sending several punches and kicks at the enemy. Gin managed to get through an opening and slashed his claws at Kuyou's chest, drawing out blood. Kuyou growled as he backed up and held his chest.

Not a second later, Kuyou raised his arm and it transformed into a lethal-looking cannon. He then fired rapid shots of flames at his two targets, prompting Qiao and Gin to scatter about to dodge. The flames caused explosions all around the lab, and even made the floor, walls, windows, and other equipment melt as they were hit. He lowered his cannon, dismissing it for the moment, and stretched his flaming tails out, making them grow in length. He swung them around like whips, laughing maniacally as his targets scattered about. In consequence, a fire started within the room, making the fight even more heated than it was already.

"Hehahahaha! What's wrong?" Kuyou laughed as he continued swinging his tails. "Can't handle the heat? My flames are now hot enough to match the intensity of one hundred live volcanos at full power! Nothing can survive them! This is what you both get for challenging my supremacy!"

"Is that right?" Qiao questioned, ducking from another tail, "Well let me tell you something: there's nothing that's hotter than the brilliant sun!" Her own tails started glowing with vehement golden light before they stretched and shot directly at Kuyou. He jumped up into the air as they hit. The lab was big enough for him to levitate, which was one of the new abilities he gained upon gaining his fifth tail. Qiao looked up at him before jumping into the air and levitating as well. Both Kitsunes glared at each other as their tails stretched out and started to slap against one another, thunderous blows sounding out, as they wrestled for dominance.

"Hey, Qiao!" Gin shouted from down below.

"Stay there!" Qiao shouted back. "I'll handle this!"

"I'll make you eat those words!" Kuyou grinned. One of his tails managed to slip by and slap Qiao upside the head. The Foxgirl snarled as she returned the favor by slapping one of her tails in his face. The two sets of five tails of fire and sun continued to smash against one another as they pushed at one another. It didn't seem like they were giving way.

Kuyou growled as it seemed like this battle wasn't going to end like this, but then he grinned as he got an idea. He hooked his tails onto Qiao's and started to swing her around. Qiao screamed out as she was being tossed through the air before Kuyou slammed her into the ground.

"The strongest body parts of every Kitsune is their tails," Kuyou chuckled as he levitated down. "But my tails are twice as strong as yours it seems."

Qiao spun her legs around before leaping back onto her feet, "Let's see if you can support that claim," Qiao challenged, moving into a Tai Chi stance.

Kuyou grinned as his fists ignited. The orange fox launched a flurry of fireballs at the golden fox. She swerved around the fires and flames as she rushed at him at blinding speeds. Rolling underneath a tail swing, she rocketed her foot into Kuyou's gut, knocking the wind out of him. She moved into a "Phoenix stance" with her legs bent in a crouch and her arms spread out like a bird before flaring her arms and tails around fluidly, twirling herself around as she struck him fast and hard. She jumped into the air before coming down and dancing on his face.

She landed back down before jumping back up, feet first into the air this time. **"Spinning Bird Kick!"** she shouted as she performed an upside down mid-air split and spun around like a helicopter. The kicks hit Kuyou with a rapid amount of damaging impacts before he crashed through some lab equipments, various materials spilling onto him. She was far from finished, however. The moment she landed, Qiao breathed out as she held her palms out and gathered intense blue ki together.

"**Kikosho!"** she yelled as she released a concussive energy blast. The ki blast was so massive that it formed a large blue orb that enveloped her and made a large crater underneath while blowing away the fire in the lab and causing massive craters to form on whatever was left on the walls due to the massive energy output. The Kikosho energy blast did a real good number on Kuyou as he was blasted backwards, knocking him into a wall. Gin, not wanting to be idle, released a sonic howl, indicated from the ripple of sound traveling from his jaws and towards his target, to blast the ex-Student Police Captain even further through several more walls.

"Woah, not bad..." Qiao mused as she peered through the holes.

"Not too shabby yourself," Gin said, "But I had some aggressions of my own to deal with him. After all, you, Shinichi and Leon can't have all the fun with him."

"Well, whatever then," Qiao shrugged. "Come on, let's go." The both turned to leave through the door when suddenly...

**SHOOOM!**

A pillar of red hot flames suddenly escaped out of the series of holes, causing them both to spin around in shock. The pillar of fire slowly died down, and Blazing Fox waked out from it, straight towards the fox and the wolf. Kuyou had transformed and wearing his cybernetic armor meant that he wasn't going to be holding back anymore.

"Oh crap," Gin almost squeaked.

"You think this is over?!" Blazing Fox demanded with a snarl, "You're both DEAD wrong!" Flames erupted from his feet as he propelled himself forward. "BURN IN HELL!"

* * *

><p>Mega and She-Liger walked inside the main computer terminal room, looking left and right at the machines before them. "Looks like the arrows did their job," Mega mused.<p>

"Yeah, imagine that," She-Liger nodded. She was still suspicious of the arrows and their convenience but could not doubt that they had led the two Riders to their primary objective.

"Well, no time to gawk. Let's see what we can find," Mega said, walking up to the largest computer there. Standing in front of it, he reached out his hand as three holes opened in his palm. Three wires slithered out of the holes and attached to the ports on the computer. Files on the screen before him popped up rapidly as he began hacking the computer, "Alright. I'm downloading now. Can you stand watch and be my lookout, Yuki?"

"Got it," She-Liger nodded. Suddenly, the door was blown opened. She-Liger ducked under the flying door and looked at the guards who were arriving. "Speak of the devil."

The one's responsible for the break in were two tall and slender beauties, both of them apparently in their late teens to early twenties. They both looked the same, almost like twins, but they both had very distinguishable features. Their uniforms were also very provocative.

The girl on the right was fair skinned with ruby red eyes and long electric blue hair which reached down to her knees, although it also had a cowlick on top. She was wearing a leotard that seemed to resemble a very short qípáo. The color of the leotard was mostly white with blue fabric keeping her breasts together, as well as some bronze metal pieces jutting along the sides of her ribs and thighs. Her arms were hidden underneath white opera gloves. The base of the opera gloves were pointed into broad, triangular shields with blue highlights. Her legs were covered by black pantyhose that seemed to show off her long legs. Her shin-high boots were high-heeled, metal, and white with bronze nodes at the toes and black and the heels. On her head, she wore a white headpiece that gave of a green glow on the center. The headpiece also had two diamond shaped spikes on each of her ears.

Her partner was even more provocatively dressed. Her skin was dark, and she had aquamarine eyes with equally long silver hair, and a cowlick on top. Her leotard was completely black, with three purple metal pieces strapped along her ribcage. Black shiny square on the surface of the leotard mimicked abs, and bronze metal were lined across them. The bronze plating also also went around the top of her leotard, which completely showed off her cleavage. She was also wearing black opera gloves. On the base of her left glove was a broad, triangular spike with purple and red highlights and over her forearm was a small black shield with red and purple highlights. Moving down to her legs, she had red straps wrapped around them. She was also wearing stockings, though the left stocking was slightly longer that the right. Her feet had on short ankle high black boots, both with high heels and red & purple highlights. Her headpiece was mainly purple with another core in the center. While her partner stood tall, she had her right hand on her hip, lightly tapping her left thigh with her fingers.

They were two of GIN-SHOCKERS newest corpsmen, the Valkyrie Strikers: KOS-MOS and Telos.

"This is just great!" She-Liger frowned, "One of the guards must've called for reinforcements!"

"Keep them busy!" Mega told her, "I still have to download this stuff before I can upload the virus!"

The two Valkyrie Strikers both glanced at one another before charging into the room, with She-Liger going straight into the defensive. KOS-MOS came up first, constantly bombarding She-Liger with a series of brutal punches. She-Liger grimaced as she blocked and swerved around the blows. She could feel the punches through her armor. They stung hard. Jumping backwards, she tried to gain some distance, only for KOS-MOS to jump into the air and swing her leg down. She-Liger avoided it in time just to see it break apart a portion of the floor. KOS-MOS followed it up with a quick kick to the face, one that She-Liger just barely avoided by arching her back. KOS-MOS then backflipped on to her and flared her legs at her shielding arms, before landing on her hands and bouncing herself over and behind She-Liger. Telos was up next as she swung her legs hard and wide at She-Liger, the heels of her boots almost grazing her armor. She-Liger countered by kicking away another leg into the air, tossing Telos upward. She flipped to the air and landed in a crouch. Noticing a shadow above her, She-Liger saw KOS-MOS coming down on her with her fist drawn. Reacting quickly, She-Liger rolled along the ground and jumped back to her feet. The two Valkyrie Strikers soon double teamed on her, attacking with combos of punches and kicks. She-Liger fought them both with combos of her own, her attacks connecting with theirs.

Meanwhile, Mega's focus was split. While he was downloading the data, he glanced at the fight. If only he could help then maybe She-Liger could have a better chance at fighting the two Valkyrie Strikers. However, what he was doing was vital to their mission and he could postpone or cancel the download without risk of losing it. He just had to have faith that She-Liger would pull through.

She-Liger leapt backwards and landed on one of the computers, aiming both her palms to shoot beams of ice at the Valkyrie Strikers. KOS-MOS jumped to the side as she pulled out a pistol and fired purple beams at the Rider. She-Liger quickly arched herself to avoid the lasers. Telos followed suit by summoning a large gatling gun on her arm before she fired bullets at the Substitute-Rider. She-Liger quickly jumped and flipped over the shots. Each bullet that passed by her tore through the computer equipment behind her.

"Careful!" Mega shouted.

"Sorry!" She-Liger shouted then jumped off a wall and dove at Telos with a flying kick. The Valkyrie Striker dismissed her gun and sidestepped out of the way, but She-Liger quickly grappled with her, trying to force her to submit.

"Netto! Are you finished downloading yet?" She-Liger shouted over to him.

"I just need a little more time!" Mega answered back, "I've got the data! All I need to do now is upload the spider-bot virus!" He then realized he'd just revealed their plan to the enemy who could hear them. "Fuck!"

Upon hearing that, Telos glanced at Mega before kicking She-Liger in the chest, sending her flying backwards. Telos then rushed at Mega, but She-Liger was quick to react.

"**JAGER FORM!"**

Mega turned around just in time to see Telos rushing up at him, only to see her getting dragged onto her stomach. She-Liger Jager had her hands gripped onto Telos' right leg, and then threw the dark colored Valkyrie Striker into KOS-MOS, who safely caught her. The force of the throw actually caused KOS-MOS to skid backwards before stopping herself and setting Telos down.

"Alright, now its time for overtime," She-Liger growled, slipping another CAS card into her belt buckle.

"**SCHNEIDER-SWORD!"**

Her form switched once more, now to the orange and red form of Schneider-Sword. Gripping the hilts of her swords and pulling them out, Schneider-Sword said, "Hurry up with that virus, will you?"

"Don't rush me! This procedure needs to be precise!" Mega snapped. It seemed she had gotten a lot bossier since Shinichi and Yuji got taken.

Seeing She-Liger draw weapons, KOS-MOS and Telos brought out their own. From her right hand, KOS-MOS activated a blue energy sword. On Telos' left arm, a purple blade jutted out. Kicking her feet on the floor, Schneider-Sword roared and rushed forward on the attack.

* * *

><p>Qiao coughed up blood after being sent crashing into a wall by a flaming fist to her stomach. She wasn't looking too good, with her bruises on her face and her clothing being scorched. Gin was leaning against the other wall. His head was bleeding deeply and he was struggling to get up on his feet. Blazing Fox had completely overwhelmed the both of them after transforming, and was now proceeding to beat them into a pulp.<p>

"HAHAHAHAHA! You're weak! You both are so pathetically weak!" Blazing Fox laughed, still punching Qiao with his fist into her stomach. "I am now beyond that of an S-Class Youkai, now reaching the SS-Class! Both of you are now going to burn!"

"I don't think so, fucker!" Gin howled before zipping in front of Blazing Fox. He delivered an uppercut into his jaw and sent him flying right through the wall. Amazingly enough, Gin's punch had enough power to match Moka-sama's kick.

Blazing Fox picked himself out of the hole. "So, you can still stand, Morioka? Perfect! That means I can have the pleasure of humiliating you once more!"

"No way," Gin growled, "First you and your lackeys attacked and drove away my old friends, the last Newspaper Club, then you've got the gall to do the same with my kohai!" His body began to fill with Youki, his rage and need for retribution on Kuyou becoming his fuel. Unfortunately, despite his energy rising, his body wouldn't be able to last much long. Not with all the damage Kuyou had already dealt to him previously. "I've been waiting a long time for this moment! I'm going to make you pay for every single shitty thing you've ever done!"

Blazing Fox looked down at Gin's legs and grinned, "And how are going to accomplish _that_? You can barely stand." He was right on the mark. Gin's legs were shaking in their place due to all the constant blows. At any moment now his knees would buckle and cause him to collapse, leaving him a sitting duck.

"Then I guess I'll have to go faster than I've ever gone before," Gin replied. "Even if there isn't a full moon right now, I'll be kicking your arrogant ass at warp speed!"

"Go ahead and try then," Blazing Fox dared. As if the Werewolf could do anything to harm him. GIN-SHOCKER cybernetics had granted him even more power than ever before. All his physical and supernatural abilities had been enhanced by their augmentations. What could Ginei Morioka, the loser and pervert, do to him?

"You asked for it!' Gin howled as he rushed forward. He vanished as the floor suddenly got ripped and fragments hovered in the air, creating a trail that lead straight for Blazing Fox. The Cyborg Kitsune jumped into the air just before the trail of torn up steal could catch up to him. Sudden movement leapt out from the dust and joined Blazing Fox in the air. Blazing Fox's head began to ring for a short moment as Gin sent a sonic howl right in his face, blasting him backwards. Gin then curled himself into a ball and rocketed himself forwards, crashing into the airborne Cyborg, sending him flying farther. Gin uncurled and shot around Blazing Fox, resembling only a beam of blue Youki. He shot all over Blazing Fox, attacking from all angles. He shot back up in the air and zipped back down onto Blazing Fox, speeding down like a falling comet.

"Not bad," Blazing Fox complimented with a grunt, "You actually managed to lay hits on me. However..." He flipped himself over, avoiding the flying Werewolf, and kicked Gin straight into the floor just moments later. The Werewolf gasped out as he sank down with a crater forming underneath him. Blazing Fox stomped down on him with a grin, enticing a pained howl out of the Werewolf.

"It appears that you've reached your limit," Blazing Fox grinned. He picked up Gin by his shirt and slammed him against the wall. He pointed his curled fingers as they lit up into flames. "It's been an enjoyable run, but it's time for me to put an end to this game," Blazing Fox declared. "Sayonara, Ginei Morioka. Now, burn in Hell!" He drew his fingers back before thrusting them forward for the final blow...

...Which would've connected if someone hadn't caught his hand.

(**Insert Song – Sanbika– Ikki Tousen: Dragon Destiny OST**)

"Hm?" Blazing Fox turned around and saw Qiao gripping his arm. Her eyes were hidden under her bangs, "Oh, it's you. You up for round two as well?" Qiao didn't answer, and only increased her grip on Blazing Fox's arm. He grunted slightly as he felt the pressure on his arm, "What the hell are you trying to do, you bitch?"

Qiao suddenly flashed a grin, her fangs bright and sharp, before throwing Blazing Fox into the ceiling, sending him into the next floor. He tumbled across the floor as Qiao levitated through the hole he had made.

Blazing Fox got onto all fours as he ignited in flames, enveloping himself in a flaring cloak "I was saving you for last because I thought I'd be able to convince a fellow elite Youkai to join! But since you've shown your true colors, now you can BURN!"

Qiao smiled, giving of a short, innocent giggle, before she flew at him. Blazing Fox pointed his tails forward before firing at her with fireballs. None of the fireballs hit her as she was moving back and forth with blinks of light.

"I can't get a clear shot?" Blazing Fox frowned. Deciding to switch tactics, he engulfed himself in flames once again before separating into small wisps. The wisps circled around Qiao, who stopped and looked at them. The wisps quickly covered her up head to toe, but they didn't stay long as Qiao let out a yell as she replaced them with her light. The wisps reformed back into Blazing Fox as he smashed into the wall. Snarling, he let out a flamethrower from his mouthplate. Qiao opened her mouth as she let loose a golden solar laser to counter the flames. Both attacks struggled against one another, fighting for dominance. The laser was quick to over power the flames as it pushed forward, prompting Blazing Fox to jump out of the way. The laser to a deep hole right through where he was, a smoking gap being all that was left.

Blazing Fox growled as he skidded across the floor. "Screw this!" he bellowed before a tornado of flames surrounded him. The temperature started to climb, so much that the metal hallway started to melt. The lights along the walls and ceilings sparked wildly before shattering due to the immense heat. Qiao didn't seem to be concerned as she looked on with a small grin. The flames died down, revealing that Blazing Fox had activated his artificial tails. "Even you can't survive this kind of heat!" he boasted. "Now turn to ashes!" The generators in his tails charged up before he threw out a wave of volcano level flames, scorching the already melting floor and ceiling as he did. At the very last second, Qiao sidestepped from the flames and let them pass her, her hair blowing as it did. The fire didn't even burn her. Heck, she didn't even get burnt from exposure.

"She dodged it!?" Blazing Fox gaped. "How is this happening!? How is this possible!?" He heard Qiao giving off another giggle. "What was that!? Don't you dare mock me!" Blazing Fox unfolded his claws and began rushing forward. However, he didn't even get within a foot of motion before Qiao suddenly appeared up into his face. "What?!" He ignited his claws and swung fast and hard. Qiao seemed to be dancing around as she jumped about, evading the claws with ease. "What is this?! What's going on?!" Blazing Fox demanded. Before he could continue with his strikes, Qiao grabbed onto his hands and held them up, keeping Blazing Fox at bay. "Arg... you bitch... let go!" Blazing Fox demanded with a snarl. He looked down at her face with a growl, but suddenly froze as he caught a glimpse of her eyes underneath her bangs.

Her eyes were different from the previous gold they used to be. Her sclera and irises had turned pitch black, and her pupils were narrowed and silver. They were looking right at him with lethal intent. Blazing Fox's eyes suddenly widened at the sight.

"Wh... what are you...?" Blazing Fox demanded. "What are you!?"

Qiao grinned again before kicking him in the chest. Blazing Fox's eyes bulged as he was sent flying across the melting ground before landing with a soft splat. He quickly got onto his feet as he watched Qiao slowly walk towards him, still giving him that innocent, yet unsettling giggle.

"What is this...?" he muttered to himself, shaking where he stood. "What is this... bizarre feeling...?" He yelled as he fired volcanic fireballs wildly. Qiao unflinchingly used her tails to slap the balls away as she continued walking forward. Blazing Fox ceased firing as he saw that it was ineffective. "S... somethings different... she's like... a completely different person now..."

Due to his pride, Blazing Fox would not admit that he was scared of anyone. However, despite his arrogance, he was still afraid to die and right now he wasn't sure if he could survive this confrontation. Choosing survival instead of honorable death in combat, he decided not to push his luck any further. It was time to make a tactical retreat. He enveloped himself in a barrier of flames before blasting out the window that was some feet behind him and taking off outside. Qiao watched him go momentarily before a barrier of sunlight manifested around her, and she shot after him.

Down below at the base of the tower, the spectators pointed at the red and gold light balls flying around the building.

Blazing Fox looked back and gasped as he saw Qiao flying after him. "She's following me?!" He spun his arms around before throwing a pair of flame wheels at her. Qiao swung her arm and produced an arc of light to negate the wheels before separating the arc into three balls. She directed them at her target and sent them zipping through the air. Blazing Fox bobbed and weaved around the first and second orbs, but the third managed to graze against his armor. Both Kitsunes shot higher into the air and started striking against one another, thunderous blows echoing out in the sky, appearing to be streaks of light and flame bashing against one another. Cameras were rolling as their lenses were aimed at the sight above them.

Qiao and Blazing Fox bashed against one another with fists flying. The Cyborg Youkai was clenching his fangs as he threw and absorbed attacks, but the Chinese Huli Jing was still wearing that smile and giggling like a child. "How is this possible!?" he asked himself. "Even though I've been cybernetically augmented, she is able to be a match for me! And also... what is this uneasy feeling she's giving me!?" As he moved his fist for another punch to the face, Qiao swerved her head and hooked both her arms to his right arm and placed her foot against his ribs. With one fluid motion, she tore off the arm, causing Blazing Fox to scream out as he held onto stump and backed away. He looked back up at Qiao who carelessly tossed the limp arm away. "It's like... it's like I'm moving exactly where this girl... wants me to move!" Could she be manipulating his reactions? No, that was impossible! Then again, he'd been beaten by a human once before! Though, said human had been cybernetically enhanced. That did not change the fact a human had beaten him. He was learning that there was so much in the world he'd yet to understand and now he was facing something beyond what he knew. It was a frightening feeling, a feeling he hated. He hated feeling weak. The humiliating he'd received from Shinichi had been the start of his downfall. It was the only reason he'd joined GIN-SHOCKER, so he could have the power to avenge his loss and prove he was the superior being.

Qiao gripped her fist before she disappeared and reappeared in front of Blazing Fox and slammed her fist down on his face so hard that his helmet shattered, exposing his full face, and he was sent screaming as he went plummeting down to the roof. There was a loud boom and the dust picked up from the blast.

**(End Song)**

As the dust settled, Kuyou coughed as he held onto the gash painfully once again in his human form as his transformation was cancelled by the impact. And then, there it was. That same innocent laugh. Looking up, he found Qiao staring back at him with her black and silver eyes. Her laughter became more vocal as she held her chin with her fingers and held her other arm behind her back.

"Wh... what's she laughing about now...?" he questioned. "Is it the sight of me... crawling on the ground... that funny... or is she simply amused... by her strength? This laughter... so arrogant and bewitching... and yet at the same time... innocent! And... those eyes... those terrifying eyes...!"

When he had been a cub, he was once told stories of a beautiful, yet dangerous Huli Jing who personally caused the destruction of an empire. She didn't just have her charms to use as a weapon, but she was also one of the three strongest fox demons to ever live. She could cause monsoons with a swing of her tails, destroy mountains with a single shout, and lay waste to an entire forest. Everywhere she went, death and destruction followed.

And with each destruction she caused, she would giggle ever so innocently.

And her eyes were black irises with silver slanted pupils, just like how Qiao's eyes are right now.

Could... could it be that this girl was...was this girl?

A loud scream echoed throughout the entire rooftop that followed into the skies.

* * *

><p>Schneider-Sword swung her swords, blow for blow, as she parried up against KOS-MOS and Telos. The two Valkyrie Strikers were keeping Schneider-Sword on her toes as they slashed at her with great precision. She knocked them both backwards just long enough to put the hilts of her swords together to form a double-bladed lance. The Valkyrie Strikers were quickly on top of her again as she twirled the sword-lance around to deflect their blows. But even then they had no trouble keeping up with her.<p>

"Incredible!" Schneider-Sword exclaimed as she tried to fight them off. "These two are strong! They're a match for the Schneider-Sword Form!" She stabbed the sword-lance into the floor and used it as a pole to swing herself around and kick them off. She landed as the wings from the engines on her back snapped opened. She grabbed the Boomerang Wings and threw it at KOS-MOS. KOS-MOS saw it coming and performed backflips to evade it, but the Boomerang Wings was picking up speed. In the middle of her backflips, KOS-MOS arched her back just enough for the wings to fly right over. The wings flew back around and went back at KOS-MOS, but the woman got on her hands midway in her backflips, jumping off of them high into the air and came back down just as the Boomerang Wings went under her. She landed hard, slamming the Boomerang Wings under her feet and caused the floor to crack in a spider-web pattern.

Telos was up next as a pistol appeared in her right hand. She fired purple energy shots at Schneider-Sword, who deflected each one with her lance. The vernier engines activated and Schneider-Sword flew straight at Telos, holding her lance out forward. Telos held her hands out in front of her and grabbed onto the blade just as it got to her. The force of the attack added with the flaring engines pushed her back several meters before she lifted Schneider-Sword off her feet. Telos spun She-Liger around and sent her flying. KOS-MOS arrived and connected it by punching the airborne Substitute-Rider, sending her in another direction. As she was flying across the room, Mega grabbed her out of the air and set her down.

"You alright?" Mega asked.

"I'm fine," Schneider-Sword nodded. "Did you upload the virus?"

"Done it," Mega answered, "This place will be going down any minute now. We've done our part so let's find a way out of here."

Schneider-Sword turned and saw the two Valkyrie Strikers walking towards them, like predators waiting to pounce. "Let's take care of these two first."

"Right," Mega nodded. "Ryu Henshin!"

"**STORM DRAGON."**

In a flash of green light, Mega had switched to the green form of Storm Dragon, giving him heightened speed, reflexes and access to twin Sai knives. Mega pulled out his weapons, gripping them tightly, "I'll take care one in blue! You deal with the purple one!"

"Got it!" Schneider-Sword nodded. Both of them rushed at the two Strikers at full speed, Schneider-Sword with her engines, and Mega with his wind-granted speed. Mega attacked KOS-MOS with low and fast sweep kicks. When she dodged, he then flipped over and threw down his leg. KOS-MOS caught his foot in her palm and threw him into a wall. Mega quickly landed on the wall, feet first, before leaping back at KOS-MOS, coming down on her with a brutal and rapid moving bicycle kick. KOS-MOS crossed her arms as she shielded herself, the force of the assault pushing her backwards. KOS-MOS countered by grabbing onto his legs and slamming him to the ground, twisting his legs together as she did.

Mega gritted his teeth and unwinded his legs just as quickly, getting onto his hands and kicking KOS-MOS right on the chin. KOS-MOS was sent upwards into the air. A pair of blue energy wings appeared on her back and she flew right down onto Mega, turning so that her feet would be facing down for a kick. Mega made a jumping cartwheel to avoid her just as she came with a loud crash. He skidded along the ground and charged into a dash, vanishing from his sudden speed. It didn't stop KOS-MOS as she brought out her sword once more and clashed it against green streaks that went around her. She kicked her leg up in a back kick and a shout was heard. Mega rocketed through the air and crashed into one of the computers.

Mega groaned as he picked himself up, "She can see through my speed? She must have accelerated vision too..." he muttered to himself.

KOS-MOS rushed at him once more and brought down her sword. Mega quickly stopped it by grabbing the blade in his hands, but was slowly losing the struggle. KOS-MOS also seemed to outclass him in terms of physical strength.

"Damn it..." Mega growled as the blade slowly inched down. "I... can't lose... I need... more POWER!..." All of a sudden, his visors flashed from green to a shimmering gold. KOS-MOS' eyes widened to a fraction of an inch when she noticed. Gold electricity surrounded Mega in crackles of power, flowing in bright light, as Mega slowly pushed the sword back. He kicked KOS-MOS off and slammed both of his palms into her stomach. **"Hakka Soudou Shō!"** he yelled out. A surge of Ki blasted through her abdomen, sending her backwards in a gust of wind. She crashed into the wall, her imprint forming before she fell to the floor.

"N... Netto?" Schneider-Sword blinked in shock. She was in an armlock forced by Telos.

Mega instantly vanished in a spiral of green wind. He reappeared behind Telos, grabbed her by the back of her neck, forcing her to release Schneider-Sword as he did, and slammed her onto the ground. Rubble from the floor flew upward from the very force. He then took Telos by the leg and threw her into KOS-MOS. Without missing a beat, he tapped the core on his belt.

"**FINAL DOWNLOAD."**

A gust of wind surrounded Mega as he took a stance; his legs bent, his feet spread apart, and his Dragon Sais held out in front of him. He jumped upward and curled into a green buzzsaw that looked like it could slice through anything and shot directly at the two Valkyrie Strikers.

But they still had several more tricks up their sleeves. Both KOS-MOS and Telos hooked their arms together and formed a blue and purple barrier around them. The attack hit the shield and grinded against it. The barrier buffered slightly and a mix of blue, purple and gold electricity ruptured out before it suddenly exploded, sending all three back.

Mega landed down in a crouch and the gold on his visors faded back to green before he flickered back to his default state. He panted slightly as he slowly got back up to his legs. "What... was that...?" Mega muttered to himself.

She-Liger had formed back into her default armor as well. "Don't know. But whatever that was it was very helpful."

"Yeah, it was," Mega nodded. They both heard a soft groan as they directed their heads to where KOS-MOS and Telos had landed. They saw KOS-MOS slowly sit up and rub the side of her head. Looking up, she blinked at the sight of both Mega and She-Liger.

Then she said something unexpected, "...Who are you? Where am I?"

"Hm?" She-Liger blinked. She had expected them to recover and resume their assault, not ask such a completely random and out of place question.

"My Gailwave Shutdown must've disabled her programing somehow," Mega realized. "Don't forget, many of the GIN-SHOCKER soldiers were taken against their will then reprogrammed. These two are no different."

"I can't believe it, turning perfectly innocent humans into heartless killing machines," She Liger spat, "They make me sick." Her hatred for GIN-SHOCKER couldn't have gotten any worse but it had. What they had done to Shinichi was just the beginning of her utter loathing for the organization. Telos soon awoke and gazed at the Riders with equal confusion. Suddenly, the computers that were untouched by the battle started exploding in large flashes, causing all to look in surprise. Sirens soon echoed all around the tower. The power seemed to go down as well, with the emergency power generator activating, indicated by red lights replacing the white ones.

"Looks like my virus is doing its job!" Mega exclaimed. He then contacted the Hive Queen via mental link, '_Yukari! Is there anyway for us to get out of here?_'

'_The floor you're on seems to block the teleportation frequency,'_ the Witchling called back. _'You'll have to find a hotspot somewhere in the tower! I'll send you the coordinates to the nearest one, desu!'_

A map of the the tower appeared in the HUDs of both She-Liger and Mega's helmets. A few blinking red dots could be seen on several corners of the many floors. "Alright, the nearest one is a few floors down," She-Liger elaborated.

"Good, let's get out of here," Mega nodded. "And let's take these two with us."

"Are you sure?" She-Liger asked.

"They can't stay here," Mega clarified. He walked up to KOS-MOS and offered his hand. "We're going to get you both out of here. I promise."

KOS-MOS looked at Mega's visors wearily. Somehow, even though she hadn't met him before, she felt that she could trust him. Slowly, she reached out her hand and placed it in his. Mega smiled as he helped her up. She-Liger did the same for Telos. More explosions rocked the computer room, urging the four to rush out, post haste. As soon as they did, the computer room exploded, leaving nothing in its wake.

* * *

><p>Metal Ravenborg held on tight to his seat as another explosion shook the room. "What the hell is going on now?" he demanded over the wails of the sirens. "Hussein! Give me a sitrep!"<p>

"One of the intruders has infected our systems with a spider-bot virus!" a man on another one of the computers explained. "Right now it's spreading through all our data and hijacking our programs!"

"Then activate an anti-virus program!"

"I can't! Everytime I do it adapts and resumes at an accelerated speed! It has become a part of the system!"

"Shit..." Metal Ravenborg frowned. Another explosion echoed in the distance. "Mikamura! I need you to locate that virus and intercept it before it spreads further and cause anymore damage!" There was no answer. "Mikamura, don't you hear me!?" he called again, this time turning to her seat. All the other scientists turned to look at Metal Ravenborg's direction, only to find Mikamura's seat empty with only her coat occupying it. "MIKAMURA!"

* * *

><p>Explosions echoed the tower again, nearly causing Mega and the three women with him to lose their footing as the hallway they were passing through shook. She-Liger and KOS-MOS hung onto the walls, keeping their legs together. Telos stumbled backwards slightly, but Mega managed to catch her before she feel.<p>

"Th... thank you," Telos said slowly. That was the very first thing she said.

"This place is going to go down at any moment," She-Liger said. "We have to keep moving."

"Like I don't know that?" Mega retorted. "Now come on, let's-" he stopped himself as the sounds of footsteps could be heard echoing across the hall. "Someone's coming..."

"Stay back," She-Liger beconded. She walked forward as ice vapors breathed out of her mouthplate. The sounds of the footsteps got louder and closer as she stood waiting. Without warning, she shot an ice breath forward. A loud shriek was heard and She-Liger stopped immediately."A woman?" she muttered.

Dr. Mikamura could be seen through the mist, crouching down with her hands over her head. She opened her eyes and stood up. "Oh, it's you."

"You. Are you with GIN-SHOCKER?" She-Liger demanded.

Mikamura sighed, "I hate to say I am." She-Liger noted at her body language. From the way she answered, it seemed that this woman was an unwilling member just like Dr. Magi and Dr. Washam used to be.

"I... I think I know you," KOS-MOS said, her eyebrows furrowing at the woman. "You're Dr. Rain Mikamura of the Xenogear Project, first R&D Division."

"Hm?" Mikamura responded. "Oh, you two are KOS-MOS and Telos, the two high-grade Valkyrie Strikers."

"KOS-MOS... and Telos..." Telos frowned in thought as she rubbed her head. "Is... that our names?"

"Well, not your names per se, but they're your designations," Rain explain. "So it seems like you both are looking to leave GIN-SHOCKER as well."

"You want out too?" Mega asked.

"Yes, I-" two steel barriers suddenly came down in front of each end of the hallway. Mikamura looked up and rolled forward just as the barricades slammed down, trapping them inside.

"Seems like more of the emergency defense systems are activating," She-Liger remarked.

"There's still another way out," Mikamura, walking up to the left wall. She banged on it several times and a hollow noise echoed. She removed a panel from the wall to reveal a chute. "Are you trying to get to a teleportation hotspot:?"

"Yes, we are," Mega answered.

"Then this chute will take us there quickly," Mikamura answered. "Follow me." She jumped into the chute and slid inside.

"Is it a good idea to trust her all of a sudden?" She-Liger asked.

"Dr. Mikamura isn't a bad person," KOS-MOS answered. "She was one of few scientists here who treated people kindly."

"Ah... alright," She-Liger nodded slowly.

"Let's not keep her waiting then," Mega said. He jumped into the chute and slid inside. She-Liger went in next, followed by KOS-MOS, and finally by Telos.

The slide down the chute was short and quick. As soon as Telos got out, the group now made up of five people ran down the long path that led to a wide area. "Yukari, we're coming up to the hotspot. Get the Warp Portal ready."

"That's not happening."

As soon as they turned around to the voice, three metal feathers flew through the air and ripped right through Mikamura's stomach and chest. She gasped in sudden pain as she held her bleeding stomach before falling to her knees.

"Dr. Mikamura!" Mega and She-Liger shouted. It happened so quickly that no one saw it coming.

Metal Ravenborg sneered from several meters before them, "Such a shame. I never thought I had to do in one of my employees, but that's how the world works I guess. The mercury that's poisoned your system should be reaching your heart soon."

"You... you didn't have to do that!" KOS-MOS shouted.

"But you see, I did," Metal Ravenborg responded, two large feather blades jutting out from his arms. "I can't let any of you leave here alive. It's GIN-SHOCKER policy: death to all traitors."

Mega turned back to Mikamura as she was coughing up her blood violently from the poison and her injuries. It didn't look like she was going to last very long. He clenched his fist tight before summoning out his Photon Debugger. He slowly walked towards Metal Ravenborg and tapped the core on his belt.

"**FINAL DOWNLOAD."**

The energy from his Cyber Core went up his arm and to the Crystal Transmitter. The gem flashed before it spread binary codes along the sword.

"Nice sword," Metal Ravenborg said, pulling out more silver feathers, "But it won't do much against my aim!" He threw the feathers like darts at Mega, the weapons flying with deadly accuracy. Mega blocked the feathers with his sword with ease, merely tilting it side to side. Now getting a tad worried, he threw out more feathers, but Mega still deflected them as he approached. With haste, Mega rushed forward with a yell and slashed his blade forward from the bottom up, a blade of digital code swishing forward. Metal Ravenborg attempted to put up his blades to block it, only to have them broken as he was run through, a line of green code appearing on him as he froze. Upon reaching him, Mega yelled whilst his glowing sword slashed across the Cyborg Mutant as he moved and waved around, streaks of light slicing through the air and appearing on the Kaijin's body. Mega then appeared in front of Metal Ravenborg and stabbed the sword into his gut, so far that it pushed out his back.

And then Mega spoke, with a low voice, **"...Termination."** He withdrew the sword and turned around swiftly, back kicking Metal Ravenborg as he did. Even before the Cyborg Mutant landed, he exploded in a bright flash of flames. Mega paid no mind as he ran to the girls as they helped Mikamura to the hotspot. '_Yukari! We have wounded! Activate the Warp Portal now_!'

'_Activating!'_ The green portal formed in front of them instantly.

"Let's go!" She-Liger shouted. Without missing a beat, all of them jumped into the portal and it closed behind them.

* * *

><p>Gin slowly came too, lifting himself up as he shook his head. His arms and legs were still somewhat shaky as he tried to regain his balance but regained himself as he stumbled onto a wall and held himself. Finally standing up right, he looked around and saw that the hallway had almost melted and there were cracks all over.<p>

"Did we.. did we win?" Gin uttered to himself.

"Yep." Gin turned around and saw Qiao walking towards him. "Are you alright?"

"I just... need to lie down...and catch my breath," Gin said tiredly, leaning on the wall. He panted as wiped the sweat from his fur, "What happened... to Kuyou?"

"Oh, don't worry about him. I left him hanging," Qiao said. She helped put his arm over her shoulder and supported him through the hall. "I just felt an explosion a while ago, so Airen must've downloaded that virus. We've done our part so let's get the hell out of here."

"R-right," Gin nodded. It was times like these that he wished he had a harem of his own. Then he could have beautiful, half-dressed, loving women tending to his injuries. Unfortunately, that would only be a dream for him.

**つづく**

* * *

><p><strong>TAILSMO4EVER: Part one of the saga is done. Netto, Yuki, Qiao and Gin have done their parts, and now its up to the others. And it seems they've got a few stragglers along the way. But what happened to Qiao to make her go bezerk all of a sudden? What secrets is she hiding? And does she even know these secrets herself? Rain as some of you might know is from the Mobile Fighter G Gundam fame, while KOS-MOS and Telos are from a great game called Xenosaga. These three will be a great assist against GS.<strong>


	74. The Rescue: Personal Demons

**Chapter 74: Personal Demons**

The Hive Queen's bridge was a nest of activity as those who remained to monitor their friends who were on the mission were reporting their status.

"Fights are already starting to break out in the tower!" Karin reported as she looked at her monitor. It showed the signals from the Riders and the others as well as enemy signals. "Look's like everyone's gotten into some sort of trouble!"

"Gebok must've set this all up, knowing that we would find this place," Dr. Magi frowned.

"Will everyone make it back alright?" Asia asked worriedly.

"Don't worry, little nun," Carl said reassuringly. "These guys are professionals." He didn't want to worry Asia. He didn't want to add that their enemies were professionals too. Professional killers that is.

Their schedule was tight as it is and these fights would just consume too much time, time that they didn't have. But they couldn't stop these fights as they were being backed into a corner.

"How are things going in Youkai Academy?" Dr. Magi asked.

"From the last report we got, everyone is getting ready for when GIN-SHOCKER will strike next," said Yukari.

"Which should be very soon," Carl frowned grimly.

"I sure hope everyone will be alright," said Nekonome-sensei. She abhorred violence and would much rather find a peaceful resolution. However, GIN-SHOCKER played for keeps.

* * *

><p>Slasher and Gemma were down in the garage and found the GIN-SHOCKER's vehicles that were parked in several rows. Turning his hands into chainsaws, Chiaki prepared to get to work as Gemma assumed her true form. It was time to wreck and smash. He was the team's mechanic and he knew how to put cars together as well as take them apart. These vehicles were going to be in pieces by the time he was through with them.<p>

* * *

><p>Sonix and Haruhi found themselves in the building's control room. A GS-Soldier on duty spotted them and was about to sound an alarm when Haruhi charged forward. Quick as a flash, she put the soldier in a chokehold, suffocating him until he passed out.<p>

"Good work," Sonix praised and Haruhi smiled at the honest praise. Sitting down, he began tinkering with the console. "OK, now shutting off all communications," the Cricket Cyborg said. "Let's see them call for reinforcements now."

"Wow, you're really something," said Haruhi as she watched him work. He was more than a fighter it seemed.

"Now, to finish the job," said Sonix as he stood up. "Haruhi, you might wanna get behind me and cover your ears. Things are about to get _loud_." His chestplate began to open as he added, "_Very_ loud."

* * *

><p>"Oh look, we've found the armory," said Armadillo as he found where all the weapons were stashed. "Well, time to do what I do best." He didn't sound too pleased about the fact that all he was good for was to be the team's wrecking ball, but everyone had their place in the grand scheme of things, including him.<p>

"Don't get so mad about it," Shiroha said as she put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You're strong, and Fudo saw that in you, which is why he gave you this task. And I like it when you break things! You know, as long as they aren't expensive," she added.

"Yeah," agreed Armadillo and he took out his spiked maces. "OK, time to act like a bull in a china shop!" With a roar, he charged into the armory, and started smashing things enthusiastically, "ARMADILLO SMASH!" Shiroha watched and was turned on by what she was seeing. He was so strong, and powerful, and definitely full of energy as she watched him smash all the weapons. She began to fan herself as she was getting hot at the display and licked her lips. After this whole entire mission was done, she was going to give him a reward.

* * *

><p>Within the forest that surrounded Yōkai Academy, hundreds of GIN-SHOCKER soldiers watched the school from the tree line, waiting to move out. After the capture of Shinichi and Yūji, Nagazawa had ordered that the school be leveled to the ground and all of the Yōkai captured be brought to them for conversion into the new Yōkai Cyborg Corps. Today would be the last day that Yōkai Academy would ever stand on the face of the Earth.<p>

* * *

><p>The speakers on Sonix's chest folded up and closed once he was done using them, at least for now. Considering where they were, it was only a matter of time before his built-in speakers would be used again. Looking around, Sonix admired his handiwork. All the computers and machines in the control room had been torn to shreds by his soundwaves. Sparks flew everywhere and there were even some fires in the corners.<p>

"You okay Haruhi?" Sonix asked as he turned to her.

"I'll be fine," she nodded, rubbing her ears. There was some ringing but it would wear off in a few moments. He wasn't kidding when he said thing were going to be loud. Her whole body had trembled from the vibrations of his speakers. There was even some residual vibrations in her body. "So, where to now?"

"This place should still have as a few more control rooms as backup in case the main one got thrashed," Sonix told her. "Unless the others got to them first, we gotta tear them all up, at least until Netto's done uploading that virus of his."

"Alright, let's go!" Haruhi smiled. Both turned to leave the room but stopped at the moment they saw someone in their path. In the case of Sonix, his eyes widened as saw someone he hoped to never see again.

"Long time no see, #08," the woman greeted, standing within the doorway. She was of average height and had long black hair, green eyes, and a rather pretty face. Underneath her lab coat she wore a black blouse with a matching black skirt.

"Dr. Kujirai," Sonix hissed lowly. Dr. Kujirai was a female scientist of Project NUMBERS. Deciding the best way to avoid the hassle of worrisome family members she actually issued a large sum of cash for anyone willing to sell a young boy or girl to her, with Daichi's sister being the one to answer. Of course, she never really intended to pay Daichi's sister and had her blown up with the briefcase supposedly containing her payment. As beautiful as she was, Kujirai had a violent temper, and often physically or verbally abused Daichi the moment he did the smallest mistake. It was because of her that Daichi had developed a hatred for women, even if his sister had planted the seeds.

"Daichi, who is this?" Haruhi asked.

"This bitch was my old handler," Sonix answered, his clenched fists trembling in anger. Haruhi gasped. Daichi had told her about his past.

"What a dirty mouth you have, #08," Dr. Kujirai scolded. "You're going to need to wash it out."

"Bite me!" Sonix snapped. Seeing this as a chance for revenge, he lunged at Dr. Kujirai and went to strike with his Cricket Fork. Dr. Kujirai held out her hand and projected a sound barrier to block the fork, knocking Sonix back several feet before crashing into the broken machinery.

"Daichi!" Haruhi cried.

Kujirai shook her head, "Your skill has slackened. I'm so very disappointed."

Sonix pulled himself out of the wrecked machinery and glared, "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I was invited here by Gebok," Kujirai answered. "That's all you need to know. Besides, I should be asking you that very question." Her eyes narrowed, "I've heard you've decided to go against GIN-SHOCKER. Do you care to explain yourself, dog?"

"Shut up!" Sonix shot back, "I'm not your dog! Not anymore! And as for why I'm going against GIN-SHOCKER it's because I'm sick and tired of taking their crap and yours!"

"Even after all we've given you?" Kujirai demanded, "We've made you something beyond human, a perfect soldier, and you dare turn against us?"

"Fuck yeah I dare," Sonix answered in a heartbeat, "It's something I should've done years ago."

Kujirai glared back at her creation, before stiffening into a giggle, and then a full blown laughter, taking Sonix and Haruhi aback. "You stupid dog!" she laughed, "Don't you realize what you've done? On second thought you probably don't so I'll tell you anyway!" she calmed herself down and looked straight at them with a piercing gaze, "You've signed your own death warrant. You'll be hunted down by assassins and it will be only a matter of time before you get yourself killed. But it won't be any skin off my teeth since you were weak enough to get yourself killed by BLACK 13 in the first place."

Haruhi had heard enough, "Shut up you bitch!"

"You should mind your manners, girl," Kujirai retorted, "#08,was always a failure from the start. He couldn't get anything right. In the end, he's nothing more than a useless bum. It's all he's ever good fo-"

**WHAM!**

A piece of machinery just smashed against Kujirai's head, so hard that when she was sent falling on her back, the ground shaking as she landed. Picking herself up, Kujirai sucked her teeth in anger.

Haruhi, now in her Ogre form snarled, as she clenched her teeth in anger. "You won't talk about my mate like that! Dai-chan's far from useless or stupid. He's a hell of a lot better than you!"

"Haruhi..." said Sonix, touched and surprised that she would stand up for him like that.

"I'm actually impressed, #08. You actually found a girl outside your team who could tolerate you," sneered Kujirai.

"No thanks to you," Sonix spat. "I'm done being your whipping boy."

"That mouth of yours could still use some scrubbing though," Kujirai said. "It looks like I need to teach you some manners once more." She tore off her coat and started to mutate into a bird-like creature. She wore a black, figure hugging catsuit that had yellow feathers covering her torso, with a helmet that had the appearance of a bird's head that covered only the upper half of her face. Some fabric was attached to her arms and sides, most likely granting her flight capabilities. Yellow knee high boots adorned her legs.

Sonix pounded his fist into his palm, eagerly, "I've been waiting a long time for this."

"Oh? Then I suggest you keep on waiting," Canarioid grinned. She jumped upward and hovered in the air. "Shall we begin?" She opened her mouth and unleashed a deafening sonic scream. The attack struck the Cricket Cyborg and Ogre, sending them crashing against the wall as they began screaming in pain. Canarioid stopped her assault and watched with amusement as both teens dropped onto their knees.

"I'll always be above you, Little Cricket," mocked Canarioid. Sonix climbed back to his feet, using the Cricket Fork for support as Haruhi rose back up. She shook her head left and right to get the ringing out.

"Shrieking like a banshee," retorted Sonix with a snort. "Just like how I remember it."

"WHY YOU!" Canarioid shrieked but this time Sonix was ready as he activated his sonic barrier, using sound waves to create a shield. Canarioid's assault slammed into the shield but instead of breaking through it spread out around both Sonix and Haruhi.

"How long can you hold it!?" Haruhi shouted over the noise.

"Just a few more seconds!" Sonix shouted back. "When it drops, get behind me and cover your ears!" Haruhi nodded as she saw Sonix's chestplate begin to split open. Dr. Kujirai stopped her assault to take a deep breath as Sonix's sound barrier fell. As she unleashed another sonic scream, Sonix unleashed a sonic blast from the speakers on his chest. Both sound blasts hit each other at the same time and Haruhi covered her ears as the floors and walls began to shake and vibrate due to the intense sound vibrations. The debris kicked up, and the walls blasted outward, the soundwaves blasting everywhere. Canarioid screeched even louder to increase the power of of her sonic scream. The force cause the teens to be pushed backwards.

Haruhi had to really press her hands over her ears but she could feel her bones vibrating. She may not be able to hear, but she could still feel what was happening. It wasn't long before Canarioid's power exceeded Sonix's and both of them were blasted onto their backs. Canarioid stopped the sonic scream immediately, needing to catch her breath, but was nonetheless satisfied.

"And once again, you fall flat on your ass," Canarioid mocked.

"Screw you," Sonix spat.

"You first," the Canary Cyborg Mutant retorted, throwing out a soundwave blade at them. Sonix threw out his own soundwave blade, and both collided. The explosion of sound from the impact nearly knocked them off their feet and made them deaf.

* * *

><p>Guards had shown up to investigate what was going on in the garage when they spotted Gemma and Slasher wrecking their vehicles. Slasher was using his chainsaws to tear the vehicle to shreds while Gemma used her raw strength and bare hands to do the job for her.<p>

"_Hey, stop what you're doing and surrender!" _one of the guards ordered. Slasher's response was to pick up a jeep and hurl it at the guards. The ones who didn't avoid it in time were crushed under the weight of the jeep.

"_That's it! Shoot them!" _shouted a soldier and they opened fire. Gemma took cover behind the remains of several vehicles as Slasher began to step towards them. Their bullets did nothing as they bounced off. His body was protected by an additional layer of energy shielding. _"Shit! Shit! The armor-piercing rounds aren't working!"_

"_Just keep shooting!" _another soldier shouted. They clearly hadn't been prepared to face armored opponents. _"OH DEAR GOD!"_ The soldier's screaming ceased as Slasher's chainsaw sliced open his chest and blood came bursting out. The other soldiers shot at Slasher but their weapons were immediately rendered useless as Slasher sprayed his adhesive glue on them, plugging them up and jamming them. The soldiers then tried to fight Slasher using their combat knives but that would be a big mistake. Confronting Slasher in close-ranged combat was tantamount to suicide.

Gemma was given a front-row seat at what Chiaki/Slasher was capable of. She only knew him as the mute & gentle artist of her Art Club but then she realized he was more than that. His chainsaw was used to paint the walls and floor red as he killed the GS-Soldiers so mercilessly. She knew that these men deserved it but still it was quite unnerving to see someone who could make beautiful paintings show such an ugly and brutal side. Some soldiers attempted to flee but were stuck in place when Slasher shot his glue at their feet, keeping them in place. They screamed as he used his chainsaws on them.

Gemma should be scared but then she realized this wasn't what Chiaki was all about. He was just paying GIN-SHOCKER back for what they had done to him. This was what they made him into and he would make them regret it with his own hands.

Once Slasher was done, all that was left of the soldiers would be best described as mincemeat; literally, bloody mincemeat. He turned to Gemma and beeped but then he remembered she didn't understand his beeping and so he held up a sign, "**We better leave before more of them show up."**

"Right," agreed Gemma as she recovered from watching the brutal and bloody massacre. They both stepped out of the garage, the Minotaur avoiding the puddles of blood and piles of flesh carefully. They stepped into the hallway and she walked into his back. "Why did you stop?" Slasher pointed ahead and Gemma looked and saw a stocky fellow in a green shirt, leather pants and black boots all worn under a lab coat. He had pale skin and a pointed beard with a monacle over his right eye. Fat, with equally fat fists, he also had a hideous wart on his left cheek which really drew the attention from his face.

"Hello, #02," the man greeted Slasher, using his designation. "It's been awhile, hasn't it?" Slasher replied with several furious beeps and the ugly man retorted, "Well, it seems your language has become more colorful."

"Chiaki, who's he?" Gemma asked and he raised a sign to show her. "He's your old handler?" He nodded to confirm.

"The name's Dr. Zestokij," he said. "But I am also known as..." He tossed his head back and roared as his body began to shift. He grew taller and his body fat began to vanish to be replaced by pure muscle. His clothes were torn apart and his lab coat was tossed away to leave him topless. He began to morph into a beast-like form as his hair grew even shaggier and white fur began to cover his body. His teeth grew sharp as his right hand was replaced by a deadly looking battle-axe. "AXE LEOROID!" he snarled.

Slasher held his arm out to stop Gemma from advancing and he stepped forward to face Axe Leoroid who seemed awfully happy to see him. Of course it was not in a good way. Axe Leoroid did the same as he approached Slasher. The two then took off in a run and sparks flew as chainsaws met axe blade. Axe Leoroid's grin widened and became even more menacing as he knocked Slasher back with a kick and then pointed his other arm at him. Around his left wrist was a band and attached to it was a miniature laser gun. He fired and Slasher was shot with an intense laser bullet that nearly went through his armor. The soldiers' soldiers' bullets hadn't even hurt this much.

But then Axe Leoroid revealed that a miniature cannon was equipped to his battle axe arm as well and he fired an energy blast that knocked Slasher off his feet. Gemma gasped and she hurriedly went to help him up. "Chiaki! Chiaki!"

"**Stay back**," Slasher signed.

"Yes, girl," agreed Axe Leoroid. "Stay out of this. This is between me and him." He approached them threateningly. "Honestly, #02. I thought that when I took away your ability to talk back you wouldn't be so rebellious."

Gemma's eyes widened in realization as she heard Axe Leoroid's confession, "What? You mean the reason he can't talk and needs to use signs is you!?"

"You're saying that like it's a bad thing," said Axe Leoroid. "Do you know how noisy children can get? It's annoying."

"I'll..." Gemma roared and charged at Axe Leoroid like a rampaging bull, "KILL YOU!" She was enraged and so mad that nothing would be able to relieve her of her anger except for the destruction of Axe Leoroid.

"YOU'RE WELCOME TO TRY!" Axe Leoroid roared back.

* * *

><p>After Armadillo had basically made a wreck out of the armory, a small squad of GS-Soldiers entered the room to see what he'd done. Shiroha gasped and shouted, "We've got company!"<p>

"_Identify yourselves, now!" _a GS Soldier commanded.

"You wanna know who I am?" challenged Armadillo. "Well, lemme tell you! RARGH!" Armadillo roared and turned into a ball, sending all of them flying when he smashed into them when he smashed into them. "MY NAME IS..." He unrolled and performed an uppercut to send one of the soldiers upwards. "...YOKOSHIMA..." He backhanded a couple of soldiers brutally. "RYUUNOSUKE-MAGI!" He grabbed one by the ankles and spun him around and around before tossing him at his fellow soldiers, knocking them down. He pulled out his maces and began to fuck them up. "AND I! HATE! GIN-SHOCKER!"

"Leave some for me!" Shiroha cried exuberantly as she assumed her true form to join in. An Amazoness Succubus was turned on by battle. Right now, what she was experiencing, was stimulating her hormones. Oh, she had definitely found the right man for her.

Bodies of GS-Soldiers were sent flying by the Pillbug Cyborg and his demonic girlfriend. Crashes, screams, cries and smashes filled the room until a voice echoed, "What in blazes is going on here?"

Armadillo looked up from the Soldier he was punching to see someone walking into the room. He was shorter than even Dr. Magi. He was completely bald save for a few strands of hair on the top of his head and wore thick glasses over his eyes. His eyes were large and his nose was flat. He was Dr. Mashai of GIN-SHOCKER's's Italian branch. He was once a proud scientist who was forced into hiding when the scientific community rejected his ideas for a powerful engine, citing it as unethical and inhumane. Gebok saw the potential in the idea and invited Dr. Mashai to join GIN-SHOCKER.

"What?" Mashai blinked as he recognized Armadillo. Slowly, he chuckled, "Oh, so it's you, #09. I almost didn't see you there. Though I shouldn't be surprised. Only a brainless brute like you could do this level of damage."

"..."

"What's wrong? Can't speak? Cat got your tongue? You must be surprised to see me again," Dr. Mashai grinned. "Go ahead then, gaze in awe and fear upon me."

"...Who are you again?" Armadillo finally said. This made Mashai face fault.

"It's me! Dr. Mashai!" he shouted, standing back up. "#05's handler!"

"Oh, I remember now!" Armadillo realized. "Dr. Smash'em!" Mashai palmed his face.

"It's MASHAI, you twit!" Mashai yelled.

"Whatever, Crash'em," Armadillo shrugged, "So, what brings you here?"

"I heard that my old flop of an experiment has come here with all of you," Mashai said, "I've come to pay him back for the humiliation from that last time I tried to retrieve him." Then, he grinned, "But since you are here, you might as well be a decent warmup."

"Yeah, I'd like to see try that, Dr. Bashy," Armadillo challenged.

"Why you..." Mashai growled as he sparkled with electricity before exploding, "MY NAME IS DR. MASHAI! MASH-AI! GET IT RIGHT!" He was surrounded in an orb of blue electricity before dispersing it. In Mashai's place was a tall, blue, humanoid, and muscular body. The head was replaced by a Jellyfish-shaped head with a single glowing red eye. His chest was wrapped with tight tentacles.

"Woah... ugly," Armadillo cringed at the sight to Jellyfish-Borg. "Hey Shiroha-chan, how about we deal with this fucker before we blow this place?"

"That should be fun!" Shiroha grinned. "I was in the mood for some seafood."

"Great, because we're about to have a whole platter!"

* * *

><p>Katsumi and Zero had cleared another floor. GS-Soldiers laid sprawled with needles in them, courtesy of Zero.<p>

"Are they dead?" Katsumi asked.

"Don't feel too bad for them," said Zero to Katsumi. "It was either them or us."

"But still...they were humans like you, once," Katsumi murmured. Zero put his hands on her shoulders.

"Yeah, I know," Zero nodded, "But there's no actual way to reverse the brainwashing. These soldiers are mostly mindless anyway and are blindly loyal to GIN-SHOCKER. They'd sooner take their own lives than betray the organization."

"So, you used to be part of GIN-SHOCKER. How did you fight the brainwashing?" Katsumi asked.

"I had to die first," he told her bluntly.

"Die...?" She couldn't believe it. "But you're..."

"Cyborgs like us don't stay dead for long, so let's leave it at that," Zero told her, not wanting to get too far into detail of his circumstances. "Now, come on. We've still gotta clear more floors so everyone has a better chance."

"Right," Katsumi nodded. The pair ran out of the room and entered a giant corridor. When they did, the temperature suddenly dropped dramatically. Katsumi shivered as she looked around. "Did Yuki-sempai pass through here earlier? It's freezing." The walls were covered in patches of ice and ice stalactites formed on the ceiling, which was high above them. "Or is their AC on too low?" She noticed that Zero was silent. "Shogo?"

"And here he is, the failure, #00," said a voice from within the corridor. Turning forward to where Zero was looking, Katsumi spotted a man walking out a large metallic door and straight towards them. He was a tall Japanese man with purple hair that reached to his shoulders. He had a long face with a pointed nose and slanted eyes. Like all of the scientists thus far, he wore a lab coat, and under that lab coat he wore a blue dress shirt with black pants.

"Doctor...Arihara..." whispered Zero, his voice mixed with both fear and hatred. Dr. Arihara was from GIN-SHOCKER's Japanese branch. Like how Dr. Magi had adopted Yokoshima and how Carl had done the same for Misato, Dr. Arihara had adopted Shogo. However, unlike Magi and Washam, Arihara was strict and cruel, and would violently beat Shogo up if he didn't meet the scientist's exp meet the scientist's expectations. Much like Prof. Kyofu with D, Dr. Arihara wanted Shogo to surpass #13, but Shogo never could.

Shogo was just never good enough and was punished for it each time.

"Shogo-san, do you know this man?" Katsumi asked in concern.

"He was the man who made me what I am," he told her.

"Indeed and yet again you've become a real disappointment," said Dr. Arihara, his gaze cold and stern. "Then again, I shouldn't be surprised. You've been a poor disappointment from the very start."

"What are you doing here?" Zero demanded.

"We were invited, and I'm so glad Gebok asked me to come. I finally get to see my failure of a creation making what has to be what has to be the stupidest mistake of his his life! Have you lost your mind, boy!?" Dr. Arihara shouted.

"In what way?" Zero shot back. "Is it the fact I finally decided to find a life for myself? No, I haven't lost my mind. I've just found a new path, but why do you even care? After I died you were probably thinking that I was just trash that didn't deserve a second look. However, Dr. Magi decided to revive us and save us, taking us away from GIN-SHOCKER and taking me away from _you_."

"How dare you talk back to me, boy!" Arihara snapped in anger.

"He's right," Katsumi agreed.

"Stay out of this!" Then a needle flew past his cheek, making a cut in it. Arihara hissed and recoiled in shock.

Zero had his arm raised up, his stinger smoking from recent use. He warned, "Don't ever talk to her like that."

Arihara wiped the blood off his cheek. "So, you really have turned against the organization that's given you everything."

"All I'm doing is rescuing a friend who's had it much worse than I," Zero retorted. "And all the organization has given me is a life of misery, you especially."

"I see now..." Arihara growled. "I've also learnt about what you've been doing since your revival. You've gone to a school for monsters, and contaminated yourself with dangerous ideas. You decided that you could think for yourself. It appears that BLACK 13 has become an even worse influence than I thought."

"I'd like to say I've found a whole new life for myself where I don't have to live up to your standards. I've found the same thing Shinichi found when he abandoned this place. I've found freedom. And, even before then, even when he didn't show emotion, Shinichi still cared for us."

"You...insolent...disgraceful little...INSECT!" Arikara roared, chilling vapors engulfing his body. The temperature in the hall was dangerously dropping fast, and Katsumi started shivering to the bone. "I will not stand for this! This time I will discipline you so thoroughly that you won't even think of crossing me again!" The vapor soon covered his whole form, engulfing him like a tornado. A large silhouette was seen from within the vapor before something heavy stepped out. Arikara had taken the form of a huge polar bear-like creature. His armor was heavy and the arms were large with claws made up of icicles. The legs looked powerful, able to crush anything underneath them. They were white with blue nodes along the sides. The chest armor was blue and appeared muscular. The vents on his neck popped opened, allowing more ice vapors to blow outward.

Katsumi's shivers were getting worse.

"Bring it on, you old fart!" Taking aim, Zero fired a flurry of stingers at Polar Bearoid. Polar Bearoid punched the floor and formed a wall of ice that blocked the needles as they embedded themselves into the surface. They then glowed and exploded, causing a blinding mist to spread around them, limiting visibility as Zero scanned around for his opponent. Thermals wouldn't work since Polar Bearoid's body temperature was too low to register. However, he could at least see Katsumi using them and took her hand.

"Katsumi-san, run," he urged her.

"But-!" she began to argue.

"I'll catch up. I promise," he told her and let go of her hand before standing in wait for the ambush. A large shape burst from the mist and Katsumi screamed as Zero was tackled and then pinned to the wall. Polar Bearoid brought his claw up to strike but Zero shoved him backwards by kicking him. Zero slid down to the floor and took aim, firing stingers when he saw an opening. Polar Bearoid swatted the stingers out of the air and lunged at Zero as the needles exploded harmlessly behind him.

Polar Bearoid brought his claws down on Zero and he blocked with his forearms. The force of the blow still managed to bring him down to his knees. He could feel his wings freezing solid. It was really _that _cold.

"Just like when you were weak, on your knees before me like a pathetic little worm," sneered Polar Bearoid.

"Let him go!" barked Katsumi as she slashed Polar Bearoid across the back with her claws. Sparks were ripped off but there were no signs of damage. "I said let him go!" She repeatedly attacked Polar Bearoid.

"Ooh. Not a smart idea, little girl," Polar Bearoid snarled as he looked at Katsumi with a ferocious glare. Katsumi gritted her fangs as she was shivering in fear and cold at Polar Bearoid's stance. "So you are also one of the reasons why my creation has become defective? Then I'll have to deal with you too!" Polar Bearoid raised his claw up to strike her only to be held back by his neck by Zero's arms.

"Run,, Katsumi-san!" Zero ordered.

"But,, Shogo-san..." Katsumi began.

"I'll be fine! JJust go!" Zero argued as Polar Bearoid smashed the Rider, who was on his back, against the walls a few more times in attempt to get his creation off of him. Luckily, Zero was being stubborn and not letting go, instead he was tightening his grip. "I won't let you hurt Katsumi-san!"

"So, she is one of those Youkai I heard so much about? Perhaps once I am done disciplining you, I'll just dissect that girl in front of your eyes as a final lesson to you," Polar Bearoid sneered.

Zero's blood went boiling as he roared, "DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HER!" Zero stabbed his stingers into the Polar Bearoid's head repeatedly, invoking pain from the abusive handler. "She is special to me, so if you touch one hair on her, I am going to kill you!"

"Shogo-san..." Katsumi breathed out, touched by her friend's feelings.

Polar Bearoid then tossed Zero from his back and sent him rolling across the ground. Zero got to his knees as Polar Bearoid went on the attack again. Quickly, he threw a flash grenade that resembled a hive at at the Kajin's face. The bright flash and ringing noise disoriented him as he covered his eyes and hands, stumbling about as he tried to locate his target.

"Shogo-san!" Katsumi cried as she went to Zero's side.

"Katsumi-san, I thought I told you to run," Zero groaned as he stood back up.

"Sorry but I can't do that," Katsumi shook her head. "I won't leave you alone with this creep. I'm going to help you and I won't take 'no' for an answer!"

Zero gave her a look only to be returned by Katsumi's surprisingly steel gaze. Zero let out a sigh and relented "OK, but be careful."

"Don't worry, I will," Katsumi smiled.

Polar Bearoid's roar got the couple's attention. It seemed that the disorientation had warned down. "All this sappy crap is making me sick! Let's continue with the disciplining already!"

Katsumi and Zero looked at each other before they roared together and charged towards their foe.

* * *

><p>Outside the school, Morrigan was working with Riza, Haji, Jack and Crow in moving much of the surrounding rubble and fallen platforms out of the way while Yusei worked with Ririko in helping the students locate and help those that were still missing within the school. Within a makeshift tent, Aki was hard at work alongside Dr. Akai, tending to those who were injured and needed medical attention. Kiko and Juvia were watching as there wasn't much they could do at the moment. Ruby and Elle were both in the air, Ruby with her wings and Elle in her Hybrid form, looking out for anything that might be out of place. As they were all going about, doing what they could to help, Elle noticed some movement in the forest. Narrowing her eyes, she gasped as she saw several soldiers moving in.<p>

"_Merde!"_ Elle gasped. Ruby looked to the Dragon's direction and also gasped.

"Minna!" Ruby called, grabbing everyone's attention. "We have company!"

"What is it?" asked Crow.

"Looks like we're in trouble," Morrigan frowned.

And in trouble they were as hundreds of GS soldiers began to charge out from the forest and towards the school, many of them being grunts who brandished swords, staffs and blasters while the rest were Cyborg Mutants. Exiting the school with some more injured students being carried behind him, Yusei looked at the sight of the battle cries and furrowed his brow. This just wasn't their day. Aki and Dr. Akai also peeked out from within the tent at the sounds, Akai having a sweat drop appearing next to his head.

"So they came back after all," Kiko frowned.

"Why is it that when things just don't seem like they could get any worse, they do?" Dr. Akai groaned as he took out a pair of red lenses from his pocket and swapped them out with the green ones in his glasses.

"If life were ever easy, I doubt it would ever be at high school," replied Aki.

"Hm…yes, good point," agreed Dr. Akai. He then looked to Morrigan and Ririko. "Ladies, would any of you care to try out the new bed over at the infirmary instead of getting caught up in a battle?"

"This isn't the time for R&R," Morrigan scolded.

"Besides, the infirmary is part of the school so they'd just come after us there," Ririko added as she flexed her fingers. She wanted some payback for what GS did to the school, students, staff and guests.

"Very well, but you can't blame me for trying," replied Akai.

Jack just palmed his face while Crow's shoulders sank. They just couldn't believe this guy. Yusei smirked while laughing inwardly before looking back to Akai. "Hey, nothing wrong with a little flirting every now and then but try and pick the proper time for it." The GS troopers closed in as all of the able bodied Yōkai prepared themselves. "Alright guys, let's kick some ass!"

"Alright!" Riza grinned, pounding her fists together, "Action time!"

* * *

><p>Shiroha and Armadillo were in the middle of fighting Jellyfish-Borg. He was quite slippery, not to mention his tentacles could stun them with a single touch. Armadillo had his armor so he wasn't as exposed but the Amazoness Succubus still had bare skin showing. As simple as he was, Armadillo knew that it was tactically sound to end a fight quickly if it got in the way and slowed down the mission. Better to get the distractions out of the way in the middle of the mission or else they would hamper their progress.<p>

"My pops gave me an upgrade. You want to see it?" Armadillo challenged.

"What? Are you going to try and crush me again," Jellyfish-Borg challenged.

"Not exactly," grinned Armadillo. "Hey, Sheila! Activate the '**Big Bad Boys**'!"

"_Roger,"_ Sheila obeyed.

Armadillo's shell split down the middle before both halves dropped from his back. Their weight was so significant that the floor shook as they landed behind him, making a small imprint. Of course, that wasn't the end of it. The shell had been hiding something and they were coming into play. They folded forward, positioning themselves on Armadillo's shoulders and securing themselves into position.

Jellyfish-Borg backed away a bit as Armadillo now sported a pair of deadly looking energy cannons. "What the Hell!?" shouted Jellyfish-Borg in disbelief as he saw the cannons

"You see, I used to lack long-ranged combat capabilities but these 'Big Bad Boys' change things," said Armadillo. "So, I'd like you to _say hello to my little friends_!"

"Oh, Hell No!" shouted Jellyfish-Borg. The Pillbug Rider then started to fire a continuous barrage of energy cannon blasts which had a strong recoil but he was anchored by his weight and didn't budge, save for several backwards jolt from releasing the cannons' energy blasts. Jellyfish-Borg panicked as he tried to dodge but he was overwhelmed by the energy blasts. Unfortunately, Armadillo had yet to perfect his targeting skills and kept missing. However, it was only a matter of time until he hit his mark. Statistically, the probability of Jellyfish-Borg of getting hit by those energy cannons was well within the agreeable range and as the cannons fired rapidly, the chances of getting hit grew significantly higher.

He was fucked, plain and simple.

"Hah! How's that you stupid jellyfish?" gloated Armadillo after he stopped firing. However, as the dust and smoke settled, Jellyfish-Borg was revealed to be completely unharmed. "Oh, come on! Seriously? Are you fucking kidding me!?"

"You hit everything but him," said Shiroha as she looked at the ruined armory. Yokoshima had done some damage to the walls and ceiling but none to Jellyfish-Borg. "How is that even possible?"

"I'm not really a very good shot," admitted Armadillo in embarrassment.

"Is that all you got?" mocked Jellyfish-Borg. "Now, it's my-" He was cut off as the ceiling collapsed on him burying him in a heavy pile of rubble.

Shiroha and Armadillo blinked.

"Well, that was anti-climatic," Shiroha summed up.

"Hey, if it works, don't complain about the results," Armadillo commented. "Now, shall we go?"

"Lead the way, big boy," Shiroha grinned.

* * *

><p>It seemed that Sonix and Haruhi had the advantage on the fight, before Canarioid consumed a blue pill of G-Shock to boost up her power. She was now faster and stronger, and even knocked out Haruhi on the side as she was beating down Sonix on the floor.<p>

"Useless! Pug! Bum! Dog!" Canarioid ranted as she struck the Cricket Cyborg on the floor. She then grabbed him by the throat and slammed his head on the floor. "DEFECTIVE!" she finished, kicking him in the stomach with such force that crashed into what was left of the wall. "What a worthless heap of junk! To think I would get stuck with someone like you!"

"Heh, you got what you paid for," grunted Sonix.

Canarioid growled and cupped her hands together, forming a ball made up of pure sound. She tossed it out at Sonix. He wasn't able to dodge in time and the resulting impact caused a sound-like explosion. When the dust settled, it revealed that Haruhi was standing with her arms spread out, shielding Sonix.

"Haruhi?" Sonic wondered.

Haruhi smiled and then vomited blood before she collapsed. Sonix quickly caught her as she fell.

"You...you stupid girl! Why!?" Sonix shouted..

"Isn't it...obvious already?" Haruhi coughed. She caressed his masked face then her eyes closed as she fell unconscious.

"Haruhi...?" Sonix removed his helmet. "Haruhi, stop fooling around, you stupid Ogre girl! You're stronger than this! Haruhi...Haruhi! HARUHI!"

"My, my, my," Canarioid spoke, crossing her arms, "So she really decided to chose you over her own wellbeing? What a stupid girl."

"Shut up," Sonix whispered as he put his helmet back on and glared at Canaroid with intense hatred, wanting nothing more than for his bitch of an opponent to shut up.

"I doubt that 04, 07, or 11 would've done the same for you," Canarioid continued, "You've always been a rude, worthless boy. Why would anyone risk their neck for you?"

"I said shut up!" Sonix repeated.

Canarioid blinked but then grinned, "Oh...Oh goodness! This is just priceless! The one who claims to hate women has actually fallen in love!?" She laughed, cackled actually. It was just too much for her to hold back. "You really are weak! You couldn't even stand your ground on your ideals!"

"I told you...to...to...SHUT UP!" Sonix roared as he was suddenly bathed in a bright flash of light. Canarioid stopped her laughing and gasped as she was forced to cover her eyes. Sonix let out an empowered yell as a new power flooded his body. And then, there was a shockwave as Canarioid was blown away.

* * *

><p>Yukari blinked as she saw something going on with Sonix's stats, "What's going on with Daichi-san?" she asked, "It looks like his power stats are hitting the roof!"<p>

Dr. Magi looked over her shoulder to see what was going on. His eyes widened in shock, "I don't believe this!"

"What is it?" Ren asked, "What's wrong with him?"

"This is... the Evolution System!" Magi exclaimed, "Daichi has somehow managed to activate it!"

"Evolution?" Nekonome-sensei asked. "What does that mean?"

Ren translated, "It means that he's levelling up!"

* * *

><p>"What!? It can't be! The Evolution System! How!? You're just a failure!" Canarioid demanded as she got back to her feet. She couldn't believe it but it was actually happening.<p>

The light died down, leaving a new Sonix before her. Setting Haruhi's body down behind him, he stood up and glared at his former handler. His armor had changed and now he sported a sleeker suit. The bodysuit remained black but he now sported dark orange plates on his thighs and along his upper arms. He wore silver gauntlets with dark orange boots. He also had a dark orange chestplate that was split down the middle with black accents. His scarf was gone and his helmet was now black with orange accents and a visor that looked like a pair of sunglasses. Long antennae extended from his brow and equipped to the helmet were what appeared to be headphones. Attached to his back was a guitar with blades attached to the main body.

This was no longer the same Kamen Rider Sonic. He had now evolved into Kamen Rider Sonix Blaster. He grabbed hold of the instrument/weapon by the neck and held it like an axe.

Sonix Blaster said coldly, "I said: shut up."

"Tsk!" the Canary monster sneered as she swung her arms about, throwing her sonic blades once more. Sonix did the same with his Guitar-Axe, only now the blades he thought looked much thinner, were longer, and flew faster. Sonix's blades cut through Canarioid's sonic blades easily, and went straight for the evil bitch. Lucky for her that she still had her speed, so she quickly flew out of the way before the blades could cut her in two. This still wouldn't stop the upgraded Sonix. He strummed his Guitar-Axe to send a loud vibrating cord, causing Canarioid to shriek as she was forced to cover her ears. Seeing her disoriented, his mouthplate opened and he unleashed a sonic scream of his own, sending her falling onto the ground in agony.

"Ugh...damn...how are you so strong...?" demanded Canarioid.

"That's the power of Rock and Roll," said Sonix as he pulled a wire from his Guitar Axe and plugged it into a socket on the side of his belt. His boots, chestplate, shoulders and mouthplate opened up to reveal hidden hidden speakers. "And this is _your _curtain call!"

He strummed his guitar and unleashed an explosive force of sonic vibrations from the speakers equipped to his armor. Canarioid screamed and covered her ears. Sonix strummed his guitar again and this time the sound blasted her straight into the wall. She crashed violently into the surface before falling onto the floor. Sonix's hidden speakers closed up once he finished his attack.

Sonix made his way towards her and as he stood over her, heand as he stood over her, he raised his Guitar-Axe. It would only require one single downward swing, right at the back of her neck, and he would no longer be plagued by her existence. He could pay her back for all the abuse she had tormented him with. However, He could pay her back for all the abuse she had tormented him with. However, he paused as hehe paused as he looked to Haruhi then back at Canarioid. He flipped her over and looked down at her. He flipped her over and looked down at her. The Canary Cyborg Mutant looked up at him and in disgust he smashed his foot against her face, bending her beak and knocking her out. He turned his back to her, hooking his Guitar-Axe to his back then walking over Haruhi. He gently lifted her up, cradling his girl in his arms as he walked away.

One chapter of his life was closed. If Kujirai ever decided to look him up, he'd be ready for her.

* * *

><p>The battle was fierce as the Yōkai and Team 5D's fought off the GS army that began to invade the school. In a matter of minutes, their small group had been able to destroy over half of the invading forces without having to barely even try.<p>

**BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!**

Cyborg Mutants instantly went down with each shot fired from Yusei's guns, the Wind Manakyte blasting them away with ease. Aki blew out a large flame from her mouth to quickly incinerate the Soldiers. All of them screamed in agony as the fire licked their bodies before they all fell down, reduced to ashes.

"CLASS IS IN SESSION, ASSHOLES!" Ririko shouted as she slammed onto the ground in her much heavier Lamia form, sending more enemies flying from the force of the impact. The tip of her tail opened up and grabbed one of the Soldiers by the head before swing the tail against several Cyborg Mutants to send them flying. She released the Soldier that was stuck in her grasp, and he was also sent flying as a consequence. "I'm not done yet!" she snarled as she raised up her tail. The flower at the end started to spin and glow, "Take this!" she fired beams of light at several more of the units.

"She's really pissed off, isn't she?" Riza commented, holding one of the Soldiers' throat in her paws.

"These people have been messing with her students and school, what do you think?" Haji answered back. "I guess Ririko-sensei really loves her job." He turned back and found himself looking at several Cyborg Mutants with their weapons drawn out.

"Hands in the air, now!" a Frogroid shouted.

Haji grinned as he raised up his hands, "If you say so... SUCKERS!" He clenched his hands into fists and smashed them to the ground. A tremor ripped through the ground as everything was suddenly torn and thrown up into the air, sending the Cyborg Mutants into the air. "YIPPIE-KI-YAY, MOTHERFUCKERS!" he laughed as he zipped forward and sent a right fist against another Cyborg Mutants face, making it crash onto the ground, causing yet another tremor.

More Cyborg Mutants were sent flying through the air, this time by Elle. The Dragon Princess had her right leg kicked up for several seconds before she lowered it down. Looking to her side, she dash forward and split opened her legs in a tornado kick, blasting away more of her enemies. She skidded and turned on her heel as she slammed her leg against a Soldier's chest, blasting him through the air, kneed another in the gut, and spun sideways through the air before slamming one more against the ground. She then landed on her hands and backflipped towards a large piece of stone that had yet to be removed. She jumped up into the air and landed on the slab gracefully, standing on one of her legs with the other folded in front of her. She then pressed her index and middle finger together and swung her arm in front of her. _**"Lance de le Cloud!"**_ she shouted, sending several blasts of compressed volumes of clouds. Each pierced the hearts of the Soldiers and she watched as the expanding air ruptures their internal organs and implants. The result was very messy, sending a lot of gore out to the surrounding area. Elle quickly summoned a gust of wind with a flick of her wrist to avoid getting splattered on.

"Ach, so many of them!" Juvia shouted, blowing Soldiers away with a water cannon. "They aren't pulling any punches!"

"Oh, buck up, there's nothing to worry about," Kiko told her, shooting at more Cyborg Mutants with her arrows. "Just drive them off, its all we have to do." She turned to to her left to continued shooting, only to find herself looking into the barrel of a Pulse Rifle held by a Soldier. Her eyes widened in surprise. Just before the trigger was pulled, Haji reacted quickly and smashed his fist against the Mook's skull.

**KER-SMASH!**

A gunk of blood splashed onto Kiko, blind-siding her momentary. She stood there, stunned, before grinding her teeth and glaring at the GS-Soldiers. "Look at me!" she snapped, "This is Dolce and Gabbana!" She reached down at the headless Soldier at her feet, ripping out the Pulse Rifle from the hands before kicking the corpse into another oncoming Soldier, knocking him onto his back. She swiftly aimed the Pulse Rifle and started shooting wildly, gunning down any Soldier in her way. "Take that you fashion backwards douchebags!"

**GAKAGAKAGAKA! GAKAGAKAGAKA!**

"Ruined my outfit!" she snarled, still firing her gun. "I'll kill you! I'll kill you all!"

**GAKAGAKAGAKA! GAKAGAKAGAKA!**

"YOU NASTY, STINKIN' CYBERNETIC FUCKTARDS!"

**GAKAGAKAGAKA! GAKAGAKAGAKA!**

"Holy shit," Haji gawked.

"You said it," Riza nodded. "Guess we better remember never piss her off."

"I'll try to remember that and make sure not to dirty her clothes," Haji gulped. It would appear that Kiko had lost all composure and had gone berserk with intense, destructive rage that would not be satisfied until all those who had stained her were put down.

* * *

><p>Polar Bearoid fired blasts of ice at the duo (Zero and Katsumi), thinking of nothing more than to freeze them to death on the spot. However, both were incredibly fast, moving in blurs before he could even touch them. Roaring, Polar Bearoid got on all fours and revealed that his back contained several salvos of missiles. He continued roaring as the missiles launched and homed on the targets. Both Zero and Katsumi quickly vanished without a trace before the missiles hit and exploded, producing stalagmites of ice. When the dust settled, there was no one there.<p>

"Where are you..." Polar Bearoid snarled, walking around warily, "Show yourselves!"

The was a loud bark as Polar Bearoid was suddenly blasted forward onto his stomach. Looking back, he saw Katsumi growling at him before rushing at him in a sudden burst of speed to kick him across the field. Polar Bearoid tumbled across the ground and crashed into the wall. Polar Bearoid stood up and glared at her, "Annoying little brat... what must children always be so troublesome?" He snarled as cold vapors hissed out of his vents.

Katsumi had never felt so angry in her life. This man was supposed to be a father to Shogo, but he abused him constantly, treating him as some sort of broken merchandise. With her eyes flashing, she released a sonic howl that blasted him backwards, shattering all the ice in its path. Polar Bearoid roared in agony as he covered his ears as the vibrations continued to ravage his systems. Sparks flew about from his body as his vents hissed out uncontrollably.

"Make it stop! Make it stop!" Polar Bearoid shouted.

"I'm happy to oblige!" Zero yelled, jumping out from behind Katsumi. He aimed his gauntlets at his former handler as the needles began to glow. "Eat this!" he fired his needles like missiles, each one striking Polar Bearoid instantly.

As soon as Katsumi stopped her sonic howl, Polar Bearoid's entire body had turned into a pincushion after receiving all of Zero's needles. They glowed and the Cyborg Mutant scientist was assaulted by multiple explosions happening all at once as each of the needles detonated, ravaging his already damaged body. He collapsed onto the floor, defeated, smoke rising from his body.

"Well, that takes care of that," said Zero as he lowered his arms. "Let's go, Katsumi-san."

"Hai, Shogo-san," Katsumi smiled. She took his hand and the two of them exited the hallway to rendezvous with the others.

* * *

><p>Gemma punched at Axe-Leoroid who dodged all of her attacks. He was agile, with good reflexes, and when she overextended one of her punches he kicked her hard in the stomach, sending her reeling. He then used an uppercut that literally cut a gash across her chest, blood splattering everywhere as she was sent tumbling through the air. She gritted her teeth in pain as she put her hand over the injury.<p>

"You know, something," said Axe-Leoroid. "I haven't had this much fun in years."

"You...sick...bastard..." Gemma growled as she rose back to her feet. The gash wasn't bothering her all that much. What bothered her was this monster who seemed to enjoy the fact that he was hurting her and by extension Chiaki. This was the man who'd taken away Chiaki's ability to talk, forcing the young man to literally use sign language.

"Oh, still ready for more?" Axe Leoroid grinned. "Well, then I won't disappoint you!" He aimed his cannon at her but then a glob of glue-like substance gummed up his cannon before he could fire. Suddenly, his entire right arm exploded and he roared in pain. "MY ARM! MY ARM!"

Gemma blinked and looked to see Slasher standing behind her. He held up a sign, "**You always love to hear yourself talk, Doctor Zestokij.**"

"You little shit!" He pointed his left arm at Slasher to fire his laser gun but Gemma grabbed his and crushed the laser gun with her bare hands. She released him as he recoiled in shock. Slasher attacked with a brutal punch across his face, knocking out a few of his teeth. He then followed up with a series of punches to his old handler's stomach before using an uppercut that tossed him into the air. Slasher grabbed the airborne Axe Leoroid by the ankle and then proceeded to smash him to the floor once, twice, thrice, four times before tossing him through the air to tumble along the floor painfully.

Axe Leoroid groaned then found himself being hauled up to his feet by his neck. He looked to see Slasher glaring at him and grinned. "You don't have the guts to kill me," he said mockingly. Slasher then beeped and Axe Leoroid's eyes went wide. "What!? No!" Slasher released Ace Leoroid's throat and gripped his remaining arm tight. He then pulled and ripped it right out of the socket. Axe Leoroid screamed as blood poured out of the stump like a fountain. Slasher tossed the severed arm over his shoulder then sprayed Axe Leoroid with his adhesive goo, sticking him to the wall. Axe Leoroid screamed and struggled to get free. Not wanting to hear his voice, he gummed up his throat with the glue.

Slasher beeped, which translated to, **"Now see how you like having your voice taken from you."** He then turned to Gemma and gave her a nod. He signed, **"Let's get out of here."**

**つづく**

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: And that's the 5th chapter of the second season and it looks like we're almost at the end of this story arc. Although, what will happen next ? We will find out soon, very soon. How soon? You'll just have to wait and see. I would like to give credit to Tailsmo4ever, Shadow Element 13, Kamen Rider Bushido, Kamen Rider Goji and GuyverGenesis for their assistance and contributions in finishing this chapter. Without them, this would not be possible.<strong>


	75. The Rescue: Devil Dragon

**Chapter 75: Devil Dragon**

In Youkai Academy, there was actually one other Cyborg Mutant that the unknown Rider had missed during the carnage. The Cyborg Mutant had jumped out of the bushes and scrambled across the road and up against one of the trees. Panting and sweating, the Mockingbird Cyborg Mutant let out a heaving sigh.

"Shit... this wasn't how it was supposed to go," Mockroid heaved, wiping the sweat off his head. Their mission had turned into a complete bust. It was suppose to be a simple mission of seek, destroy and salvage. Unfortunately, the school seemed to have known that GIN-SHOCKER was going to send out people to defend it while it was still vulnerable and were ready for them. Very powerful people had torn through their ranks like wet tissue paper. And then there was that black Rider that they had never seen before. Where had he come from? There was no mention of him, no data, and no one knew he where came from. He just came out of the blue and slaughtered them all. It was like Afghanistan all over again.

His chain of thought was interrupted when something suddenly sliced through the tree he was leaning on. Mockroid quickly jumped back as he watched it fall into a diagonal curve before it crashed into the ground with a boom.

"The hell?!" Mockroid gasped.

"So I have your attention. That's good." Mockroid turned around and saw a brown-haired Chinese woman standing up on a tree branch. Her image seemed to have disappeared for a short while, before she reappeared right in front of Mockroid, causing him to stumble backwards in surprise. "Terrified, are you? I arrived a bit late for the party, so I didn't have much to contribute. Everyone else seemed to be doing a good job at wiping you out."

"Shit!" Mockroid shouted as he drew a heat dagger. The moment he did, his arm suddenly dropped onto the grass, blood gushing out of the stump as it did. Mockroid choked in pain, staring at his stump in disbelief.

If anyone had been watching and blinked, Xianglian's hand would've looked like it hadn't moved at all. The only indication that it had was the blood that suddenly dripped down her hand. The woman slowly moved her blood-stained hand to her mouth and slowly licked the blood off her fingers, _"Měiwèi,"_ she cooed, her lips curling into a small smile, "It's been so long since I've tasted fresh blood. I almost forgot what it tasted like."

"What the hell?!" Mockroid shouted, clutching his profusely-bleeding stump. "Who are you?! Who are you people?! What the hell are you?!"

"Just an very over-protective mother that you people just happened to piss off," Xianglian said, slowly walking towards Mockroid as he backed away in fear. "They told me everything. Everything, you've all done to them. I've met some sick freaks myself, but you're the first I've met who would use children as weapons."

"Mercy! Mercy! I give up!" Mockroid pleaded.

"Mmmhmm. I'm sure lots of your victims have begged that very same thing of you over the years," Xianglian sliced of the other arm, causing the now armless Mockroid to collapse backwards, "So tell me, why should I?" The Mockroid could only answer in pained and freaked out noises, "No answer, hm? Well, since you're going to die anyway, I'll let you in on something funny." Xianglian walked over the Mockroid and stopped when she was standing directly above his waist. Then she squatted down and rested her arms on her knees as she gazed in his eyes, sitting on top of him very alluringly.

"I've been around for over 2,000 years now, you know," she told him. "And I actually went by another name. A name everyone knew best. The name of a woman who single-handedly brought down an ancient dynasty with her beauty alone. Of course, people saw this woman as a cruel and selfish monster who got her kicks out of torturing people. It got so bad that someone wrote a novel called 'Fengshen Yanyi'. I _hated _that novel," her smile was damn scary. Her already long canines had become even more threatening, and bristled whiskers had become clearly visible on her cheeks.

"The book made me look like a madwoman, who told those who read it that my greatest joy was to hear people cry in agony. They even said that I made torture devices such as the Bronze Toaster and Snake Pits. The fact is, the only reason I brought down the dynasty was because it was my job, and that was all. And now I have two kids to look after. I'm very sure that a beast like the one described in that novel would not be able to raise two kids like I have." She outstretched her hand and it started glow in sickeningly dark energy. "And now... go to whatever Hell monsters like you belong."

There was a bright flash of light within the forest, followed by a rumbling eruption, one that blew heavily around the trees and caused the leaves to blow off the branches.

* * *

><p>Back in the GIN-SHOCKER branch where Yuji and Shinichi were being held captive, the sadistic scientists, Phobist and Montesinos, had Yūji strapped against a wall. They were going to perform very horrifying experiments on him without a care for his wellbeing. They didn't even give him anaesthesia to dull the pain. They wanted him to suffer, to be in agony.<p>

"When I get out of here, you assholes are so gonna pay," Yūji snarled threateningly.

"That's doubtful," said Dr. Phobist and he flipped a switch, causing an electrical current to run through and electrocute their newest 'guinea pig'. They listened as Yūji screamed before stopping the machine. They had been doing that for hours now, and they weren't letting up. "Hm, it seems that he can repetitively endure extremely fatal amounts of electricity."

"Hit him again," said Dr. Montesinos. Dr. Phobist nodded and have Yuji another jolt. They both watched as his body convulsed and listened to his screams before switching off the current.

"Hey... This must be how you get off, huh?" Yūji sneered. "I mean, you fuckers love to hurt little girls..."

"I see _our _little girls spoke of us," said Dr. Phobist with a grin.

"Didn't say much...but I know you guys made them feel like they were nothing but tools," Yūji shot back.

"They are tools, and we used them as we deemed fit," clarified Dr. Montesinos.

"You mean like _toys_, you sick fuck," Yūji snarled and he yelled in surprise as he was showered with water all of a sudden. "What the hell!?"

"You don't like water, right?" Dr. Phobist chuckled. He then made it shower heavily on Yūji again.

"CUZ IT'S FUCKING COLD, YA DUMBASS!" he roared as he stated such an obvious fact. They turned on the electricity once more and Yūji screamed as he was once again electrocuted. The water drenched on him increased the intensity of the electricity.

"You know, Dr. Montesinos, I think that maybe we can harvest some genetic samples from this one," suggested Dr. Phobist.

"Why settle with some when you can get an ample supply?" grinned Montesinos. He took out what looked like a buzzsaw and when he turned it on the circular blade's edge spun as it glowed.

"What...the fuck?" Yūji gaped.

"This can slice through flesh and bone while at the same time cauterizing the wound to prevent blood loss," Montesinos explained. "Now, _scream_ for me." His grin widened as he inched closer to Yūji, whose eyes went wide as he shook his head furiously. The reflection on the buzzsaw shined against his eyes as it came closer to his face.

He SCREAMED...

* * *

><p>Several guards were positioned within a hallway. They were armed and ready to engage any intruder who would dare wander these halls. Of course, having them all in one place was also very convenient for what was coming next.<p>

They were not going to see it coming.

A grenade rolled into the hallway and came to a stop. Its switch was glowing and beeping, indicating that it was activated. The grenade also sported spikes along its grid surface.

One of the guards took note of its presence and screamed, _"GRENADE!" _but it was already too late. The beeping increased in frequency before the grenade finally detonated.

The blast itself wouldn't kill them. It would just knock them out cold. However, the blast allowed the spikes to fly in all directions at high velocity as lethal shrapnel. The unfortunate guards were killed as the shrapnel pierced their vital areas. The surviving ones were disoriented by the shockwave of the blast.

Then came the second part of the assault.

Quick as a flash, Breaker, Seras, Arachnea and Carmen were like blurs in motion as they went slicing their way through a hallway towards Yuji. Carmen leapt into the air and performed a split kick before lunging forward, slashing two GS-Soldiers in the side to spill blood with her scythes. She rolled along the floor before getting back to her feet to run along the walls. Breaker leapt over her as Arachnea and Seras followed behind the two. The guards fired at them but the four Riders dodged their shots as they considered to massacre their way through, leaving a bloody trail in their wake.

"You sure Yūji's on this floor?" Seras asked as she ran a GIN-SHOCKER soldier through.

"Yes, he's behind the door at the end of this hallway," said Arachnea as she splattered the walls with blood as she sliced through several soldiers. "And with this much security on one floor that means they're guarding something important. Namely _him_."

"Then we'd better hurry it up," Breaker said, slicing off the arms of more GS-Soldiers. He then excitedly spoke, "Alright, let's deliver the smackdown on these losers!" Breaker then kicked a GIN-SHOCKER soldier in the groin.

"OH MY BALLS!" the soldier cried as he grabbed his privates and fell over on his side.

"Yeah and that was from me, Breaker! The guy who kicks ass!" Breaker boasted.

"Full of yourself aren't you?" Seras asked.

"Nah. I think I deserve it after being absent from this team for so long," Breaker remarked. "I mean I need to make up for getting my butt kicked in the last team battle."

After slaying the remaining guards, the four Riders came across a door. It was wide and appeared to be locked. "I think this is what these guys were guarding," Carmen said.

"Let's open it then and take Yuji with us," Arachnea said. She kicked the door off the hinges and they all stormed inside. And then stopped at the sight before them.

Even if they had been trained to be prepared for anything in a warzone, what they saw horrified them.

"YUJI!"

Right in front of them was Yūji Fudō, looking barely alive, chained onto a wall. What horrified them most of all was that his right arm was completely missing. In its place was a stump which had been cauterised as if cut through by a very hot blade.

"Oh... my God..." Carmen choked out, falling to her knees.

"Holy shit..." Breaker added, his eyes widened behind his helmet.

"Yūji..." Seras stuttered in horror.

"Who did this...?" Arachnea growled, her fists trembling. She howled out louder, "WHO DID THIS?!"

"Honestly, #07, since when have you become so loud?"

"Quite right. She must've picked it up from #04. She has always been so reckless and a bad influence on #11 and #07."

Both Carmen and Arachnea stiffened at the sounds of the voices and slowly, very slowly turned to the side. Breaker and Seras followed their gazes. Standing next to an observation table were two people that the Mantis and Tarantula Cyborgs hoped to never see again.

"It... it can't be..." Arachnea stammered.

"Montesinos... Phobist..." identified Carmen.

Montesinos smiled sarcastically, "Well, it's _nice _to see you as well, #11 and #07." He directed his gaze at Seras and Breaker. "And you brought along #04 and #05. How nice to see you both again as well."

"Shut up," Breaker spat.

Seras's eyes fell on a tray and what was sitting on it. Was that... an arm?... It couldn't be... "Did... did you two...?"

"Cut off that boy's arm?" Phobist grinned as he confirmed, "Yes, we did. How often do scientists get to study a creature as magnificent as a _Dragon_? Obviously, no one else can claim they've performed such a feat."

"And besides," Montesinos smiled with a wide grin. "It was a lesson that we needed to get through his head. We needed to pay him back for taking our little girls from us."

"You bastards!" Carmen shouted, surprising everyone, "There's no way we're going back with you! Not after what you've done to us and especially not after what you did to Yūji!"

"There's no way we're ever letting you take us again!" Arachnea hissed.

"You motherfuckers are gonna die for what you did," Seras growled, her Bloody Tears drawn.

"Time to get your asses kicked," Breaker finished, his peta blades sliding out.

"Sorry, but you have no choice in the matter, #11," said Montesinos. He put on a horrifying grin. "You're coming with me, whether you like it or not!" His smile promised a lot of pain for Michiru and a lot of pleasure for him. He looked forward to having his favorite toy back. But first, he planned to break her, something he would enjoy very much.

"Yes, and you're coming with me as well, #07. There are some new poisons I wish to test on you," said Phobist. "And if we have to kill #04 and #05 to get the point across, then so be it!"

Both Dr. Phobist and Montesinos then began to mutate into their Cyborg Mutant forms. Their clothes stretched and were ripped to shreds as they assumed their more monstrous forms. Dr. Phobist had become a humanoid tarantula with two legs and six arms with stinging fur covering his entire body. He grew 6 additional eyes and his mouth became wide with sharp teeth and a tarantula's abdomen on his rear. The fur pattern on his chest formed the shape of a skull. Dr. Montesinos had assumed the form of a huge minotaur-like creature that was half goat and half human. Its horns looked like pipes which spewed out smoke. He was clad in black leather pants. Red and blue lightning crackled around his hands.

Both Carmen and Arachnea pulled out their own weapons as they trembled on the spot. Their trembling was not out of fear, but out of hate. Hatred for the two scientists that took them from their homes and killed their family. Hatred for them for violating them. Hatred for violating Yūji. With a unison cry, both of them lunged at Arachnofear and Goatroid, screaming murderously, "I'LL KILL YOU!"

Carmen slashed at Goatroid who brought up his arms to block Carmen's attack, shredding sparks but nothing else on contact. Simultaneously, Arachnea also struck with her Spider-Kamas but Arachnofear caught her weapons in his hands, gripping them tightly.

"Naughty girls get a spanking!" Goatroid sneered as he brutally backhanded Carmen. At the same time Arachnofear unleashed his fur, which shot at Arachnea like needles, throwing her backwards and in pain as she went tumbling. She felt momentarily numb from the toxins in the fur but was able to recover quickly as her body had adapted and produced anti-toxins to combat the poison. Carmen also stood up and gritted her teeth as she held her face.

Goatroid licked his lips as he leered at Carmen. She had definitely grown up to be a beautiful woman and she had a nice, full figure. He couldn't wait to get his hands on her, to sink his teeth into her soft flesh as he ravaged her body. All she needed was some mental conditioning and she'd be his prized assassin and sex slave once again.

Arachnofear darted forward and punched rapidly with all his arms. Arachnea bobbed and weaved to dodge and then shot with a spearstrike at Arachnofear's midsection, only for her blow to be blocked by an energy web. Caught in his trap, Arachnea was kneed in the gut and then tossed up before he grabbed her ankles and wrists, spreading them out painfully.

"I had such high hopes for you, but alas you've disappointed me again," sighed Arachnofear. He was about to spread her to the point of breaking her in half when tendrils wrapped around his wrists.

"Don't forget about me," grinned Seras and the needles in her tendrils dug into Arachnofear's flesh. Stung, he released Arachnea who landed on her knees before she somersaulted backwards to make some distance.

Meanwhile, Goatroid was about to make a grab for Carmen but she leapt to the side. His speed, however, was superior to hers as he grabbed her ankle and dragged him to her. "Come to me, my pretty, pretty doll-ARGH!" Goatroid screamed and recoiled as a blade cut against arm. He looked up and saw that it was Breaker who had slashed him.

"High-Frequency Vibrating Peta Blades," gloated Breaker. "Gotta love'em." He helped Carmen up. "You OK?"

"Yeah, I think so. Thanks," Carmen said gratefully.

"Hey what are teammates for? Now let's kick his ass!" Breaker took an offensive stance.

"Hell yeah!" Carmen agreed.

"I never expected you, #05, of all people to defect," Goatroid sneered as he recovered.

"Yeah, well things fucking change! It is better to be the hero than a villain who would likely die quicker!" Breaker retorted. He then charged at Goatroid with his right leg stretched out in a flying kick. Goatroid grabbed the leg, making Breaker mentally swear, _'Oh you have got to be fuckin' kidding me'_. Goatroid then spun Breaker around a few times, making the Centipede Rider dizzy, before he threw the Centipede Rider into the table with Yuji's arm on it, knocking it down.

"Be careful with the sample, Goatroid! We need it intact for our experiments!" Arachnofear reprimanded as he parried Seras and Arachneas' blades with his claws.

"Sorry!" Goatroid quickly apologized as he grappled with Carmen. He headbutted Carmen, in the face, making her a bit dizzy. Goatroid then struck Carmen in the chest with a punch, sending Carmen flying to the wall and hitting it.

"Michiru!" Seras and Arachnea called out only to get hit by Arachnofear's energy webs, sticking them to the floor.

"You should worry more about yourselves, naughty little girls," Arachnofear snickered. Arachnea and Seras were able to cut themselves out of the webbing with their blades. They stood back up and glared at Arachnofear.

Meanwhile, Goatroid was approaching the downed Mantis Rider, leering at her body. "Soon, you will be mine again," Goatroid snickered as he began to have lecherous thoughts. It was these thoughts that led to him being caught off guard.

"HIYAH!"

"Huh?" Goatroid spoke before got hit in the face, sending him tumbling along the ground. He stood back up and glared at the standing Breaker. "YOU!"

"That's right, asshole! Me! Now you're gonna face the smackdown by Kamen Rider Break-AHH SONAVABITCH!" Breaker got shocked in the middle of his speech, knocking him to the ground. "OH COME ON! THIS SHIT AGAIN?! THIS SUCKS SO MUCH!"

Seras, armed with her Bloody Tears attacked Arachnofear with Arachnea backing her up. The blood red rapiers were thirsty and she wanted to pay back the asshole who hurt her friend and harmed the one she loved. Arachnea wanted payback too.

Carmen and Breaker were like dance-partners, completely in-sync. Breaker went into a headspin and kicked out at Goatroid while the Mantis Rider shot her energy bullets at him. She wanted to pay him back for all the pain, all the humiliation, and all the torment she had endured in the past. She also wanted him to pay for what he'd done to her Yūji.

While Breaker wasn't really close to Yūji, the guy was surprisingly Shinichi's cousin. So that meant he was family and the Centipede Rider would gladly help out a member of Shinichi's family. It was the least he could do to repay Shinichi for giving him a second chance. It was also a way for him to apologize to Shinichi for all the trouble he'd given the Black Cicada Cyborg in the past.

Flipping back to his feet, Breaker grabbed Carmen's arms and swung her towards Goatroid to hit him in the face with both her boots, sending him staggering backwards. She then fired another salvo of energy bullets from her shoulder-mounted flower guns as Breaker hung back for an opening to open another can of whoop-ass on the Goat Cyborg Mutant. Just as Goatroid was about to rush in for another attack, a sudden laser beam shot out of the floor and crossed in front of Goatroid, taking him aback.

"What the hell?!" Goatroid gasped as the laser subsided, "What the fuck was that?"

"Who cares?!" Carmen shouted back, slapping her chains against her former handler's face.

Arachnofear attempted to fire his energy venom at both Seras and Arachnea but the Spider Rider tossed a smoke bomb into his face. He coughed as he accidentally inhaled the smoke and then he was sent tumbling by twin blows which spilled blood and sparks on impact.

Goatroid was sent crashing into the wall as Breaker and Carmen hit him with flip kicks at the same time. She then released her chains which had her scythes attached to the end and swung her arms to swipe at Goatroid repeatedly with them. She twirled the chains and spun to hit him again, this time with her chains wrapped around his horns. She then dragged him towards her in order to violently plant her feet into his face. She then mercilessly fired at his face with her shoulder guns before releasing him so that Breaker could knock him to the ground with a kick.

Enraged, Goatroid got up on all fours and rushed them, tackling them and hitting them with his skull. He grabbed hold of Carmen and pinned her down to the ground.

"I am so going to enjoy breaking you again..." growled Goatroid lecherously as he licked his lips in anticipations. He was thinking of having her tied up and blindfolded as she serviced him. Then, he would share her with a few of his friends from the S&M Club to teach her a lesson. She would become his bitch again and there would be nothing she could do about it.

Carmen just grunted and vanished from sight, only to be replaced by Breaker. "Sorry, but I'm taken, you sick fuck," grinned Breaker. Goatroid was stunned and realized it was just an illusion. Chains wrapped around his neck and he was dragged off Breaker before being thrown against the floor.

"I'm not done with you yet," Carmen growled, her chains sliding back into her arms.

* * *

><p>Two Mooks got torn to shreds by an invisible force before Phantom dropped below and ran through her path. She had lost contact with Gin moments ago and was wondering what had happened to him and Qiao. Luckily he knew how to take care of himself. Qiao too. So she had no reason to worry. As she was running into a large metal room where a set of stairs went up to giant doors, she narrowed her eyes as she sensed a very familiar presence.<p>

She came to a stop and looked up, calling, "I know you're there! Come out!" Right on cue, D jumped down below in front of Phantom, landing in a crouch before standing back up.

"Nothing gets past your senses. As always," D admitted.

"So, you're here too, huh D?" Phantom remarked. "I'm surprised to see you up and on your feet after what Shinichi did to you."

"Let's break the salutations and get to the point," D said, bringing out her Psychic Trigger, pointing it threateningly at Phantom, "WHITE 14, for betraying the organization you have been deemed as useless. I am here to dismantle you."

"Sorry," Phantom denied, bringing out a dark blue, advance looking gun. It was her Type-25 Directed Energy Rifle, more commonly known as the Plasma Rifle. "But I'm not dying again. I'm going to bring Shinichi and Yūji back, even if I have to go through you."

"Then prepare to be blown," D declared.

"We'll see about th-!" Phantom proclaimed before she did a double take, "Wait, what?!" She then dodged D's gunfire, moving to the side at warp speeds. The energy bullets were immune to her telekinesis, so she had to dodge them.

"Prepare to be bombarded with my red hot energy bullets," D elaborated.

"Sorry, but I have other plans!" Phantom retorted as she fired her Plasma Rifle at D. D blocked the shots with her Psychic Sword.

"You will be full of red hot energy bullets!" D continued, walking forward.

"OK, there's no need to explain even further!" Phantom exclaimed as she pulled out her Energy Sword and defected the bullets. "I get the point!"

"As some people would say, I'm going to fuck you!" D concluded, charging with her sword drawn.

"Do you even have any idea what you are saying?!" Phantom shouted as she parried the sword swings, mortified at what D was implying. She knew that D didn't really mean anything by what she was saying, but hearing everything said sounded so WRONG! It was like what she heard from Shinichi's friends that the boy sometimes said things that people would misinterpret and make situations feel awkward. She quickly blurred around the swings before appearing behind D, kicking her in the back. D was sent flying across the floor before she landed back on her feet.

"You can't beat me, you know!" Phantom said, "I was stronger than you once before, but now I'm a lot stronger than I used to be!"

"Prove it!" D challenged, bringing out her gun and firing shots from it. Phantom shot her hand forward and formed a shield of psychic energy to block and deflect the shots. Once D exhausted her rounds, Phantom jumped upward and aimed her foot down for a bone crushing kick.

"I don't think so!" D shouted as she rolled out of the way. Phantom came down and the rubble from the floor kicked up from the impact. D back flipped away before landing back on her feet. Focusing on her psychic powers, a purple platform appeared in the air behind her. As she jumped on, another platform appeared. More platforms appeared into the air as she made her way up. As she got to a certain distance, she stabbed her Psychic Sword into the center of the platform, causing the platform to crack and turn into jagged shrapnel which were launched at Phantom. Thinking fast, shot her laser eyes at each one, causing them to disintegrate.

"Hm, not bad,_" _D stated as she pressed on her attack. "Let's see how long you can last against me!"

"Let's see how long you can last against _me!"_ Phantom countered as she brought out a second Plasma Rifle. She jumped backwards in mid air, firing her weapons in the middle of her flips. D quickly cartwheeled out of the way of the shots.

"Have you gotten soft since becoming a Cyborg, WHITE 14?" D questioned, "When has a Psychic ever needed a gun?"

"You're one to talk!" Phantom shot back, still shooting her gun, "You use a gun too!"

"True, but the gun I use is is a construct made from my thoughts!" D claimed.

"So what? Same difference!" Phantom snapped, "It ain't the weapon, it's the one using it! And here's another one!" She raised her guns over her head and fired rapid shots in random directions. The plasma went up the air before Phantom began manipulating them with her telekinesis, causing the rounds to fly about before flying directly at D. The gothic lolita's eyes widened as she saw the plasma rounds actually home onto her, prompting her to jump backwards and take aim with her Psychic Trigger. She quickly fired rapid rounds of succession, canceling out the bullets in huge explosions. D rolled backwards and glared up at Phantom.

"So, am I still soft now?" Phantom questioned.

D gritted her teeth before she retorted, "I don't need to answer to a traitor like you!"

"Then I guess I have to kick your ass some more and make you cry Uncle," Phantom said, crossing her gun and sword together.

"We'll see," D frowned, doing the exact same thing.

* * *

><p>It appeared that Carmen, Breaker, Seras and Arachnea had the upperhand against the Cyborg Mutant scientists. However, their advantage didn't seem to last long as Goatroid swallowed a handful of pills. His muscle mass increased significantly and while that sort of bulk could hinder speed, it did no such thing for Goatroid as he bashed his skull into Breaker, nearly breaking his metal-plated bones. Carmen lashed out only for Goatroid to grab her wrist and give it a twist, forcing her to her knees in pain.<p>

"That's right, that's right..." Goatroid said as he caressed her masked face. "On your knees like a good little bitch." He then kneed her so hard her faceplate nearly cracked and she dropped to the ground in pain. "I have so many outfits for you to wear and your schedule planned out for when you will serve me, my little slave doll."

"Fuck...you!" Carmen snapped.

"Oh, I will be doing the same to you," sneered Goatroid.

Meanwhile, Arachnofear had just hit Seras and Arachnea with his venom blasts. Seras was stunned and frozen but Arachnea recovered quickly. As she went to help her friend, webbing caught her ankles and she was dragged over to Arachnofear. She tried to cut her way loose but more webbing wrapped around her, binding her.

"Hana..." hissed Seras in pain. "Dammit..." she snarled. Her whole body felt numb from the venom blast.

"Hey, Phobist!" Goatroid called. "I need your help!"

"Fine," said Arachnofear as he strode over, dragging Arachnea behind him. He then went and knelt by Carmen as Goatroid leered at Arachnea who Arachnofear had tied up with his webbing.

"Hey, can I play with your doll too?"Goatroid asked.

"Just don't break her," said Arachnofear. Breaker lunged but was hit by a venom blast and knocked to the ground. Gaotroid went and kicked him repeatedly as Arachnofear's fingertips lengthened and venom dripped from them.

"This will hurt quite a lot," said Arachnofear before he buried his fingertips into the base of their necks. The two girls shrieked.

* * *

><p>'<em>Mi...Michiru...'<em> Yūji thought, _'Hana... They're in trouble...'_

Yūji's consciousness had faded from the pain of losing his arm. It was too intense as he had gone into shock and fainted.

'_Have...to help them,'_ he thought, _'Must...save them...'_

He then heard a voice...

_"Wow, you look like shit," _a voice said.

Yūji couldn't see well, his vision blurred somewhat, but he felt some kind of warmth and could only make out a faint, red, light that radiated before him.

_"Who...who are you...?" _Yūji demanded weakly.

_"Hmm, I don't think you need to know at the moment," _the voice dismissed.

_"What do you want?"_

_"Just passing through. I noticed something big going on and decided to check it out."_

_"What are you...? I can't see anything."_

_"I think your losing consciousness from shock. You did just lose your entire right arm. At this rate, you might die."_

_"If only..." _Yūji trailed off.

_"If only?"_ the voice repeated.

_"If only...I were stronger," _Yūji breathed. _"Hana and Michiru... They're in trouble. And I can't do anything like this!"_

The voice was silent before it spoke up again, _"Hey, kid. Do you want power?"_

_"Power...?" _Yūji echoed.

_"Yeah, more power. If you let me live inside your body, then you can have more power."_

_"Power..." _Yūji mouthed as he processed the voice's words._"Give me more...power."_

_"Are you willing to become a demon for it?" _the voice asked.

_"If I become a demon...so be it," _he accepted. _"I'll endure any exile. Anything...TO PROTECT THEM!"_

* * *

><p>Yūji's eyes snapped open as they glowed red and he was engulfed by a sinister red aura, garnering the attention of Carmen, Arachnea, Seras, Breaker, and the handlers.<p>

"Yūji...?" Arachnea gasped.

"What the hell?" Breaker asked.

The stump that was Yūji's arm began to glow as bone, muscle fibers, and skin began to grow and extend, reforming into a new arm.

"His arm! It's regenerating!" Goatroid exclaimed.

"That's impossible!" Arachnofear denied.

But his arm was indeed reforming, and it was completely different compared to his amputated. What covered his newly grown arm was red armor covering his shoulder, triceps, and back of his forearm and the back of his hand. The biceps, underside of his forearm, and his palm and fingers were all glowing gold like liquid magma. Then a shockwave blew back all the combatants before they all hit the wall. What the two GIN-SHOCKER scientists saw next shocked them to their very cores. As Yūji slowly approached everyone could see a red projection of a humanoid with horns and flames standing behind Yūji. It only had a single right arm, like Yūji's. It was exceedingly taller than him, well over 7 feet tall, and it did not look too happy. The same red aura was flaring from Yūji's body as his eyes were still giving off the eerie red glow.

_**"Come on, you two pussies," **_Yūji challenged as his voice was mixed with a deeper, more sinister, ethereal voice. _**"Show me whatcha got. You may think you're tough enough to take on a couple of girls, but do you have what it takes against a devil?"**_

Goatroid and Arachnofear look at each other before they charged with a roar as they went on the attack.

Yūji smirked, _**"Heh, dopes."**_

He caught a string of webbing and head-butted Arachnofear, the scientist flinching before he was peppered by small fireballs that were launched from Yūji's hand. He wasn't even using his draconic techniques, simply fighting with power alone as it seemed to work. The spider-like monster launched his poison barbs from his fur, only to be blocked as Yūji brought up his arm to guard as the giant spirit shielded Yūji from the poisonous barbs.

"What?!" Arachnofear gawked.

"This can't be possible!" Goatroid denied.

The possessed Manakyte simply grinned maniacally as he threw his arm out, projecting a giant, ghostly, red hand that surprised the doctor and grabbed him by the throat, with Yūji pulling him back as he flew, driving his demonic arm right into the Mutant's chest. Yuji then tore his hand out, now holding Arachnofear's still beating heard in his glowing hand.

"Holy shit!" Seras gasped.

"Yūji…" Carmen gasped.

"No way!" Breaker gawked.

"He killed him…" Arachnea gaped.

"No…impossible…" Arachnofear mouthed.

Yūji grinned maniacally before he crushed the heart in his hand and dropped the gory remains. He slid his arm back into Arachnofear body, dove his other hand into the chest cavity, and _tore _the Cyborg Mutant in half as Yūji was covered in both Arachnofear's blood and oil

"You little bastard!" Goatroid roared as he charged towards Yūji at ramming speed. Yūji turned and brought his foot up as he stopped Goatroid dead in his tracks. He grabbed the mutant's horns and began to pull, bringing Goatroid to his knees as his foot was still planted on his head for leverage.

"Wha-what are you doing?" Goatroid demanded.

_**"Hehehe, you seem to be very proud of these horns of yours," **_Yūji cackled. _**"You wanted to hear me scream, right, goat boy? Well, let's see how loud YOU SCREAM!" **_he roared as he pulled with all his might, tearing off Goatroid's precious horns.

"YAAAAAAAARGH!" Goatroid screamed as he clutched the stumps on his head as they were spewing blood through his fingers.

_**"HAHAHAHA!" **_Yūji laughed boisterously as he held the horns in his hands. _**"You scream like a little bitch!**__** Why don't you go 'baa baa' like a real goat?**__**" **_He then kicked away the monster, walking calmly as kicked the goat in the gut, spinning around to backhand him and slamming his face into the ground with one swift motion. The doctor struggled to get up before he was kicked in the gut by the possessed young man. Breaker and the girls could only watch as Yūji brutalized the mad doctor. He behaved like a hunter, toying with his prey as he observed Montesinos' movements.

Goatroid tried to retaliate, trying to kick Yūji only for the Manakyte to grab the leg and start tossing Goatroid around like a ragdoll, continuously slamming his body into the steel floor as it dented with the amount of brutal force Yūji was harnessing. He even had a sadistic grin on his face that rivaled that of Montesinos and Gebok as he enjoyed pummeling the scientist. Pinning him down with his left arm, a growling Yūji continued to grin with absolute glee, growling and laughing to himself as he proceeded to beat Goatroid's face in with his brand new fist. He brought down his fist on the monster repeatedly, never letting up, as he wailed on him with one hit after another while the Riders watched. They had never seen Yūji capable of such brutality and it was very unnerving to see Yūji so brutal, when he was always so gentle.

"_**Come on, fucker," **_Yūji prompted, _**"Talk! You were talking all that good shit a second ago! Then I tore you're fucking horns off! Hit me! Fight me! GIVE ME A FUCKING HUG! HAHAHAHA!"**_

Yūji spun the horns in his hands as he walked over to Goatroid and drove a horn into his groin, earning more screams from the Cyborg Mutant. _**"Shut the fuck up," **_he commanded as he drove the other horn into Goatroid's head through the underside of his chin, effectively shutting him up. _**"Much better."**_ He then raised a foot and dropped it down on Goatroid's head, stomping on his skull continuously with great force as he had no intention of stopping. The manic grin on his face never left as he took great pleasure in doing anything he could to destroy the carcass. A final drop of his foot was made, smooshing his foot, over the bones, blood, and brain matter that was left from Goatroid. Finally sated from the mad frenzy, Yūji walked away from the carcass...only turn and launch a fireball that incinerated the body. Yūji chuckled as he turned to the Riders, _**"Anyone up for lamb chops?"**_

Arachnea and Carmen, still paralyzed, both blinked beneath their masks. Was that really Yūji? One minute he was like the wrath of God - or the Devil - personified, and so ghastly in his brutality that it could even make Misato afraid . . . or turn her on, because she was just odd like that. The next, he was making goofy jokes about cooking his (or their) enemies and eating them. Suddenly, Carmen began to laugh. Arachnea looked at her strangely at first, but Carmen answered her unspoken question.

Michiru could only grin and declared, "It's still Yūji...!" Arachnea blinked briefly in realization, before she too reluctantly chuckled as it sank in. Breaker also gave a short laugh as Seras breathed a sigh of relief as she palmed her masked face.

"Yeah, Yūji, you're still you," Misato nodded, "Only you would say something that stupid."

Yūji chuckled slightly as well, but his chuckle was more like a deep rumble in light of the transformation that seemed to have amplified every aspect of himself, voice included. _**"Yeah, like you could doubt that."**_ Despite his amplified voice, the sardonic yet affectionate inflection was very clearly still Yūji Fudō. It was then that the giant projection behind Yūji and the aura surrounding him faded, resulting in Yūji falling flat on his face as he was now immobile.

"Yūji!" Misato shouted as she, Goemon, Hana and Michiru, after reverting to normal, ran quickly towards where Yūji fell as Hana and Michiru helped him up.

"You OK?" Michiru asked.

"Just tired…" he responded weakly. "Man using new power and growing a new arm can take a lot out of a guy…" And he was out like a light, unresponsive to the rest of the world.

"There he goes," Hana sighed.

Michiru giggled, "Sleeping like a baby."

Goemon snickered, "Man, he really kicked ass..."

Misato took hold of Yūji as she held him close, his head resting on her chest. "Oh, my poor Darling," she cooed. Yūji then smiled unconsciously as he breathed slowly.

* * *

><p>The fight between the two former members of the Psychic Corps pushed on, both blades of energy clashing with wild ambition. While D was one of the strongest Psychics GIN-SHOCKER had, so was Lina, and her cybernetics as well as the Spark Reactor within her body only amplified her powers. Right now, she clearly had the advantage over D.<p>

"So, you've really decided to betray GIN-SHOCKER too?" D asked as she grinded her sword against Phantom's.

"That's right," Phantom answered, kicking her in the stomach to back her off. "We were recruited to recapture Shinichi and nothing more. After that, there was no other need for us. It's always been like that. Why do you think the last generation NUMBERS were offed so quickly, despite always succeeding in their missions? It's because they were no longer needed. We're just tools for them, D. To be used up and only thrown away once we get broken."

"To be used up and thrown away when we break. I know," D sadly expressed.

"You knew?" Phantom gaped before she asked, "So why not do something about it?" Their duel had stopped for the time being.

"Because I know my purpose is just being a tool. But even so, I live for GIN-SHOCKER's goals and I will fulfill my services to them. It is how I was raised. My purpose is to live, fight and die for them," D frowned.

"I used to have that way of thinking," Phantom told her. "I used to see myself as nothing more than a tool as well. But no more. I live for me now. I live because I have something no weapon has: a will."

"Will?" D blinked. She began to recall something similar Yuji had said during the time they had dueled.

* * *

><p><em>"You can talk to them?" D observed. "How is that possible...?"<em>

_"It's because I created these girls," Yuji answered. "I designed them, as well as their effects and they gained their own wills as a result."_

_"Will..."_

* * *

><p>"There's more to life than just fighting," Phantom added. "We aren't truly weapons at all. We're both teenage girls who happen to have super psychic powers. But even with all that, we can still enjoy life."<p>

"Life?" D recalled Showa saying something similar during their battle on Halloween night.

* * *

><p>"<em>There's more in the world than that, Weapon D! So much more! There's friendship! There's love! And also...LIFE! HYAH!" He swiftly disarmed Weapon D and sent the female Psychic Duelist tumbling painfully with a powerful kick. She smashed through a wall before weakly looking back up at Showa. "For as long as I've been here, I wondered why I was put in this school . Without my memories holding me back, I forged bonds, strong bonds and these bonds have made me stronger. When my memories returned, I asked myself if I was even worthy to have such bonds. I know the answer now. So, there's no way I'm going back to GIN-SHOCKER except to blow up everything it stands for!"<em>

* * *

><p>"Shinichi, Yūji, and the others taught me that there's life beyond GIN-SHOCKER," Phantom continued, "Now, I'm going to do the same for you, and if I have to beat you over the head until you get it, then so be it!"<p>

"You can try," D glared before she fired her Psychic Trigger at her foe. Phantom sliced the projectiles away with her Energy Sword. D continued on with her attack as she fired her gun and slashed with her sword. "Do you know how I came to this organization in the first place? It was because someone left me in a forest when I was just a baby. I would've died in that place if Professor Kyofu hadn't retrieved me during one of GIN-SHOCKER's expansion plans."

"So you feel obligated to serve Kyofu and GIN-SHOCKER because you felt like you owe them?" Phantom inquired. As she was clashing her Energy Sword her against D's Psychic Sword, forcing D into a deadlock. Both of them were pushing their blades against one another, struggling for dominance. Unfortunately, Phantom was slowly overpowering D in strength. She was slowly pushing D back. While D was a powerful Psychic Duelist in her own right, she was unfortunately not like Phantom, who was both faster and stronger.

"Yes, Kyofu is my handler and while I am aware that I am being used as a weapon, I am grateful that he saved me. GIN-SHOCKER is my home! The place I belong to! So if you and your allies are going to destroy my home, then I will destroy you all!" D raised up her Psychic Trigger to shoot at Phantom at point-blank range. Phantom responded by raising up her Plasma Rifle to aim at D's Psychic Trigger at point-blank range as well. Both of the beam gun weapons fired, causing a small explosion that blew them away from their hands.

"ARGH!" D recoiled as she drew back her free forearm. It was smoking and badly burnt from the explosion caused by the colliding laser fire. She clenched her teeth as she held onto her blackened hand. On the other hand, Phantom's forearm was fine thanks to her armor. It was just smoking from minor damage.

"Too bad. Your body is tough, but not as tough as armor," Phantom quipped, standing up. Thanks to some gene-splicing, her body was tough enough to take any hit, and her skin was highly durable and impenetrable. It didn't stop her from feeling pain from the burns though.

"I am also under orders from Professor Kyofu to show that Psychics are superior to Cyborgs! So that means I have to defeat you as well, even if we used to be comrades!" D retorted as she got back up and motioned her sword into the air, drawing out several spears of energy. The energy spears flew at Phantom, but she quickly countered them with her mini-suns (energy spheres). Both sets of attacks impacted each other, creating a thick cloud a smoke. D jumped through the cloud and swung to behead Phantom, only for the white clad Rider to arch her head at the very last minute.

"Kyofu is an idiot! There's no real distinction! Cyborgs and Psychics are no more superior than the other! He's a man obsessed, and all he wants is to one-up Gebok! Nothing more!" Phantom shouted, pushing D away with telekinesis. She tumbled across the ground from the force.

D was lying face-first on the ground, hurt as she slowly stood back up. "I'm not going to lose... I'm not going to die... not yet..." Slowly, she took out two of her cards, and placed them onto her D-Pad. "Hushed Psychic Cleric and Psychic Commander, come out!" Light materialized in front of her, and both of her duel monsters appeared. "Battle! Defeat WHITE 14!" Both monsters obeyed and charged at Phantom. Psychic Commander fired energy blasts from his cannon while Hushed Psychic Cleric fired light shots from her staff.

"Yeah, as if that would work," Phantom muttered as she zipped around the energy bursts and the Duel Monsters. She reappeared in front of D's face, causing her to gasp in shock. Phantom raised her hand and flicked D's forehead with her finger. This normally would cause nothing but slight irritation. But due to her advanced cybernetic body which augmented her strength, Phantom sent D flying across the room. D crashed through a wall and tumbled across a room, and office, which had a large observation window. At the same time, Hushed Psychic Cleric and Psychic Commander vanished as they shattered into light particles because of D's broken focus.

Phantom levitated into the hole and and strode towards D as she got to her knees. "Another weakness of Psychic Duelists," Phantom said, "If they're attacked while using their Duel Monsters, they lose focus and the monsters they summon instantly vanishes." D grimaced as she brought another card from her deck. Quickly, she slapped onto her D-Pad. The floor shook and Phantom looked down in surprise. The ground suddenly gave way as she was swallowed up by Naturia Barkion. The Chinese Dragon-like Duel Monster chomped down several times before giving off a satisfied burp.

"Let's see... you get out of that..." D smirked slightly. But she would soon learn that all of Gebok's creations had tricks of their sleeves, and Phantom was no different. Naturia Barkion moaned in sudden pain as blue light glowed out of its mouth and eyes.

"What is it, Barkion?" D asked worriedly. Naturia Barkion's mouth seemed to be opening up by force, and the Duel Monster was slowly losing the battle to keep it shut. The struggle continued and its mouth went wide opened. D's eyes bulged out as she saw the cause.

It was Phantom, holding Naturia Barkion's jaws open. Her visors glowed brightly as a blue aura engulfed her body. "There's no way... I'm losing... to you!" growled Phantom.

"No... no..." D stammered, backing up slowly. Sweat was forming all over her face, "This can't... I can't possibly fail again!"

"**Explosion Wave!"** Phantom yelled out. A large blue energy blast escaped out of her body and covered the entire room with explosive psychic energy. The Naturia Barkion let out a shriek as it perished in the blast. D wasn't all that lucky either as she crashed through the window and sent falling below, screaming out as she plummeted.

Phantom quickly ran over to the ledge and looked over. "REIKO!" she yelled out into the air. She looked everywhere to where she could've fallen, even using her telescopic vision. There was no body though; D was nowhere in sight. "She must've teleported at the last minute," Phantom said to herself. She did sense some residual psychic energy associated to an emergency teleport, so it was a safe bet. "I bet I'll see her again though..." That time would be coming very soon. Right now, Phantom needed to get everyone back in contact with each other. There was a mission to accomplish. Pushing Reiko out to the back of her mind, Lina focused on the task at hand, namely Shinichi and Yuji's rescue.

**つづく**

* * *

><p><strong>KRC: And that's another chapter and another set of fights. Yuji gets a new arm but there seems to be something else new about him in the demonic voice and aura is any indication. Montesinos and Phobist are now dead (yay!). Also, there is the fight between Phantom and D. Wonder what will happen to D after this.<strong>


	76. The Rescue: Reaper VS Angel

**Chapter 76: Soul Reaper VS Battle Angel**

In Youkai Academy, Ryoko the green-haired demoness who was bound to the grounds was not just sitting idly by as the GIN-SHOCKER forces attacked the school. She was also doing her part as she blasted them away with energy spheres and slashed at them with her energy blade. She really missed being able to cut loose like this and the arrival of the GS troopers was what she needed to have a good day. She sported a sadistic grin as she laid waste on the GS troopers and Cyborg Mutants invading the school.

She spotted a couple of GS-Soldiers who weren't fighting and saw that they were distracted, arguing over some kind of large egg. Taking advantage of this, she rushed at them. They saw her coming too late and she cut them down without mercy.

"OK, so what's this?" Ryoko asked as she picked the egg up and studied it curiously. She shook it then put her ear against it. With a shrug, she tucked it under her arm and flew off with it. It might be something special in the future.

At the same time, Kiryu was surrounded by numerous Cyborg Mutants, all nameless, ready to attack.

"One against all of us?!"

"You've got some balls, human!"

Kiryu said nothing, seemingly ignoring the gang of monsters and their threatening visage, as he beckoned them with a hand.

"OK, that's it!"

The Cyborg Mutants all roared and moved in on Kiryu, ready to tear him apart. The former leader of Team Satisfaction wasn't affected at all as he drew a pair of S&W Revolvers. Gunshots rang through the air as all movement ceased in an instant. Kiryu stopped, spun his guns, and holstered them as the frozen Cyborg Mutants fell to their knees in utter defeat.

"Pathetic," he said under his breath as he walked away. Once he was at a safe distance, the defeated Cyborg Mutants all self-destructed, creating a massive explosion behind the man as he walked away calmly, without even batting an eye.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, back in the Baghdad Branch of GIN-SHOCKER, Armadillo and Shiroha had just bumped into Slasher and Gemma while trying to find the others.<p>

"Where are the others?" Shiroha asked.

"We haven't found anyone else," frowned Gemma.

"This damn place is like a maze," said Armadillo. Slasher beeped in response. "A tracker? On our HUDs?" He checked his visor. "Oh, there it is! Wonder why I didn't notice it?" Slasher palmed his face.

"OK, I think it's time we left," suggested Gemma.

"We still need to find the others first," said Shiroha.

"I think we should use this door," said Armadillo and he pressed a button to open the door. It slid open, revealing a room filled with a large squad of GS-Soldiers. Armadillo chuckled nervously then closed the door. He then shouted, "SEAL IT! SEAL IT!" Slasher did as told and sealed the door with his glue, stopping the soldiers from opening it. Banging, screaming and pounding could be heard from the other side. "Wrong door!" exclaimed Armadillo.

"Ya think?" Gemma retorted.

"**I'll lead,"** Slasher volunteered/signed.

"Right, good idea, big guy," agreed Armadillo. He knew he wasn't the best at navigating so it was safer to let someone else take the reigns. Slasher did a motion to follow him and they did.

* * *

><p>"<em>The hell?! Oh, dear god!"<em>

"_Stay back! Stay ba-AHH!"_

A unit of GS-Troopers was instantly disintegrated into nothingness as crimson hellfire ripped right through them before they could run for cover. They were all screaming out in their native languages until oblivion silenced them. Earlier, they had heard noises of battle from their post and proceeded to investigate before they witnessed their comrades being torn apart by chainsaws, wooden stakes, and lightning. Rias quickly noticed them and and pulled up her power to obliterate them before they could sound the alarm.

Rias flexed her fingers as her aura died down, amused, "Hm, to think armed men would be afraid of teenaged girls like us. It's actually quite funny."

"Considering how Hime-sama and Akeno were both laughing like a maniacs in the middle of all the bloodshed, I'd say they had a good reason to be afraid," Reiri said, licking some of the spilt blood from her fingers. She nearly gagged at the taste. It was bitter.

"Well, I'm sorry for being a sadist," Akeno remarked with a rare sarcasm in her voice. She turned her eyes to the door where the men Rias had just killed came from. "Let's see if we can take a detour through there."

The door slid open with a hiss as all four demonic beauties stepped inside. Before them was a large computer chamber with a whole score of terminals; terminals that they didn't recognize. In the center was what seemed to be a holographic grid.

"This must've been their post," Rias summarized, her eyes scanning the room back and forth.

"What do you suppose we do here?" Hime asked, "Netto and Yuki are the one's doing the hacking and information gathering. We're also on a schedule in case you've forgotten."

"I know that," Rias answered. "But maybe there's something we could use in this room." She walked to one of the terminals and ran her fingers along a few keys, making them beep and flash with each stroke. Her tinkering seemed to pay off as several holographic screens popped up in front of her. The screens showed a series of DNA sequences. That was when a recording of Gebok's voice began to play.

"_Gebok's log, 5723A. Based on my research we were able to create perfect cybernetic warriors by not only granting them electronic enhancements, but altering their DNA as well. By giving each experiment__al__ subject the __DNA __of __different animal species, __we may have very well created one of the most deadliest units ever assembled." _

Rias' eyes lingered at the date of the log, "This was made... _nine _years after Shinji was kidnapped!"

"What? What is it?" Reiri asked, walking behind her to view the screen.

"This lab must contain information on the NUMBERS; their skills and abilities," Rias frowned.

Hime walked over to the center terminal and, after making a quick guess, pressed a random button. The grid lit up and a hologram of several animals, fourteen in total, appeared on before her. They were a wasp, a leech, a termite, a tick, a mosquito, a centipede, a jewel beetle, a tarantula, a cricket, a pillbug, a dobsonfly, a mantis, a dragonfly and finally a cicada; the animals the NUMBERS were derived from. "Everyone, over here," she called over. The other three hurried over to listen to the audio log.

"_All fourteen test subjects have each been implanted with a Spark Core, circular jewels that can conduct a large amount of power, and can slow down their hosts' aging before stopping it completely when they turn twenty years of age. The Spark Cores' creation was from the studies and reverse engineering of the Kingstones which were created by an __ancient cult__ known as Gorg__o__m. __Now, allow me to review the NUMBERS:_

"_Test Subject 00 had 50 percent of his body converted through cybernetics. He has reinforced muscle tissue and endoskeleton, allowing him to be sturd__ier__ than the average human being. The type of alloy used to reinforce his muscle tissue and endoskeleton is an organic metal compound known as a bio-metal, an alloy that can grow and evolve, thus preventing any stunts in physical growth. While most of his organs have been kept intact, his lungs have been cybernetically altered for increased performance, and instead of having his heart replaced it had a second biomechanical heart connected to it. Test subject 00 was give the DNA of a wasp. This gives him vast marksman__ship__ and sniper abilities, allowing him to fire at a target that is at least 100 meters away as the tests __have shown__. This also grants him the ability to, and forgive me for ripping this out of someone's book, run faster than a speeding bullet. He also has compartments in his arms for his stingers. _

"_Test Subject 01 has the least amount of cybernetics out of all the other subjects, 49 __percent in fact__. Like test subject 00, he was given bio-metal for his enhancements. The only cybernetics he was given was enhanced bones and tissue. He was give the DNA of a leach, allowing him to absorb any form of power and energy._

"_Test Subject 02 had 53 percent of his body converted, and also had his vocal cords removed, rendering him mute. He too had some of his organs replaced by cybernetics, reinforced bone structure and muscle tissue. He also has chainsaw blades hidden in his arms, which can cut through even the most powerful metal. With his DNA being converted into that of a soldier termite, he can create an adhesive glue at will. __Out of the NUMBERS, he is the strongest physically._

"_Test Subject 03 has has 51 percent of his body converted. Like test subject 01, he was only given enhancements in his bones and muscle tissue. __He was also given the DNA of a tick. H__e was also injected with nanomachines which he can control at will. __As a result,__ his nanomachines have a hive-like mind, and follow Test Subject 03's every command. He also seems to have an odd fascination of disguising toys as explosives.__ The ticks in his body can also be used to infect target and turn them into bombs as well._

"_Test Subject 04 has an iron stomach, lungs, and heart along with her basic cybernetic enhancements, having 54 percent of her body altered. Her arms have components which hide tendrils which can extend to impossible lengths and be used as whips and spears to drain out blood, which brings me to the point that her DNA has been altered to__ incorporate__ that of a mosquito's. This grants her swiftness and agility, and also __an __appetite for blood. The DNA alteration had also reformed her teeth into fangs, making her into a literal Vampire. She claims that she can view the memories of her victims through their blood._

"_Test Subject 05 had 53 percent of his body reconstructed via cybernetics. His basic enhancements __include __his strength and agility. His arms carry components that house twin peta blades which can vibrate at high frequencies, allowing them to cut through nearly anything. With the DNA of a centipede, 05 can move his arms and legs at blurring swiftness, excellent for CQC__, especially with his enhanced reflexes__._

"_Test Subject 06 had 55 percent of his body reconstructed. His endoskeleton had been modified like the others to include micro-hydraulics and was reinforced along with his muscle tissue. Wiring and circuitry have been interwoven through his brain and nervous system, all of which to enhance his five basic senses. He also has a cybernetic heart, stomach, liver, intestines, kidneys and lungs. His DNA alteration, __which includes the introduction of jewel beetle DNA,__has allowed __him to conjure crystals, which he can use to trap his targets. The crystal he conjures is sharp and dangerous, which he can control to a high degree. He can also use his crystals to create makeshift weapons, making him one of the most dangerous soldiers we have._

"_Test Subject 07 initially had a genetic mutation caused by her handler that would cause an extra pair of arms to sprout out whenever she __experiences __emotional stress. She's had 53 percent of her body converted. She was given the DNA of a tarantula, which like Test Subject 04 caused her to grow fangs. She also possesses the glands that spiders have in order to produce venom and silk. She can also adhere to vertical surfaces and to the ceiling like a spider._

"_Test Subject 08 __has __had 53 percent of his body reconstructed via cybernetics. The DNA of the cricket gives him the ability to manipulate sound while the cybernetic enhancements and implants serve to increase his strength, speed, reflexes and senses. Like the others, he has bone and muscle tissue reinforced and has had some organs replaced with cybernetic ones. He can control sound to the point that he can create a shockwave bomb._

"_Test Subject 09 __has __had 53 percent of his body reconstructed. Both his cybernetic enhancements and pillbug DNA __has given him skin__ like armor and he can withstand even the most brutal of assaults and pressures. This coupled with his already reinforced muscle tissue and endoskeleton make him nearly indestructible. Like 00, he also has a secondary heart but this one is completely mechanical and connected to 09's main heart. His lungs weren't replaced, merely modified as were his other organs._

"_Test Subject 10 __has __had 59 percent of his body reconstructed. His main __enhancements are __meant to increase his speed, agility, reflexes, and stamina, allowing him to go 14 hours in battle without breaks. His DNA has been altered to that of a dobsonfly, allowing him to break through the strongest __of __fortresses._

"_Test Subject 11 __has __had 55 percent of her body reconstructed. Again we see her endoskeleton had been modified like the others to include micro-hydraulics to help __increase her__ speed. She can eject scythes from her arms which vibrate in the same manner as 05's peta blades, launch bio-metal chains to ensnare her targets from her hands, and induce illusions to confuse and __induce __hallucinat__ions in__ her victims. Her orchid mantis DNA allows her to use a camouflage cloak to blend __in __with her surroundings and leap over tall buildings in a single bound with relative ease. A power generator was also connected to her reproductive organs to boost her power._

"_Test Subject 12 had 59 percent of his body reconstructed. He is equipped with machine guns mounted on his bionic arms, and his chest cavity has been reconfigured for him to generate bombs. His legs are equipped with lasers strong enough to cut through buildings. His dragonfly DNA also grants him the ability to see over far distances, making him the second expert sniper. _

"_And last but certainly not the least, Test Subject 13. He's had 60 percent of his bodies converted through cybernetics. His organs were also replaced by cybernetic facsimiles, which increased his stamina to 18 hours in combat before requiring rest. He has the ability to create laser weaponry, which typically takes form of blades and whips. He also has the ability to shoot optic lasers, create dome shields, and summon mini-suns, which he can __modify __in both power and size. More abilities are pending for testing use at the moment. His cicada DNA gives him the ability to sense danger quickly, no matter where it may hide. __Unlike the rest of the NUMBERS, emotional inhibitors were implanted into his brain__. What makes test subject 13 the perfect candidate to become GIN-SHOCKER's Ultimate Weapon are his temporal distortion abilities. I have never seen such powers demonstrated by any living being and the most surprising thing was that these powers were not given to him through genetic modifications. Rather, these powers are a result of his own natural genetic structure. After performing some genetic analysis, I discovered an anomaly within his genes. I found a single gene, a mutation, responsible for his temporal abilities. Another aspect that sets 13 apart from the NUMBERS is that his genetic enhancement and cybernetic augmentations can withstand the Great Leader's Cosmic Power, making him perfect for another project I am working on."_

"Another project?" Reiri questioned, not liking the sound of that. "That doesn't sound good."

"When this man is concerned, it is anything but good," agreed Hime.

"_Finally, Test Subject has also been outfitted with a weapon known as the Lucifer's Cannon, which gives him immense destructive power. Originally incompatible with pre-NUMBERS Cyborgs, the Lucifer Cannon's installation into Subject 13's systems was a success and so was its first field test,"_ concluded Dr. Gebok.

"Lucifer's Cannon?" Rias and Akeno echoed. To name such a weapon after Lucifer himself meant that Gebok thought the weapon was incredibly powerful, which made Shinichi unstoppable.

"Something tells me this is something we should tell Shinji about," said Reiri.

"Let us see what other skeletons he's got hidden in his closet," said Rias as she went to search for more logs.

"_Gebok's log, 7865V.__Test Subject 13 may have emotional inhibitors implanted into his brain, but he has created bonds with his fellow NUMBERS. He has demonstrated loyalty towards them. Recently, he disobeyed a direct order to abandon them on a mission. This proves that the NUMBERS have become a liability and must be disposed of. I plan to have them gathered and have Test Subject 13 destroy his comrades with his own hands to show him that I was in control and that he should never disobey his superiors._

"_Gebok's log, 7890C. I've discovered from__the disciplinary action __administered upon Test Subject 13's had caused a drastic increase in power. __My aim is to duplicate the results and have paired Test Subject 13 with a member of the Psychic Corps to develop a bond. Said bond will be monitored. Once the experiment has reached the planned final phase, Test Subject 13 will then execute the Psychic. I look forward to the results."_

Rias' eyes flashed red, matching the color of her hair as she heard every word. Gebok was a manipulative bastard who seemed obsessed with the idea of causing Shinichi harm for the sake of achieving promising results in his experiments.

"Play another," Akeno prompted.

"_Gebok's log, 7996D. As there have been numerous failures to recapture BLACK 13, It was time to mobilize the Jagers, the successors of Project NUMBERS. Instead of Spark Cores, they are implanted with internal Spark Reactors. __Also unlike the NUMBERS, their bone and tissue enhancements are handled solely with bio-metal nanomachines. To start off the project I implanted the Psychic which BLACK 13 executed months ago with a Spark Reactor and cybernetics, __bringing __her back to life. I have based the now dubbed Test Subject 14, or WHITE 14, on all of BLACK 13's old plans, giving her the same powers and abilities as him, including the cicada DNA which heightens her psychic senses. Her cybernetics also continue to increase her powers to make her __above __a Level 5 Psychic, making her the strongest Psychic GIN-SHOCKER has ever produced thus far. She now doesn't just have a powerful mind, but also a body that can crush skulls easily. _

"_Although Test Subject 15 is physically powerful, he lacks the intelligence to pose a true threat to more intelligent opponents. However, he has also proven to be among the most vicious of those I have worked on.__ He rarely speaks, and merely growls and snarls in my presence. __His whirligig beetle DNA allows him to spin at a high velocity to become a powerful cyclone that can tear up anything in his path. He also has Level 3 Psychic powers that allow him to induce severe disorientation and vertigo in his victims. As a Kaizorg, he can also survive being several meters under the ocean._

"_Test Subject 16 uses a metallic box on his back filled with battle-ready puppet blades for battle. By packing all his puppet blades together, they can function like a giant bladed whip, which can travel at 90 miles per hour. His scorpion DNA grant him the glands of the __creature __he is based on, allowing him to __produce __deadly toxins._

"_Test Subject 17 has the DNA of a fire ant which grants her pyrokinetic abilities. She uses gauntlets filled with gunpowder to fight, and a barrage of her punches can create rapid explosions on impact. She __is equipped with __a flamethrower gun that can also switch to a rapid fireball setting._

"_Test Subject 18 can generate a high voltage of electricity, create force gale winds with his wings, and is armed with __gatling __lasers which can pierce through anything. His atlas moth DNA allows him to create holographic lights to hypnotize a target of his choosing, and generate explosive powder. _

"_Test Subject 19 suffered an accident that caused his legs to become paralyzed. Thanks to his enhancements, his legs are now stronger, enabling him to run at mach 3 speeds, and destroy tanks with single kicks. He has the ability to generate over 23.5 billion volts of electricity, and create an army of electric clones to overwhelm opponents. His stag beetle DNA allows him to have a radar sense, making him fully aware of the environment around him._

"_Test Subject 20 was in the same accident as Test Subject __19__, causing both of his arms to be broken__ beyond repair by conventional medical techniques__. His arms were replaced with rocket-powered bionic arms, capable of breaking through some of the strongest of fortresses. He's also been enhanced with super strength and invulnerability. Like Test Subject 19, he can also generate over 23.5 billion volts of electricity. His rhinoceros beetle DNA allows also grants him a radar scenes. Much like BLACK 13 and WHITE 14, Test Subject 20 is a Metahuman, __and thus is granted with__ power over gravity. He can increase or decrease the gravitational force of targets, making them lighter or heavier, and focuses the telekinetic energy created by the centripetal vibrations of the his lower dantian, and then directs the shape of the energy using his conscious spirit, creating a gravitational anomaly, forming a black hole trapped inside a force field. Due to the force field's permeability, extreme space-time fluctuations occur near the surface of the attack that pulverize any living matter __within range__._

"_Despite their abilities, t__he truth in the matter is that the__ Jagers are __all __expendable. Their primary purpose__ is__ to retrieve BLACK 13 and nothing more. Once they __have__ fulfill__ed__ their objective, any captured and/or non-captured units will become discarded __immediately__. How sad that most of them won't realize it by the __time their mission is complete.__ None of the other Cyborgs mattered, because in the end BLACK 13 would become __the __vessel for the Great Leader. __This was the true purpose of Project BLACK 13; to create a new body for our leader. Once we have succeeded in that, all of our work and efforts will-"_

**KA-BOOM!**

The terminal and computer was destroyed in an instant. Rias' hair flew about her head as her body was flaring with a red aura. She had just launched a burst of destructive crimson energy to destroy the terminal because she couldn't stand listening to Gebok's voice, how he gloated about using people like tools, and how proud he felt about turning their dearest little Shinji into a monstrous weapon and sacrificial lamb. Sure there were some other Devils and Fallen Angels that did the same thing, but Gebok has been doing this to other humans for a long time. The Devils and Fallen Angels that manipulated humans were saints compared to him.

"That bastard!"Rias snarled with utter anger. She couldn't hold in her rage any more. She wanted to kill Gebok now! "How dare he do that to my little brother!? How dare he use others like this?! He is going to die tonight!"

All of the other girls were having similar feelings and reactions like Rias. They too couldn't contain their rage at Gebok any longer. They wanted to torture the bastard in the worst way possible before they dealt their final blows. Gebok and GIN-SHOCKER had been giving Shinichi and many innocents nightmarish hells for too long and they wouldn't stand for it any longer! They wanted to make Gebok and all traces of him disappear forever so that Shinichi could find peace. But if that was not enough, then they would obliterate GIN-SHOCKER completely until nothing was left so that Shinichi, Shiori and all the other innocents that they had hurt in their lust for power would be at peace.

* * *

><p>Back in the lobby, all the guards were cleared, lying dead and sprawled all over the floor. Leon swung his Zanpakuto, flicking the blood off before sheathing it. The elevator door opened and someone new had entered. She was a tall and slender beauty with a nice and curvy figure, dressed in an armored black bodysuit. She wore armored boots that reached her knees that had knee pads on them. She was also equipped with mechanical arms, her fists clenched. Her chin length black hair was parted at the side and she appeared to have greyish angel wings on her back. She also had an attractive face with nice, pouty lips.<p>

This was GIN-SHOCKER Angel Alita, a combat bio-android.

"What is this?" Aphrodite frowned.

(**Insert Song – ****Answer is Near**** – ****ONE OK ROCK **)

The angel-winged android tossed them all through the air as she unleashed a blast of energy from her hands. Gasper shrieked as he was sent soaring before Koneko caught him under her arm and landed. Yuto ended up landing by Leon's side.

"S-s-s-she's scary!" Gasper trembled in fright. There was just something about this android that reminded him of Fallen Angels.

"What is she, though?" Yuto asked. He couldn't sense her aura. She wasn't a Fallen Angel, that was for sure. She lacked the black wings of one.

"She's a machine, a very lifelike machine," Leon told Yuto, "A machine with a soul."

"Is that even possible?" Yuto asked. He'd never heard of machines with sentience before. The only inanimate objects he had encountered with souls had been mythical in origin.

"You see a lot of impossible things if you grew up like me," Leon replied.

"No doubt about that." Yuto may not have known Leon for long, but he could tell that Leon had interesting life experiences to shape him into the Shinigami he was today. Alita then blurred out of sight and Leon used Shunpo in response. They met in the middle, grappling, and glaring at each other.

"Yuto! You and the other's stay back! This one isn't like the other Mooks!" Leon ordered.

"Leon, be careful!" Aphrodite shouted.

"Don't worry. I'll be fine. Normally, my father wouldn't approve of me harming women, but this is an exception," Leon growled. He then returned his gaze upon Alita. Her facial expression held a look of calm and her eyes, while appearing cold and lifeless, seemed to have a hint of determination in them. '_Ok, I gotta admit, GIN-SHOCKER outdid themselves this time._'

Getting tired of grappling, Alita jumped up while still clasping Leon's hands with her own. With a powerful kick, she slammed her feet into his chin, causing him to skid across the ground and into a far wall. The bio-android spun through the air before she landed gently on the ground, giving off a sense of elegant grace as she stood back up and locked her eyes on Leon.

"Intruder has been confirmed. Now commencing termination," Alita said in a soft yet monotone voice.

In a blur of black, she moved from her spot on the floor and instantly reappeared in front of Leon. Lashing out, she threw a punch which, instead of hitting Leon, hit the wall as Leon moved out of the way. Alita looked at Leon and removed her arm from the wall before attacking him with a flurry of kicks and punches which he blocked and countered with attacks of his own. Leon threw an uppercut, catching Alita in the chin, sending her skyward as she was sent through the ceiling of the room, Leon not too far behind as he gave chase.

Coming into the next room, Leon had to quickly duck as Alita attacked with a snap kick. The kick hit nothing but a burst of air from the kick created a shockwave which carried on past him, destroying most of the machinery in the room. Leon used Shunpo to get behind Alita who acted just as quickly, using an elbow strike to catch Leon in the face. This did little to deter him though as he struck with a roundhouse which she blocked with her right arm before grabbing his leg and pulling him towards her. She then struck with her left hand, set out straight. Leon grabbed her arm before the hand could hit him and locked his arm with hers before pulling her into a knee strike to the gut, knocking the wind out of her.

Alita would not sit still for long as she quickly raised her head, bashing the top of her skull into Leon's chin and sending him reeling. Leon stopped for a moment and rubbed his chin while Alita only looked at him. "Okay, I admit, you're not that bad." He then got into another stance as he prepared for round 2. "But you'll have to do better than that if you wish to kill me."

"Affirmative," Alita spoke. "Now accessing secondary protocols." Her eyes flashed as she took a stance of her own. "Access granted. Orders, capture Shinigami intruder and relocate for experimentation." She then rushed at Leon.

"I won't make it that easy for you," Leon replied as he too rushed at her.

**(Pause Song)**

* * *

><p>A loud smash was heard around the lobby, causing rubble to fall from the ceiling and onto what remained of the lobby. Gasper screamed out as he ran to avoid them while Koneko punched whatever rock came her way into dust. Yuto and Aphrodite stood their ground before the shaking gave way.<p>

"I guess he has things taken care off," Yuto said, shouldering his sword.

"It looks that way," Aphrodite nodded, dusting a slightly smashed table before sitting on it with a sigh. "I don't think we have anything more to worry about though. I'm sure the stronger guards are being held in the higher levels of this tower."

"A shame then," Koneko said broadly as she flexed her arm. "They were all weak. If this is all GIN-SHOCKER has to offer, then we have nothing to worry about."

"I wouldn't go there Ms. Koneko" Aphrodite warned, "I've seen most of the other Mooks, and what they could do. It is true that the ones we just fought are the weakest batch, but there are others much stronger."

"Like that android we saw just now," Yuto pointed out.

"That's one," Aphrodite nodded. "She must be incredibly strong if she's giving my Leon trouble. And then there's-" the ground shook and the floor opened up as something rose up before the group. It was 15 feet tall and armed to the teeth. It was colored gunmetal grey with red trimming. It was bipedal, as in it stood on two legs and had a broad blocky body. It sported two toes on each foot and had a massive cannon for a right arm and claws on its left hand. Instead of a head, it had what appeared to be a large gun with six barrels. It also had double-barrel blasters on either side of its blocky chest. The mechanical monstrosity scanned the stunned group, identifying them as intruders.

"...Well, there's that," Aphrodite finished.

**(Continue Song)**

The battlemech, known as the Grigori Dominus, activated the jets on its back and charged at the group with surprising speed. The double-barrel blasters fired at them, pelting the ground as did, prompting the group to scatter.

"Let's send this hunk of junk to the scrapyard," said Koneko. Getting on all fours, she jumped and pounded her fists at the Grigori Dominus. However, the machine's armor seemed to be strong enough to withstand even her powerful blows, as all it seemed to do was buckle slightly. It shot its right left arm out at Koneko and grabbed her around the waist but Yuto managed to force the machine to release her with a swipe of his sword. Grigori Dominus skid backwards before sinking it's claws into the ground to slow itself. It's gun-head took aim and fired laser shots at the "Knight" but could not get a clear shot as he was moving at great speeds to avoid the beams as each one blasted stone from the ground.

While Rias' peerage were accustomed to fighting Rogue Devils, Fallen Angels, monsters, Priests, and Exorcists, they had yet to fight anything like this before. Maybe they should've considered this in their training in case they ever had to fight a large battlemech who was armed to the teeth. Gasper, frightened, took cover from the battle as Aphrodite, Koneko and Yuto fought. The Manakyte of Water conjured basketball-sized spheres of pressurised water and shot them in a barrage at the Grigori Dominus, pushing it backwards. Its chest opened up to reveal multi-missile launches. It locked onto the multiple targets and fired its salvo which exploded, sending the fighters flying into the air. Their clothes were ruined by the assault and they appeared stunned by the explosions. The Grigori Dominus aimed its energy cannon at the Manakyte and Devils, charging up a shot as it prepared to blast them.

Gasper, from his hiding place, watched as the machine's cannon powered up in an ominous glow. Gritting his fangs, he let out a loud "NO!" as his eyes flashed. The shadow which the Grigori Dominus casted seemed to shimmer before black tentacles popped out and wrapped around the legs. The shadows tugged on the Grigori Dominus' legs and sent it toppling to the ground and its energy cannon misfired, the beam shooting upwards and missing the group. The beam pierced through a section of the ceiling though and sent rubble falling.

"Now's our chance!" Aphrodite launched a ball of water and the force of the impact knocked off its gun head. Yuto was up next as he sped forward sliced off both the mechs arms off before it could react. Finally, Koneko took hold of one of the legs and started to swing the large mech around in a circle. She made a small huff, just barely above a whisper, as she tossed the Grigori Dominus across the lobby. The machine tumbled across the floor before crashing into a wall.

"You must really work out, Ms. Koneko," Aphrodite said to the petite girl.

Koneko nodded and turned to were Gasper was coming out of his hiding spot. "Thanks Gasper."

"Uh, yeah. Sure," he nodded timidly.

Yuto peared at the Grigori Dominus warily, not taking his eyes off of it. "Is it down?"

"I hope so," Aphrodite prayed. "I'm not sure if we can handle another attack like that. At least not without Leon."

"_Then I'm afraid you're out of luck,"_ a voice echoed from the Grigori Dominus. The cockpit exploded, causing everyone to shield their eyes. From out of the flames, an armored figured emerged, his feet making clicking sounds as he walked. His armor looked heavily reinforced, and was in a gunmetal lavender color like his mech. However, there were some glowing red wire-patterns running along the legs, arms, torso, and helmet. Said helmet had a large headpiece and was apparently shoulder pads seemed to have barriers in each one. He was also carrying a long rapier.

"Who are you?" Yuto asked, frowning.

"_You can call me Gad, at least that's the name of my Xenogear anyway,"_ the armored man named Gad answered._ "I'm amazed you kids managed to take out my Grigori Dominus so quickly. Although, I can guess that none of you are ordinary kids at all."_

"Obviously," said Koneko.

"_But now you're going to fight me, in-person this time," _said Gad. _"Get ready." _Gad's left gauntlet flashed brightly as he shot it forward, _**"Selene Multus!"**_ A swarm of energy blades launched at them, causing them to shout out as they scattered. _"Now, show m__e__ your powers!"_ he challenged, running forward before jets blasted out of his feet to boost himself forward.

* * *

><p>Back with Alita and Leon, the Shinigami continued to battle violently. The winged android's speed rivaled Leon's own and when he used Shunpo she could easily catch up with him to nail him across the face with a punch. She unleashed a flurry of punches targeting his face, stomach and chest as Leon was forced on the defensive. Once she found an opening, she used a heel kick to sent Leon crashing to the ground violently, breaking off the tiles from the floor as he bounced along the surface.<p>

Alita took aim at the downed Shinigami and charged up a shot to take him out. He wasn't moving and she was locked on. Her fist glowed and she fired a lethal burst of energy that soared towards Leon. There was an explosion as the charge shot hit and Alita inspected the area to find Leon's remains, only to see none.

"_**Byakurai!**_**"**

A bolt of white lightning struck Alita in the back and she went plummeting, trailing smoke, and dropped to the floor. Picking herself up, she stood on her feet and turned to face Leon who had his index finger pointed at her. Cracking her neck and flicking her wrist, she rushed at Leon who charged back at her to intercept. He blocked her first punch and grabbed her wrist before tossing her up. He leapt to bury his fist in her stomach but she managed to avoid the blow and grab hold of his fist. She pivoted her body in midair and hooked her legs under his chin before throwing him through the air. She flew at him and fired blasts of energy from her fists but he dodged again with Shunpo. Predicting where he would appear next, she flew at the location to see him in position as predicted. She smashed her foot into his face, sending him skidding back as she performed a backflip. She ran at him and then used a heel kick to knock his head backwards before standing on her hands to pivot her body and nailed Leon twice in the face with her feet as she spun. She then flipped back to her feet and grabbed hold of Leon's throat as he grabbed hold of her wrist to pry her hands of his neck. Releasing his grip from her wrists slowly, he pressed his right hand against her stomach, holding it steady with his left hand.

"_**Shakkaho!**_"

The crimson energy ball erupted and broke Alita's contact with Leon as the recoil pushed him backwards, his feet skidding along the floor, kicking up dust. She, on the other hand, took the brunt of the attack and landed ungracefully on the floor a far distance away from the Shinigami. He flicked his right wrist, swearing, "I'm not going to do that again anytime soon." He turned away from Alita but that was an error as she had gotten up and in a flash was behind him. Before he could move, she had him in a chokehold with her right arm across his throat and her left hand securing his head as she prepared to either knock him out or break his neck if need be. Leon gripped the arm across his neck which was applying pressure to his throat and tried to pull it away but she had a firm grip on him.

"You...you should've...taken damage...you shouldn't be able to move..." he said.

"Self-Repair Systems are at optimum," she said in monotone and her wings spread out. She began to hover up, while holding Leon in the stranglehold. His legs dangled in the air as she carried him up, like an angel carrying a soul to Heaven where they would rest for eternity. However, in this case, she was the Angel of Death and be the one to end his life as she squeezed the life out of him.

"Damn...damn..." He wasn't getting enough oxygen as he continued to struggle but then his grip on her arm slackened as she applied more pressure. Slowly, his vision began to blur before his eyes grew heavy and finally his arms hung limply at his sides. Alita still kept hold of him, scanning his body for life signs. It seemed that she had done her duty and...

Suddenly, Alita was blown away by intense Reiatsu which forced her to release Leon's body. He didn't fall to the ground by remained hanging in the air by nothing. A dark, shadowy aura began to rise from his body, like dark flames originating from the darkest depths of Hell itself.

"You can try to kill me, but a bitch can't kill a monster," growled Leon as white particles gathered onto his face to form his Hollow mask. The mask resembled a menacing skull, with a wide and malicious grin. On its forehead was a cross and it had a crown of horns. Truly, it was a monstrous sight to behold as the eyes in the mask's eye holes were radiating with deadly intent, malice and hunger. He gripped the hilt of his Zanpakuto in one hand while gripping the scabbard in the other and drew his weapon. "An eye for an eye..." he began as Alita spread her wings. "a tooth for a tooth..." he continued as she flew at him. "...and Punishment of Death for Evil. Now rise from the depth..." She was in range and drew her fist back to deal a devastating punch. He roared out, "KAGE NO SHI!"

There was an explosion of dark Reiryoku as Leon unsealed his Zanpakuto, activating its Shikai state as it morphed from a single-edge katana into the form of a menacing black scythe. Alita was almost blown away by the power unleashed as black shadows surrounded Leon in a ring and rose up like dark flames. His menacing presence seemed to have been enhanced by the scythe and along with the mask he almost looked like the Grim Reaper himself, ready to reap souls and take them to Purgatory to face judgment. He shouldered his weapon and faced Alita with his eyes boring into her. In the blink of an eye he was gone but then he suddenly appeared right in front of Alita. Her eyes widened and then he buried the butt of his weapon into her stomach. The force blasted her across the room to crash explosively into the wall on the other end.

He aimed his free hand at Alita's prone form and curled his fingers to form a fist. He uttered one word, "Bala." Instantly, he discharged bolts of Reiatsu in an endless barrage of like a machine gun and they collided with Alita. Dust flew with each impact and Leon only stopped once the dust cloud was thick as it hid Alita's form. The dust was blown away by Alita's wings as she appeared to have taken damage. However, her body's Self-Repair System was working as it undid the damage she had sustained. Cracking his neck, Leon performed Shunpo to close the distance and swung his scythe but she managed to catch his weapon before punching him across the face with her free arm. He recoiled but then he retaliated as he punched her across the face with enough force and then he wrenched his Kage no Shi free from her hold. He darted backwards as she punched at him but missed. Landing on the floor as Alita flew at him like a bird of prey diving at its prey, he tapped the blunt end of his scythe's shaft to the floor and his shadow expanded. Suddenly, the shadow came alive as chains shot out and flew towards Alita.

She outmaneuvered the chains in the middle of her flight and then darted upwards to get out of range. She flapped her wings once and the feathers shot at Leon like arrows as they cut through the air, whistling as they sped towards him. He saw them coming but did not dodge. However, his shadow encased him in a protective dome and the feather arrows bounced off without harming him. The dome sank back into the floor as he eyed Alita.

The girl he looked at might be a machine, but she was a thing of beauty. The wings made her look like an angel but she fought like a demon. She was also very beautiful and powerful. He already knew what he wanted. He just had to have her, make her his, even if he had to incapacitate her to do it. Violent it may be but she wasn't about to join him willingly. And, not to mention, she was an enemy and in their way of rescuing Shinichi so she needed to be defeated. It was just how things were going down at the moment. He just hoped he didn't leave scars on that beautiful, kissable face of hers.

* * *

><p>Gad's armor was definitely not for show as Yuto's swords and Koneko's punches weren't doing much of anything to him. Gasper was, like earlier, hiding in terror. As for Aphrodite she was trying to subdue their opponent with flowing rivers of water. Unfortunately, all she could do was just slow him down.<p>

Koneko flicked her wrist, her knuckles bruised by trying to defeat Gad, but his armor was made out of some kind of extremely durable material. Even as a "Rook" with her earth crushing strength, the armor seem to be able to take on her hits easily. Deciding to go for another tactic, she sank each of her fingers into the floor before pulling out two slabs from the ground and chucking them at Gad. The Xenogear user slashed at both of them as they came, causing each slab to fall into pieces.

"_Interesting,"_ Gad complemented,_ "Never thought that a tiny thing like you could pack that much power._"

"Tiny?" Koneko echoed softly. She peered down at her flat chest momentary, and then looked back up at Gad with furrowed eyebrows. Not a moment later, several more slabs started flying towards him, prompting him to striff to the side.

"_You'll have to do better than that!"_ Gad shouted.

"Then how about this?" Yuto asked as his sword was suddenly covered in ice. He blurred forward and began striking Gad rapidly in all directions. Gad yelled out as he was sent flying back and crashing into a wall, sheets of ice forming around his armor.

"_What is this!?" _Gad demanded.

"My Sacred Gear," Yuto explained, "It's called the Birth Blade. I can create any sword, anywhere. And here's another." He slammed his hand on the floor and a wave of various swords suddenly jutted out from the ground and rushed towards Gad.

Alarmed, Gad blasted up into the air to avoid getting skewered by the blades. Hoving in the air, he looked below at the trail of deadly swords. _"Nice trick. I wasn't expecting that one, I'll say that much."_

Yuto didn't give a response as he took hold of one of the swords from the hilt and pulled it out. Now with two swords in each hand, Yuto sprouted out demonic wings from his back and flew after Gad in a high speed. Gad pushed his gets into full force as he rushed forward to meet the pretty boy head on. Both collided their weapons together as they both began fighting in a midair, high speed duel. Gad was apparently very skilled at using the rapier since he was able to handle the dual sword wielding Knight of the Gremory Household.

"Haven't seen Yuto fight like that in a long time," Koneko said, watching the air battle, "That Gad person is a lot stronger than I thought. Not a lot of people can handle my blows like he could."

"That is what happens with GIN-SHOCKER. They can make you strong, but at the cost of warping your mind beyond possible repair," Aphrodite frowned. It was sad to see. Gad could be so much more but he allowed himself to become a pawn in GIN-SHOCKER's schemes. So much wasted potential.

Yuto continued to fight off Gad in the air, using his speed to keep himself out of the Xenogear user's tracking range. Gad himself was no slouch as his jets allowed him to keep up despite not being able to lock onto him.

"_Screw this!"_ Gad snapped, pointing his gauntlet forward._**"Selene Multus!"**_ He fired a swarm of blades at them, causing Yuto to slash out and defend in response. He fought and clashed against the blades before Gad increased the intensity of his attack. The blades finally overwhelmed Yuto and he screamed out as he was struck hard, falling onto the ground with a loud crash. Yuto groaned as he pulled himself out of the crater and shook his head to get out the dizzyness. Gad, seeing the opportunity, fired twin lasers at Yuto to finish the job, only for the lasers to be blocked by a sudden wave of water. The connecting blast resulted in a watery explosion.

"Sorry, but I cannot let you do that!" Aphrodite shouted, pulling out knives from her hair and chucking them at Gad with deadly accuracy. Gad blocked each one with a twist of his sword.

"_Alright then, try me,"_ Gad dared.

* * *

><p>It would appear that Alita was not an opponent to be trifled with. She was able to last until Leon's Hollow mask vanished. It had passed its usual period of activation and Leon wouldn't be able to use it for awhile. Also, her clothes were ruined and her arms seemed ready to fall apart. However, her Self-Repair System kicked in again, undoing the damage she had taken in the past several minutes. Leon twirled his Kage no Shi before he held it in place within his grip before swinging. A crescent blade of shadow energy literally screamed as it cut through the air towards Alita. She dodged, blurring out of sight. Leon caught her movement and brought his weapon up only to be disarmed by her. His Kage no Shi went flying and he followed when she landed an uppercut into his jaw. He tumbled through the air before landing on his feet. As for his Kage no Shi it reverted back to its sealed state and Leon caught it within its scabbard as he raised it up, the steel blade returned to its home as it slid back into the confines of the scabbard. Putting the scabbard back to hang at his hip, he looked at Alita who walked towards him. She charged at him and used a right hook which he ducked and he stopped her knee with his hands as she tried to bash his face in. He slid back. She flew at him and continued to rain a barrage of punches at him but he dodged, leaving almost tangible afterimages as he evaded her fists. She landed a kick to his chest but sidestepped and caught her leg under his arm. He spun around, and around, and around before tossing her into the air. She righted herself in midair with her wings but he followed as he leapt at her. He landed a kick to her chest and nearly knocked her out of the air.<p>

As a member of Squad 11, he learned that Might was Right and nothing else mattered on the battlefield except for strength and power. However, even Squad 11 had a sense of camaraderie. They were at their strongest together, and they were only as strong as their weakest link. They had none. With a Captain like Kenpachi Zaraki, how could they be weak? He was the strongest, most violent and most bloodthirsty man in Seireitei and Leon respected him. However, he also respected someone who was not at all violent. His Uncle Ryuki was like a second father to him and passed on advice. Leon had wanted to emulate his uncle and become a hero. However, tragic events had turned him into a jaded person and he believed himself to be nothing but a monster.

Aphrodite didn't believe that though and neither did Tamao. His Uncle Ryuki once told him that even if he walked a dark path, there was still light at the end of the tunnel and they were the light. He also met others who shone a light at the end of his dark path and he felt more alive than ever before. He loved them, and he would fight for their sake and he would fight for the sake of his friends.

She launched feather arrows at him but they missed as he dodged them using Utsusemi. He left after-images as he moved and Alita couldn't tell which was the real Leon until the after-images vanished. However, by then, it was already too late. She heard the sound of many birds chirping and turned towards the direction of the sound. He was coming at her with lightning gathered in his right hand in the form of a sphere. It crackled and sang like many birds chirping and hence its name was, "_CHIDORI!_"

* * *

><p>Aphrodite had now joined the fray against Gad as she formed waves of water underneath her to surf around the lasers shot at her. Aphrodite shifted back and forth around the rubble, avoiding fire. She jumped off the wave and flipped through the air before landing several feet away. Meanwhile, Koneko outstretched her arm for Yuto, which he promptly took. The petite girl spun him around in a circle, her strength picking up speed and dust, and then she tossed him at Gad. The Xenogear user only had time to turn before Yuto's dropkick sent him flying backwards several meters before crashing through a wall. Kiba landed in a crouch and looked up at the hole.<p>

Not a moment later Gad jumped out and landed, glaring as he stood back up. _"Alright... now you've forced __my hand!__"_ He outstretched his arm and in a flash of light, a heavy looking cannon appeared before him. Pointing it forward, he fired large blasts of plasma energy. _"GO TO HELL!" _

"Already been there!" Yuto shot back, backflipping from the shots, "It's not really as bad as you think!"

"It would depend on which dimensional realm of Hell he's referring to, though," added Koneko in monotone.

"A very good point," replied Yuto. "And we've been there and back again so many times with the Hell that we're familiar with."

"Then here's a one way ticket back!" Gad shouted, charging up his cannon before firing a large beam of light. The beam streaked through the lobby and went through the walls. Everyone worked to avoid the lethal lasers.

Jumping back from the beam, Aphrodite let out a growl before letting out a beastly roar, with a pillar of water blasting out from underneath her. The water subsided, revealing her to now be in her serpent-like Transcendent form.

"_The hell?!"_ Gad gawked, _"Another Dragon?!"_

"Believe it!" Aphrodite declared as she slithered her way to the stunned man in the armor. Gad quickly recovered and started to fire his cannon again. Aphrodite was apparently more slippery and agile in Transcendent form as she slipped and slided away from each shot. Before he knew it, she was right on top of him and captured him in a crushing coil. She smashed against the floor several times before tossing him up into the air.

"Gasper! Do it!" Yuto shouted.

"H-hai!" Gasper nodded, before summoning shadow tentacles from the dark corners. Said tentacles stretched out and ensnared Gad's arms and pinned him to the wall. He struggled to break free, but to no avail.

Aphrodite decided it was time to end the game. She opened her jaws and pooled in hydro energy which quickly grew into the size of a beach ball. And then she fired off a huge laser that instantly ripped through Gad and the wall he was against. The laser actually ripped out of the building and into the sky, where the spectators could see clearly. The laser slowly subsided and all that remained was a small mist.

**(End song)**

"We...we did it..." Gasper let out in relief and surprise before dropping to his knees. "Yatta..." Aphrodite immediately glomped him.

"You were great out there, Little Dhampir! We couldn't have landed the final blow without you!" She rubbed her cheek against his affectionately.

"Now that that's over with, now what?" Koneko asked.

"Wait for further orders, I guess," assumed Yuto. He added, "We should get back to Leon at least, to check if he's alright."

"He's fine," said Aphrodite with a smile, "Can't you tell? The fight's over. He's won."

* * *

><p>Leon pulled the goggles away from his eyes and left them to hang from his neck. He had won, but at what cost? Alita was lying against the pillar, her body damaged to a degree in which her Self-Repair System could not fix. Thus, she went into stasis lock which was a bio-android's equivalent to falling into a coma. Her wings were limp as they hung behind her and her head was down with her hair hanging like a dark curtain. Her clothes were ruined by electrical burns as well with a hole in the centre of her stomach.<p>

And yet, Leon couldn't help but feel pity for the machine he was forced to take out. He knelt by her body and gently stroked her hair. "The others should be taking care of Shinichi's rescue by now," he said. "Maybe I should stay here to watch over you." Maybe he could take Alita in. She wasn't completely without a will of her own. In fact she could be an ally, but that would be her choice to make once she was properly repaired.

Funny, he called himself a monster and considered himself as such for a long time but evidence contradicted that claim. Would a monster show mercy? Would a monster show regret? Would a monster risk themselves for others? Would a monster take in a child and care for her as their own?

The answer was simple. He was no more a monster than Shinichi was a weapon. Both claim to be heartless beings, but their actions spoke otherwise.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, double doors were kicked opened before Moka-sama stepped into a room. Looking forward, she found Shinichi in his BLACK 13 armor, strapped to a chair with wires connecting the back of his helmet to a computer. "Shinichi," she uttered softly, seeing his state. The helmet's eyes were just blank, grey and completely lifeless. She walked over to him and said while reaching for the wires, "I'm going to get you out of here."<p>

"I wouldn't recommend that."

Moka-sama swiftly turned around. "You..." she growled as her eyes flashed.

**つづく**

* * *

><p><strong>KRC AN: Well, after a long delay, we finally managed to do this. As for what happens to Alita, her memories would be reset as the Chidori fried them. Basically, she'll have the robotic equivalent of amnesia. Sounds familiar, no? Anyway, the end scene here shows Moka finding Shinichi. The next chapter, however, shows her search. Basically, you'll be seeing what she did in order to find him. Look forward to that, OK?<strong>


	77. The Rescue: Last Roundup

**KAMEN RIDER CHROME: Now, I was made aware of discrepancies regarding this chapter concerning the timeline of the series of events. Since, the last chap ended with Moka finding Shinichi and this chapter shows her on the way of finding her. Now, for the sake of convenience and ease, let's just say this chapter shows how Moka finds Shinichi and the path she took to get to him, and the things she did when some obnoxious guards get in her way.**

**Chapter 77: The Last Roundup**

**Five Minutes Before Moka Finds Shinichi...**

In the Hive Queen's bridge, those who remained onboard were monitoring the team's status via the computer screens. Vitals of each member were put up and updated to report their status on the mission. There were also screens that showed the interior of the building with blips to represent the members of the infiltration team and blips to represent hostile elements.

"The infiltration team has entered, and Leon-san's already started on the diversion," Yukari reported.

"Good," nodded Dr. Magi.

"Wait, it looks like Moka-san's going off on her own," she continued, pointing to a specific moving blip marked with Moka's name. "She's on the move and not stopping for anything." She could see the Moka blip surrounded by enemy blips. In a matter of seconds, the enemy blips vanished. This meant they had been eliminated.

"What?" Ren asked. "What does she think she's doing?"

"Have you seen how scary she is?" Karin asked. "It's a bad idea to question her." The silver-haired Vampire intimidated Karin, and for good reason. She radiated a killing intent unlike anything she had felt before. Even her brother, as strong and intimidating as he was, wouldn't stand a chance against her.

"She's gone to save Shinji," said Shiori. "I know that for sure." Hopefully, they all would be returning to them, safe and sound along with the rest of the rescue team. She had been biting her fingernails, nervous with anticipation. "Please, come back safe..."

* * *

><p>In another one of the floors, a team of Guardsmen stood watch. The were all armed with their weapons as they stood vigilantly around the clock. They all heard the noises going on within the tower, so they made sure to take some extra precautions in case any invaders decided to show up.<p>

The elevator chimed as the doors slid opened. In an instant, a GS Soldier was thrown out and crashed against one of the Guardsmen. Everyone else quickly looked up at the elevator and found Moka-sama standing there.

(**Insert Song – Bloody Tears– Castlevania: Judgement OST**)

"_Its one of the intruders!"_ shouted one of the guards, _"Open fire!" _The Guardsmen quickly fired their machines guns as the Vampire rushed forward, dodging the bullets. She jumped into the air and slammed her heel on the side of one of the the Guardsmen, sending him crashing through a wall. More guards were sent flying into the air from Moka-sama's thunderous kicks. She then got on her hands with her legs opened into a split, and spun around like a top, sending a whole swarm of guards flying into the air.

Moka-sama fought like a woman possessed, focused completely on her objective. She needed to find Shinichi and was on a tight schedule. Everyone had their assignments and she had hers. She was also the best bet in finding where Shinichi was located within this building.

Blood wasn't just a Vampire's food. It was also a way for a Vampire to track their prey. Vampires had a sharp sense of smell which could be set off by blood and if a Vampire had a particularly favorite source they feasted upon often, a psychic link formed via the blood they drank. In fact, Moka-sama had drank Shinichi's blood so often that she had a psychic link to him and if she focused hard enough she could find him. She was like a bloodhound, emphasis on _blood_.

Her outer self subconsciously accessed this ability so she could know where Shinichi was and even find him when she felt he was in danger. Now, he was in definite danger and Moka-sama was tapping into this ability to locate him before he was lost to her forever.

Earlier, when they had first met, Moka-sama may have been impressed by Shinichi's combat prowess, to her he was just a tasty morsel. Of course their relationship began to change and she grew to respect and even fall in love with him. His tragic past still tugged at her heartstrings and she also wanted to comfort him. He was strong with some vulnerabilities, like herself, but that didn't stop him from trying to reach out to others. He never backed down from a fight either and when properly provoked he could be a force to be reckoned with. He definitely earned the title of being one of the most dangerous students in Youkai Academy.

His self-loathing and guilt could get annoying at times, but he was too stubborn to be convinced that he shouldn't feel any regret for his actions. Sometimes he tried to hide his pain too. However, his emotions were conveyed through his eyes and anyone who paid attention could tell what he was feeling just by looking at them. His eyes were a clear window into his soul and heart.

The moment she slammed the last Guardsman's head to the floor, the floor before her suddenly opened up. Looking at its direction, she saw a large mech rising up from the floor. It was grey in color with red paint at the top in the shape of a V, with a protruding head and reverse-jointed legs. It basically resembled a vulture without wings. Its flexible arms were packed with what appeared to be pulse rifles. The tilted hip/torso connection point seemed to be designed to take on full frontal attacks.

Moka-sama growled. It didn't matter how many weapons they had. They still wouldn't stop her.

GIN-SHOCKER's Mad Dog III quickly fired its payload of missiles. The missiles screamed across the air before directing their aim at the Vampire. Pumping a bit of Youki into her legs, Moka-sama jumped and bounced across the missiles. She grabbed one of the missiles by the nose and chucked it back at the Mad Dog III. The battlemech braced itself and to the blunt of the blow, an explosion shaking it as the rest of the missiles blew up from hitting impact. As the smoke cleared up, the Mad Dog III noticed Moka-sama running towards it. It instantly fired its pulse rifle at her, but she quickly used her speed to vanish before the shots could hit. She reappeared above, and sent a drop kick to send the Mad Dog III crashing into the wall. Before it could get back up, Moka-sama landed on top of it, and ripped out one of its pulse rifles. She took aim and fired shots at the head, killing the systems as it slumped back and shut down. Seeing that taken care off, Moka-sama looked up and aimed the pulse rifle upward. She fire rapid shots, making a wide hole in the ceiling. Dropping the gun, she jumped through the hole.

She was getting close to Shinichi. She could already feel it.

**(End Song)**

* * *

><p>With Mizore and Kurumu, they both found themselves in a very large room. Before them, rows and columns of pods spread everywhere. Inside the pods there were various creatures sleeping inside, floating inside green liquid gel.<p>

"What kind of room is this?" Kurumu whispered, looking left and right at the pods as the walked further around.

"This isn't a room, this is an entire floor," Mizore whispered back. "Notice how wide this area is stretching? It's not like the other floors we've been on."

"Yeah..." Kurumu said with a huff, "And those were a lot of floors." She looked at one of the pods that contained the monsters The one she was looking in particular had the shape of an ox,"These don't look like some of the Cyborgs Mutant we fought before."

"You know what? You're actually right," Mizore agreed, gazing at another pod that contained a wolf creature. "I would have to say that these monsters are being biologically engineered."

"First cyborgs monsters and now bio-monsters," Kurumu moaned, "This is so stupid."

"In that case," Mizore said, bringing out three kunai made of ice, "How about we dampen their plans here before we go off to the next floor?"

Kurumu grinned as she lengthened her claws, "Sounds good to me!" She turned around and slashed at a pod, causing the gel to spill out onto the floor and the apparently incomplete bio monster to crash onto the floor the floor, not even moving.

Mizore tossed her ice daggers at another pod. The daggers didn't just rip through that one pod, but a whole line of them. A single line of pods collapsed as the gell and monsters spilled onto the floor.

"Showoff," Kurumu scoffed.

"You're just jealous," Mizore waved off.

"My, my, my," a new voice sounded off. Both girls stiffened, recognizing the voice well. "What a mess you both have made." Footsteps sounded on the gels. Mizore and Kurumu turned and saw Ishigami walk around of the still intact pods. "Long time no see, ladies," she waved daintily.

"Ishigami," Kurumu frowned. She and Mizore both switched into their true forms. "I never thought you would join an organization as horrid as GIN-SHOCKER. Of course, it's not surprising, you're just as sick as they are."

"And now you're helping them hurt him again," accused Mizore.

"Well... after I was found out, I did some snooping around on who Banabara-san was. No Youkai in the world had abilities like he did, so I got curious," Ishigami smiled as admired her nails. "And once I did I fell in love~... or rather I fell in love with his work of art!"

"Only someone as insane as you would call it art," Mizore growled.

"Haven't you both learned anything in my class? Art is all around us!" Ishigami declared, "From a beautiful flower to a passionate explosion, art is everywhere!" She tossed away her coat as she morphed into Madame Medusa. "These Chimera Beasts too are art and I can't just let you do as you please here. And I most definitely can't let you go off with BLACK 13."

"That's not his name!" Mizore snapped. It was always BLACK 13 with GIN-SHOCKER. They always called Shinichi that and they knew how much he hated being called that. That name represented a past he wanted to leave behind, a past filled with death, blood and destruction.

"Why bother trying to save him? He's not even a person. He's not even _human_. He's just a weapon," the Cyborg Gorgon mocked.

"Stop calling him that!" Kurumu snapped as she lunged, swinging her claws to slash at the former art teacher only for her to move out of the way. Slippery like a serpent, Madame Medusa was not easy to hit as she easily dodged Kurumu's strikes.

"Allow me," offered Mizore as she launched ice spikes at Madame Medusa. Kurumu performed a barrel-roll to dodge as the ice spikes flew at Madame Medusa but her snake hair caught the spikes, coiling around them, before crushing them.

"Oh, realize the gap between us, girls. I was way out of your league before my modifications and now I'm on an entirely different level," taunted Madame Medusa, speaking to the two girls in a condescending tone. Kurumu and Mizore gritted their teeth. "You know, when I read his file, I was surprised. His mission success rate was impressive but what really caught my eye was the level of destruction he was capable of. Oh, and his body count. He turned killing into an art. Of course, coming from an entirely different world, he would have talents that nobody in that school had."

"Shut up! You don't know a damn thing about Shinichi!" snapped Kurumu angrily.

"Are you sure it's not _you _who doesn't know anything about him?" Madame Medusa countered. "What is he to you?"

"The man that we love, and someone worth saving!" Mizore claimed.

"And we're taking him home!" Kurumu added with determination.

"How naive," mocked Madame Medusa. With a hiss, she lashed out with her snakes, their jaws open, fangs gleaming with venom. "Now become part of my collection!"

"Sorry, but this body belongs only to Shinichi!" declared Kurumu as she flew out of range and an ice wall formed, blocking the assault. The ice wall shattered and Mizore launched the shattered pieces at Madame Medusa, catapulting the blocks of ice at the former art teacher. Standing on her toes, Madame Medusa spun around and around and whipped the ice blocks away with her snake hair before stopping and grinning. The ice blocks shattered several more of the pods, destroying them in an instant. Madame Medusa didn't seem to care.

"Girls, you're 100 years way too early before you can think of defeating me," Madame Medusa told them. "Then again, you've always been weak. You needed to rely on BLACK 13's strength to survive. Without him, you're just a pair of pathetic little girls." Pointing forward, her snakes opened their mouths and fired laser beams at the girls, forcing them to scatter and avoid from being hit. "That's it! Run! Run! Once you've run out of energy, I'm adding you to my collection!"

* * *

><p>"<strong>Alert! Engaging Countermeasure Level 1!"<strong>

That was what Hime, Reiri, Rias and Akeno heard before the walls opened up around them, revealing a horde of robots and mechas around them. There were red flashing lights that accompanied the blaring sirens in the hallway. A pair of turret guns popped up before them, blocking the doorway they were about to enter, as well.

"This might be a problem," Reiri stated, looking at the robots before them.

"With this much security, this path will definitely lead us to Shinji," Hime noted.

"Well then, ladies," said Rias as she cracked her knuckles, a look of eagerness on her face. "Let's break some toy soldiers."

Hime started up her chainsaw and dashed forward. One of the robots was her unfortunate victim as she sawed it in half. Reiri, backing her up, morphed into a swarm of bats to systematically take down the robots. Rias and Akeno who were magic users utilized their abilities, launching blasts of energy and bolts of lightning respectively, frying them. Still, the number of mechas was massive so clearing this area for them to pass through would take up quite some time.

Hime growled as she cut through another robot, "Che! I knew I should've summoned Flandre while we we were still in the planning stage."

"Nothing we can do about it now, Hime-sama," Reiri said, slamming one of the robots into a turret gun. She quickly took notice of a shadow appearing underneath her. She looked up and her eyes widened at the large mass of metal falling right on her. "Ah!" She morphed into a bar swarm just as the metal mass came down in a large slam, causing the bats to instantly morph back into Reiri as she was sent flying upwards and against a wall. Shaking the dizziness out of her head, she looked down at the newest robot as the dust around it cleared up. It was a large, hulking machine that was jet black in color, with purple accents around its body. Purple blades jutted out of its fists and a single optical was seen on its box-like head.

"A Leaper," Rias frowned, recalling what she had read from the computer terminal. "They can generate great bursts of speed for short periods of time, and cause powerful impacts that lifts anything around them into the air. Their armors have been modified to withstand even ancient magic. They're only vulnerable on the back."

"That's quite a poor design for such an intimidating opponent," Akeno said, her finger's sparking. "Oh well!"

"Let's turn it into scrap!" declared Hime as she started up her chainsaw again. She dash forward and drove her weapon towards the engines on its back.

* * *

><p>Moka ran down a long hallway and while soldiers tried to intercept her, she engaged them. She ran along the wall at high speed then bounced off to land a brutal kick across a soldier's face. One tried shooting at her but she ducked kicked his arm up, grabbing his rifle, removed it from his grip, then smashed the butt end against his chin which so much force she fractured his jaw. She then mercilessly attacked the other soldiers who tried shooting at her, dodging their shots as if they were coming at her in slow motion. She kneed one in the groin with so much force he was knocked off the ground then she used a front snap kick to launch him like a missile to knock down three soldiers. As they were climbing back to their feet, she kicked up a rifle and then kicked it towards them to knock them back down, this time to unconsciousness.<p>

"I'm getting close," murmured the female Vampire as she sensed he was nearby. He was behind those doors at the end of the hallway. Once in front of the door, she kicked the double doors open. Stepping into the room, she found Shinichi in his BLACK 13 armor, strapped to a chair with wires connecting the back of his helmet to a computer. "Shinichi," she uttered softly, seeing his state. The helmet's eyes were just blank, grey and completely lifeless. She didn't know what that computer was doing but she knew it wasn't good. Nothing GIN-SHOCKER did was good. She walked over to him and said while reaching for the wires, "I'm going to get you out of here."

"I wouldn't recommend that," said Dr. Gebok as he stepped into the room via a different entrance.

Moka-sama swiftly turned around. "You..." she growled as her eyes flashed. The air pressure in the room seemed to rise as her anger grew, her aura radiating from her in waves. "Gebok..."

"Yes. Me," Gebok answered, seemingly not caring that a Vampire was staring him down to death. "Me, me, me~. Dr. William Xavier Gebok, that's me!"

"I have to say... during my years in middle school, I have encountered some very unlikable humans. But you... the humans from my previous school were saints compared to the likes of you," Moka-sama began. "How dare you kidnap innocent children from the streets and turn them into weapons? Do you truly have no regard for life?!"

"Life?" Gebok repeated, speaking out the word in a shocked tone. "That's quite ironic coming from a demon who hunts humans for blood. Do you really think that you, a creature of the night, has the right to speak of life, or innocence for that matter?"

"I can say, without of doubt, that I possess more of both than you do," Moka-sama stated. "That is the difference between you and I."

"So you say," Gebok retorted, putting his hands into his pockets. He slowly walked sideways, his eyes not prying off the girl. Moka-sama's stare didn't waver either. "Moka Akashiya, was it? I've done my research... both on you personally and your kind. Before arriving to Youkai Academy, you went to a middle school for humans. You were shunned, laughed at, and hated. That made you hate humans, made you think that they were even worse than monsters."

"So what's your point?" Moka-sama asked.

"It's pretty amazing how Youkai would often think that humans are the real monsters," Gebok stated. "You people aren't any saints yourselves. Tell me something... how do your mother and father feel about humans?"

"My mother?" Moka-sama gave a half-hearted chuckle, "Heh. I don't even remember her. My father on the other hand absolutely loathes humans. He sees them as nothing more than weak cattle."

"I thought so," Gebok said. "And its because of demons who think in such a way that this world would never know peace. If anything... humans and demons are not all that different from one another. Both species do the same exact things. They fight. They kill. They oppress. War, murder, and betrayal." He pressed the bridge of his glasses, "So tell me, child. Who are the real monsters? Cause the way I see, it goes both ways."

"And what about you? Your actions have disgusted both humans and Youkai alike, myself included," Moka-sama countered. "You took a perfectly kind human boy from his family; human parents and demonic sisters. They gave him structure and peace of mind. What have _you _given him? Nothing but pain and misery. I am not leaving what is mine with the likes of you."

"You can try to take him, but nothing you do will work. I highly doubt you know how to shutdown the machine, and removing him by force would turn him into a vegetable. No one wants that, especially you," Moka-sama grimaced silently upon hearing that. "Besides, we have much need in his abilities."

"I'll bet," Moka-sama spat. "I already know well enough why you were after him in the first place."

Gebok simply chuckled, "Ah, my dear child. You don't even know half the reasons why BLACK 13 was created."

"What do you mean?" Moka-sama demanded.

Gebok smiled, "Do you know what a Mutant is? They are humans born with extraordinary powers; powers that make them equal to Youkai. They also have other names, such as Metahumans and Homo Superiors. They even have a ranking system of their own, Omega being the strongest, and Epsilon often being seen as the weakest. And BLACK 13 just so happens to be an Omega-Level Mutant, the human equivalent to a SSS-Class Youkai."

"I see..." Moka-sama uttered, looking back at the comatose Shinichi, "So that explains his ability to manipulate time."

"Exactly~!" Gebok said in a high pitch, clapping his hands together. "For years we have been working on machines that could allow the user to control time at will! Sadly, all of our research ended in failure. Nothing we did got any of the results I was looking for. Deciding to give myself a fresh start, I disguised myself as a pediatrician in order to select a candidate for my part of the NUMBERS Project. That was when a little boy came in with his mother for a routine check-up exam. When I analyzed his blood, I discovered his dormant ability to control time! I was so thrilled! His potential was so great that he could reverse all the time in the world for up to 24-hours, or more if he was strong enough! I double-checked, then I triple-checked! I even sent it to HQ for a proper analysis! It all checked out! Without wasting a beat, I invited him to our humble home and converted him into the perfect machine he is today!"

"So you took him for his temporal powers!" Moka-sama concluded.

"Getting warmer!" Gebok continued, waving his finger. "There was still the matter of someone else, namely our Great Leader. You see, child, he is much older than you or I. In fact, he's older than dirt. For centuries he has been given several bodies that allowed him to move and feel psychically. However, none of those bodies were able to contain his highly pressurized Cosmic Energy for very long. He needed a perfect body. One that would never wilt, never fade out, and most importantly, never break. And now we have created the perfect body that can withstand his power." His smile widened, "Have you figured it all out now?"

(**Insert Song – The Clash– BlazBlue Continuum Shift OST**)

Moka-sama's eyes slowly widened as everything Gebok said started to make sense. Slowly, her fists clenched, shaking in rage as her red aura began to fade in around her. The air pressure increased rapidly and the temperature started to drop to sub-zero levels. Nearly all the machines and computers in the room suddenly broke, leaving static on the broken screens, or exploded in flashes of fire and flames.

"You... you..." Moka-sama whispered hoarsely. Without warning, the aura that would make lower beings suddenly fall on their knees and beg for forgiveness roared around her, bathing the room in an eerier blood red light. Her hair and skirt flared up from power surge given from the aura, and the force even caused Gebok to casually cover his face and grip onto his hat so to prevent it from flying off. Moka-sama stared at the mad scientist with a face that could bring forth a thousand deaths. Her crimson eyes glowed to the point that her scleras couldn't be seen, and her fangs lengthened so much that they went past her mouth. "YOU SICK, TWISTED MOTHERFUCKER!"

"Language, child!" Gebok scolded over the roaring winds. "The kiddies are reading this!"

"TO SACRIFICE WHAT IS MINE AS A VESSEL FOR YOUR SO-CALLED GREAT LEADER IS TO ASK FOR A FATE WORSE THAN DEATH!" Moka-sama screeched. "SHOWING YOU YOUR PLACE IS TOO GOOD FOR YOU! I AM GOING TO FUCKING TEAR YOU APART, YOU PIECE OF SHIT!"

"Let's see you try!" Gebok laughed as he spun in place, changing into his Satan Roach form. Snapping his fingers, he summoned several GIN-SHOCKER troopers. "Attack!" The GIN-SHOCKER troopers charged at the silver-haired vampire.

"MOVE!" she roared as she performed a powerful roundhouse kick, bursting with demonic energy, which threw the charging soldiers into the air. She went to kick her foot right through Satan Roach's chest only for him to blur out of sight. He reappeared behind her and backhanded her, knocking her to the ground. Growling, she stood up and unleashed a furious series of kicks aimed at vital points on his body but he just evaded each hit nonchalantly.

"Is this all? I heard you Vampires were the elite of the monster world? But you're not even giving me a decent challenge," he taunted as he continued bob and weave from her assault. He jumped up and yawned, "You're boring me!"

"GET DOWN HERE!" she shouted angrily and jumped to execute a heel kick but her leg swept through an afterimage as Satan Roach was back on the floor. His antennae fired energy bolts at her, knocking her out of the air and painfully sending her tumbling along the floor.

"How about you just give up? You're obviously outmatched," said Satan Roach. "And if you do, I can promise you can be with BLACK 13. That's obviously what you want, my dear."

"No way," she hissed at him. "And just so you know, I'm not just strong," she said before blurring out of sight.

"Hm?" Satan Roach blinked. Moka-sama appeared before him and slammed her palm into Satan Roach's chest, blasting him across the room. The giant cockroach tumbled across the floor and through several computers before bouncing back up to his feet. "So managed to land a hit now, not bad."

"Hu!" Moka-sama grunted as she charged forward at full force, after images trailing behind her.

"However..." Satan Roach continued. He darted around the room and punched Moka-sama straight into a wall, causing an imprint to appear, "Your legs, as strong as they may be, are still too slow to keep up!"

"As if that would stop me!" Moka-sama shouted before using her speed to blur out of sight. She reappeared with her leg stretched out, and swung it down to crack open Satan Roach's skull. The mad scientist quickly crossed his arms to block the blow. The force of the kick caused his legs to buckle under. Satan Roach grunted as he struggled to keep his footing together. It seemed that the Vampire was much stronger than he anticipated. Moka-sama bounced off and slammed her other foot into Satan Roach's arms, causing him to skid backwards several feet before using his claws to slow himself down. She rolled through the air before landing flawlessly, and then continued forward. Satan Roach fired more energy bolts at her. This time though, the shots appeared slow to Moka-sama's eyes. This was another ability Vampires had. Like Netto, she had Accelerated Vision, though at a slightly weaker form. Jumping onto her hands, she performed several flips and cartwheels to evade the shots before leaping to the air and executing a flying drop kick at Satan Roach's chest, knocking him backwards once more.

Satan Roach crashed into the wall, but managed to pull himself out of the cracks. Rolling his neck to get the kinks out, he said, "Hm. So it seems that you Vampires are every bit as powerful and ferocious as the legends say. Good, very good. That means I can move on to my next experiment."

Moka-sama growled in disgust when she heard Satan Roach call their fight an "experiment". It served to remind her that people were just research subjects to him, even children. Shinichi had been a normal human child before Gebok got his hands on him and converted him into a weapon. She may not have cared for humans in general, but Shinichi Banabara was something special and Gebok had warped and twisted an innocent boy to the point that he had emotional and mental problems.

The entrance suddenly exploded, and both Moka-sama and Satan Roach turned to look. _'Now what?' _they both thought simultaneously.

Standing in the doorway was Rias and she had her right hand pointed forward, dark flames dancing along her fingers. Behind her were Akeno, Reiri and Hime. Hime gasped as she spotted Shinichi strapped in the chair, trapped in his armor, then her face curled into a snarl as she glared at Satan Roach.

"Well, you certainly took your sweet time," Moka-sama remarked at the four girls.

"This tower is harder to navigate through than my castle," Rias retorted, "And that in itself says something. Besides, why are you complaining? We had to fight through five levels of security to get up here."

"And what do we have here?" Satan Roach questioned. "Ah, now I see. You four are BLACK 13's 'sisters'. Funny though, none of you look like his siblings at all."

"It's not about blood ties, it's about bonds, and you've broken that bond more than enough times already," Hime told him furiously. "We're taking him home." She emphasized her point by starting up her chainsaw.

"You took our little Shin-chan from us, corrupted him and dirtied his hands with blood," Akeno continued, "There's no way we're letting you do it again." A lightning bolt suddenly struck down on her. In a quick flash, Akeno was doned in the garbs of a shrine priestess with electricity sparking all over her body. She was dressed in a traditional miko outfit consisting of a white kimono-like top with detached sleeves, red hakama pants and a pair of geta sandals with white tabi socks.

"This time you'll pay for everything you've done. I hope you have enough room for my fist, because I'm going to ram it into your stomach _and break your goddamned spine!_" Reiri added, flicking out several wooden stakes from her hands.

"For so long we wondered what happened to him. We managed to finally find but now you threaten to take him away from us again. No more. It's time for you to pay this Devil her due!" Rias finished, her fists flaring with power.

"Well then, ladies, I don't think the odds are fair here," said Satan Roach. "Allow me to even the odds." His body glowed and then swarms of cockroaches burst out of his body, piling up on the sides. A total of four repulsive piles formed and then morphed into four copies of Satan Roach.

"Hm, looks like things just got harder," Moka-sama frowned. "Doesn't matter. We can still squish you like the bugs you are."

"Let's see you try... shitty Vampire!" The Satan Roaches laughed as they all charged forward. Their hands glowed, the Kaijin all fired beams of energy from their palms at the five girls who'd come to reclaim Shinichi. The girls broke apart, dodging the beams. Rias landed at Moka's side with Hime. Three girls of noble lineage were now working together to save their friend.

"Why haven't you rescued him?" Rias asked. Shinichi was just sitting in a chair.

"Aside from the bug's interruption, taking Shinichi out of that chair would be disastrous. He's hooked up to a machine which will fry his brain if any tampering is done," Moka-sama informed the heiress of the Gremory Clan.

"Curses," hissed Hime. None of them knew anything about advanced technology, save for herself but the android she had as a servant was somewhat less advanced from everything she'd seen so far, so to remove Shinichi from the chair by force would be too huge a risk.

**(End Song)**

* * *

><p>The machine Shinichi was hooked up to wasn't just forcing him to remember traumatic events in his life, it was also fabricating traumatic memories as well. Multiple scenarios were being shown where his mistakes were hurting those around him, including the people he loved.<p>

_Shinichi woke up in the infirmary with a jolt and saw Dr. Magi. He panicked,"Dr. Magi, the school was attacked! What happened? Did everyone get out?"_

"_Most of them did." Dr. Magi's expression was sombre._

"_Most of them? What happened to the rest?" Shinichi inquired fearfully._

"_I'm sorry, Shinichi. But some people died." Dr. Magi didn't want to burden Shinichi's heart any further._

"_Who died?" Shinichi asked. 'Please, please let it not be them...'_

_Dr. Magi denied, "I can't tell you."_

"_Please, I need to know," Shinichi insisted, practically begging._

_Dr. Magi let the awful truth out, "Ginei Morioka and Moka Akashiya."_

"_No! Dear God, Nooooooooo!" Shinichi screamed in horror._

* * *

><p>Madame Medusa had been playing with both Kurumu and Mizore, letting them suffer. The girls' clothes had taken damage and the Cyborg Youkai grinned. Oh, she would love so much to add these two girls to her collection. GIN-SHOCKER had allowed her that much freedom and even given her a gallery of her own to display her beautiful collection which she would admire on her own.<p>

"Don't look so disappointed. You fought well. Sadly, your best wasn't good enough," said Madame Medusa. With a single gesture and a flash of energy, the two girls were turned into stone statues. "Perfect." Madame Medusa admired her handiwork and went to caress Kurumu's petrified face when her hand just went through. "Huh?" She realized what it was as both statues shimmered and vanished. "An illusion!?"

"That's right, Snake Whore!" shouted Kurumu as she kicked Madame Medusa across the face, sending her tumbling violently. "Mizore, seal her up!"

"Of course," said Mizore and she focused her ice powers to form walls of ice which rose up around Madame Medusa. The walls were triangular and they joined up to form a pyramid shape around Madame Medusa, trapping her. "Snakes belong in cages," said Mizore coolly.

"Futile," said Madame Medusa smugly and she prepared to fire her lasers to break herself free. Unfortunately, the beams bounced around in her prison and she screamed as she was struck in her arms and legs. "What!?" She then saw her own reflection and realized what it was. "Oh, I see. Make the ice reflective so energy beams will reflect off them. So, you have been paying attention to your studies, girl." Mizore and Kurumu couldn't really hear Madame Medusa. The sealed up pyramid was soundproof. Mizore made sure to make the walls thick. Madame Medusa had to figure out another way of getting out or risk suffocation. "Of course, I have other ways to get around things like this," she continued. Her snakes fired red laser beams which concentrated on the single spot. Slowly, the pyramid began to heat up and start to melt.

"You have GOT to be kidding!" Kurumu exclaimed.

As soon as the lasers melted the pyramid enough, Madame Medusa clenched her fist and slammed it against the cold ice, causing the whole pyramid to shatter. Both Kurumu and Mizore shouted as they backed away from the flying ice.

"I commend you girls for using such an underhanded trick," Madame Medusa said, walking forward. "However, you'll have to do a lot better than that if you want to beat me."

"Oh, believe me, we will," Kurumu frowned.

"But that can wait," said Madame Medusa abruptly. "I've delayed you long enough. Now, I'm headed elsewhere. I have more important things to do than to discipline a couple of unruly school girls." She pressed a button on her earring and said, "Sayonara, girls!" With that said she vanished.

"She retreated," said Mizore.

"Yeah, we sent her packing!" Kurumu cheered.

"I don't like it," said Mizore. "She could've overpowered us but she decided to retreat."

"Oh, stop complaining! Come on, we gotta go save Shinichi!" Mizore forgot about Ishigami and followed Kurumu to save their beloved.

* * *

><p><em>Shinichi was down on his hands and knees, his heart filled with despair. Those memories and all those dreadful images kept playing around in his mind. No matter where he went or what he did, people died around him. He could remember them, all the people who'd died, because of him. It was all his fault.<em>

_Gebok appeared before him and said, "Stop resisting, BLACK 13. Once you accept that you're nothing but a weapon, you won't have to be hurt again. Isn't that nice?"_

"_Don't...call me...that..." Shinichi growled._

"_Pardon?" Gebok blinked._

"_My name...is Shinichi Banabara...I'm not a weapon..." Shinichi growled. "I'm human!" He looked up at the direction of Gebok and shouted, "I'M NOT A WEAPON! I'M HUMAN! MY NAME IS SHINICHI BANABARA! I'M HUMAN! I'M NOT A WEAPON AND WILL NEVER BE A WEAPON!" With that said, Gebok's apparition vanished and the entire world around Shinichi shattered as light streamed through. The light showered him and he stared up at the light as he reached out to it. Another hand came from the light and grasped his._

* * *

><p>Streams of energy, blasts of lightning, swarms of stakes, and rains of Satanic magic surged through the room as the fight continued on. Rias and Akeno had released their wings, fighting while airborne like the Satan Roaches engaging them in combat. On the ground, Moka-sama was dodging and unleashing her attacks, but Satan Roach annoyingly dodged them. Even Hime wasn't able to land a hit as her opponent seemed too fast to hit. Reiri was also on the ground with another one of the Satan Roaches, attacking with her own variety of kicks. While her legs weren't as powerful as Moka-sama's, they were still quite strong.<p>

"Really, is this all you can really do? This just proves that human science can even make humans superior to you S-Class youkai!" declared the Satan Roach that was facing Moka-sama.

"Silence, and know your place!" Moka-sama launched another kick at him but he dispersed into cockroaches and then reformed a distance away from her.

"First you should know yours! There's a reason humans outnumber monsters; we're the superior ones!" Satan Roach boasted.

Hime let out a laugh, "You dare to call yourself human? Have you looked in the mirror lately? You've made so many changes to your body that can't even be _classified _as a human. You're just a rabid dog that needs to be put down and the whole world would benefit greatly with your non-existence."

"And yet none of you have been able to back up that claim," snickered another Satan Roach."What does _that _say?" Moka-sama did not like Gebok's tone. He then continued, "If you want to be with BLACK 13 so much, how about you join GIN-SHOCKER? I'll even put in a good word and recommend you all to become partners with him. Though, he's had a very bad track record with keeping partners. They always seemed to die around him."

The girls all growled at how lightly Satan Roach was talking about his doomed team as if he were talking about the weather. At that moment, the room started to rock with several explosions. The blasts could be felt going throughout tower, everything shaking about and everyone standing trying to keep their footing. Reiri even levitated to the air as it all was happening. The lights in the room flickered before switching to the emergency reserved power, with the sirens blaring loud.

"What the-what is this?!" Satan Roach demanded, looking about. "What's happening!?" The monster girls slowly giggled at his bewilderment before they all let loose full blown laughters. "You! You are doing this?!" Satan Roach shouted.

"That's right!" Rias laughed, "Right now one of our friends has infected your systems with a deadly virus, eating away at your programs and equipment. In only a few moments this entire tower will collapse on itself and fall into an oblivion! GIN-SHOCKER Baghdad is dead! And now... so are you!" Her hands cupped over her head as a large ball of pure hellfire appeared over her. "This is my power! The Power of Destruction! There is nothing that is able to resist it! With it, I can cause all my enemies to disappear!" she shouted as she threw the ball out. The ball then spread out into beams and struck at all the Satan Roaches, explosions blasting in the room, blowing out floors, walls and ceilings.

The Satan Roaches scattered as the destructive Satanic energy beams engulfed them all, a thick cloud of smoke erupting from the storm, covering them. From all the beams, the real Satan Roach screamed as he was sent flying from the cloud, over Moka-sama and Hime's heads before tumbling on the floor, engulfed in black and red flames before coming to a stop. He didn't appear to be moving after that.

"He's down... good," said Rias. However, she was about to learn that Gebok had plenty of tricks up his sleeves. His wings spread and beat at incredibly speeds as he began to expel a smelly, black gas from his body. The gas enveloped the entire room and the girls coughed repeatedly. The smell was horrendous.

"What (cough) (cough)... what is this...?" Akeno choked as she, Reiri and Rias wound up descending to the floor as the gas got into their systems.

"More trickery!" scowled Moka-sama as she covered her nose. She was suddenly struck in the back and hissed in pain. She'd just been scratched. "Be careful, everyone! He's hiding in the smoke and using a hit and run tactic!"

"How cowardly," frowned Reiri, coughing heavily. She doubled over as she was punched in the stomach.

"Akeno, we also have to be careful. One wrong move and we'll hit Shinji-kun too," Rias grimaced. She gasped as she saw Satan Roach's silhouette coming through the smoke. Clenching her teeth, she prepared to make whatever move she needed to. Suddenly Satan Roach's body went rigid, much to her shock. Looking at his center, she saw what looked like a red blade protruding out. There was an ominous red glow within the smoke cloud right before it was blown away, forced to disperse by a violent gale.

And standing behind Satan Roach, bedecked in black armor, was BLACK 13, his eyes glowing with an eerie glow of..._green_? Weren't his eyes normally red? He had red insect wings on his back and had his hand against Satan Roach's back where his blade started.

"Wh... what?" Satan Roach choked.

"Fuck off," 'BLACK 13' growled, lifting Satan Roach with his blade over his head, and then flinging him to the side. Turning back to Rias and Akeno, he asked, "Ri-chan, Ake-chan, is everyone alright?"

"Shinji-kun, that is you, isn't it?" Rias asked cautiously.

"Last time I checked," answered 'BLACK 13'. "Looks like I'm back in black, huh?" He didn't sound too upset, considering this was the armor he donned back in GIN-SHOCKER. It held not so pleasant memories for him. He then looked at everyone sternly, "You know, coming here just to rescue me has got to be the most reckless and foolish thing you girls have ever done."

Reiri frowned, hands on her hips, "Hey, we're like your big sisters, Shin-chan! We'd always bail you out, just like when we were kids!"

"I never said I wasn't grateful," he added and then his gaze went to Moka-sama who stared at him. He slowly walked towards her and put his hand on her shoulder. "You're alright." He sounded relieved.

"Did you have any doubts?" Moka-sama asked. He shook his head. He then remembered they still had something to deal with. Satan Roach had just recovered and was getting back to his feet.

"How did you manage to get free, BLACK 13?" Satan Roach asked. He argued, "Your mind should've been broken. Broken, and turned into raw material to be built back up again."

"You made me remember, Gebok. And one of the things I remembered was how to get myself out of a trap," said 'BLACK 13'. "I've grown a much stronger will since then. I 've been given a will born from the bonds I've created, in the past and present. You tried to break those bonds, twice now, so there's no fucking way I'm letting you break those bonds for a third time." He finished, "Oh, and don't call me 'BLACK 13' anymore. It's Showa. Well, in this case, it's **Kamen Rider Black Showa**."

10 years of suffering and torment had led up to this point.

(**Insert Song – Unmei no Senshi – Kamen Rider Black RX OST**)

"Girls, Let's Form Ride," said Black Showa as he waved his hand across his Spark Core. Five orbs of light floated on the tips of his fingers. He then shot them at the back of the girls. One by one, new forms of power appeared on them. The Gigi Armlet and Gaga Armlet appeared on Moka-sama's arms, while the Ridol, Electrer, Cyclode, and Double Typhoon belts appeared on the waists of Hime, Reiri, Rias and Akeno respectively. The armlets and belts flashed as all five girls underwent unique transformations. Moka-sama was now in the form of Kamen Rider Amazon, Hime was in Kamen Rider X's armor, Reiri was using Kamen Rider Stronger's body, Rias was bestowed with Kamen Rider Super-1's armor, and Akeno was in the body of Kamen Rider V3. All five armors hugged around the girls, showing their curves and putting emphasis on their chests.

Satan Roach was taken aback by this. "What... what is this?! I never gave you the ability to transfer your powers to others!"

"Goes to show what you really know about me," Black Showa retorted. "This is the end for you."

Satan Roach let out a chuckle. "Didn't you learn anything from Kobe's Biology class? Cockroaches are survivors! No matter how hard you try to get rid of them, they keep coming back!" Robotic cockroaches crawled out from the wound Black Showa made, along with the burns he received from Rias' hell flames and sealed them up. He fired his energy bolts at them but the six Riders leapt out of the way. Landing on the floor, Black Showa dashed towards Satan Roach and lashed out with his energy whips, striking at him ferociously. He then bound Satan Roach's arms and spun around and around before tossing him across the floor towards Amazon (Moka-sama).

Amazon's (Moka-sama) razor sharp claws lengthened several more inches before she lunged with a roar at Satan Roach. She pounced hard and immediately began slashing at the Cyborg Mutant ferociously. Normally, she was quite graceful in her attacks while still remaining brutal. But due to taking control of Amazon's body, her battle mindset had become more feral and animalistic as a result.

Her claws spilled Satan Roach's blood and made him panic, forcing him to shove her off with his foot. V3 (Akeno) lept over her fellow Pseudo-Rider and straight onto Satan Roach. Both tumbled across the floor before V3 (Akeno) kicked off Satan Roach with such force, he crashed right through the wall and straight into another room. The cockroach Kaijin crashed through several computers and machinery before coming to a stop. Stronger (Reiri) was the first to jump through the hole and she charged at Satan Roach immediately, who kicked over several more of the machines, causing sparks to fly everywhere, to fend her off.

"So this is how you kids want to play, huh?" Satan Roach growled, "In this case, I have no reason to hold back anymore." Growling, his hand glowed brightly before he shot out a huge laser blast of energy. Stronger (Reiri) quickly rolled out of the way as the laser blast swiped across the room, destroying whatever obstacles was in front of it, as well as the wall. Getting back to her feet, Stronger (Reiri) returned the favor by shooting electric blasts from her fingers. Satan Roach snarled as the blasts struck him, causing him to double back. She then jumped into the air and came down in a screw kick as electicity surrounded her.

"**Electro Kick!"** The lightning attack hit Satan Roach onto the chest knocking him backwards on several more machines. Satan Roach tumbled about about, pushing away more machines before staggering back to his feet.

Black Showa charged next with X-Rider (Hime) running alongside him. The Pseudo-Rider struck with the Ridol Stick, pushing Satan Roach back as Black Showa struck with his crescent-shaped forearm blades. Soon, Amazon (Moka-sama) and V3 (Akeno) joined in the fight. Looking up, Satan Roach saw V3's (Akeno) foot coming down, ready to crack his skull in half. He zipped backwards to avoid it. As he came to a stop, all six Riders surrounded him, forcing him into a defensive pattern, blocking fists and feet quickly. Then he retaliated, forcing them back, before he performed an impossible maneuver. It was where his left foot and left fist launched out in front of him, hitting both Super-1 (Rias) and X-Rider (Hime), and then sent a reversed roundhouse kick to send Amazon (Moka-sama), Stronger (Reiri), V3 (Akeno) and Black Showa flying backwards. Clicking his claws together, he dashed forward and grabbed Black Showa by the throat and crashed through the door. He raced across the hallway and crashed through several barriers before slamming Black Showa against the wall.

Growling, Black Showa struggled as his Spark Core shined. A beam of blood red light blasted out, sending Satan Roach flying. Black Showa then, kicked his legs up and fired red laser from the soles of his feet, blasting Satan Roach father onto his back. He bounced back onto his feet, and turned around just in time to see Super-1 (Rias) jumping up over him with her fist drawn. He darted backwards just as the Devil Pseudo-Rider slammed her fist down, cracks forming around it. She ran after him and started a chain of fluid kicks and punches. Unlike the other Showa Era Riders, Super-1 was never meant for combat. He was originally designed for space exploration instead. When the Dogma Kingdom attacked, Super-1 trained in the kung fu arts of the Sincere Shaolin Fist. Now, the young demon heiress had all of Super-1's kung fu knowledge.

Super-1 (Rias) weaved around the claw swipes before throwing her elbow to the side of Satan Roach's ribs, stunning him. She then clenched both her fists before sending a storm of rapid fast punches. Her arms moved so quickly that they could barely be seen. And then she cupped her hands to her side to form two jointed palms. **"Sincere Shaolin Fist Joining Palms!"** she shouted, throwing her palms into Satan Roach's chest. A shockwave erupted from the blow as Satan Roach was sent flying once more, blasting through several walls before crashing into an elevator. A large elevator. Super-1 (Rias), along with Black Showa, Amazon (Moka-sama), V3 (Akeno), X-Rider (Hime), and Stronger (Reiri) jumped into the elevator just as the door closed.

As the elevator moved down, there were yells of grunts, battle cries, and sounds of extreme violence erupting from within. The elevator itself was heavily armored, but that didn't stop some dents from lumping out from the blows. The carnage continued as the elevator took more punishment and went to the lower levels. The elevator stopped and the doors opened up. The six Riders were thrown out violently and Satan Roach stepped out. Another explosion blasted a wall open, forcing all of them to shield themselves as flames burst through. Getting his footing back together, Satan Roach clicked his claws together as his hands glowed before shooting out his laser blasts, tearing up the walls and floors.

The Riders scattered about to avoid getting hit. X (Hime) outran one of the lasers by scaling up the walls. She kicked off and used the Ridol Stick as a pole to swing through the air like a trapeze artist before landing behind Satan Roach. Deactivating his lasers, he quickly turned around, only to get assaulted by strikes from the Ridol Rope. She struck repeatedly, fast and hard, before jumping and throwing her foot into his face. Pressing a button on her weapon, she switched the Ridol Rope for the Ridol Whip. **"X Slash!"** she shouted, slashing at Satan Roach in an X pattern. He stumbled backwards before before firing energy bolts from his antenna, directing them at X-Rider (Hime). However, V3 (Akeno) quickly jumped in front, her Double Typhoon spinning.

"**Red Lamp Power!"** she called out. The belt absorbed the energy bolts inside, before sending them back at him with double the power. Satan Roach rolled out of the way before he could get hit. He leapt back to his feet only to be bombarded by energy spheres. Recovering from the explosive barrage, he stared at Black Showa who had an array of energy spheres floating around him, charged and ready to attack with just a single command.

"Go," Black Showa flicked his wrist, his finger pointed at Satan Roach, and sent the energy spheres fly. Satan Roach tried to outrun them but they had homed in on him, pursuing him before finally catching up to him and exploding, sending his smoking body sprawling on the floor. Before he could even get back onto his feet, Amazon (Moka) pounced onto his back.

"**Jaguar Shock!"** she roared before sinking the fangs of her helmet into Satan Roach's shoulder. Satan Roach shouted out in pain as he got to his feet and tried to shake her off. He twisted, shook, and rammed her into walls, but the Vampire Pseudo-Rider would not budge. She was like a tight clam. However, after a few more humps, he managed to buck her off, sending her flying over him. She landed in front of him on all fours. She snarled before rushing at him like a wild beast. Quickly, he fired bolts of energy from his hands and antenna. Again, the shots appeared slow to her as she passed through unscratched. Just before she got up to him, he tried to make another break for it, but she leapt up and curled into a somersault attack, hitting Satan Roach from behind.

He sprawled across the floor and stood on one leg, watching as the six Riders ran forward to continue their assault. Getting up to both feet, his fist clenched as he gave out a command, **"Diabolus ex Machina."**

A dark void suddenly appeared directly over Satan Roach, causing the Riders to stop midway in their charge at the sight of it. Soon, a swarm of fireballs, waterballs, lightning, hail, and meteors rained out form the void. All the Riders yelled out as the storm struck them, explosions surrounded them from each blast. After a long moment of bombardments, Satan Roach closed up the void. The dust settled and the six Riders were kneeling on the floor.

"...How...?" Black Showa questioned.

"Well, you should know by now that the head scientist always has the best stuff," Satan Roach chuckled.

"He's really starting to get on my nerves," said X-Rider (Hime).

"You said it, sister," agreed Super-1 (Rias).

"Now, let's try this again," Satan Roach said, summoning his void once more. **"Diabolus ex Machina!"** The storm of random attacks flew out again, straight at the Riders. What no one took notice of was that the Mana Stone on the back of Black Showa's right hand began to shine. Instantly, the swarm of fireballs, waterballs, lightning, hail, and meteors stopped in midair before they could hit.

"Huh?!" Satan Roach gasped.

The swarm of elements suddenly got flung back to Satan Roach, much to his shock, ending up in a bombardment of his own attacks. "What?! How can this be?!" Satan Roach yelled out once the bombardment ceased. "I never programmed any of this!"

"I found my own evolution. One that you, or anyone else has no control over," he said as he lightly gestured to his Mana Stone. "Let's finish this! **Spark Burst!"** As he activated his own Burst Mode, his scarf glowed red and became like fire. His eyes shifted from green to orange as a crimson aura surged from his body like fire.

"**Charge Up!" **Stronger (Reiri) had just activated one of Kamen Rider Stronger's most dangerous abilities, shown as the S on the chest armor began spinning and the horn on her helmet turning silver. A lightning bolt struck her, and the S stopped spinning as her chest armor now had silver stretched along it. An aura of pure electricity engulfed her body.

X-Rider (Hime) activated her own version of the Charge Up. White smoke started to seep out from the gaps of her armor. As her body got covered in the smoke, the spot she stood on exploded from the energy discharge.

Black Showa dashed towards Satan Roach in blinding speeds, moving so fast that he disappeared with the only trail of visibility being the trail of red flames erupting from his feet, and buried his fist right through the Kaijin's stomach. Satan Roach's eyes went wide as he doubled over and Black Showa knocked him backwards with a devastating heel kick to the jaw.

Amazon (Moka) was next to attack once more with a slash across Satan Roach's chest and when he tried to strike her she shouted out, **"Dai Setsudan!" **and sliced off his right arm. Satan Roach screamed as black blood flew out of the gash like a fountain. She shoved him backwards with a brutal kick in the chest, sending him straight towards X-Rider (Hime).

"**Vacuum Hell Wheel!"** she yelled as she grabbed onto Satan Roach. Both bodies curled and formed into a spinning wheel, bouncing off the floor, walls, and ceiling. Then she threw him into the air before jumping after him and sending a brutal heel kick on his chest. As he was falling, V3 (Akeno) was down below, waiting.

"**Freezer Shot!"** V3's (Akeno) antenna glowed deep blue before firing a huge laser of sub-zero energy straight at Satan Roach. He was sent flying back as the blast engulfed him, which also formed ice shards on his body as a result from it.

Stronger (Reiri) was next at bat as she watched Satan Roach flying at her direction. Her electric aura flared as a tornado suddenly surrounded her. **"Super Electron Ultra Cyclone!"** A tornado of electricity ripped around just as Satan Roach hit it. He screamed out in pain as he was electrocuted with over billions of volts of electricity. As the tornado dispersed, he was sent flying again, this time at Super-1 (Rias).

"**Super Rider Moon Surface Kick!"** Super-1 (Rias) jumped into air and twirled about before directing a gravitational powered kick at Satan Roach. A loud shockwave shook the hall, sending him onto the ground with a loud impact.

"Ahh..." began Black Showa as he twirled his energy whips before lashing them out to tie around Satan Roach. He then leapt into the air, pulling Satan Roach up into the air before coming down with a dropkick, dragging Satan Roach towards him for impact. "HII-YAH!" The force of the attack was explosive and Satan Roach was sent painfully rolling through the air before landing with a crash on the floor.

"Now, time to finish you off, fucktard," said Black Showa as he attached the Legacy Driver to his Spark Core.

"**ULTIMATE RIDE: LEGACY MODE!"**

With his Legacy Mode armor equipped, he summoned the Legacy Guard from his Legacy Shield chest plate, mounting the device onto his left forearm. He tapped three symbols and it responded as follows: "**ICHIGO! NIGO! V3!**" He then put his hand on the XIII in the centre.

"**MEGA...RIDER...PUNCH!**" Showa slammed his fist into Satan Roach blasted him backwards with a punch of explosive force.

"**MEGA** **RIDER...KICK!**" Showa shouted as he launched himself at Satan Roach with a charged up flying kick. His foot connected with Satan Roach's chest and blasted him straight into the heavily armored wall, the force causing it to shatter as he was sent falling down many floors to the ground, his screams ringing out in the open night air. His trip down to the ground floor ended abruptly as he crashed onto one of the SWAT cars, crushing it under his now limp body and startling the spectators nearby. Not a moment later, he and the car exploded in a fiery blast, causing everyone to scream out. Firefighters rushed over to quickly put out the flames.

**(End Song)**

Legacy Mode deactivated soon after. "Game Over... fucktard..." Black Showa concluded. This was what Gebok had made him into. It was only justice that Gebok be killed by his own creation. His armor shattered once the 1 minute since activating Burst Mode was up. He collapsed backwards, landing on the floor with a thud.

The girls' armors all shattered and they rushed towards the unconscious Cicada Cyborg. "Shinichi..." Moka-sama said with a sigh at the state he was in. She knelt down and caressed his cheek gently before lifting him up into her arms. "Don't worry. We got you."

"He's exhausted, the poor dear," Rias observed.

"He fought long and hard," Reiri nodded. "It's not so much of a surprise."

"But the most important thing is that we finally paid back the man who took him away from us," Hime smiled tiredly, "He won't bother us again."

"That's right," Akeno nodded. "Now then, we should probably figure out how to get out of here."

"That's simple. We just need to call for a ride," said Moka-sama.

'_Hello? Hello, this is Michiru! Can anybody hear me?_'

"Did you just hear a voice in your head?" Reiri wondered out loud.

"I hear it too," said Rias.

'_Oh, that's because Lina was nice enough to link up our minds so the enemy doesn't pick up on any radio communications. Anyway, you all should get out right now. The place is gonna blow_,' said Michiru.

"We know. The alarm is still blaring," said Moka-sama.

'_Well, we managed to get __Yūji-kun __and I'm getting the dropship ready! Just make it on time before the place blows!'_

Mizore and Kurumu came bursting in, ready for a fight, when they spotted Moka-sama holding Shinichi in her arms. "If you were looking for a fight, you just missed it." The entire floor was a wreck.

"Whoa, you really went berserk here," said Kurumu as she studied the damage done to the floor.

"Actually, I can't claim all the credit," said Moka-sama. Reiri, Akeno, and Hime nodded. They had done their fair share.

"Is that modesty I hear?" teased Kurumu. She looked at Shinichi. "Hey, how is he?" she asked, genuinely concerned.

"He's been through so much so he's resting," said Hime as Mizore went to study Shinichi. "This whole experience took a lot out of him."

"He looks so peaceful," stated Mizore as she caressed his cheek.

Rias asked them, "What took you both so long to get here?"

"We had to fight our way up here, don't you know?" huffed Kurumu.

"Ishigami wasn't an easy enemy to defeat," Mizore added.

"So, you ran into her as well," Moka-sama frowned. Besides Gebok, Ishigami was also responsible for Shinichi and Yūji being in this predicament. "I hope you managed to hurt her."

"We did, but she managed to get away, that slimy snake," Kurumu scowled. Goemon, Misato and Hana had Yūji with them as they reached the floor too.

"So, what have you guys been doing?" Goemon asked.

"Oh nothing. We just killed the man who took our Shin-chan from us," Reiri said. The Cyborgs were taken aback.

"For real?" Misato gasped, her voice mixed with shock and disappointment, "_You_... you guys actually killed Gebok?"

"With no mercy," Hime said proudly.

"Aw, that blows!" Goemon cursed, "I wanted a piece of that asshole!"

"We _all _wanted a piece of him," Hana told him. "All of us. But in this case it was first come first serve, and these guys pretty much had Gebok handed to them on a silver platter."

"_Guys!"_ Michiru shouted in their minds.

Moka-sama suggested, "We better get out of here."

Misato ordered, "To the roof!" The group took the emergency staircase up to the roof.

Once up on the roof, Hana called, "Dr. Magi, Sheila, get the Warp Portal running, now!"

Dr. Magi responded, "_I am! I am! I'm transporting everyone out as we speak! What about you!?_"

"We're going to take the express elevator," Hana joked. "Everybody, we have to jump!"

"What about Michiru?" Kurumu asked. "Shouldn't we wait for her?"

"She'll catch us, trust me! She's been drilled for this in basic training!" Hana said confidently. With the time they had left, they didn't have much choice or a second to argue. They jumped off the roof and began to plummet towards the ground. The dropship was coming, flying down at a vertical angle with the rear bay door opened.

"Come on! Come on! Stay on target!" Michiru the pilot yelled as she lined up the dropship to receive them. She caught them as they came tumbling into the flying machine with air bags inflated to catch them safely. "Got'em! Closing rear bay door!" The dropship's rear bay door closed as the dropship flew off, leaving the building. Inside, Hana and Misato put Yūji into a chair and strapped him down with a harness before planting themselves down on seats to his left and right. Moka-sama was putting Shinichi into a seat too and caressing his face. Kurumu and Mizore were relieved as they sat down. That had been a long drop.

"Is everyone present and accounted for?" Michiru asked.

"We're all here, with Yūji and Shinichi," said Misato. "What about the others?"

"Transported safely to the Hive Queen. We're gonna rendezvous with them soon so get some rest," Michiru advised. She opened up a com-link connection to the Hive Queen, "This is Kamen Rider Carmen to base, the primary objective has been accomplished. Requesting for medical bay."

Moka-sama turned to the window and gazed at the building, "Any moment now."

As if on cue, the remaining windows of the building exploded outward with a large fiery blast, the explosion sounding like a huge thunderbolt hitting a mountain. Instantaneously, the G-Tech building crumbled downward as the spectators scrambled to get out of the way, the shards of glass still falling downward. After what seemed like an eternity, the only thing that remained of the tower was dust and rubble, the fog of the building engulfing the streets of Baghdad.

"I almost can't believe we did all that," said Rias in amazement.

"Quite a mess we made," Hime smiled.

"It is, isn't it?" Misato grinned. "Of course, we still have a lot more to go."

"Not a problem," Moka-sama smiled, "Eventually, GIN-SHOCKER will know their place."

**つづく**

* * *

><p><strong>OK, Shinichi's been rescued, but that doesn't mean it's all over. Anyway, I'd love to give thanks to those who helped me with this chapter. Also, for those curious of Inferna's armor, her description is in Chapter 10 of Kamen Rider Bushido's story: "Showa &amp; Vampire GAIDEN: Tails of the Liger". Go over there to know what she looks like. It's there. Trust me.<strong>


	78. The Rescue: Recovery

**Chapter 78: Recovery**

**80%...85%...89%...93%...**

"Come on, come on, hurry up," Madame Medusa urged impatiently. Following her fight with Mizore and Kurumu and after learning that the entire branch was about to blow up, Madame Medusa had fled. However, she had not gone far. Instead, she was at a computer terminal and staring at the screen which _finally _announced, "**100%:** **DOWNLOAD COMPLETE,**" in bright red letters. "Finally!" She removed the data storage device and pocketed it.

"Now, time to blow this joint," she said and with that she vanished using the Transmat. This was place was doomed anyway and there was no point in sticking around when it was going to be going up in flames. Besides, it was best for her to fight and run away so that she may live to fight another day.

* * *

><p>Back in the Pelican dropship, which was en route to the Hive Queen, Michiru took a moment to check the radar and grimaced. There were two blips designated as hostiles displayed on the radar screen, pursuing them.<p>

"Crap, we've got company!" Michiru reported to the passengers. "How many?" asked Hana.

"Two bogies, on our tail," said Michiru. "And they're definitely armed and ready to shoot us out of the sky." A couple of sleek and sharp looking jets were in pursuit. The insignia of GIN-SHOCKER decorated their wings and sitting in their cockpits, piloting them, were GIN-SHOCKER soldiers.

"I thought Chiaki took out all the vehicles already!" shouted Misato.

"It looks like they had these hidden for emergencies," Hana noted. "Michiru, can you shake them off our tail?"

"I'll try," said Michiru.

"How fast can you fly this thing?" asked Rias.

"I can go max speed but that'll make the ride kinda bumpy. Are you all strapped in? Because you should be! When I hit max speed you're gonna need those harnesses!"

"Just do what you can!" said Moka-sama.

"Roger, will do!" Michiru grinned. "OK, Mia! Mommy's got a date with destiny! Let's lose these suckers!"

"Myah!" Mia cheered as Michiru gunned the accelerator.

The fighter jets shot missiles at the dropship but Michiru managed to dodge. Looking ahead, she smiled and spotted a gap between two mountains. She immediately flew the dropship down towards the gap with great speed. Flying between the two mountains, Michiru maneuvered the Pelican so it would miss the obstacles ahead. The two jets pursued them and Michiru immediately had the dropship ascend and pick up speed as it exited the gap.

"I think I'm going to be sick!" shouted Kurumu as she felt nauseous.

"Whatever you do, don't puke on me," warned Goemon.

"OK," Michiru frowned, "You forced me." She flipped a switch and a screen displayed the words: **MISSILES ARMED**. **LOCKED ON TARGET.**

A pair of missile launchers popped up from the top of the dropship and fired heat seekers that shot towards the two jets. The two jets fired lasers to intercept the missiles, blowing them up. The shock wave caused the dropship to shake violently.

"Damn!" Michiru cursed as the heat seekers were taken out.

Kurumu was chanting, in panic mode, with her eyes screwed shut and hands covering her ears as she retreated into her happy place, "This isn't happening! This isn't happening!"

"Try and be more careful! We've got precious cargo!" Moka-sama shouted.

"I'll be more careful when they stop shooting at us!" Michiru snapped. The jets fired at them and the dropship shook. The passengers, Kurumu especially, were panicking.

"Michiru!" shouted Goemon. "Try to shake them off!"

"I'm trying, but these guys are relentless!" Michiru shot back. "Releasing smokescreen!" The Pelican released a smokescreen to blind the two jets to buy them some time. "OK, we're almost near the rendezvous point!"

"Whatever you do, you better punch it," urged Goemon. "Some of us aren't ready to get killed a second time!" The two jets were closing in on them. However, a massive energy cannon blast shot past the Pelican and destroyed one of the jets.

"What was that!?" Hime demanded.

Michiru smiled as something was coming out of the clouds. It was the Hive Queen. The second jet turned to flee but it was shot down by another energy cannon blast.

"This is Kamen Rider Carmen. We're about to come in for a landing. Prepare medical bay for injured," Michiru called, sounding relieved.

"_Understood, and_ _welcome home, Carmen_," greeted Phyllis.

* * *

><p>Once the Pelican had landed in the Hive Queen's landing bay, the landing gears were deployed before it slowly rolled to a stop. The rear bay door of the Pelican then opened up as a pair of hover-stretchers moved over to pick up the two patients. Yūji and Shinichi were both put on the hover-stretchers which would take them to the medical bay. Hana would be escorting them to the medical bay where Dr. Magi was waiting.<p>

Shiori had been waiting in anticipation with Carl. Once she saw her son again she went over to look at him. "My baby..." she uttered as he saw him. He was unconscious but alive. She gently took his hand and pressed it against her face. "My baby's back..." Tears of joy fell from her eyes and she hugged Carl. She then went and hugged each of the girls who had succeeded in rescuing her son. She was eternally grateful to them. This time, she no longer had to wait 10 years to be reunited with her son. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

"Will they be alright?" Mizore asked.

"They'll be fine," said Carl. "You've all done your part, now let us do ours." As Carl went and left to help with Shinichi and Yūji medical treatment, Leon walked up to both Mizore and Kurumu.

"You're both OK," said Leon, sounding relieved.

"Was there any doubt?" Kurumu smiled confidently, hands on her hips.

"But we couldn't have gotten far without everyone's help, including yours," said Mizore. "So, thank you very much."

"Yeah, thanks a bunch," Kurumu grinned, giving Leon a thumbs-up gesture.

"We all helped," said Leon. "What counts is that we all made it out of there alive."

* * *

><p>News of Gebok's ultimate demise had quickly spread throughout the Hive Queen, and there was no doubt that many people were happy with the news. Shiori was glad that the man who had taken her son from her would no longer be around to hurt another child, especially her child, anymore and Carl was happy that the bastard had finally paid for what he had done to Misato and the other NUMBERS. Of course, while they had all thanked Moka-sama, Hime, Reiri, Rias and Akeno for having a hand in destroying Gebok, several others that included the likes of Daichi, Misato, Yokoshima, Goemon, Kurumu, Mizore, Yuki, Leon, and Carl wished they had done the deed themselves. No doubt that Yūji would feel the same way once he finally came to.<p>

Speaking of the Volcano Manakyte, he had just regained consciousness, looking up at an unfamiliar ceiling with a light shining down on him. "Fuck...I better not be dead," he groaned.

"Ah, good, you're awake," Hana smiled. She was dressed in a black nurse uniform.

"Haha, a black angel...so which is it?" Yūji remarked, "Heaven or Hell? Cuz I don't really keep a track record of all the stupid shit I do..."

"You're in the infirmary," said Hana. Carl entered and Hana saluted, "Dr. Washam."

"So, is our patient awake?" Carl asked. "Because, I have a few questions for him, particularly about his new appendage."

"...Huh?" Yūji was confused as he turned his head, eyes wide as he cried out in shock as he saw his new arm. "WHAT THE FUCK?! MY ARM! THE FUCK HAPPENED TO MY ARM!?" He started flailing around on the bed, the armored arm swinging around like it was trying to grab anything.

"Yūji! Calm down!" Hana shouted as she attempted to hold him down without hurting him. "You're safe now! The worst is over!" He was hyperventilating and Hana reached the side of his neck, biting him softly to inject a dose of venom that quickly relaxed him. His breathing was slowing down and his body slowly went limp, Hana rubbing his cheek gently to soothe him. "It's alright," she cooed, "You're safe now..."

"Ugh... I feel like shit," he groaned.

"Did those mad scientists graft a new arm onto you?" Carl asked.

"...Where's Shin?" Yūji asked, not answering Carl's question. "Is he...?"

"Dr. Magi is examining him right now so you won't have to worry," said Carl. "Now, can you please explain how you acquired your new arm?"

"...Seriously? What makes you think I know?" Yūji frowned, "Last thing I remember was getting my good arm hacked off with a fucking chainsaw!

"Hm..." Carl examined the arm closely. "Would you mind donating a tissue sample?"

"What the fu-NO!" Yūji roared, "You better fucking not!"

"Dr. Washam, he just survived the cruel experimentation of a couple of amoral and immoral scientists," Hana frowned. "So, I would suggest you do not agitate the patient further."

"I'm the _doctor_," Carl retorted.

"And I'm a _medic_," Hana argued.

"I outrank you, Nekozawa-san," Carl reminded.

"Maybe, but I'm going to advise you to let Yūji rest," said Hana.

Carl sighed, "Fine." He added, "I need to check up on Shinichi anyway. Shiori wants to know if he'll be alright." He turned and exited the infirmary, leaving the medic and patient to themselves.

"Honestly, he can be so insensitive," Hana shook her head in disapproval. She may respect Dr. Washam but the man could be so cold to others besides Misato. His bedside manner needed an improvement. She then put her hand upon Yūji's new demonic arm. "I know you lost your arm, but this new one looks really cool."

"Feels heavy for some reason... Like it's fuckin' lead instead of flesh," Yūji complained.

"Well this one does have armor," she reminded, "It looks like it's even part of your skin; like a kind of carapace armor. Yūji, you really don't remember how you got this?"

"I remember the pain, their annoying voices, blacking out..." he tried to list more events that were going one when he remembered, "I...remember hearing a voice."

Hana asked, "A voice?"

"It...was asking me if I wanted power," he recalled, "And if I was willing to become a demon for it."

"Was it Abyss?"

"Nope, I can't even hear him in the back right now," Yūji denied, "It's as if...he's sleeping or something."

Quite suddenly, Michiru (with Mia on her head), Misato and Juvia entered the infirmary with the blue-haired Undine in the lead as she shouted, "Oh, Yūji-sama!" She crossed the distance by turning into a stream of water and then becoming solid again to stand by his side.

"Hey..." He smiled, "I'd get up for hugs, but Hana put me down before I started freaking out."

"Thanks, Hana-chan," Michiru smiled at her best friend.

"I'm a medic," she said. "It's my job to make sure my patients are comfortable." Juvia stared at her. "What?"

"Can...Juvia wear that too?" Juvia asked, referring to Hana's nurse uniform. It was just so cute.

"I'll find one more suitable for you. Maybe in blue," Hana smiled.

"So...where are we again?" Yūji asked.

"The Hive Queen's infirmary," reminded Misato. "Michiru flew us all the way here."

"I'd kiss you if I could move, Michiru," he smiled.

"You just rest," said Michiru. "You must be hungry now, Yūji-kun."

"Starving," he groaned, "Like I can eat...crocodiles." He blinked once he realized what he had just said, "The Hell?"

"We don't have _that _on the menu," remarked Misato.

"I must be more out of whack than I thought if I'm craving reptiles," he sighed. "I better find me a burger...and any edible meat I can get my hands on."

"I'll go get you food, Yūji-kun!" Michiru volunteered before running out of the infirmary.

"Bacon..." he called out weakly, "Lots and lots of bacon..."

Hana received a call on her ear-mounted communicator and said, "Dr. Magi just finished his examination. He wants me to bring Shinichi here so he can rest properly."

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, in the medical bay, Dr. Magi had just finished examining Shinichi when Dr. Carl Washam entered.<p>

"How is he? Good? Bad?" Carl asked.

"I was afraid of this," murmured Dr. Magi.

"What's wrong with Shinichi?" Carl asked.

"Physically he's fine, but when I performed a neural scan I isolated an anomaly I found in his brain," said Dr. Magi as a digital 3D image of Shinichi's brain was shown on the monitor and an area was highlighted in color. "This is where he stores his memories, all of them. From what I've gathered so far, it seems that Shinichi was being attacked by his memories. The machine they had him hooked up to was forcing him to relive every horrible moment in his life. That would've left him vulnerable and open to reprogramming. That, and…"

"And?" Carl prompted.

"He had amnesia when he entered Youkai Academy. But it wasn't accidental. He made himself forget by repressing those memories. Unlike the other NUMBERS, Shinichi never had time to deal with those memories and come to terms with them. He just blocked out those memories instead. However, the floodgates are open and Shinichi's being assaulted by those memories," Dr. Magi explained. "And you know what he's been through."

Carl knew. Experimentation, tests, cybernetic reconstructive surgery, and death. Shinichi's childhood had been robbed from him and he'd lived with ten years worth of causing death and destruction as well as ten years of terrible misery. To be assaulted by those memories like that was too much, like trying to fill up a plastic cup with a fire hose.

"So, what's your solution?" asked Carl.

"He has to battle his inner demons and make peace with himself," said Dr. Magi. "That's the only way."

"But can he?" Carl questioned.

"We will just need to wait and see."

Hana came into the medical bay with a hover-stretcher and said, "I'm here to take Shinichi to the infirmary."

"Ah, good," Dr. Magi smiled. "He's fine now but he'll need to rest in a more comfortable bed."

"I understand," nodded Hana.

* * *

><p>Much later, after resealing herself, Moka entered the Hive Queen's infirmary where Shinichi was resting in one of the beds. She had seen Shiori exit earlier and waited until the woman was gone before going in to see Shinichi.<p>

She quietly walked over to his bed and looked at him. He was so strong, and yet so vulnerable at the same time, just like herself. He placed so much burden and guilt on his own shoulders, and still had the strength to fight. Placing her palm against his cheek, she caressed his face and said softly, "You've been through so much but now you're safe. I'm glad you're alright. You just rest now." She was glad that he was safe and sound.

Yūji entered, finally back on his feet, as he came over to the bed quietly as he looked down on his cousin. All the Manakyte needed was just some rest and tender loving care from his beloved girls, and also food. "How is he?"

"He's resting," said Moka "With all he's been through he deserves to rest and recover."

"I didn't expect them to rough him up this bad," Yūji frowned as he showed Moka his transformed arm, "Must be worse than this thing, that's for sure."

"They were trying to reprogram him, but he fought back and got out of it," said Moka. GIN-SHOCKER hadn't tortured Shinichi physically, but the mental torture had been just as bad if not worse. He had fought so hard that he had exhausted himself.

"That's a Fudō for ya," Yūji remarked, "We don't take shit from nobody."

"No, you obviously don't," Moka agreed. She said to Yūji, smiling, "Thank you for being there for him."

"Anything for family, and it wasn't all my doing," said Yūji. "The reason he fought so hard was because of you and the girls. He has you all to thank the most, and I don't just mean for the rescue. You girls gave him a reason to resist and fight. If he hadn't met all of you, he would've fallen into GS' clutches a long time ago. But he's here, with us."

Moka had tears of relief in her eyes. "Yes, and he won't be going anywhere."

* * *

><p>A few days later, Takeru, Takeshi and Jason were released from their holding cells. They were now part of the resistance group as they swore that they would no longer serve GIN-SHOCKER. As Lina was their CO (Commanding Officer), they were her responsibility. It wasn't easy at first, considering how not too long ago the Jager Unit and Renegade NUMBERS had fought on different sides. However, now that it was clear that GIN-SHOCKER was the true enemy, Storm, Dynamo and Whirligig were eager to switch sides.<p>

They were, however, given one warning and one chance. If they ever messed up...well, they should hope they never had to find out.

Takeru had tried to talk to Yukari, but the Witch had coldly ignored his attempts. It hurt but considering what he'd done it would take some time before she ever forgave him. Fortunately, he had his older brother for emotional support. It was difficult, but he decided to give up on his (previously) growing feelings for her and move on. Even he knew better than to dwell on the past and he was tired of letting his negativity stew any longer.

* * *

><p>Yūji was standing outside the infirmary, watching Shinichi rest through a window. The door to the medical wing opened and Lina came in. "How is he?" she asked.<p>

"He's still sleeping." said Yūji. "Hana says that he'll be back up anytime soon."

"And them?" Lina asked, referring to Moka, Mizore, Yukari and Kurumu who were all asleep around him.

"They haven't left his side," Yūji told her.

"But it's been days," she said and he nodded.

"Well, they love him and they're dedicated," Yūji told her.

"I still can't believe he's changed so much from when I knew him," stated Lina. Back in GIN-SHOCKER, he had never smiled, laughed or cried. He had been so emotionless. That was no longer the case now.

"You might've known him back in GIN-SHOCKER, but we've known him since he escaped from the place," said Yūji. "He's different now so you better get used to it."

"Of course," Lina smiled. It was time to accept the present and move on. "Hey, tell me when he wakes up, OK?"

"His mom asked me the same thing," said Yūji. "She's been coming over everyday to check up on him."

"Of course she has. She's his mom," said Lina. "Well, see ya later." She turned to leave.

"Yeah, later," said Yūji. They weren't the only ones who'd come over each day to check up on Shinichi. The other former NUMBERS had passed by and Hana had come to check up on Shinichi's status. Hime, Reiri, Rias and Akeno would come by often as well, just waiting for him to wake up and smile. "You better wake up pretty soon, Shin. There's a bunch of people here waiting for you with happy smiles and open arms."

* * *

><p>After taking a shower, Netto had changed into a new set of clothing; a simple white shirt and black sweatpants. As he was walking to the door, he heard a soft meow and looked to his left. Smiling, he watched as a white cat jumped into his arms. "Hey you," he grinned as he scratched the cat behind the ears. The cat purred pleasantly from the attention as the door opened and a happy Qiao walked in.<p>

"_Nihao_, Arien!" Qiao smiled. She walked over to him and gave him a soft peck on the cheek. She noticed the cat in his arms and blinked. "When did you get a cat?"

"Just days ago," Netto answered, allowing the cat to climb up on his shoulder. "I found her roaming around the halls after we got back. I guess she really likes me."

"Oh, so it's a girl?" Qiao smiled, reaching over to scratch the cat under the chin.

"Her tag reads 'Felicia'. I'm guessing that's what her name is so she's obviously a girl," Netto answered. "I'm still wondering how she got here."

"Must've gotten caught in a Warp Portal," Qiao guessed. "Does Dr. Magi know?"

"Not yet, but I'll tell him," Netto said.

"Well, no problem," Qiao smiled. She walked over to the bed and sat down. She patted down onto her side, signalling Netto to join her, which he did. The cat, Felicia, jumped into his lap as he did.

"So, how are KOS-MOS and Telos?" Netto asked.

"They're gonna be fine," Qiao smiled. "Dr. Washam checked over their systems. Their programing got fried completely and they don't remember anything about GIN-SHOCKER. Same with that Alita android." Qiao kicked her feet off the bed.

"And what about Rain?" Netto asked. He was worried about her due to the life-threatening injuries she had suffered from that Cyborg Mutant earlier when they had gone to rescue Shinichi and Yuji. He couldn't help but feel some satisfaction in killing that Cyborg Mutant, even though he felt an odd sensation at that time.

"She's fine too," Qiao nodded. "Though I think she'll be feeling a bit weird when she wakes up."

"Uh-huh," Netto nodded. "Well, I guess I- woah!" Netto exclaimed as Qiao suddenly giggled and tackled him onto the bed. Felicia leapt off Netto's legs in an instant.

"Play with me!" Qiao giggled as she straddled his waist.

"Already?" Netto blushed.

"We've just dealt a huge blow on GIN-SHOCKER, so why not?" Qiao purred. She leaned down and placed soft kisses on his cheek, sending pleasant shivers down his spine. She then stuck her hand underneath his shirt, feeling up his chest. The door suddenly opened, causing Netto and Qiao to look up.

"I see you two are already on it," Kiko smirked as she eyed Qiao riding Netto.

"Oh come on, can't you girls knock?" Qiao pouted.

"There's nothing to be ashamed about," Elle said as she walked in after Kiko, "We're the only ones here."

"Aside from the cat," Netto pointed.

"Cat?" Kiko blinked, looking down at Felicia, "Oh, what a cutie!" the Night Elf squealed. She picked up the white cat and and stroked the cat's head softly. "That's a good girl~."

"Nyaa~!" Felicia meowed.

"Aaah~! That is so cute!" Kiko cooed.

"What is her name?" Elle asked, beaming at the cat.

"Felicia," Netto answered.

"She's adorable. Such a nice cat," Elle smiled. She then leaped at Netto's side and pulled his chin to make eye contact, "But as much as playing with a cat is fun, playing with you is even better." With that said, she pressed her lips onto Netto's and forced his mouth opened to stick her tongue down his throat.

"Come on now, you know you wanted this too," Kiko smiled, groping Qiao from behind.

"I was wondering where you guys were," Qiao grinned as all three of them piled on to Netto.

* * *

><p>The girls from Shinichi's Newspaper Club had to leave his side to get something to eat but they would be by his side again soon enough. They were going to need to bathe as well. Shinichi wouldn't want them looking unkempt or smelling bad because they were too busy looking after him to look after themselves.<p>

Lina took this opportunity to enter and examine him. She smiled. It was definitely the same face she fell in love with but he was different now. He wasn't Kuro-kun anymore.

She then noticed his eyes beginning to flutter open. He was waking up. She was about to alert someone that he'd regained consciousness but he croaked out, "...Where?"

Lina said softly, "You're awake."

"Where...am I?" he asked.

"The Hive Queen's infirmary," she said. "You've been in a coma for days."

"You saved me," he realized and she nodded.

"We all did," she said.

"The girls?" he asked. She nodded and he looked away in guilt.

"They wanted to save you. They wouldn't take no for an answer," she said. He was silent for a few moments. "Kuro...I mean, Shinichi..." She was trying to get used to calling him by his new name. "A lot has changed, and I've decided to help you fight GIN-SHOCKER."

"I'm sorry," he apologized.

"For what?" she asked and he turned to face her.

"For...a lot of things," he said. "I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough. I'm sorry I failed you. And...I'm sorry I let you die."

"Ancient history, and I've forgiven you a long time ago," she said. "I just wish we could pick up where we left off."

"But things have changed," he stated.

"Yeah, that's the sad truth," said Lina, her expression sad for a moment before she cheered up again. "So what do you think about the idea of us becoming friends?"

"Friends, huh?" Shinichi smiled. "That sounds great. I'd like that." Lina was getting used to seeing Shinichi's smile. It was nice.

"Also," Lina smiled, "That cousin of yours is _really _hot." Shinichi rolled his eyes. "I'm just saying," Lina shrugged. "I'm gonna go and call your girls. They'll want to know you're awake."

"I'd like to see them too," said Shinichi.

Lina nodded and concentrated her telepathy to summon them.

* * *

><p>Lina had called Moka, Kurumu, Yukari and Mizore to the infirmary before leaving to give them some privacy. When they learnt that Shinichi had woken up, they rushed to see him. They would've hugged him but he was still a little weak and he'd been through a lot. Right now, he was pretty vulnerable.<p>

"Shinichi, are you OK?" Kurumu asked in worry.

"Not really," he admitted, hanging his head in shame. "Moka-chan, do you remember the day we met?" Shinichi asked. "What did I smell like?"

"Human," she said.

"Human blood to be more precise, but it is not mine," he corrected. "I'm covered in the smell of blood, the kind that can't ever be washed away." His fists were clenched. "That's what you smelled. That's the scent of blood your nose picked up. It's the blood I've spilt."

Mizore asked carefully, "What did they do to you?" They say 'ignorance is bliss' and Shinichi had to agree with that expression after what he'd been through.

"They made me _remember_," he told them. They understood what he meant. "They made me remember _every _horrible moment in my life; every second, of every minute, of every hour, of every dark day. I could only sit there and watch as they played back all the horrible things I did as one of _them_." He covered his eyes in shame and regret, sobbing, "...I'm sorry. I'm...I'm so sorry."

"Oh, Shinichi..." Kurumu embraced him. It was not one of her famous boob-smotherers either. Just a tender embrace. Mizore, Moka and Yukari would've normally pulled Kurumu away but Shinichi needed comforting.

"Makes me wonder if I'm better off just dead," he murmured.

"Don't say that!" Mizore snapped. "We didn't save you just so you could feel sorry for yourself!"

"That's right!" Yukari agreed.

"But I'm dangerous. You even put yourself in danger for me," he argued, as if it justified everything. "If you hadn't met me, you would probably just be enjoying the rest of your school life. You girls shouldn't have had to deal with all this. You're still just children. If you haven't met me, you wouldn't have had to fight against GIN-SHOCKER or become targets for them. When you all came to Youkai Academy, you were only concerned about fitting in, making friends, finding a mate, finding a husband and making the grade. However, because of me, you've had to deal with my past and my enemies. Because you've met me, you've had to deal with the problems of my fucked up life."

"We don't care," Kurumu said. "You're my Destined One. You're worth risking my life for, and I don't give a damn about your past. The one I'm in love with is the you now, not the you before. I love _you_."

"Whatever happened in your past should be left in the past," said Mizore softly. Kurumu let go of Shinichi so the Yuki-Onna could hug him too. "Just think of the present and the future."

"Yeah, the future!" Yukari agreed with a nod.

Mizore released Shinichi from her tender embrace and he looked at Moka. Her expression was unreadable. She came closer and he expected a hug but...

**SLAP!**

Shinichi's head turned to the side from the force of the slap, leaving a red handprint on his cheek. He was stunned speechless as he put his hand to his cheek and turned to stare at Moka. Kurumu, Mizore and Yukari were stunned too. She was scowling, but there were tears brimming in her eyes.

"Hey, what's the big deal!?" Kurumu snapped.

"Don't you ever leave me like that again!" Moka shouted at him. She suddenly went and embraced him, burying her face into his neck , grasping his shoulders firmly. "Shinichi-kun, your life has meaning; it does! What happened in the past should be left in the past. You can't keep punishing yourself!" She was sobbing. "Please...just make peace with yourself...forgive yourself...for me..."

Shinichi put his arms around the Vampire girl. She was his best friend and more, the first real connection he made after leaving GIN-SHOCKER. The one who'd given him a heart. "I'm sorry," he apologized. He was sorry for putting them through so much pain.

"I forgive you," she replied as she returned his embrace. "Sorry for slapping you."

"I deserved it," he said.

"Um...Shinichi?" began Kurumu. "You've been asleep for days. Are you feeling hungry? Thirsty?"

"A little bit," he admitted. "And I do need something to drink."

"I'll get it for you!" Mizore, Yukari and Kurumu immediately volunteered. The three girls rushed out, leaving Moka and Shinichi alone.

"So, you girls actually fought GIN-SHOCKER to save me," said Shinichi.

"We did," Moka confirmed as her rosario's gem glowed. "Shinichi-kun, my other self wishes to talk to you," said Moka. "She has a few things she wants to get off our chest."

"I've been meaning to talk to her too," said Shinichi and he grasped Moka's rosario cross. It came off without much resistance and he watched as the girl changed, becoming sexier, more mature looking, with silver hair.

"So, you're awake," said Moka-sama and Shinichi paled at the way she was looking at him. If looks could kill, this would be it. Moka-sama suddenly grasped his skull painfully and threatened, "If you ever pull a stunt like _that _ever again, I'll make sure you'll regret it. I'll break your spine and paralyze you if I have to so that you would never abandon us like that again. Do you understand me?" Shinichi gave a fierce nod, for there was no disagreeing with this woman. Satisfied with the answer, Moka-sama smiled and released his head.

"Good," she said. He briefly noticed her fangs lengthening out of her lips, "And one more thing," she shoved him onto the bed and was on top of him just as quick. She quite suddenly crushed her lips against his, a satisfied moan emanating from her soon after. As much as she wanted to drink his blood, he was still recovering from his ordeal so it wouldn't be right. However, that didn't mean she couldn't kiss him.

Shinichi's head started to feel somewhat hazy as he felt the intimate sensations of her mouth on his as her tongue explored his mouth. It seemed that Moka-sama had an anesthetic/aphrodisiac-like effect on him when she kissed him, and so he simply became engrossed in the pleasant sensations of her body upon his.

Soon after, Moka-sama released his lips and smiled in a hungry, predatory manner, "I believe a little celebration is in order."

"You mean here? Now? Right now?" he asked.

"You're awake, aren't you?" she noted as she leaned in and licked his neck.

"How about once I've regained my strength?" he suggested. Moka-sama sighed before kissing the Cyborg again.

"Don't keep me waiting, my mate," she told him.

"Your _mate_?" he repeated.

"That's what you are," she said. "Ever since that night we shared, we've been lovers and mates."

Shinichi blushed and then asked, "Moka-san, I know you don't follow that 'Vampires must be with Vampires' rule, but I'm just wondering how your family would feel about you being with me?"

Moka-sama frowned, "My family considers humans as beings that are low in the food chain. You're only worth as much as your blood."

"I get that," he said as he massaged his neck, recalling the times both sides of Moka had bitten him in the past.

"I don't really care about what most of them think anyway," said Moka-sama, "My father, however..." She hesitated a bit, "Might try to kill you."

"For being human?"

"For deflowering me."

"I'm guessing you're 'daddy's little girl'," he remarked jokingly. Moka-sama didn't laugh and that made him pause. "You're serious."

"My father has a lot of pride and I know he'd want only what's best for me," said Moka-sama. "If he knew I'd chosen a human, even if you were a Cyborg Super Soldier, he'd want to kill you just for touching me. Pray you never meet him."

"Well, with my luck, it'll probably happen pretty soon." He had just jinxed himself. Of course, he didn't really care much about dying and Moka-sama knew this.

Even if he didn't care much about his life, she would make him care. They all would.

* * *

><p>Hime, Reiri and Shiori visited Shinichi next and after some time, and some food, Shinichi was beginning to regain his strength. He felt a little stiff from lying in a bed for days and he needed some exercise so he decided to take a walk around the Hive Queen. Also, he learnt from Reiri that there were a few people he needed to meet. They were part of the team that had gone into the GS base to rescue him.<p>

He found Rias and Akeno with several others in the Hive Queen's gym. Judging by their attire, they were in the middle of doing some workouts.

"Ri-chan," he greeted. "Ake-chan."

"Ara, ara," Akeno smiled as she went to hug him. "Shin-chan, you're awake..." Koneko arched an eyebrow at the affectionate hug Akeno was giving Shinichi. She let go so that Rias could hug him as well.

"It's good to see you up and about," Rias said. "We were really worried." Like the others, she had visited Shinichi while he had been comatose. He looked to Rias and Akeno's company and Rias knew that it was time for introductions.

"Shinji-kun, I'd like to formally introduce you to my peerage," said Rias. "Everyone, please introduce yourselves."

"Yuto Kiba. Nice to meet you."

"Koneko Toujou. If you do anything ecchi, I'll pummel you, even if you are Rias-sempai's otouto."

"Hello, I'm G-Gasper Vladi."

"I'm Asia Argento. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Call me Shinichi Sanban-Banabara," said Shinichi. Hopefully, Rias had explained to them that only those who knew him prior to GIN-SHOCKER's abduction of him were allowed to call him by his birth name. "I heard from Ri-chan and Ake-chan that you helped to rescue me."

"We did," said Yuto. "And we had to put up a fight."

"It was scary," admitted Gasper.

"Thank God that you were saved," smiled Asia.

Shinichi suddenly growled, "_God_...? I don't believe in God."

Asia gasped, "But why?" Even as a Devil, she was a devoted believer of God.

"_Why_? Do you even have to ask?" Shinichi glared. "If there was a God would **He **have allowed my mother to suffer? If there was a God, would **He **have allowed me to suffer? If there was a God, would I have killed my comrades? There is no God! In fact, if there were, then **He'**s a FUCKING ASSHOLE!" His words were blasphemous but he didn't care. He was angry. Then he saw Asia about to cry and he felt horrible, "I...I have to go..."

He quickly stormed out of the room. Koneko glared at his retreating back while Akeno went to comfort the blonde. Rias, however, went to follow her little brother.

* * *

><p>Rias went to look for Shinichi and found him sitting on the Hive Queen's roof. It was a large flat surface so he wouldn't lose balance. As she sat down next to him, she asked, "How are you feeling?"<p>

"I am a complete asshole," he sorely stated. "I can't believe I yelled at her like that."

"Something she said just set you off and you couldn't control yourself. It happens. You were just angry at God," said Rias. "Asia-chan takes God and religion very seriously, even if she is a Devil now."

"Yeah, I really need to apologize to Argento-san for yelling at her like that," said Shinichi.

"Asia-chan will forgive you. That's how nice she is. It's Koneko-chan you need to worry about," said Rias.

"I'll still apologize for yelling at her. I shouldn't have said it like that, but while I will apologize to her for _how _I said it, I'm not gonna apologize for _what _I said when I don't mean it. Like I said, if God exists, then he's a complete and total asshole," Shinichi said firmly. "And I won't believe in something like that."

"I guess nobody can force you to change your beliefs," Rias said. The two of them looked at the clouds. They were in the sky and it seemed like such a beautiful scene.

"Hey, Ri-chan," said Shinichi, "If you had the chance, would you have made me part of your peerage?" He looked at her directly, "Be honest. Would you have?"

Rias answered honestly, "I wouldn't have forced you, but if the opportunity ever presented itself, an opportunity where I had no choice but to resurrect you as a Devil, I think I would have." She added, "But then I'd have to explain a lot to Aunt Shiori."

"I see," Shinichi nodded.

"And I think that you would've made a wonderful Devil," said Rias.

"What rank?" he asked. If Youkai had a ranking system to measure their power, the Devils most likely had one as well.

"A Pawn," she answered.

"A _Pawn_?" he questioned, bemused.

"Well, that or a Rook or even a Knight, but a Pawn is much more versatile," she justified. "You see, Devils like myself have items that are called Evil Pieces." She emphasized this by flicking her wrist and had a red knight piece appear in her hand. "Each Peerage is based on the pieces of a chessboard. Being the leader, my rank is 'King'. Akeno is my 'Queen', being the strongest after me. Yuto is my 'Knight' which means he's the fastest of us, while Koneko is the 'Rook' and that makes her my heavy hitter. Asia and Gasper, with their magical abilities, are the 'Bishops'."

"So basicly the Devils' ranking system is based on the chessboard," Shinichi theorized.

"Not completely," Rias corrected, "Aside from the King and Queen, each piece has their pros and cons. With the Pawn piece, it isn't just a low level grunt like those soldiers I fought to get to you. It has has one power that the others do not: Promotion."

"Promotion?"

"Yes. If a Pawn enters enemy territory, they can 'promote' themselves into a stronger piece, other than King, of course," she explained. "Normally there are eight Pawn pieces in each Peerage, but if there is one Pawn that is of enough value, the amount of pieces needed would go up. I just used up all eight of mine."

"On who?" Shinichi asked.

"Oh, you'll see," Rias smiled.

Shinichi wondered who Rias had made her new Pawn, but knowing her she'd keep it as a surprise. "Well, I'm not doing anyone any good just sitting here. I think I'm going to apologize to Argento-san."

"See that you do. I expect you to make her smile like you made us smile as kids," Rias said. Shinichi then sported a huge grin on his face. "What's with that look for?" He tapped her nose before standing up.

"Tag, you're it," he said before he stood up then jumped off the edge of the Hive Queen, much to her shock and horror.

"SHINJI!" she screamed as she unfurled her wings and leapt off to fly after him. She then heard laughter and saw him, in his armor, with his Cicadroid Wings out. "Shinji..." she growled. She was not amused.

"Haha! The look on your face!" he laughed. He noticed her cross look. "Whoops!" His wings flared brighter before he darted off.

"Get back here!" Rias shouted as she flew after him, a sonic boom erupting. The chase and game of Tag was on.

* * *

><p>Koneko was in the Hive Queen's gymnasium, which had equipment for exercise and a sparring area. At that moment, she was furiously hitting a punching bag with her fists. Earlier, Shinichi had made Asia cry and the Nekomata had grown fond of the former nun. Shinichi had no right to yell at Asia like that and Koneko wanted to hit Shinichi for what he'd said to Asia. However, Rias would not allow her to since Shinichi was still recovering from his earlier ordeal as GIN-SHOCKER's prisoner.<p>

She used a roundhouse kick that nearly ripped the punching bag open, a shockwave sounding out from the force. It looked like the bags had been reinforced for those with high strength, and thus could take the extra punishment that normal punching bags couldn't.

"Nice kick," she heard and she turned to see Leon.

"Oh, it's you," she said, her expression neutral.

"The way you were hitting that bag, it looks like you were mad about something...or at someone," Leon said. He tossed her a bottle of water.

"It's nothing," she denied as she caught the bottle.

"No, it isn't," said Leon. "I heard what happened. Shinichi blew up when your friend mentioned God." Koneko scowled. "I thought so."

"He had no right to say that to her," said Koneko.

"No, he didn't, and I don't condone violence against women, verbal or physical. But, you need to see things from his point of view. His life hasn't been easy. After all he's been through he just lost faith," Leon said.

"You sound like you know how it feels to lose faith," she studied.

"More than you know," he said. "Shinichi's not a bad guy. I know. Trust me on that. He'll apologize to your friend."

"He better," warned Koneko.

* * *

><p>"You can't run away forever, Shinji-kun!" Rias called as she continued to chase Showa through the air. He wore a smile of amusement under his helmet. "Remember, when we were kids, I always won at tag!"<p>

"That was then, Ri-chan! Now I've got an advantage in speed!" he shot back as he accelerated. Accepting the challenge, Rias continued to chase after him.

"Ara, is this a private game?" Akeno asked as she caught up to Rias.

"Akeno?" Rias asked.

"You didn't come back so I decided to come and look for you. Now here I see you playing tag with Shin-chan," smiled Akeno.

"He scared me to death jumping like that!" Rias snapped. "I'm gonna punish him!"

"Allow me to help you then," Akeno grinned. Rias' grin matched hers.

"Cut him off and I'll tag him," Rias instructed.

"I will Rias," Akeno smiled before flying after Showa. Oh, what fun! It was like back when they were children again!

Showa looked over his shoulder in amusement to see Akeno coming after him, with Rias following. Back as children, they had played tag, and he always ended up losing. Now, things had changed. He was faster now and a little bit more unpredictable. He was so going to have fun, leading them around while they tried to catch him.

Of course, Showa shouldn't underestimate Akeno and Rias. They had their wings longer and knew how to use them. With a sudden burst of speed, they managed to cut him off and trap him between them. He looked for any exits, anyway to escape this predicament, but Rias and Akeno would move to block him.

In the end he had to concede defeat, "I give up."

"Well, that was easy," remarked Akeno. "Now, what would we have our little Shin-chan do?"

"How about a penalty?" Rias suggested.

"OK, what will it be?" Showa asked, prepared for the worst.

"Go find Asia, and talk with her," Rias stated. Showa blinked. Not much of a punishment.

"OK, I was planning on doing that anyway," he said.

* * *

><p>Shinichi, with Phyllis' help, managed to find Asia. The Hive Queen was large so a map and an AI were helpful in navigating his way through this place. She was in the Hive Queen's artificial garden. It was a place where grass and trees were grown to simulate the outdoors. There were also flowers and bushes. The plants were maintained with artificial sunlight and a sprinkler system made sure the plants got all the water they needed. There was even soil for them to get their nutrients.<p>

Asia was a contradiction as she was a Devil who still worshipped God. According to Rias, she'd been a human nun who was kidnapped and sacrificed by Fallen Angels for her healing abilities, but Rias and her peerage had saved her and reincarnated her. Hard to believe such a pure maiden could be a Devil but ever since he woke up in Youkai Academy, he found that innocence and purity could come in many forms.

"I see you found the garden," said Shinichi and Asia gasped. She was so deep in thought she hadn't noticed him.

"Banabara-san," she said.

"Call me Shinichi," he told her. "That's what most of my friends call me, Argento-san." He approached the tree, making sure he didn't seem threatening, and sat down on the other side facing away from her. "It's a nice place. Hard to believe it's on a Helicarrier."

"Yes," said the Italian demon. "It seems almost natural."

"Yeah, and the air's clean too," said Shinichi. He moved from his spot to sit next to her. "Look, Argento-san, I'm sorry about yelling at you earlier. I know you were just grateful that I was rescued and I shouldn't have raised my voice like that."

"I forgive you," she said.

"Just like that?" he blinked.

"God is forgiving, and as one of his servants I must be as well," she said. He frowned. "Did I offend you?"

"I'm just wondering how you can believe in God when so many horrible things exist in this world," he said.

"It was my faith in him that made sure I was saved from a premature death," she said. Shinichi wanted to argue that it was because of Rias' intervention but he held his tongue. He didn't want to ruin the apology and make things worse by arguing. "And even after all the horrible things you've been through, can you say that your life has been terrible so far?"

"Well...there are the good times," he admitted, "But I'm not gonna believe in God if that's what you want me to do."

"I won't force you," she said. "Whether you believe or not is up to you. I can't make you."

Shinichi smiled, "Glad we had this talk, Argento-san."

"Call me Asia."

"Hai, Asia-chan." Asia blushed at being called so affectionately. Unbeknownst to them, Koneko and Leon were spying on them via the security feed.

* * *

><p>"Well, that's taken care of," concluded Leon. He and Koneko were in the surveillance room. Koneko was still watching with eyes narrowed, scrutinizing Shinichi. "Worried?"<p>

"Yes," was her curt answer.

"I understand. She's your best friend," Leon said. He could respect that. "But you don't have to worry. He might admit he's a pervert, but he'd never force himself on a girl."

"How can you be sure?" asked Koneko.

"He reminds me of my brother. He might be an idiot sometimes, but he's a good guy. And besides, even perverts have to draw the line somewhere down the road."

Koneko considered Leon's words and then went back to studying Shinichi. He had hurt Asia's feelings before but had apologized. However, he still hadn't made a very good first impression to Koneko. For now, she would keep her eye on him to see what would happen next.

Leon turned to leave before speaking, "You said before that it sounded like I knew what it was like to lose your faith. I guess that's true. But for me, it's different than Shinichi. Shinichi doesn't believe anymore. Me...I know God exists. But he's not looking after us. God...God merely sets you up to bleed."

* * *

><p>Yūji went looking for his cousin and found him sitting under a tree, playing his harmonica. Shinichi wasn't alone either. There was a blonde girl with him. He had seen her a few times but hadn't spoken to her yet, mainly because his own girls wanted his attention. He cleared his throat to indicate his presence and Shinichi stopped playing to acknowledge him.<p>

"Aniki," said Shinichi.

"Hey, Shin," said Yūji. "Mind if I sit with you?"

"Sure," permitted Shinichi and Yūji sat down. "Aniki, this is Asia Argento-chan."

"It's nice to meet you," Asia greeted.

"Likewise," said Yūji.

Shinichi asked, "So, how's the arm?"

"It still feels weird but I'm getting used to it," said Yūji. "What about you? Are you doing OK?"

"I guess," Shinichi shrugged. "Could've been worse. I'm just glad they rescued us when they did."

"Well, we're OK, so that plan I devised work," Yūji smiled.

"Yes, your plan," Shinichi agreed as he recalled the time he and Yūji had spent as GIN-SHOCKER's prisoners and what Yūji had told him.

* * *

><p>"<em>Excellent," Yūji grinned, "Then I want you to listen carefully. I have a plan."<em>

"_A plan?" Shinichi repeated._

_Yūji nodded and explained, "I spoke with Bianca and told her to contact our grandfather, and he will issue a squad of Vongola members to act as reinforcements for when the time is right. Unfortunately, we will be preoccupied until then."_

"_Because of what they'll do to us," Shinichi understood._

"_More than likely Gebok will try to readjust your mind to his own specifications," Yūji continued, "As for me, someone will probably be experimenting on me to test the limits of my body and what I can do. Should these events occur, we simply have to bide our time and endure. I suspect the others will either sneak in through access points or barge in through the front door. Should they choose the former, which is wise, they will split up and look for us. Netto & Leon and the others will probably deal with those new NUMBERS."_

"_That means Lina would be there," Shinichi frowned._

"_More than likely," Yūji nodded, "But we can focus on her once we're free. I also instructed Yokoshima that should he find any important locations, such as a weapons depot, he will destroy as much as he can. Daichi will disrupt communications among all GIN-SHOCKER units once he finds the control room. Should Chiaki find a transportation area, he'll work on disabling any and all vehicles, restricting the enemy's mobility."_

"_You had this all planned out from the start," Shinichi realized._

"_Of course," Yūji grinned, "I'm a genius. Besides, do you think I was just gonna give my cousin up to them without a fight? Think again, fuckers. After all, they only have one side of me sealed," Yūji informed, his left sclera shifting to black for a moment before it returned to normal._

* * *

><p>Something was on Shinichi's mind, something important that he needed to do. He looked at Yūji and said, "You fought my old comrades, right?"<p>

"Yeah, I did," confirmed Yūji.

"Aniki, please show me where they were killed."

"May I come too?" Asia asked.

Shinichi wasn't sure about that but Yūji made the decision, "Sure, come on."

* * *

><p>Yūji took Shinichi and Asia to the track where he and Abyss had slain the other NUMBERS. There were still scorch marks and the track remained in disrepair, possibly abandoned due to the severity of damages.<p>

Yūji noticed, "Huh, the burn marks are still around."

Kneeling down, Shinichi put flowers on the side of the track.

"I'm sorry this had to happen to you guys," Shinichi whispered. Asia also knelt down to offer a prayer.

Yūji asked Shinichi cautiously, "Um...Were they always like that. You know...since the beginning?"

Shinichi answered honestly, "More or less. Kamiyami was always competing with me out of jealousy, Jin was always greedy and trying these crazy quick rich schemes by going on treasure hunts, Koichi was always a bit deceitful in his ways that you'd have to be wary of the gifts he gave you, and Saisen was a trigger happy psycho who loved explosives way too much." He paused, "...However..."

Yūji prompted, "Go on."

"We were family, albeit a dysfunctional one, but we were close like family, flawed as we were," Shinichi admitted. "We grew up together and trained together. We had a strong bond in spite of the conflicts between us."

Yūji retorted, "And they _still _sided with the fuckers... Their loss."

"I can't blame them," said Shinichi. "Gebok had a way of getting into your head and convince you to do anything for him." He was speaking from experience.

Yūji growled, "That stupid fucktard."

Shinichi replied, "He's gone now, though I wish I could've saved them." He looked to Yūji and said, "I don't hate you for what you had to do. You were trying to protect yourself and the girls. I forgive you."

Yūji nodded, accepting Shinichi's forgiveness, "Thanks for that. Well, Abyss deserves more of the credit since he was in control at the time."

"Well that figures," Shinichi chuckled, "Now that Gebok's dead, at least I can relax a bit. I was thinking of starting my own web show or something."

"Really now? You?" Yūji asked with an arched eyebrow.

"I'm 16 with nowhere to go but up," Shinichi clarified. "And I can't be focused on revenge all the time you know. Got my whole life ahead of me."

Yūji let out a laugh, "Well, look at you! My cousin's starting to learn!" Asia, while finishing up her prayers, overheard the conversation. She couldn't help but smile at Shinichi's composure and Yūji's laughter.

"Come on, let's go home," said Shinichi as he Asia, and Yūji took the Warp Portal back to the Hive Queen. '_Jin, Kamiyami, Saisen, Koichi, I swear on your graves that GIN-SHOCKER is going to pay for what they did to us_.'

* * *

><p>Later that night, Shinichi was standing on the Hive Queen's observation deck with Kurumu and Mizore holding onto each arm. The Yuki-Onna was leaning against his arm, just content that Shinichi was with her. She didn't even mind that Kurumu was with them. "I'm so glad you're safe," she said.<p>

"I'm just glad to be here with you girls," he smiled.

"You better, because we're not letting you go, ever again," said Kurumu.

Leon walked onto the deck, "Girls, do you mind if I spoke to Shinichi in private?"

Kurumu nodded and said, "See ya later, Aniki."

Mizore added, "Bye, Nii-san."

As both girls left to let the two Riders talk, Shinichi looked confused. He heard what they had addressed Leon as and wondered what had happened when he'd been in GIN-SHOCKER custody.

Shinichi asked, "OK...what did I miss?"

Leon explained, "They were upset, so I comforted them. We got close. Really as simple as that."

"I guess that makes sense," Shinichi nodded, "And I heard you actually brought back a souvenir."

"_Her_ name's Alita," Leon corrected sternly. "And she's not a souvenir. I sent her over to Dr. Magi and Dr. Washam to patch up. They've done their job but she hasn't woken up yet."

"From what I heard she was vicious," Shinichi remarked.

"She couldn't help it. It was how they programmed her," Leon defended. "And besides, I think she'll be fine now."

"Well, whatever, she's your responsibility now," Shinichi reminded.

"I'll deal with that," Leon nodded. He then got in Shinichi's face and warned him, "And one more thing, if you ever make them cry again I'll kick your ass."

Now, an important factor about Leon was that he was an intimidating guy, even if he didn't mean to be half the time. He could send death glares from miles away, and anyone in his line of sight would instantly shudder in discomfort. Shinichi was no exception, but he quickly put on his poker face and shot back with a retort, "Fine then. Same goes for you about Hime-chan and Reiri-chan. Yuki-chan too. If you make _them_ cry, I'll kick _your _ass."

"You think you can do that?" Leon challenged.

"Hey, you should know me by now," Shinichi retorted, stepping back and placing his hands in his pockets. "And don't think you can Flash Step your way out of my sight. Don't forget that I can control time. If I wanted to, I can move just as fast as you can. Maybe even faster."

"Is that a fact?" Leon smirked, "Then it's agreed. If either one of us makes the girls cry, we'll kick the other's ass." Leon offered his hand. "Deal?"

Shinichi nodded before shaking hands with Leon. He then said, "We might've taken out one of their facilities, but GIN-SHOCKER's still out there. We need to put a stop to them once and for all. Not just for they did to me, but to my family, the NUMBERS, Lina, and everyone they've ever hurt."

Leon agreed, "And we will."

Shinichi asked, wondering out loud, "Do you think destroying GIN-SHOCKER will bring me peace?"

Leon crossed his arms, pondering, before he said, "That's a good question. We'll just have to find out when it happens." He noticed that Shinichi looked troubled, like he had a lot on his mind. "Something on your mind?"

Shinichi answered, "You know all those guys who went after me during the second term? Turns out Ishigami turned them into Cyborgs by force."

Leon's eyes widened with realization, "Against their will? I see..."

Shinichi nodded, "Yeah. I first I thought they were willing to stoop so low for petty revenge. She might've been lying, but..."

"We had no idea of the circumstances at the time," Leon stated. "Don't blame yourself anymore than you already have."

Shinichi sighed and replied, "I know, I know... They were scumbags, but they didn't deserve what happened to them. None of them did."

Leon recommended, "Then we'll avenge them. Simply as that."

Shinichi agreed, "Yeah, we will. Without a doubt." He then paused and said, "Oh and Leon, you're not a monster, no matter what you think of yourself. I don't know what happened to you to make you think like that, and quite frankly I don't care. But it's just like you said to me months ago, live in the now, or else I'll kick your ass for that too."

Leon dared, "I'd like to see you try."

Shinichi smirked, "I _always _keep my word."

* * *

><p>A party was held in the Hive Queen's artificial garden to celebrate Yūji and Shinichi's safe return. Flannery was the one responsible for organizing it. There was food, beverages and plenty of music for entertainment. Members of the rescue team and the team assigned to protect Youkai Academy, including Team 5D's, were in attendance.<p>

Ren was so excited when meeting Shiori and Team 5D's, her idols, that she almost fainted, but thankfully Goemon prevented it from happening. Despite the fact that she had kicked Shinichi in the balls earlier, she had been forgiven and was able to make up with the Black Cicada Cyborg. So therefore, she was able to have Shiori autograph a copy of one of her novels. She also managed to get autographs from Team 5D's, which she treasured along with Shiori's. When she also learnt that Yusei and Shiori were related, her mind was completely blown away. She finally fainted, forcing Goemon to use smelling salts to wake her back up to enjoy the party.

Daichi and Michiru had both picked out the music. Shinichi himself had already danced earlier with Moka, Kurumu, Mizore and Yukari, the girls taking turns with their favorite young man. Even Shiori, Carl and Magi who were chaperoning showed that they could party. Yokoshima had been wary of the punch bowl. Misato had made the punch. It was blood red and it took a lot of effort to convince him that it wasn't _actual _blood. When hip-hop music began to play, Goemon and Ren were tearing up the dance floor as they started to break dance in sync with everyone cheering them on.

It soon became time for the karaoke portion of party, and Qiao was quick to jump on the stage. She picked out another CD of her choice and put it in the player. And then the music started to play, "Alright everyone, get ready~! _Thunderbolt!_" she cheered before she started to sing.

"_Wai fu shian mao mao rang hong san shi yang hong_

_Sai sho soi ye nankang wai fong gon yu jong_

_Pat bi goi sai guong dong pat bichin ye jan fong_

_But your heart choi hei hong_

_Fu chon ya chai jeun ho bing chun ho mang chong_

_Kung when i say gooo!_

_Hao mei sang chang ling lung_

_Soi nang sun dong mei sei nei yao chung_

_Hao mei sang lei ling lung_

_Hut yao kong chung when wai nei bang jung_

_Yang yi take the kang yung yang bo soi koi be louder"_

As Shinichi listened to the song, he glanced around at everyone who was present. They were enjoying himself and he found himself enjoying the party as well. Dancing with the girls earlier had been fun and helped to remind him that he definitely wasn't alone in his struggle against GIN-SHOCKER. It might be improper for him to even consider having fun after all that he'd done in the past but he wasn't going to turn into a buzzkill and ruin the party for everyone.

He was amused by how Yokoshima, Daichi, Chiaki, Goemon, and Shogo had all gotten themselves girlfriends, especially Daichi. Daichi had a very poor opinion of women, save for a few exceptions, so he was the least likely to find a romantic partner. Shinichi was glad the Cricket Cyborg did.

10 years ago he'd been kidnapped by Gebok and in those ten years he'd been surgically modified, cybernetically augmented and mentally conditioned to be one of their prized soldiers. No, not a soldier. They had turned him into a cyborg weapon. All he ever did for them was take lives and he hadn't even cared because they had taken away his ability to care.

Despite Gebok's procedure to remove his emotions and make him into a loyal agent of GIN-SHOCKER, he had forged bonds with his fellow NUMBERS. He had unintentionally gained their respect and friendship. So, he understood why it hurt greatly when he'd turned on them and killed them. They were revived but filled with resentment towards him even though he'd been manipulated by Gebok, like a puppet on a string.

It was Lina's death which finally convinced him to abandon GIN-SHOCKER. Then, he somehow ended up in Youkai Academy.

"_Wai fu shian mao mao rang hong san shi yang hong_

_Sai sho soi ye nankang wai fong gon yu jong_

_Pat bi goi sai guong dong pat bichin ye jan fong_

_Put your heart choi hei hong_

_Fu chon ya chai jeun ho bing chun ho mang chong_

_Kung when i say gooo!_

_Hao mei sang chang ling lung_

_Soi nang sun dong mei sei nei yao chung_

_Hao mei sang lei ling lung_

_Hut yao kong chung when wai nei bang jung_

_Yang yi take the kang yung yang bo soi koi be louder"_

He had no memories of his past and had no idea how he ended up enrolled in Youkai Academy. He did not know how he'd gotten a Student ID or a scholarship. He didn't even know how he had a dorm room and school supplies provided for him. He realized now that there was probably a good reason for him to be at that school. The school was built to help monsters adapt to life among humans and so it was teaching the monsters to live like humans. Maybe he was put there to regain his humanity, which was pretty ironic.

It was at that school where he'd forged strong bonds as well. There was Moka Akashiya the Vampire, Kurumu Kurono the Succubus, Mizore Shirayuki the Yuki-Onna and Yukari Sendou the Witch. He also included Ginei Morioka and Shizuka Nekonome as part of his life as well. They had, along the way, helped him cope with his missing memories, supporting him along the way. They even became targeted by GIN-SHOCKER for his sake and did not care if they got caught in their crosshairs trying to help him.

When his memories started returning, he could only feel horror and disgust at all the death and destruction he saw caused by him but they were still by his side. That was why he confronted Kuyou alone, to spare them from his wickedness.

"_Hao mei sang chang ling lung_

_Soi nang sun dong mei sei nei yao chung_

_Hao mei sang lei ling lung_

_Hut yao kong chung when wai nei bang jung_

_Hao mei sang chang ling lung_

_Soi nang sun dong mei sei nei yao chung_

_Hao mei sang lei ling lung_

_Hut yao kong chung when wai nei bang jung_

_Yang yi take the kang yung yang bo soi koi be louder"_

And in summer break, he'd forged new bonds and reforged old ones as he got reunited with his old teammates. He made friends with new Riders (Netto, Yūji and Leon) and even found his mother whom had lost him ten years prior. The reunion had been full of tears but a happy one nonetheless. He found himself cousins and an extended family willing to fight for his sake. He reunited with Hime and Reiri who were like sisters to him. He was also reunited with Rias and Akeno who were his older sister figures. Pretty soon, more and more people joined their ragtag group to create the most diverse and interesting family in the world.

And this family, without a doubt, was going to fight against GIN-SHOCKER along the way, fighting at his side, supporting him, and making sure that they all survived until the very end.

"So, how are you feeling?" Netto asked as he, Shinichi, Yūji and Leon stood together.

Shinichi answered, "Like my brain's just been put through a spin-cycle, but I'm fine now."

"Are you sure?" Netto asked. "You don't look fine. Something bothering you?"

Shinichi sighed and answered, telling them what Gebok had told him before prepping him up for 're-education'.

"Obviously, he was lying," Leon concluded.

"I know he lied. But in a way Gebok was right. Otou-chan died because he was trying to find me and got too close. I know it wasn't my fault. It's GIN-SHOCKER. They did this to my family."

Yūji swore, "Trust me, they're gonna pay. For every single death they've caused, those fuckers are gonna pay."

"Exactly," Leon nodded. "GIN-SHOCKER has crossed the line this time. Already they've destroyed and ruined the lives of too many people in their quest for power. We're going to make them pay."

Netto pulled out a marker and opened the cap. "Guys, reach out your hands."

"What for?" Shinichi asked.

"Just do it."

The four of them pulled their hands out and Netto drew on a symbol that connected to each of them. It was a Kanji symbol that represented 'oath'.

"What's this?" Leon asked, studying the symbol.

"Consider ourselves sworn brothers now," Netto smiled. "Just now, we've made a pact. No matter what happens, one thing's for sure: We're going to bring down GIN-SHOCKER, no matter what it takes."

"Speaking my language," Yūji smirked.

"Double for me," Shinichi smiled.

"Let's send them straight to Hell," Leon grinned.

Suddenly, Samba music began to play and Shinichi blinked. He asked, "OK, who put on Samba?"

"Who cares? Let's party!" Yūji cheered.

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: As an exact size for the Hive Queen Helicarrier was never decided, I think that it could be roughly the size a football field and has ten levels. Anyway, not only is this an interlude, it acts as the final chapter of the Rescue Arc. Next, Meeting the Family.<strong>

**TAILSMO4EVER: A white cat named Felicia? Hm, where have we seen that before? Well, whatever the case, we're finally done with this arc. We've had some problems and we're still trying to figure things out. But we're getting there.**

**GUYVERGENESIS: And so we bring the Rescue Arc, to a close. And now it's time for some well deserved healing and R&R for them all. What awaits them? You'll have to stay tuned to find out.**

* * *

><p><strong>Several Days Earlier...<strong>

General Nagazawa watched impassively as the Baghdad Branch was destroyed on screen. Not only had they lost a large amount of troops, but they had also lost Gebok and several important personnel. It was going to take time to find more 'volunteers' to replenish their soldiers' numbers but the amount that had died was only a small fraction of GIN-SHOCKER's full might. But one of their biggest losses was Battle Angel, Alita, as well as the Valkyrie Strikers KOS-MOS and Telos. Their remains had not been recovered in the rubble so it could only be concluded that they been taken by the group responsible for the Baghdad Branch's destruction. Dr. Mikamura was also missing. It was likely that she had been taken prisoner as well or perhaps she had defected.

Hitomi Ishigami, aka Madame Medusa, reported to General Nagazawa who had his back facing her, "General, sir. I regret to inform you that Dr. Gebok is now KIA. Blazing Fox is the only other survivor, though he seems traumatized from one of the battles."

"That I already know, Madame Medusa," answered General Nagazawa, not bothering to turn and face her to address her.

"But it wasn't a total loss," said Ishigami as she held out a test tube. Inside, there was a small silver bug that looked like it just went through a trash compactor. "We managed to get a blood sample from Akashiya. It was meant to be another one of Gebok's projects, but I can continue it on his behalf."

"Very good," General Nagazawa said. "There is something else, isn't there?"

"There is," Ishigami continued, pulling out a memory card. She went towards the computer console and slid the memory card inside. General Nagazawa smiled as he watched the screen and Ishigami knew he was pleased. At least GIN-SHOCKER didn't come out of the mess completely empty-handed.

"Welcome back, BLACK 13."


	79. Vongola: Meeting the Family

**Chapter 79****: Meeting the Family**

Nagazawa was _not_ a happy camper right now. With all that was going on so far, he had no reason to be happy. With #01 going rogue, Gebok dead, and one of their bases destroyed, things weren't looking very good. However, they did manage to get one trump card that they could use against the rebels. This was what brought him standing before Professor Kyofu as the man almost excitedly waited for the word.

"You wanted to speak with me, sir?" Kyofu asked, pretending to be completely in the dark.

"Professor, due to Gebok's unfortunate demise, I'm afraid I have no other option but to promote you to his seat," Nagazawa said neutrally.

"Oh, thank you! Thank you! I feel so honored!" Kyofu bowed, his exclamation sounding rehearsed. "You will definitely not regret this, General!"

"Not so fast," Nagazawa continued, eyes narrowing, "Just because you have Gebok's chair, it doesn't mean that you are an Executive." Kyofu flinched. The General was still not happy with the so-called training involving #01, resulting in the former coward to become deadly and mad with vengeance. "First of all, Madame Medusa will be your supervisor. From now on you answer directly to her. If you step out of line again she will report to me. Is that clear?"

"Yes, of course," Kyofu nodded, clearly not happy with the condition. Madame Medusa was new compared to him so shouldn't he be in charge due to seniority?

"And as a gift for your latest promotion, this is for you," said General Nagazawa as he handed Kyofu a memory card.

"Hmm, what is this?" Kyofu blinked as he studied the card in his hand.

"The BLACK 13's AI itself," Nagazawa answered.

"What about it?" Kyofu frowned. BLACK 13 was Gebok's creation and his existence was an offence to Kyofu who had worked hard to raise Weapon D to become GIN-SHOCKER's new ultimate weapon. At least she hadn't abandoned them.

"BLACK 13 was one of our greatest assets until he went rogue. Now, we have him back, even if he is an AI. I want you to reprogram him and bring him back as one of GIN-SHOCKER's most powerful weapons."

"Pardon?" Kyofu asked. "But is that even a wise idea sir? This could backfire and cripple us further!"

"He went rogue because of his latent humanity. The BLACK 13 within this memory card possesses none of that," said General Nagazawa.

"Hmm, is that so?" Kyofu asked as he looked at the card. Oh, he so crush Gebok's toy's AI so easily if Nagazawa allowed him. "Not that I am ungrateful for the promotion, but must I really work with BLACK 13's AI?"

"Yes you do, unless you want me to demote you and hand Gebok's seat to Madame Medusa instead. I hear there's an opening in the mailroom," Nagazawa threatened.

"No, no! I will do as you say!" Kyofu quickly said with his hands up.

"Good," Nagazawa nodded. "I expect you to finish working on BLACK 13 as soon as possible. And Kyofu, if BLACK 13 ever turns rampant and becomes a threat, you know what to do."

"Yes sir, I know it all too well," Kyofu grinned sadistically. If BLACK 13 ever did go rampant, he would gladly take care of it. "I will make sure this AI will be made into the perfect weapon for GIN-SHOCKER!"

"You better," Nagazawa warned. "After all, I believe D lost in the recent battle."

"No worries General," Kyofu chuckled. "I have given D one final opportunity to prove her usefulness to me. If she fails again, she's scrapped."

"Ah yes, another thing Kyofu," Nagazawa began. "Now that you are Gebok's replacement, we will need you to explore your resources on not just the Chimera Beasts, but our Cyborgs as well."

"Oh I see," Kyofu slumped his shoulders a bit. He was never fond of making Cyborgs since he deemed them inferior to Psychics. Of course, he wouldn't say that with Nagazawa around, lest he risks getting killed by the General.

"I expect you to do a good job with your work," Nagazawa began.

"Thank you sir! I won't let you down! I will also recreate BLACK 13 to the way he was meant to be, so rest assured I will bring the world to GIN-SHOCKER's platter!" Kyofu saluted.

"See that you do," Nagazawa nodded before he left Kyofu alone with the AI.

"Now then BLACK 13, let's get started shall we?" Kyofu snickered while looking at the AI card in his hand.

* * *

><p><strong>Meanwhile...<strong>

The Hive Queen and its crew were just arriving to their destination, Veneto, Italy. There was a reason for them to be flying over the country, a very important one and it involved quite a few of them, especially Yūji, Yuki and Shinichi. While they were recovering from their ordeal under GIN-SHOCKER's 'care', the two young men had been informed by Bianca that their great-grandfather and great-grandmother wanted to meet them.

Shinichi was intrigued about the news. He would be meeting more members of his extended family. This was a good opportunity to actually forge new bonds. He was also feeling a lot better since his time in GIN-SHOCKER's captivity. He still felt regretful over what his cousins had to endure. Yuki was distraught when her brother had been taken and Yūji had lost his arm, which was replaced by a demonic substitute. There was just no explanation for it.

Rias and her Peerage had since left the Hive Queen as, unlike the others, they still had school to attend to. She did, however, say that she could have some strings pulled so that they could all go to Duel Academy while Youkai Academy was under reconstruction. Shinichi was a bit saddened to see them go so soon, but he knew that he'd see them again eventually. Asia in particular gave Shinichi a parting hug and kiss on the cheek, which made Rias giggle cutely at the scene, but set off warning bells in Moka, Kurumu, Yukari and Mizore's heads. It would appear that yet another girl had fallen for him.

Shinichi was in his quarters and putting on his clothes. He looked himself in the mirror, not once tempted to smash it with his fist. He was wearing a white dress shirt with black slacks and was just in the process of putting on his tie when he heard a knock at the door.

"Come in. The door's open," he answered and the door slid open to reveal his mother. "Ah, Kaa-chan."

"How are you doing, Shinji?" she asked.

"Anxious," he said. She went over and helped him put his tie on. "Kaa-chan, I can do it myself."

"Just let me do it," she said. "I mean this is important and you need to look your best." She looked at the twin antennae on his head that were bobbing up and down. "Too bad we can't do anything about those.

"I think I got something for them," said Shinichi as Shiori finished tying his necktie and putting it on straight. "Kaa-chan, what's my great-grandfather like?"

"I only met him once," admitted Shiori. "But he has the impression of a powerful man. A _very _powerful man."

Shinichi put on a black vest and buttoned it close. He then put on a black blazer and checked himself in the mirror. "How do I look?" he asked his mother.

"Very dapper," she smiled. "Very handsome too, like your father." She was surprised when Shinichi hugged her suddenly. "Shinji?"

"I just wanted to hug you," he said. "And I'm sorry for making you cry." Shiori hugged her son back. He then let go and said, "Now, come on. Ojii-san is waiting for us."

* * *

><p>At the bridge, the Warp Portal was all warmed up. As they would actually be visiting a Mafia home in Italy, they were all dressed their best to make a good impression.<p>

"What are you _wearing_?" Daichi asked Yokoshima incredulously.

"A track suit," said Yokoshima, sporting an orange tracksuit. "It's what they wear in the mafia, right?"

"Go back to your room and change, _now_," Daichi ordered.

"You can't tell me what to do. You ain't the boss of me," huffed Yokoshima.

"Go to your room and change," Shinichi ordered.

"Got it, Boss," Yokoshima obeyed.

"Suck-up," Daichi blanched with a deadpan look on his face at Yokoshima's retreating back.

"I've never met anyone from the mafia before," Michiru beamed excitedly. She was dressed in an indigo dress and her Angel jacket to keep warm.

"Remember, we have to be on our best behavior," Hana reminded, "Getting on the bad side of the mafia isn't the best idea."

"But this is Yūji's family," said Misato. "How bad could it be?"

"Just be cautious," Hana advised. "Just because he's related to the mafia doesn't mean he knows anyone in the group personally."

Moka asked Shinichi, "Nervous?" She was dressed in a beautiful red dress.

"A little," said Shinichi. "I mean, this is a huge step for me. I'm meeting my great-grandpa for the first time." She took his hand.

"Don't worry. We're here with you." She gestured to the others who smiled to encourage him. Shinichi smiled back. He just couldn't believe how lucky he was. These girls whom he had met in Youkai Academy had risked their lives to save him. He just couldn't believe it at first. They had pretty much put themselves on the line for his sake.

"You know, this is a pretty large group," remarked Shogo as he looked around. "Are you sure it'll be OK?"

Yuki answered, "Bianca says that Ojii-sama is interested in meeting all of us."

"Well, I'm looking forward to meeting him too," smiled Shinichi.

"OK, coordinates are set," reported Dr. Magi. "Enter the Warp Portal."

Shinichi took Moka's hand and smiled at her and she smiled back. The couple then took their first steps into the Warp Portal before they were whisked away by the vortex.

* * *

><p>Once the entire group had exited the Warp Portal, it blinked out of existence. A few felt tingles, still unused to the method of transportation. They now stood before the home of the 19th Vongola Boss. The building which stood before the group was a massive, castle-like mansion of European design. The front of the gate was also marked with the emblem of the Vongola Famiglia.<p>

This was the HQ of the Vongola Famiglia.

"Welcome, to the Vongola Famiglia Manor," said Bianca. "Also known as the Iron Fort."

"Wow...he's definitely loaded," remarked Yokoshima as he saw the fortress-like mansion.

"It's bigger than Youkai Academy," said Kurumu, eyes wide. The gate opened and Bianca led them into the front yard, which was wide, _very _wide.

"Everyone, please feel free to explore the grounds," said Bianca. "Yūji, Yuki, Shinichi, your grandparents would like to see you."

"Just the three of us?" Yūji asked.

"What about Kaa-chan?" Shinichi asked. He looked back at his mother and only noticed her giving off a soft smile.

"This is Vongola business, right?" Shiori asked to which Bianca replied to with a nod. "It's OK then. I'd only be a bother."

Shinichi watched as his mother left with some of the others to go exploring. She had been to the mansion once before but it had been so long so she wanted to get her bearings once more anyway. With the others having departed, Yūji, Shinichi and Yuki looked back towards the front of the Iron Fort.

"Come with me," said Bianca.

"We'll see you later, Kaa-chan." Shinichi called out to his mother from over his shoulder, his mother waving back at him.

"Hey, what about us?" Kurumu asked. She had stayed behind with a few of the girls. She was also quite anxious to meet Shinichi's great-grandfather.

"The servants will give you a tour and assign you rooms for your stay," Bianca told them.

* * *

><p><strong>Later...<strong>

Yūji, Yuki, and Shinichi sat on a couch together in an office, sitting silently when the door opened behind them. They remained at their place as Anastasia and Katsu came into their view. Katsu Gōryū was the man in charge of the rescue party, leading his Guardians into battle as they provided assistance for the Renegades in their time of need. He was the 19th Boss of the Vongola Mafia Family, the largest organization in the mafia world; as well as the world itself. For an old man, he looked very healthy and young for his old age as he appeared to be in his late 40s. With him was Anastasia, who had identified herself as Vongola's 19th Generation Mist Guardian. Yūji had recognized her from the photograph Bianca had shown him before. Despite being a great-grandmother, Anastasia appeared to be merely in her early 20s, her youthful beauty apparent to the twins and their cousin. Bianca was hanging to the side, leaning against the wall.

"It is good to see that you're up and about, Shinji," Katsu commented, his tone stern but giving a feel of comfort.

"I recover quickly, sir," Shinichi returned, "And it's _Shinichi _now, Ojii-san. I don't go by 'Shinji' anymore." Only Hime, Reiri, Rias, Akeno and his mother were allowed to call him by his birth name and that wasn't about to change anytime soon.

"How unfortunate," Katsu nodded, "Not a day goes by that I wish I could have held you in my arms when I heard of your birth. But due to the circumstances at the time, including not wanting to involve you in mafia affairs at such a young age, I thought it necessary to let you grow up and confront you and your mother personally when I felt the time could be right. But alas, Fate did not allow that." He turned to Yūji and Yuki, "The same could be said of you two. You two are Saia's grandchildren, and while I was aware of your existence, I decided that it was best to allow you to grow and live out normal lives, or at least that was my intention."

"We can't change the past," Shinichi countered, "I know that and I accept it. What's important now is us being here, and knowing that we have more family."

"And besides, we chose to be here," Yūji added. Yuki nodded in agreement. "We wanna be part of the family, Grand-Dad. We can't be alone forever."

"Well, your maturity is unmistakable," Katsu nodded in acceptance.

"And the three of you look so adorable," Anastasia purred, "Your mothers must be proud of you~."

Shinichi fought the urge to cringe, but gulped nervously under his great-grandmother's leering gaze.

"By the way, I understand there is a third sibling under the name of "Fudō"," Katsu recalled, "I believe his name was 'Yuri'?"

"We...don't know where he is," Yūji sighed.

"It was about 2 years ago when we last saw Yuri-niisama," Yuki began, "He likes to travel the world and he never contacts us. He's been gone ever since..."

Katsu had his eyes closed, brows furrowed and letting a contemplating groan through his closed mouth as he sat and thought. "I will employ an investigation," he said, "If there is any sign of your brother, then he will be found by my people."

"Thank you, Ojii-sama," Yuki bowed.

"Ojii-san, about GIN-SHOCKER..." began Shinichi.

"You may speak, Shinichi," Katsu urged.

"About GIN-SHOCKER, are you sure you want to go to war with them? They have advanced technology, an army of cybernetically-augmented and genetically-altered soldiers, not to mention access to powerful weaponry and military resources," Shinichi said.

"I understand your concern, Shinichi," Katsu nodded, "Of course, there are things you've yet to learn of Vongola. GIN-SHOCKER are not the only ones with resources. This Family has existed since ancient times, starting out as a simple gang of children before evolving into the organization that you see before you. I have lived a long time to understand the severity of powerful enemies, as my own enemies have come to know my own severity before their imminent defeat. I also have Anastasia to thank for being by my side and supporting me through hard times. My own Guardians, my closest friends, have also chosen to stand by me through every battle we've been in. I can assure you that I am no stranger to battling against terrorist organizations."

"It's not just the organization, Ojii-san," said Shinichi. "It's about their Great Leader, JUDO." Shinichi then explained what JUDO was. JUDO was an immortal alien consciousness which had existed, at least, since the formation of the first SHOCKER organization and was the mastermind to the organizations which rose following SHOCKER's fall. JUDO had also taken many forms and currently he'd taken the form of a giant, spectral skull. "We've been seeing him in our nightmares."

"Hm... A powerful foe indeed," Katsu muttered, his brows furrowed and eyes closed for a moment of thought. "He is truly as frightful as you claim?"

"Frighteningly persistent. No matter how many times he was defeated, he always returned, in a more powerful form each time," Shinichi said. "I just don't want anyone to die..." He was trembling in fear. "In GIN-SHOCKER, we were taught to fear and revere him. To consider him...a god."

"Hnn...a god, you say," Katsu mused, a smile pulling on his lips, "If he is truly as strong as you say, he may prove a worthy foe."

"Eager, Darling?" Anastasia smiled.

"Indeed, I am," Katsu nodded, "It's been quite some time since I've heard of such an opponent."

"Well, it'll be hard for you to fight him. Like I said, he's an alien intelligence. He doesn't have a body of his own...at this time." He looked down. "And Gebok told me, well bragged, about why he made me into a cyborg in the first place." He shivered.

"Shin, are you OK?" Yūji asked.

"Everyone, the reason Gebok chose me was because he used to be my pediatrician and he took some of my blood when I was a child. He analyzed it and saw my Mutant potential of manipulating time. The reason he turned me into a cyborg, the TRUE purpose of Project BLACK 13, was to not only create the ultimate weapon, but to make the ultimate body for JUDO," Shinichi confessed. "I was to be sacrificed and made into a vessel to be inhabited by JUDO."

Katsu couldn't help but chuckle, "Then it is fortunate that you are here and not with GIN-SHOCKER! As long as you are with us, my boy, GIN-SHOCKER shall not take you away. Through my experience, I have learned a great many things, the most important value being family. You are of my blood, Shinichi, and thus you are family. I ask that you put more faith in your family over your fear of GIN-SHOCKER."

"Believe me, child, you will not regret being with us," Anastasia smiled as she approached the three. "Oh, look at you all; so adorable~! Your mothers must be proud to give birth to such beautiful hatchlings! I could just eat you all up in a single bite!"

"Uh...I need an adult," Shinichi sweat-dropped.

"I am an adult~" Anastasia smirked.

"Hey, take it easy on them, Ana," Bianca smirked, "You just met them."

"But these are my darling grandchildren!" Anastasia argued, "They must spend more time with me!"

"Just promise not to eat me," Yūji requested with Yuki nodding in agreement. Only two people were allowed to feed on Shinichi and Yūji, and their names were Moka and Misato, respectively.

"You'll have to forgive your grandmother," Katsu mused, "She gets like this around young people."

"And of course, you were of no exception, Katsu," Anastasia smirked.

"In any case," Katsu spoke up, "I will also talk to them concerning your living arrangements here. You will be training here after all."

"I've been getting tired of not doing anything anyway," Yūji smirked, "I've been getting rusty, and I'm not even old and wrinkly yet."

"Naturally, I will be training you personally, Yūji," Katsu smirked. "As for you, Shinichi, you will undergo training with my second-in-command."

"That's fine," Shinichi accepted.

"Believe me when I say that Gildarts is a reliable man. He's also one of the finest fighters I've come to know. He'll bring you up to become a fine second-in-command to your cousin."

"Hypothetically speaking, since I'm also your great-grandson too, I have a shot at being the 20th Boss too, right?" Shinichi asked.

"There is truth in your words," Katsu agreed, "However, your disappearance had left me with little options, and the Ring Battle had been banned by the 10th after he was inaugurated."

"Why would you even ask that?" Yuki questioned Shinichi.

"Well, if Aniki dies, then I get to be the Big Boss, and that'd be so cool," said Shinichi, grinning. He paused as his grin faded, "Not that I'd want Aniki to die, because that would suck, but me becoming the Big Boss of Vongola would be so awesome." He noticed their looks and turned sheepish as he rubbed the back of his head. "I think I might still have some mental damage from what happened."

"Gee, thanks a lot, Shin. Your confidence in me is breathtaking," Yūji dead-panned sarcastically. "Anyway, what are these Ring Battles, Grand-Dad?"

"The Ring Battle was a competition within the Vongola where if the Boss and an outside party, the leader of CEDEF, disagreed on who would be the next to succeed, they would choose the seven individuals they each believed to be worthy of becoming the next head to battle for the Vongola Rings."

"So it was a tournament...?" Yuki tried to understand.

"A bloody one," Bianca frowned. "Tsuna and his Guardians were pretty much bullied into participating and almost died in their Ring Battles and so he banned the Ring Battles to avoid future bloodshed."

"Family shouldn't have to fight each other," Shinichi gave his opinion. It felt wrong for blood to be shed over money, positions and titles. In the end, loved ones died and everything truly important was lost.

Katsu observed Shinichi, rising from his seat as he walked around his desk and placed his large hand atop his great-grandson's head. "You are much like our ancestor, the Tenth, Shinichi," Katsu smiled. "Youth is a wonderful gift that should never be squandered."

"You're not that old, Ojii-san," said Shinichi. "As Kaa-chan always says, youth is a state of mind, not body."

"Wise words," said Anastasia. "And quite true."

"Now, I know I've missed quite a few birthdays," said Katsu as he picked up a wooden box and held it in his hands. "But I think this might make up for it. Shinichi, this is for you."

Shinichi, curious and hesitant, looked to Yūji and Yuki who gave him looks of encouragement. He accepted the box and took it in his hands.

"What is it?" Shinichi asked. the box was metal with the Vongola emblem on the top.

"Open it," prompted Anastasia. Shinichi slid open the box and his eyes widened as he saw what it was. Sitting inside a velvet mattress was the most beautiful gun he'd ever seen. It was a black revolver pistol with a long guard under the barrel, with the Roman numeral XIII etched into the side. The underside of the barrel's end had a gold plate with a carving resembling a lion. The butt of the gun was also gold-plated and had a thin, red rope hanging from it.

"It's a gun," Shinichi remarked as his fingertips touched the surface of the pistol. "A _very _beautiful gun."

"Wielded by one of your predecessors, the 13th Storm Guardian," Katsu said. "He was rather young, the youngest of his group actually. But he was an excellent marksman and ensured the death of Vongola's enemies; the personification of death and bad luck."

"It's made of Orichalcum," said Anastasia, "A very rare & fine material so it can last _very _long. It's been in the family for generations and has yet to show any signs of age." Shinichi picked up the gun. It was a revolver, with the numeral XIII engraved on the side in gold. "And its name is _Hades_."

"And it's yours," said Katsu. Shinichi looked like a kid who just got an early Christmas present as he examined the gun with a big smile on his face.

"Kaa-chan will so freak out if she sees this," said Shinichi. "But is it OK if I change the name? I don't really like the name 'Hades'."

"What will you name it then?" Katsu asked.

"The Redeemer," answered Shinichi.

"Why Redeemer?" Anastasia asked.

"Because, I'm going to use this gun to redeem myself and atone for my sins," answered Shinichi. "So, what kind of ammo does it use? What range does it have? Is there a lag during the cycle?"

"It's capable of using .50 caliber rounds, as well as Dying Will Bullets," Katsu explained, "It can also fire Orichalcum rounds that are capable of piercing any form of physical shielding."

"Sugei..." Shinichi, upon hearing all that, was eager to fire the thing. "What was his name?"

"He was mostly known by his nickname, _Black Cat_."

According to superstition, black cats were a symbol of bad luck. It was like Shinichi's designation, 13. Black Cat, the 13th Storm Guardian, and now Shinichi the 20th Storm Guardian who carried the designation Number 13. Was it a coincidence or could it be fate? Was it meant to be?

As Shinichi examined the gun, a knock came from the doors, followed by a man dressed like a butler entering the room and heading over to Katsu. Stopping before the current Boss of the Vongola, the butler handed Katsu a small palm pilot-like device. "Sir, I think you should see this."

"What is it?" asked Katsu as he looked at the screen.

"Believe me, sir, you'll know when you see it," the butler replied.

Katsu looked at the screen while Shinichi, Yuji and Yuki looked over at him from their spots in the room. After a moment, Katsu developed a concerned look on his face, his brow furrowing slightly before turning off the device and returning it to his butler. "Interesting. Most interesting indeed."

"Sir, your orders?" asked the butler.

Katsu thought about what he had seen for a moment and then replied, saying, "Keep a close eye on the events and report to me if anything else unfolds. But do not engage unless there is no other alternative."

"Sir," the butler replied with a bow before exiting the room. After a moment, the others looked to their grandfather, with Yuji speaking up.

"What was that all about, Grand-Dad?"

"Oh, nothing for you worry about. Not yet anyway," was Katsu's reply. He then stood up and walked over to them, clapping his hands onto Yuji and Shinichi's shoulders while Yuki stood between them. "Well now, I think it's time you three got the grand tour." He turned to look towards Bianca. "Bianca here will show you around."

"You're not coming with us?" Yuki asked quietly.

"I'll be along in a moment, I just need to make a few calls and then your grandmother and I will catch up."

"Alright then, see you shortly," Shinichi said as he and the others followed Bianca out of the room, waving to their grandfather as they left.

Waiting for the doors to close, Anastasia then walked over to her husband who had headed towards the window and was looking out towards the garden. "Dear, you don't think…"

Katsu, turning to face his wife, simply smiled while saying, "It's nothing to worry about. If I know our old friends, they'll be able to contain this without the Vongola having to get involve."

"Yes, but dear, what we just saw, a Divine Beast? Do you trust those people that much?" Anastasia asked. "Even you know that, with the appearance of the Divine Beast, more things will be sure to follow suit."

"True, but I trust our allies," Katsu replied reassuringly. "I mean, they haven't let us down yet, have they?" Anastasia just smiled and shook her head. "Good then, now let us go and catch up with our grandchildren." Anastasia smiled as she led the way.

* * *

><p>After the meeting with Katsu and Anastasia, Shinichi met up with his mother and his friends from Youkai Academy.<p>

"So, how was your tour around the place?" Shinichi asked.

"This place is so big!" Kurumu spread her arms wide.

"A bit too big if you ask me," Yukari frowned. At least there was plenty of nature around.

Moka shrugged, "It's alright, I guess." She had once lived in a big mansion like this.

Mizore took note of the belt Shinichi wore and the holster holding a gun. "Is that a new gun?" He always carried his stun pistol and the firearm he was carrying was definitely _not _his stun pistol.

Shinichi patted the Redeemer. "Oh this? This is a gift from Ojii-san. It was called the Hades and it belonged to the 13th Storm Guardian. I decided to rename it the Redeemer. I can't wait to test this bad boy out." He noticed Shiori frowning at the sight of the gun. He knew why. She wasn't happy with the idea of him carrying a loaded weapon. But she couldn't stop him knowing why he needed to be armed. GIN-SHOCKER would be coming after him, daily, and he would need a way to defend himself.

* * *

><p>Shinichi went to the Hive Queen's shooting range to test his new weapon. It was old, 7 generations at least, but it still looked brand new. Orihalcum was definitely a very fine material.<p>

Hanging in the distance was his target.. He narrowed his eyes, measuring the distance. The readings appeared in his vision. He then drew and aimed Redeemer before pulling the trigger. He was prepared for the recoil that pushed his arms back slightly. It was strong and the bullet cut through the air before piercing through the target.

Shinichi smiled in satisfaction. "Right between the eyes," he remarked.

"Having fun?" he heard someone ask. He turned around and saw Leon walking through the doorway. "Nice gun," Leon remarked. "A gift from your grandpa?"

"Yeah, she's a beauty, isn't she?" Shinichi smiled. "It used to belong to the 13th Storm Guardian who was dubbed 'the Black Cat'. I can feel it has a lot of history."

"So, you came to test it," Leon concluded.

"I wanted to see if it still worked, to see that it could be useful," Shinichi replied.

"To see if _you_ could be useful," Leon countered.

Shinichi didn't deny it as he said, "Yes. Plus, it's a gift from family."

"Gifts from family are always important," said Leon, tapping his goggles. "My Uncle Ryuki gave me these when I was a kid. I never go anywhere without them." He frowned, "I assume your mother wasn't happy with you having a new gun." Shinichi said nothing as he averted his eyes uncomfortably. "I can understand," Leon continued. "All she wanted for you was a normal life."

"Normalcy is relative. Besides, what is normal these days?" Shinichi retorted. He turned to face the hanging target and glared at the human silhouette drawn on the sheet. He fired again, this time hitting the heart. He fired twice more, hitting the throat and stomach. He was hitting vital areas.

"Just try not to cut people off," Leon advised. "I've seen it happen and it's not a pretty sight." Leon turned and walked away. "I have to go. Tamao needs a bath."

"See you at dinner," said Shinichi as he turned to glare at the target again. "Phyllis, give me a fresh target. This one's done."

"_Affirmative. Setting up new target,"_ said Phyllis. Shinichi took aim with the Redeemer. A normal life for him was out of reach, but at least he could try and maintain a facade of that. He could at least try and live a good life. If only that were easy.

* * *

><p>Because of Tsuna, the 10th Boss, the Vongola Mansion had a large bathing area. It was a mixed bath area but a schedule was made for the boys and girls to bathe separately. Right now, the girls were sharing the large tub to get cleaned and refreshed. The hot water was also filled with minerals that were said to be good for the skin and could promote health.<p>

"I could get used to this," sighed Shiroha. "I wish Yokoshima was here though."

"Hey, I have to ask, what do you see in the guy?" Haruhi asked.

"What do you mean?" Shiroha blinked.

"No offense, but I think there are plenty of guys better than the one you're currently dating," said Haruhi. She had heard that Yokoshima wasn't very intelligent. She had heard that from Daichi.

"Well, I guess Yokoshima has his flaws," Shiroha admitted. "But I like a project I can work with. Plus, he's cute."

"But he doesn't have any special talents. Daichi can play the guitar," Haruhi argued. "And that big guy, Chiaki, can paint."

"Indeed," Gemma agreed. "He's quite talented even if he doesn't say much."

"But I think Shogo-san's the best," said Katsumi. "He's just so disciplined and he works very hard."

"Yokoshima does have a talent!" Shiroha defended.

"Oh yeah," Haruhi rolled her eyes. "He's _very _good at what he does: smashing stuff." That was sarcasm.

"And he does it really well!" Shiroha countered.

As the four girls were discussing/arguing about their respective boyfriends, Ren joined in to talk about Goemon, "Well, Go-kun can dance and keep up with me. There aren't many guys that can do that."

"OK, I'll give you that," Shiroha agreed before adding, "But he's definitely not tougher than Yokoshima."

"Yokoshima might have a hard shell, but Chiaki's stronger," argued Gemma.

"How about we just agree that they each have their strengths and leave it at that?" Katsumi suggested. With that said, the argument was ended, at least for now. They might continue some other time, probably.

Meanwhile, Kurumu was enjoying her soak until Mizore got into the water. It became chilly due to the Yuki-Onna producing her cold.

"Do you mind?" Kurumu asked, shivering and annoyed.

"I'm sorry," Mizore apologized. "I can't help it."

Kurumu sighed. Mizore was a Yuki-Onna. Of course she couldn't help make the water colder. She looked at Moka, "Hey, Moka! Come on in! The water's fine!"

"But I need to give it a herbal treatment," Moka frowned. Because of her nature as a Vampire, water weakened her. That was why she would add a special herbal solution.

"Oh, no problem. Juvia can fix that," said the Undine with a smile. Her body became one with the hot water and it glowed. Juvia then reformed. "All done."

"What did you do?" Kurumu asked.

"Juvia altered the composition of the water to be safe for Moka," Juvia said. She addressed Moka, "Try it. It's fine."

Moka reluctantly and hesitantly put her hand in the water. "It doesn't hurt."

"We Undine have the power to manipulate and alter water. We can also clean up pollutants with ease," said Juvia.

Karin dipped her toe into the water as well before she slowly entered the large tub. "This actually feels really good," she smiled. Being an Anti-Vampire, she not only lacked all of the basic strengths, but also the weaknesses as well. This, of course, included water.

Juvia smiled at the appreciation she was getting. "Juvia is happy to help friends."

* * *

><p>After testing his newly acquired gun, Shinichi decided to take a little bike ride on his own. Italy was a very beautiful country, with a rich history and wonderful culture. There was also a town near the mansion and Shinichi wanted to check it out. He would've brought along company, but he needed some time alone to clear his thoughts. The Cyclone-X3 also needed to run around for a bit as well. It couldn't just stay stashed away in the vehicle bay, unused.<p>

Once he arrived at the town's entrance, he parked his bike and dismounted. He made sure to activate the Cyclone-X3's security system. He didn't want it to get stolen while he explored and checked out the Italian town.

The shopping district wasn't very far from Vongola HQ and Shinichi saw stores, stands and carts with people trying to sell their wares to earn a living. The locals were friendly to him but that was probably because they thought he was a tourist. He was Japanese so obviously he wasn't a local.

A cart selling delicious Italian pastries got Shinichi's attention. "Kurumu-chan would love those," he mused. Unfortunately, Shinichi didn't have any local currency so he couldn't buy anything. All he could do was browse around and do some window shopping. There were some lovely flowers too and he thought of buying them for the girls and his mother to show his appreciation. He had yet to repay the girls for coming to his rescue.

Those girls, in spite of the trouble he had gotten them into, had still risked their lives for him. Sometimes he felt he didn't deserve such good friends. Then again, sometimes he felt he didn't deserve to have anyone love him, not after everything he had done in the past. Still, he felt bad since he hadn't been able to repay them for rescuing him.

* * *

><p>"Hey, where did Shin go?" Yūji asked.<p>

"I saw him head out on his bike," said Yokoshima.

"You let him go out? On his own?" Yuki questioned.

"He'll be fine," said Daichi. "I mean he can take care of himself."

"You seem to forget that he was captured and locked up by GIN-SHOCKER just a few days ago," Yūji retorted. He was worried. He had every right to be.

"Only because that snake-bitch held his mom hostage," countered Daichi.

"Don't worry, Yūji," said Shogo, calming him down. "We've got Phyllis tracking him. According to her, he's fine. He's only in the town not too far from here."

"But what possessed him to go out on his own?" Yūji wondered.

"Maybe he needed some fresh air?" Yokoshima suggested. "You know, to clear his head."

Yūji couldn't deny that. Shinichi had been cooped up onboard the Hive Queen until they arrived at the Vongola HQ. But, he could've at least asked someone to go along with him to watch his back. Why did his cousin insist on doing things alone like this?

* * *

><p>Shinichi was watching a street performer doing his act. All he was doing was juggling random items, while riding a unicycle, and reciting the alphabet backwards.<p>

OK, he had to admit, that was damn impressive!

Once the man was done, Shinichi applauded and the man held out his hat to accept money for his performance. Unfortunately, Shinichi didn't have any cash on him, at least nothing local. All he could give was some Japanese money and that was it. The performer appreciated the donation nonetheless.

"So peaceful," Shinichi observed. But then he suddenly heard a scream. "Spoke too soon," he muttered bitterly.

Murphy's Law was a bitch.

Panicked screaming filled the air and Shinichi went to investigate. He found what was causing a panic and his blood boiled. GS-Soldiers were attacking the town's shopping district, armed with semi-automatic rifles and machetes. They were attacking the stores, carts and stands, and frightening the people. He even spotted the bodies of people who'd tried to fight back only to be gunned down or cut down so cruelly.

When Shinichi spotted the GS-Soldiers attacking the residents of the town, he knew that there was only one reason they were here.

They were here for _him_.

His eyes narrowed as he scowled. When one of the soldiers aimed his gun at a family of civilians, he decided that it was now time to act. He drew Redeemer and pulled the trigger. The bullet flew as it cut through the air before piercing the GS-Soldier's skull. The soldier went stiff before going limp and collapsing like a sand castle when it got knocked over.

"No more," said Shinichi. He then ran over to the family and told them, "Go now! Run!" They didn't argue with him as they ran off. The other GS-Soldiers aimed their attention on Shinichi, their weapons trained on him. He cracked his knuckles. "You want a piece of me? You want a piece of me!? Come and get me!"

* * *

><p>Back at the Vongola Mansion, Yūji met a familiar face; the man who helped Yūji against Nagazawa back in Neo Domino and helped him discover his Transcended powers.<p>

"Hey, it's been awhile," Gajeel grinned as he greeted Yūji as they bumped fists.

"Well, look at you," Yūji grinned, "Man, where the hell have you been?!"

"Around. Decided to tag along and see what the fuss was about. Been bored so I was wondering if this is gonna be exciting or not."

"Hey, did you guys just get an alert from Phyllis telling you that Shinichi's in the middle of a fight?" Yokoshima asked. All eyes turned to him. "What?"

"He's in a middle of a fight?" Yūji asked. "Then what the hell are we waiting for? We have to move! Now!"

* * *

><p>Back in the town, Shinichi fought melee-style and using gun-fu. He pistol-whipped and kicked at the soldiers before shooting at them. Shinichi was suddenly aware that he wasn't fighting the GS-Troopers alone. There was a man who appeared out of nowhere and he just blasted one of the troopers through a wall.<p>

"Who are you?" he asked.

"Gildarts Clive, the 19th Storm Guardian of the Vongola Famiglia," the man answered. "At your service." He suddenly found himself staring into the barrel of a very familiar gun. "What's this about?" Gildart asked.

"I don't believe you. Prove that you are who you claim you are," Shinichi ordered. Katsu may have mentioned Gildarts' name before but Shinichi wasn't the type to believe a stranger right off the bat.

"Is that the Hades?" Gildarts questioned. "How did you get your hands on it?"

"It was a gift. Now, prove to me that you're Gildarts Clive, _now_," Shinichi demanded once more.

"Is this really necessary?" Gildarts asked. The GS-Troopers lunged at them but Shinichi pivoted on his heel, pulling the trigger to fire the bullets in succession. He unloaded the shells before reloading fresh bullets into the cylinder. Gildarts blinked and was impressed. That was some fine gun-handling.

"Nice," said Gildarts approvingly. "Katsu definitely made the right choice of giving you the Hades.".

"We're not done yet," Shinichi shot back.

"Believe it or not, Katsu and I go way back, kid," said Gildarts. Shinichi was about to ask some more when his danger senses alerted him. He grabbed Gildarts by his coat. "Hey!"

"Move!" Shinichi shouted as he tossed Gildarts out of the way. Explosions erupted around Shinichi and threw him into the air. He smashed against a bench and groaned in pain. He opened his eyes and saw what had attacked him. It was muscular, humanoid Kaijin, covered in black and white fur, with a bear-like appearance. Around its waist was a GIN-SHOCKER belt. Its hands were glowing with smoke arising from the fingertips.

"GIN-SHOCKER..." Shinichi growled.

"That's right and my name is Plasma Panda!" the Panda Cyborg Mutant declared. "Now, die in the name of the Great Leader!" He aimed his hands at Shinichi to fire another barrage of plasma blasts. However, a thick mist suddenly rolled in, much to their surprise and confusion. "What is this? Mist?" Plasma Panda was suddenly hit by a violent blow that sent him sprawling.

The mist cleared and Plasma Panda saw that now Shinichi was no longer alone. Helping him up was Yūji Fudō and behind the two cousins were Leon Smith, Michiru Masami, Yokoshima Ryuunosuke-Magi, Gajeel Redfox and Juvia Loxar.

"What is this!?" Plasma Panda demanded. He wasn't aware of it, but he was facing the 20th Generation of the Vongola Famiglia. They weren't official just yet but if he was smart, the Cyborg Mutant would want to be somewhere else.

"You OK, Shin?" Yūji asked.

"I'm fine, Aniki," said Shinichi. Leon flicked his forehead.

"Idiot, next time call for backup," Leon scolded.

Shinichi frowned, "And how would I-?"

Leon interrupted, "You have your communicator, don't you? Honestly, for someone so smart, you can be so dumb."

Shinichi retorted, "Are you here to insult me or help me?"

"Can't I do both?"

"Why do you have to be such pain in the ass?!" Shinichi snapped, his eyes turning red.

"Because I can," Leon replied, a smug smile growing on his face.

"Damn you..." Shinichi growled, a vein pulsing on his head.

"Such a hideous thing," Juvia frowned. The Cyborg Mutant looked like a panda but it was hideous.

"Hey, don't make fun of me!" shouted Plasma Panda as he prepared to fire but Gajeel was fast as he closed the gap and buried a steel plated fist into Plasma Panda's stomach, causing him to double over. Gajeel then launched him into the air, leaving Plasma Panda vulnerable to a barrage of water missiles that caused him pain and damage. He crashed violently to the ground.

"Good job," Yūji said to the Steel Manakyte and Undine, the latter blushing from the appreciation. He put on his belt and took slid in the CAS card. "Now, let's get wild and take care of business. Henshin!"

"**ZERO FORM!"**

Yokoshima and Michiru echoed, "Henshin!"

Leon activated his Mobirider with his Necros Key, "Rider Change!"

"**KAMEN RIDER NECROS!"**

Shinichi watched as his fellow Riders donned their armors. He then followed suit, "Let's Ride: Showa!" His armor also materialized and the green eyes of his helmet flashed.

Meanwhile, Gildarts was watching from the safety of a rooftop. After Shinichi had thrown him out of harm's way, the 19th Storm Guardian decided to observe from a safe distance. Once the others had arrived, he knew his help was no longer required. The younger generation should be able to handle this. "So, this is the 20th Generation. Interesting, and five of them are Kamen Riders," he remarked. He remained at his spot to see them in action.

Showa addressed Juvia and Gajeel, "If you're gonna fight with us Riders, you're going to need to fight as Riders."

"Huh?" Juvia wore a look of confusion as Gajeel looked interested. Showa got behind them and put a hand behind each of them.

"Let's Form Ride: Biorider!" The hand on Juvia's back glowed and Biorider's Sunriser belt appeared around her waist. "Stronger!" Gajeel's waist was adorned with the Electrer. In a flash, the two were donned in armor corresponding to their belts, becoming Kamen Rider Stronger (Gajeel) and RX Biorider (Juvia). In Juvia's case, the armor conformed to her body shape.

"Wow," said Biorider (Juvia) as she looked at her hands and studied the armor by touching the helmet. "Amazing."

"Nice trick," said Stronger (Gajeel) as he flexed his fingers. Showa nodded in approval.

"Alright, guys, let's take this freak down," Liger Zero ordered.

"Kamen Riders, ikuze!" Showa commanded. The Riders all charged at Plasma Panda. the Cyborg Mutant summoned forth more GS-Soldiers to back him up. Biorider, Stronger, Armadillo, Carmen and Necros engaged the soldiers, leaving Plasma Panda to Liger Zero and Showa.

"Bio Blade!" Biorider called and with a smile under her helmet turned her lower body into liquid. She shot through the air, slashing at the GS-Soldiers with her sword, sending them sprawling to the ground. Reforming her lower body, she then performed a roundhouse and lashed out with blades of water, knocking more of the soldiers down. "Juvia feels so strong!" she cheered.

"OI-RYAH!" Stronger punched the ground and using his Iron Manakyte powers, created a series of metal rods that shot out and slammed into the soldiers, sending them flying into the air. "Now..." he growled as his body became covered with electricity. He then launched himself into the air and shouted, "ELECTRO FIRE!" He unleashed Stronger's electrical powers and formed a net of lightning which spread out and destroyed the soldiers before he landed on his feet. "Heh, weak."

"STRIKE!" Armadillo (Ball Mode) shouted as he mowed down the GS-Soldiers. He unrolled himself and swung his arms, hitting the soldiers and knocking them down. He stomped one of the fallen on the chest and beat his chest. He continued to swing his arms, his body enveloped in golden flames. "You want some!?" he challenged as he rolled into a ball and sprouted spikes before he ploughed through the soldiers before him, knocking them down like pins in a bowling alley. "Another strike!" he cheered.

"Hi-yah!" Carmen soared through the air after she jumped and kicked two soldiers in the chest. She performed a sweep kick and then a backflip. She then stood up and performed a tornado kick that sent them sprawling. Her hands glowed and became scythe blades as chains extended from her arms. "Hup! Soi-ryah!" She performed a twirl and slashed at the soldiers before performing flips and jumps, sending her chains and scythes flying about, hitting her targets. The chains retracted and her scythes reformed into her hands. The soldiers all lunged at her but she gunned them down. "Yatta!"

Necros used Shunpo to take down his foes, becoming a blur that they could not catch. Sparks and blood fled as he cut through their armored uniformed. He twirled his Ankh Sword in his hand and then lashed out with an energy slash. He took out a random Rider Key, this time the one representing Arc, and folded it into key form. As the soldiers attacked, he ducked and dodged, bobbed and weaved, before tossing the Rider Key up. It fell down and slotted itself into the Ankh Sword's keyhole.

"**FINAL BREAK!"**

Dark energy enveloped the Ankh Sword as golden lightning crackled around it. He lashed out and the energy waved engulfed the soldiers, leaving nothing of them behind as Arc's personal symbol hovered in the air before vanishing.

Back with Showa and Liger Zero, the Cicada used his whip blades as Liger used his claws. Plasma Panda blasted at Liger Zero with his plasma bolts but Showa shielded the white Rider with an energy shield. "Aniki!" Showa exclaimed as he defended his cousin.

"Thanks, Shin! Give me a boost!" Liger Zero jumped onto Showa's shoulders and then vaulted himself into the air. Plasma Panda tried to blast him but energy whips bound his arms uselessly together. Liger Zero slashed Plasma Panda across the chest and then his back before kicking him into the air. Showa, still holding the energy whips, tugged hard and brought Plasma Panda crashing violently to the ground.

"Do you...think...this is enough..." growled Plasma Panda. "My awesomeness and bodacity won't let me lose!" He went into a Kung Fu stance. "Whatchaaa!"

"Oi, Yokoshima!" Showa shouted. "CRUSHER BALL ATTACK!"

"OK!" Armadillo rolled into a ball. "Michiru, kick me!"

"Hai!" Carmen saluted before she kicked Armadillo to Showa. Ball Mode Armadillo went soaring towards Showa but he was ready.

"Oi, Leon!" Showa kicked Armadillo to Necros. Necros was ready as well as he jumped and kicked Armadillo.

"Gajeel!" Necros passed Armadillo to Stronger. Stronger grinned as Armadillo came at him and instead of kicking, he punched the balled up Kamen Rider.

"Juvia!" Stronger shouted as Armadillo flew towards Biorider who panicked as Armadillo came at her. Then, out of instinct, she kicked Armadillo to Yūji . "Ah, Yūji-sama!"

Liger saw Armadillo coming and kicked him back to Showa. "Shinichi, I don't know what this is about, but all yours!"

Showa leapt up and summoned his Gravity Hammer. He then smashed the hammer into Armadillo and sent him rocketing towards Plasma Panda. Ball Mode Armadillo's body was coated in golden flames before he smashed into the Cyborg Kaijin with explosive force, knocking him violently to the ground.

"AND IT'S A GOAL!" cheered Armadillo as he unrolled out of his ball form.

Plasma Panda slowly stood back up, his body twitching jerking. The force of the Crusher Ball Attack had damaged his systems, leaving him a sitting duck.

"**FULL CHARGE!" **

"Shin," Liger Zero said to his cousin whose wings spread.

"Aniki," Showa nodded and he launched himself into the air as Liger Zero pounced on Plasma Panda.

"**STRIKE LASER CLAW!"** Liger Zero roared as he slashed at the Cyborg Mutant.

"**RIDER BURST KICK!"** Showa performed his signature Rider Kick a second after Liger Zero landed his own attack. The kick sent Plasma Panda flying before he exploded into a fireball.

Gildarts who watched remarked simply with, "Hm, impressive." He had witnessed not only their individual combat capabilities, but also their ability to work as a team. He saw potential in them and he liked what he saw. "Looks like these kids are gonna make history."

* * *

><p>Later that night, Shinichi felt in the mood for a midnight snack. He went down into the Vongola HQ's kitchen to grab something to eat. He just hoped there were some leftovers that could fill his stomach before he went back to sleep. Navigating the mansion was easy as he had memorized the layout earlier when Bianca had given them the tour earlier.<p>

He opened the fridge and grinned as he saw a ham inside set on a platter. He also saw slices of bread. Good, he could make himself a simple sandwich. He took out the items and put them on the kitchen counter. Suddenly, his twin ahoge twitched, alerting him of danger. He looked up at the cabinet and he saw a reflection in them, of a figure sneaking up behind him. Shinichi spun around as the figure lunged at him with a knife. The two fell to the floor with Shinichi trying to fight off the assailant.

That was when Yūji came down. He'd come down for a snack too when he saw his cousin on the floor, fighting off a ninja. "Aniki!" Shinichi shouted. Normally, Shinichi wouldn't have any trouble fighting off a human assassin, but this ninja seemed to be way stronger than a normal human.

Yūji also happened to recognize the ninja. "Yamikawa?"

Shinichi kneed his assailant in the gut and threw him to the floor. He then got up and stood next to Yūji, eyes ablaze with anger and confusion.

"Yamikawa, what the hell are you doing!?" Yūji questioned. Yamikawa pulled down his mask.

"Forgive me for the surprise visit, Yūji-dono, but I am here to exact my vengeance upon the man who killed my sister," said Yamikawa.

Shinichi snapped, "Hey, I don't even know you! I was just in the kitchen trying to make myself a midnight snack when you attacked me! And who's your sister anyway!?"

Yūji answered, "This is Yamikawa, Hana's big brother." Shinichi's eyes went wide with shock at this. He didn't know Hana even had a brother.

Yamikawa confirmed, "Indeed, and I am surprised you're harboring the man who killed my sister, Yūji-dono."

Shinichi retorted, "She's alive, isn't she?"

Yūji tried to placate the ninja, "Easy, Yami, it's not Shin's fault. He was being controlled. And he just got over blaming himself, so let's not try to raise any burned bridges back up, OK?"

Shinichi added, "Plus Hana forgave me. But I still don't appreciate being attacked while in the middle of making a ham sandwich."

Yamikawa apologized as he bowed, "Forgive me. It's my fault for acquiring old information. I was told of what happened and made it my objective to find you. My search lead me to learn that you had been taken in by the most powerful mafia in the world."

Shinichi answered, "Yeah, which is headed by my great-grandfather."

Yamikawa asked Yūji, "And your connection to him?"

Yūji answered, "We're cousins, Yamikawa. No bullshit."

Yamikawa was taken aback, not expecting this, "I see... And you say Hana has forgiven you?"

Shinichi answered, "Yes, after she learned about the circumstances behind what happened. Yamikawa-san, we were all victims of GIN-SHOCKER's manipulation. I was no different."

Yūji added, "And if Hana was the one who had her emotions suppressed for ten goddamn years, it'd be the other way around."

Yamikawa's eyes widened at the thought of his sister being made into a soulless killing machine, "Those bastards..." he snarled, clenching his fist.

Yūji continued, "We're preparing for war against the fuckers, Yamikawa. I'm hoping you can be at our side, maybe even join the Family."

Yamikawa told him, "You've been taking care of my sister, Yūji-dono. For that, I am grateful and owe you thanks. Hearing the details of your proposal is the least I can do."

Yūji said, "We'll discuss the details in the morning then."

Shinichi quipped, "Yes, and I got a snack to get back to, if you don't mind."

Yamikawa advised, "You should put your livelihood above everything else. A second longer and your head would've been mine."

Shinichi replied, "A second longer and you would've been vaporized. I'm much stronger than I look and I'm hard to kill." Many had tried to kill him, only to suffer the consequences.

Yamikawa informed, "Well, I'll see you boys in the morning. And don't tell Hana I'm here yet. I wanna surprise her, now that I'm here. I'm sure I can find my own room." He held up his index and middle finger over his chest and instantly vanished from their sights, leaving no trace.

Shinichi deadpanned, "Ninjas."

Yūji grinned, "What can I say? They're badass." He then asked, "So, a ham sandwich?"

"Just bread and ham," said Shinichi. Yūji opened the fridge.

"Hey, they got bacon, lettuce, tomato, cheese and mayo in here," Yūji said.

"Bring em out," Shinichi said. He questioned, "So, that was Hana's brother, huh? How did you guys meet?"

Yūji answered, "Found him in a village close to Mt. Fuji. Turns out Hana came from a clan of ninjas. With enough training, she would've been a real Kunoichi."

"Makes sense," said Shinichi. Hana's skills at stealth and infiltration were a staple in a ninja's repertoire.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, The 19th Generation of the Vongola Famiglia were seated in a conference chamber. The table they sat in was circular, with chairs that held their individual symbols, representing the Dying Will Flames they possessed. The centre of the table was emblazoned with the Vongola coat of arms.<p>

"So, Gildarts. What do you think of your successor?" Katsu asked.

"To be honest, the kid has issues. He actually pointed a gun at me," said Gildarts.

"Seems like a sensible lad," grinned Anderson. "I like him already."

Owen retorted, "Oh, you'd think that, wouldn't you, Anderson."

"I have to admit that he's got balls," said Vash.

"Settle down, everyone," Anastasia coaxed them to calm down. "We are here to assess our successors, not argue."

"Well, they have potential from what I've seen," said Vash. "A real cohesive team. Nothing wrong with their teamwork."

"Powerful too for this generation," said Morgan. "If they complement their own abilities with their respective Dying Will Flames, they will become unstoppable."

"But they are still green, in my opinion," interjected Owen. "However, given time, they might be ready for the Succession Exam."

"Oh, they are in no ways green," disagreed Gildarts. "I've seen them in action. I think they're ready for the succession exam."

"Even so, maybe it's best that they train for a few months before they take the exam," said Katsu. "So far only three of them have accessed their Flames. The others have yet to unlock or master their Flames. It is far too soon before they can even think of participating in the exam. I say we have them take the exam in January to give them more time. Mid-January."

"Works for me," Gildarts shrugged.

"I find it agreeable," Anastasia nodded.

"Same here," Anderson added. "But aside from that, there is another reason why we are here, isn't it?"

"Of course," Katsu nodded, bring out a remote. A holographic globe instantly appeared in the center. On several locations of the world, there were several red dots. "One of Yūji's friends managed to gather some data from GIN-SHOCKER's Baghdad base before it was destroyed. I had Bianca copy the information from him so that we could have it reviewed ourselves."

"So then," Morgan smiled, "The plan is to make our mark on GIN-SHOCKER."

"Exactly," Katsu nodded. "The points you see before you are the current bases GIN-SHOCKER has stationed. To that end, each of us will select a base for a raid and wipe it off the face of this planet."

"Oh yeah, they are gonna regret messing with the Vongola!" Vash grinned.

"Even if God forgives them, we shan't," agreed Anderson.

"Then it is decided. As of now, the Vongola Famiglia shall go to war with GIN-SHOCKER!" declared Katsu.

"I'll drink to that!" said Gildarts.

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: And so begins the Vongola Arc. Shinichi and Yuji meet their great-grandfather, Katsu Goryu, and the man is definitely larger than life. He's old, but he's powerful, and he's got a presence that tells you not to mess with him. Also, some action scenes as we see the new 20th generation work together. However, will things truly run as smoothly as they seem.<strong>


	80. Vongola: Internal Affairs

**Chapter 80****: Internal Affairs**

Italy was a beautiful country and the members of the Renegades took this opportunity to have a vacation. After what they had just recently been through, they deserved the chance to rest and relax. However, there were those who preferred to use this time to do some work.

Yūji found Shinichi up aboard the Hive Queen, in the laboratory. Shinichi sat at a table and next to him was a barrel marked with a hazard symbol for explosives. He had an injector gun in hand and was using it to fill small, bullet-sized, cylindrical capsules. Curious, Yūji went over and picked one of the glass capsules up. Inside, he could see glowing green gel.

"Aniki?" Shinichi looked up once he noticed his cousin's presence.

Yūji asked as he inspected the capsule in his hand, "Hey Shin, what are you working on?"

Shinichi answered as he returned to his work, "Incendiary gel tubes. Very flammable and sensitive to heat." Yūji's eyes widened and he looked from side to side before he set the capsule back down as gently as he could. "Don't worry. Those tubes won't break so easily. Plus the caps make sure the gel is well insulated." He stood up. "Come on, let me show you what they can do."

"You're gonna give me a live demonstration?" Yūji questioned as he followed.

"Pretty much," Shinichi answered as he collected his things. "Now, let's go. I really want to show you how these work." While most would worry that Shinichi was working with explosive substances, Yūji understood that Shinichi worked as a way of coping with things. According to Morrigan, Shinichi was a bit of a workaholic.

* * *

><p>In the shooting range, Shinichi had just loaded the Redeemer with the incendiary gel tubes. He looked to Yūji and warned him, "You might want to step back." Yūji nodded and stepped back. "A little more," Shinichi added. "Two steps more." Yūji did as told. "OK, perfect." Shinichi aimed at the target in the distance. He pulled the trigger and fired, releasing one of the tubes. It hit the target, shattering on impact. This was followed by an impressive explosion.<p>

"WHOA!" exclaimed Yūji, awed by the display.

"Looks like they work," Shinichi smiled in approval.

"And the impact was enough to get it to break and get a reaction. Nice," Yūji grinned.

Shinichi answered, "Also, they can be used as explosives all on their own. Each capsules is rigged with a detonator that can be set off remotely."

Yūji stated, "A remote that you own."

"Of course. Who else can I trust to hold it? Now, do you wanna stay for the rest of the test?"

"I've got time. Go ahead, cousin," Yūji encouraged. Shinichi smiled and continued the test.

Hime, who'd been walking by, heard the explosion and peeked inside. She then rolled her eyes and uttered, "Boys and their toys..."

* * *

><p>Walking down one of the corridors of the Hive Queen, Leon came to a set of doors that led into the main lab for the doctors, Magi and Washam. Entering the lab as the doors opened, Leon saw Magi looking at a screen while standing before a lab table. "How's Alita doing?" Leon asked Dr. Magi in his lab. Alita was lying on a repair table.<p>

"We've finished her repairs," said Dr. Magi as he removed his gloves. As Magi moved aside, the table rose up a bit. "However, we just don't know how to wake her up." Leon studied Alita. All of the damage she had sustained was now gone.

"_According to data on her model, she requires a significant amount of energy to start up_," said Phyllis.

"What kind of energy?" asked Leon.

"Some kind of bio-electricity," said Dr. Magi. "Unfortunately, we don't have anything like that. Granted, she should be able to produce her own for the reboot process, being a Gen III Bio-Android. But this may be a flaw in her design that was overlooked."

"Bio-electricity, huh?" Leon frowned. He recalled something his Uncle Ryuki had told him and decided to chance it. He leaned in, pressing Alita's face, then kissed her on the lips.

"What are you doing?" Dr. Magi asked as Leon broke the kiss.

"Giving her the spark she needs," said Leon. The machines monitoring Alita's status began to give out indications.

"_She's starting up_," reported Phyllis. "_Weapon systems at 100%. Mobility at 100%. Cognitive Functions at 100%. All physical sensors at 100%._"

Dr. Magi just gawked as Alita's eyes began to open and glow. She slowly sat up from the table and scanned where she was. She looked at Leon and asked, "Are you my Master?"

"You could say that," he said. "But I'd rather be your friend."

Alita nodded and then asked, "What are your orders?"

"I'd like you to come live with me," said Leon.

"Very well. I will live with you, Master."

"And call me Leon."

"If you command so, Leon-sama." A small sweat drop appeared next to Leon's head. This was going to take some getting used to.

"Now, Alita. Dr. Magi is going to be taking care of you. Can you do what he says?" Leon asked. Alita nodded.

"Affirmative."

"OK," Leon nodded then addressed Dr. Magi, "Dr. Magi, can you look over her some more while I'm gone?"

"Well, it wouldn't hurt, but where are you off to?" Dr. Magi questioned.

"I promised Tamao I'd go play with her," said Leon. "Well, later." As Leon left the room, Alita's gaze followed him with a look of longing.

"Now, lie down, Alita. We're going to examine you again," instructed Dr. Magi. Silently and obediently, Alita lay down to allow Dr. Magi to finish his examination of her.

* * *

><p>Celeste, a Chimera Beast created by GIN-SHOCKER, was sitting in the Hive Queen's artificial garden. She sat under a tree, contemplating her path from now on. The Hive Queen wasn't just a base. It had also become a sanctuary for refugees. Her body had recovered from her injuries well and with nothing else to do, she was left alone with only her thoughts to keep her company. Despite the fact that she was technically a POW (Prisoner of War), she was treated kindly by the people in the helicarrier. However, Celeste knew not to overstep her bounds. If she gave them any reason to believe that she was still an enemy, they would have her dealt with severely. GIN-SHOCKER wouldn't want her back either. They probably knew that she'd helped the enemy so she was marked as a traitor.<p>

"Onee-chan!" Tamao suddenly glomped Celeste, her tail wagging back and forth happily.

"Oh, Tamao," said Celeste and the fox girl beamed. She then blinked. If Tamao was here, that meant...

"Tamao, don't run off like that," Leon scolded as he caught up with the Kitsune. Tamao pouted.

"But Onee-chan is here," countered Tamao as she hugged Celeste. "She was all by herself."

For a brief moment, their eyes locked. Ever since bringing her aboard the Hive Queen and having her injuries treated, Leon had not really seen Celeste all that much. And when he did see her, she would leave without even giving a reason. It was as if she was ashamed of herself or was embarrassed for some reason.

Her eyes meeting his, Celeste took a moment to let the appearance of the Shinigami register in her mind. "Oh, Leon," Celeste blushed. "What are you doing here?" If she could run, she would. But with Tamao currently attached to her, she really had no way of leaving at the moment.

"Throwing a frisbee with Tamao," said Leon as he held up said frisbee. "And you?"

"Nothing, just thinking," she told him.

Another few tense seconds passed by before Leon spoke up. "How are your injuries?" he asked her.

"I'm all healed up," said Celeste. "I just needed to shed my skin and I was good as new."

"Oh, because you're a snake," he recalled. Celeste nodded in confirmation and was about to continue when Tamao spoke up excitedly.

"Onee-chan, come play with us!" urged Tamao cutely. "Please~~!"

Celeste couldn't resist the cute puppy dog look on Tamao's face and relented, "Alright." She stood up and Tamao cheered. "Let's play." She walked up to Leon with Tamao. They started tossing the frisbee to each other.

"Say, Celeste," began Leon as he caught the frisbee before throwing it back to Tamao. "You don't have anywhere to live, right?"

"Well, I've been assigned quarters here so I have a place to sleep," she answered as she caught the frisbee Tamao threw "Why?" She threw it back at Leon.

"I've actually found a place for me, Tamao and Aphrodite to live in, and I was wondering if you'd like to join us," he replied as he threw the frisbee back to her.

Celeste blinked. She was so stunned by the offer that she nearly missed catching the frisbee again. "Are you...serious? You're asking me to move in with you?"

"Not just us," said Leon. "A few more people."

"Won't it be crowded?" she asked.

"The place is really big!" said Tamao.

"It's a mansion," he said. "On an island called Providence."

"How did you afford a mansion?" Celeste asked.

"I've got connections. So, yes or no?"

"Please say yes, Onee-chan!" begged Tamao.

* * *

><p>The following morning, a car was parked in front of the gate of the Vongola HQ. Two people stepped out of the car. One was a man who was in his late thirties to early forties with dark hair. He was Asian, judging from his features, and wore a white shirt with a blue blazer with matching pants. The other, who came out from the driver's side, was a Caucasian female with blonde hair, a hard steely gaze in her almond-shaped green eyes, and a professional aura. However, conflicting with her professional appearance, she was dressed casually in a black blouse under a leather jacket with a pair of jeans. She also wore combat boots.<p>

"Is this the place, Anrietta-san?" the man asked.

"It is, Saburo," said the woman, Anrietta. "The email said that he was here. Let's hope this is not a false lead again."

"Yeah, getting tired of those," the man said. "If he's here then that means it's time I gave him something." He patted his blazer pocket.

"Let's ring the doorbell," said Anrietta.

"Ladies first," Saburo said. Anrietta rolled her eyes then rang the doorbell above the intercom. The video screen turned on to display Bianca's face.

"Good morning and welcome to the Vongola Mansion. Please, state your name and your business," said Bianca.

After Anrietta and Saburo identified themselves and explained the reason they had come, Bianca told them, "Excuse me." She then turned off the video feed. She needed to confirm this story. She went to where Shinichi and Shiori were in the middle of an intense game of checkers.

"I'm sorry to interrupt but you have guests. They said that they came for you," Bianca informed the Banabaras.

"Who are they?" Shinichi asked suspiciously.

"Saburo Takara and Anrietta Berkins," Bianca answer. "They claim they're from Interpol."

"So, they came," said Shiori, smiling. She had been expecting them.

"Kaa-chan, do you know them?" Shinichi asked his mother, wondering how she knew them.

"Yes," Shiori answered. "They knew your father and, with the help of an old friend, I was able to contact them and I told them you were here."

"Was that wise?" Bianca asked.

"Don't worry. You can trust them," assured Shiori. "After Sho-chan passed away, they were the ones who helped me."

* * *

><p>After confirming their identities, the gate opened and they drove in and parked in front of the mansion where Bianca stood to welcome them, greeting them in person. Anrietta and Saburo were brought to the sitting room where Shiori greeted them with a hug.<p>

"Oh, it's been so long!" Shiori beamed.

"How have you been, Shiori?" asked Anrietta.

"Better than I've ever been!" Shiori said with a smile. "And how about you, Saburo-kun? Still single?"

"Still looking for the right girl, Shiori-san," Saburo answered. Shiori smiled and then addressed her son.

"Shinji, these are Anrietta Berkins-san and Saburo Takara-san," Shiori introduced. "Anrietta-san, Saburo-san, this is Shinji."

"Hey kid," Saburo smiled as he gave Shinichi the once over. "Wow, you've grown. I mean, the last time I saw you, you were running around with your pants on your head." Shinichi blushed in embarrassment. He then looked at Anrietta. According to his mother, Saburo had been his father's partner in Interpol. Anrietta, however, was his father's kohai. Shotaro had pretty much been her mentor prior to his death.

"So, you both knew Tou-chan," said Shinichi.

"We did, and there's something he wanted us to give to you," said Saburo as he took out an envelope and handed it to Shinichi. Shinichi took it and saw the what was written on it.

"It's a letter, from Tou-chan," Shinichi realized.

"He gave it to me," said Saburo Takara. "He told me to give it to his son if he turned up one day."

"Go on," Shiori urged. "Read it."

Shinichi opened the envelope and took out the letter. He sat down to read it.

It read as followed:

_Dear Shinji__,_

_I really hate goodbyes, but if you're reading this, that means I'm gone. But this also mean you've been found and I'm glad for it. I spent years looking for you. When you disappeared, your mother was never the same and I hated seeing her so depressed. She wasn't the cheerful and exuberant woman I fell in love with. I knew I had to find you with all my power and resources to bring that smile back. _

_By the time I write this letter, it has been five years since you disappeared, and I thought that it'd be a good idea. I don't know why. I just had this weird feeling, y'know? Call it 'Shotaro's Intuition'. I didn't tell your mother, though. She'd freak. She was back to her usual self by this time too, but she still hoped to see you again. She misses you. I miss you. I was gonna teach you how to ride a bicycle, y'know? Take you out to the park. Play catch. Heck, maybe teach you how to swim. Also, I was gonna teach you how to use your cuteness to your advantage. You were one cute kid. But that's why your mom puts you in those dresses. She wanted a girl too but she loved you anyway and wanted to play dress up. I just hope you didn't end up with any psychological issues about that. I don't want you to end up as a crossdresser, unless you need to go undercover, like that one time...never mind._

_If you're reading this, then promise me that you'll take care of your mother. Also promise me that the people who took you from us receive justice. You might end up bitter and full of anger for what they did to you and our family, but promise me that you won't go after them with hatred, anger and need for revenge. If you do that, you'll kill a part of yourself._

_I used to tell you, a police officer seeks justice, not vengeance. I can't tell you the difference but you should know it yourself. Also, remember, that I will always love you and your mother. When I'm gone, make sure your mother moves on and be happy. Maybe find someone else. And you, find someone to fall in love with and settle down too. I may want justice, but what I really want is for you to be happy._

_Signed: Your Father, Shotaro Banabara_

Include with the letter was a picture of Shotaro, Shiori and Shinichi (Shinji) when he was a baby.

Shinichi's eyes were filled with tears that dripped onto the letter. "Tou-chan..." he whispered.

"Are you OK, Shinji-kun?" asked Saburo.

"I'm fine, Takara-san," Shinichi said as he wiped his tears. "Arigatou."

"It's the least I can do," said Saburo.

"Now, I think it's time we asked some questions," began Anrietta. "First: What happened to you?"

"It's a very, very long story," said Shinichi. "I don't even know where to begin."

* * *

><p><strong>Hive Queen-Surgery Room<strong>

Dr. Magi and Dr. Washam were preparing Chiaki for surgery. Today was the day that the #02 of the NUMBERS would be receiving a new voice box.

"Are you ready?" Dr. Magi asked. Chiaki nodded. He had been ready for a really long time. His voice had been taken from him but now he would be getting it back.

"You'll be heavily sedated," Dr. Washam explained as he took out a syringe. "We can't have you awake for this sensitive procedure."

"**I understand,"** Chiaki signed.

"Pretty soon, you won't need those signs anymore to communicate," smiled Dr. Magi. "Carl, administer the anesthetic." Dr. Washam nodded and buried the needle into Chiaki's arm. It would travel through Chiaki's bloodstream and numb the pain. "Now, time to sedate you." A breathing mask was put over Chiaki's face to feed the sleeping gas into him to put him to sleep so the two scientists could begin the operation.

* * *

><p>Riza was in her workout clothes and ready to start another training session. While she didn't exactly need any advanced equipment to train, the Hive Queen's training room made her usual training sessions more challenging or satisfying. Plus, the AI, Phyllis, knew exactly what she needed.<p>

As soon as the doors opened and she entered the large room, she saw the last person she expected to see: Leon Smith. Instantly, her good mood vanished as she saw the Shinigami taking down pseudo-opponents with his sword. After he was done, he finally took notice of her at the entrance of the training room, staring at her coldly.

Ever since that day he'd confessed to murdering her brother, she had avoided him. Actually, she first tried to kill him, and then she decided to avoid him, keeping her distance. However, both of them knew it couldn't last forever.

"Oh, _you're _here," she said. She turned to exit, "I'll come back when you're done." She refused to say more or make eye contact. The sight of him was causing her feral side to act up, to seek retribution. However, he would not have her turn her back on him and ignore him. They needed to talk, _now_.

"Wait," said Leon as he used Shunpo, blocking her path. "We need to talk."

"There's nothing to talk about," she retorted before giving him a warning, "Step aside or I'll make you."

Leon replied, "That's a lie, and you know it. You want to know why I did what I did."

"What's the point?" she shot back. "He's dead, you killed him, end of story."

"And you're satisfied if it were that simple?" he asked before catching her fist.

"I told you to step aside," she growled. She tried to pull her arm back but he had a strong grip. He really didn't want her to leave just yet.

"I had my reasons when I killed him," he told her.

"And it makes it alright? You _killed _him. I was looking for him...AND YOU KILLED HIM!" She punched with her other fist only he didn't catch it this time. He didn't even block or avoid it. He let it hit his face. It didn't affect him all that much, but her tears did. "He's gone, and it's all your fault...you took him away from me."

Leon opened his mouth, wanting to tell her why he had to kill her brother. However, the sight of her now, crying in grief, prevented him from saying another word. Riza loved her brother and if she knew why he had to die it would just shatter her heart to pieces. Leon might be a cold person at times, but not even he could do something as horrible as shatter someone's perception. Besides, he knew that Riza's brother had no choice.

That still did not make what he'd done right.

Leon let Riza's fist go and stepped aside to let her run past him. She ran, without looking back, and the door slammed shut as soon as she left. Leon hung his head in shame.

"Well...crap."

* * *

><p>As Riza fled from the training room, shedding tears, she didn't look where she was running and bumped straight into Gajeel.<p>

Gajeel asked as he stumbled, "Whoa there, what's the hurry?"

"I don't wanna talk about it! Leave me alone!" she snapped at him as she went around him.

"This is about Smith, isn't it?" Gajeel guessed causing her to pause.

"What do you know?" she questioned as she turned to face him.

"Oh, that I know he killed your brother," Gajeel grinned. "And you want revenge."

"Like you know what that's like," she scoffed.

"Oh, I know. I know. There's someone I want dead," Gajeel growled. "Hime."

"Hime?" Riza blinked.

"Yeah, that bitch," Gajeel gritted his teeth. "I've got a score to settle with her. Anyway, since you want Smith dead and I want Hime dead, how about we work together?"

Riza pondered over the offer before she answered, "I'm gonna hate myself for ditching Yūji and the others later, but I don't care right now. I need to avenge my brother, and I don't give a fuck about Smith's reasons."

Gajeel grinned, "Good, you bring Hime to me and I'll bring Smith to you."

"Sorry, but that's not happening," Riza frowned. "Smith is mine and I'll deal with him myself." She stormed away from Gajeel who frowned. He then turned only to be backhanded by Leon. He was sent crashing against the wall. Leon then hauled Gajeel up and pinned him to the wall.

"Hey, what's your damage?" Gajeel questioned, feigning interest.

"I heard _everything_," Leon said. He had followed after Riza only to hear her short exchange with Gajeel.

"Oh?" Gajeel smirked. "Want to do something about it?" Leon's only answer was to hold Gajeel by his head then slam the back of his head against the wall with so much force, causing a dent to form. Gajeel groaned but he was not knocked out as Leon released him.

"_That_ was just a warning," said Leon. "Next time, I'll do worse and so would Shinichi if he finds out about this."

"Think he'll kill me?" Gajeel challenged.

"You're a Guardian, which makes you a comrade. If you betray us, he'd just punish you and make you wish you were dead. Then, I'd pick up where he left off," Leon promised. "Watch yourself, Gajeel. Just because we're on the same side, that doesn't mean I won't fight you to protect my loved ones." With that said, Leon vanished using Shunpo.

Gajeel grunted then looked at the dent his head had made. He spat and turned away.

* * *

><p>"<em>I've got a score to settle with her. Anyway, since you want Smith dead and I want Hime dead, how about we work together?"<em>

"_You bring Hime to me and I'll bring Smith to you."_

Gajeel's offer repeated itself in Riza's head. It just seemed too easy and yet Riza couldn't bring herself to do it. Hime was someone Shinichi cared about and Shinichi was someone Yūji cared about. So, if she betrayed Hime, she'd be betraying Shinichi which would be the same as betraying Yūji. She couldn't do that. She could pin all the blame on Gajeel but she could never clear her conscience of her own involvement.

Suddenly, she bumped into Hime. What a coincidence.

"You should watch where you're running," said Hime and then she took notice of Riza's expression. "You've been crying."

"No, I haven't," denied Riza.

"You have," Hime countered. This was the path to the training room. That was the last place she'd seen Leon. It made sense. "I see. You ran into Leon."

"I don't want to talk about it," Riza retorted.

"It was about your brother, isn't it?" Hime asked. Now that got Riza's attention.

"What do you know about him?" Riza asked.

"Plenty," Hime frowned sadly, "After all, he did try to assassinate me not too long ago."

Riza was taken aback by this. "...What? But my brother would never...! What the-? Why you?"

Hime answered, "One of my siblings targeted you. Made it so that if he wanted you unharmed, your brother would have had to take my life."

Riza questioned, "He...was blackmailed?" Hime nodded slowly.

"Leon only acted in my defence. He never harbored any ill will towards your brother. In fact, Leon admitted that he was one of the finest warriors he had the honor of doing battle with."

Riza didn't know what to think. Part of her wanted to deny Hime's words, convince herself that the blonde was lying for Leon's sake. However, she studied Hime's expression. Hime was telling the truth. Then that would mean...that would mean...Riza ran past Hime who stood motionless as Riza fled. The truth was just too much for the demi-werewolf and Hime just sighed.

Hime had done this so that the truth would come out and absolve Leon of any responsibility. Having Riza resent Leon for the rest of her life would have serious consequences. It was best to resolve it now rather than later.

"Gajeel," she called. "I know you're there."

"Seems you're as cold as always, Hime," said Gajeel as he stepped out of the shadows. He'd witnessed Hime send the demi-werewolf running in tears.

"Is that anyway to speak to your princess?" Hime asked.

"That's been over and done with a long time ago," Gajeel brushed off. "Ever since you abandoned me, remember?"

"We were swarmed by demons. I thought you had died," she defended.

"You should've looked for me, even if you thought I was dead," he growled.

"Yes, I should have," said Hime, frowning with regret. There were many things she should've done in the past but now she only had regrets. "So, what are you here for?"

"Well, I'm supposed to kill you. Under orders, ya see. Of course, things are complicated," said Gajeel. "If I killed you, I'd be hunted down by that damn Shinigami and your Otouto."

"Yes, indeed," said Hime. Leon and Shinichi would avenge her, there was no doubt. "So, my life is key to your self-preservation."

"Oh, don't get me wrong. You're gonna die, sooner or later. Only, not as soon as you think," he said, smirking. "Just watch your back, princess."

"And you should watch yours as well, Gajeel. You might be a Guardian of the Vongola Family, the same as Shinji and Leon, but I doubt they'll tolerate you threatening to kill me," said Hime evenly. Gajeel just snorted before turning away from Hime. He walked away, stepping past Leon who glared at him. Gajeel returned the glare before ignoring him.

"You share a history," Leon stated.

"He was one of my personal guards, a long time ago," Hime sighed.

"What happened?" he asked.

"We were attacked and I thought he was lost," said Hime. "He thinks I abandoned him and has kept a grudge ever since."

"Being betrayed by someone you trust can leave scars, Hime," Leon said.

"I know...I know..."

* * *

><p>In the meantime, Yūji was looking for Riza when he found her sitting up against the hallway's wall, alone and sobbing. He was immediately at her side to comfort her, "Riza? Sweetie, what's wrong?"<p>

Riza looked up at him, her eyes puffy and sore from crying as she told him, "Leon...Hime told me it wasn't his fault."

Yūji blinked, "Leon?" He then realized what she meant, "Wait, is this about the thing with your brother?"

Riza nodded and explained, "He tried to kill...no, was _ordered _to kill Hime. Leon got in his way. I was being held hostage and I didn't even know..."

Yūji grimaced, "Shit... So he was really serious back then...?"

Riza's eyebrows rose as her eyes widened, "Wait... You knew?"

Yūji answered, "He mentioned it to me, like... A while back, if I remember right. He mentioned someone was after you but I didn't think he was serious. But then again... Leon's always serious, isn't he? Shit..."

Riza stood up, her fists clenched, glaring down at him, "You knew this whole time and didn't tell me!?"

Yūji stood up as he replied, "I didn't know how to tell you without you freaking out. It's not like I could just put that kind of info out onto the table with no problem. And then there was the whole GS madness, and me losing my arm, and getting this new one... I'm sorry I didn't say anything sooner, Riza, but I honestly didn't know how to tell you..." Riza was silent as he continued, "...Do you wanna take a bath together? I bet that'd make you feel better."

Riza answered, "Yūji...give me some space...for a while until I'm ready, you and Leon, and Hime, should leave me alone...I need to think." She turned and slowly stormed away from him. She didn't need to say anymore.

Yūji could only watch as she walked away, swearing to himself, "Goddammit..."

* * *

><p>Shinichi later found his cousin sitting in the Hive Queen's cafeteria. He took note of the beer cans littering the table and floor. Did the Hive Queen have beer? That didn't matter. What mattered was that his cousin was upset. Going over, he ripped the beer can out of Yūji's hand.<p>

"...Wait, I need it," demanded Yūji.

"No, you don't and it's pointless anyway. You know you can't get drunk," said Shinichi as he took a whiff of the can. He recoiled. Why did people willingly ingest this poison? It was disgusting. He tossed the can over his shoulder and it soared through the air before falling perfectly into the trashcan. He took a seat next to Yūji and asked, "So, what's wrong?"

"Riza hates me," said Yūji.

"Could you be more specific? I need context," said Shinichi.

"OK...well you see..."

**One **_**Emotional **_**Explanation Later...**

"And she told me to leave her alone," Yūji finished.

"Well..." Shinichi blinked. "I guess I can understand why she's so upset. She just got her whole world turned upside down."

"And she hates me," Yūji groaned.

'"Hate' is a strong word. I think 'disappointed' works. I mean, she trusted you and you kept this from her," said Shinichi.

"I didn't know how to tell her," said Yūji before hanging his head, "Yeah, I know, it's lame."

"Not really. It's hard to fit something like that in a conversation. Then again, you could've just done it like how you rip off a bandage. Sure, it'd hurt for a bit but it'd be fine in the long run," Shinichi advised.

"But she won't even talk to me," said Yūji.

"I'd give her time to cool down, but don't let this fester," said Shinichi. Yūji looked at him oddly. "What?"

"How are you so good at this?" Yūji asked.

"Because of how I was raised I shouldn't be, right?" Shinichi asked rhetorically. "Experience, observation, Kaa-chan's advice; take your pick," Shinichi listed. "But right now give her time and let her choose to speak to you. If things take too long, set up a situation to get you both to talk."

"...I'll do that," said Yūji.

"And it wouldn't hurt to bring a peace offering too," added Shinichi. "These kinda things can get awkward."

"...Yeah, tell me about it," said Yūji. "Thanks, Cuz."

"No problem, Aniki. Now, how about we clean this place up and get you cleaned up?"

Yūji looked at the mess he'd made, "Yeah."

"Why drink when you can't get drunk? Why beer?"

"Helps me think."

"...Alcohol kills brain cells."

"That's a myth."

"Whatever you say," Shinichi rolled his eyes. Everyone had their own views about something so who was he to tell Yūji any different?

* * *

><p>"OK, if I were a demi-werewolf female in the middle of an emotional crisis, where would I be?" Shinichi asked himself as he went to look for Riza. That was when it hit him. Considering what he knew of Riza and her usually hobbies from Yūji, he asked Phyllis, "Wait...Phyllis, where's Riza?"<p>

"_Riza is in the gymnasium_," Phyllis reported.

"Thanks, Phyllis."

"_You are welcome."_

* * *

><p>Shinichi found Riza in the Hive Queen's gym. It was a bit different from the training room floor as this had various exercise equipment set up. He saw her, beating the stuffing out of a punching bag, her entire body drenched and covered in sweat and her hair clung to the skin of her neck. The punching bag was reduced to nothing but an empty bag with its stuffing spilling out. He took note of the claw marks all over it. All her anger had been taken out on the bag. Well, better it than a real person.<p>

"So, I'm guessing you're pissed," said Shinichi.

"What do you want?" growled Riza curtly, wiping the sweat off her brow.

"Catch," said Shinichi as he tossed a sports drink to Riza who snatched it out of the air. "You need to replace fluids."

"Thanks, not like it's any of your business," she said as she popped the can open and took a gulp. She wiped her lips and looked at him, "This isn't a social call, is it?"

"Well, I just heard some disturbing news and I got worried," said Shinichi.

"So, you heard," she concluded.

"Definitely, and I can understand how you feel," said Shinichi. Riza wanted to retort but then shut her mouth. She knew about how messed up his life had been as GIN-SHOCKER's hostage for ten years. She had no right to say that he didn't understand. He did. He understood what it was like to feel betrayed. GIN-SHOCKER had made him trust them, swear his loyalty to them, but had also betrayed him by forcing him to violently break the bonds he'd made.

"This isn't any of _your _business," said Riza.

"When my friends are concerned, I make it my business," countered Shinichi.

"You're really not gonna let this go, are you? Fine...it's just that I just found out something that blew my mind...made me rethink what was right and what was wrong...and Yūji knew the whole time," said Riza. "Why couldn't he have told me?"

"Can't say. He's only human, so to speak," said Shinichi. "But, I guess, he just wanted to protect you. If you knew then you'd probably blame yourself."

"I already do," Riza sighed. "I was used to make sure my big brother was compliant, and I didn't even know it. That's what got him killed. Leon was just doing what he thought was right."

"Then you can't blame Yūji or Leon," said Shinichi, "And you can't blame Hime-chan either."

"So who do I blame!?" Riza shouted.

"You pin the blame on the guy who caused all this, who used your brother, and made him throw his life away," said Shinichi. "He's the perpetrator. We're all just victims, pawns in someone's little game." Riza took a deep breath. Shinichi was right, he was right. "And you really shouldn't get mad at Aniki for doing what he thought was right. I mean, I've done worse and...well...I can't say I've been forgiven. It's just that what Yūji did pales in comparison to the things I've done."

"So, what do I do?" Riza asked.

"You decide, but I recommend you both sit down and talk," he told her before grinning, "And then have hot makeup sex!" She tossed the empty can at him but he ducked. "Hey!"

"Hentai!" she snapped, her face turning as red as her hair.

"Can you blame me? I got my mother's genes!" He ducked from a flying weight. "OK! OK! I get it! Stop throwing shit!" Riza eventually calmed down, even letting out a small chuckle.

"So, where's Yūji now?"

"I left him alone. Said he needed to blow some steam. I'll take you to him."

* * *

><p>Shinichi and Riza came across the training room and saw that it was a wreck. It would take weeks of extensive repair. However, their full attention was focused on Yūji standing in the middle of the room with a dark aura surrounding him.<p>

"Well, crap," uttered Shinichi so eloquently. Maybe leaving Yūji alone to blow off some steam wasn't a good idea. "Should've left someone to keep an eye on him," he muttered.

"Dammit...!" Yūji growled, his armored fist shaking as he slammed it repeatedly into the floor in self-hatred. "RAAAAAARGH!"

"Was this...because of _me_...?" Riza asked in horror.

"Let's not assign blame just yet!" Shinichi said to her before shouting at Yūji, "Aniki, stop now!"

"Stupid! Fucking asshole! Can't even tell the goddamn truth without pissing people off!" Yūji started tearing out the floor and throwing pieces of it into the air, unaware that Riza and Shinichi were near. It was like he went into some kind of fit of rage.

"And I thought I had issues!" Shinichi said as he summoned his armor and in a flash of light shifted into Super-1. He activated his Thermal Hands and shot a cryogenic spray at Yūji. "Chill out!" Yūji was in no state to be reasoned with so Shinichi thought it would be a good idea to force him to cool down.

"Ah! WHAT THE FUCK?!" Yūji pulled out the metal tile in front of him as it was was frozen in his place. "Fucking cold! I bet it's your fault!"

"Well, you're the one who's tearing up the training room! Do you know how hard it is for Phyllis to clean up!?" Super-1 shot back. "Now, are you gonna calm down or do I have to spray you again with more of my white foam?"

Awkward silence...

Riza blinked, "...What?"

Super-1 paused after what he'd just said and snapped, "You know what I mean!" His demands fell on deaf ears when Yūji's Flames of Rage activated, expelling from openings in his right arm as the energy engulfed his entire arm. He brought his fist down, erecting a pillar of fire that made its way to Super-1 who jumped out of the way before shifting back to his default form. "Damn! Not working!"

"Can't even...fucking apologize right!" Yūji roared as he dug his fist into the ground; rearing his head up, as he brought himself down again. Flames and blood erupted from beneath Yūji as he was "punishing" himself as Riza could only watch in horror.

"Shit! Not good!" Showa shouted as he slammed a button on the wall, "Phyllis, initiate fire extinguishing protocols, now!"

Panels on the walls slid aside as a series of identical nozzles emerged, aimed at Yūji. They fired ice cold foam on him to extinguish the flames in an effort to put him out and cool him down. Unfortunately, that did not work as well as Showa had planned.

"Riza, I need your help here!" Showa shouted to the demi-werewolf.

"What do you want me to do?" she shouted.

"Talk to him and calm him down!" shouted Showa. He attached the Legacy Driver to his Spark Core and flashed gold as he transformed into his ultimate form.

"**ULTIMATE RIDE: LEGACY MODE!"**

Showa quickly restrained Yūji with his energy whips to keep him still. "Aniki, I don't wanna hurt you!" He was tugged off his feet and screamed as he was smashed against the wall, the floor, and then the wall again, before being smashed against the floor again, repeatedly. "God! (SMASH!) Damn! (CRASH!) It! (BASH!) This! (SMASH!) Sucks!" He shouted, "RIZA! (SMASH) DO! (SMASH) SOMETHING!"

"What!?" Riza shouted.

"Talk to him! But make sure it's from the heart!" Showa shouted as he was continuously bashed about the room before being thrown into the ceiling. He bounced off the surface and crashed on the floor. "I don't get paid enough for this," he groaned as he slowly picked himself up. The armor may protect him but he was sure to have bruises later when he got it off.

'_You don't get paid at all_,' a voice in his head told him.

"Yūji! Yūji!" Riza called.

"I'm a stupid, fucking, selfish idiot!" Yūji continued to roar. Eyes narrowed, Riza then darted towards Yūji and punched him in the face. He was stunned and he turned to look at her.

"Stop being an idiot you stupid jackass!" she snapped. "I understand, OK? I don't like it, but I understand, so I forgive you!"

His hazy vision began to clear when Riza came into view, Yūji collapsing on his knees as he heaved to catch his breath. He was covered in sweat from the heat and his vision became blurred from a loss of focus as he tried to look at Riza.

Yūji asked, "Riza... What happened?"

She didn't answer. Rather, she put her arms around him, hugging him close, relieved that he-that they were OK.

Watching the scene, despite his body being sore from being tossed about like a ragdoll, was Shinichi as he smiled, his armor having vanished once he noticed that Yūji had returned to normal.

* * *

><p>"You know, I'm so glad you both managed to make up," said Shinichi as he held a bag of ice on his head as he walked alongside Yūji.<p>

"Me too," said Yūji before he apologized, "Sorry about your head."

"No, it's fine. Remember, I've recovered from worse and I knew what I was getting myself into," reasoned Shinichi. "I just don't like seeing the people close to me in pain, that's all."

"You're a good kid, Cuz," Yūji smiled.

Shinichi whispered under his breath, "_Yeah...still wonder about that_." That was when he noticed something disturbing. "Aniki, what's that on your shoulder?"

Yūji looked to his left side and noticed too. His shoulder was covered in the same red armor that covered his right shoulder. "What the fuck...?"

"I don't understand much about Manakyte biology, but that's not normal, is it?" Shinichi asked. "Think we should call Aunt Aki?"

Yūji answered, "Better call _somebody _so we can figure out what the hell...is going on..." He nodded before falling unconscious, collapsing to the floor.

"ANIKI!"

* * *

><p>Yūji was taken to the infirmary and put in bed, hooked up to machines to monitor his vitals. Hana and Shinichi were watching over him as scans were being performed on the new 'growth' on his shoulder. Both were concerned but Hana maintained a professional facade.<p>

"What's the verdict?" asked Shinichi. "Is he OK?"

Hana checked her medical scanner and frowned, "The results are inconclusive."

"There's so much we don't know about that new arm of his, is there?" Shinichi asked worriedly. Hana gazed at Shinichi. Hard to believe that a face she'd known to wear a blank, neutral expression 24/7 in the past could show such concern.

"The good news is that his vitals are stable and healthy," said Hana. "He's just sleeping."

"Yeah, and Aunt Aki should be here soon after she hears the news," said Shinichi. "Just keep monitoring him, OK?"

Hana saluted, "Roger, sir."

**"My, such good little soldiers." **Shinichi and Hana looked to see Yūji awake, supporting his head up with an arm and smirking roguishly. **"If anything, you kids sure are entertaining,"** he snickered. They noticed his eyes were different, his irises red as opposed to their usual blue, and his sclera a sickening yellow.

"Yūji?" asked Shinichi.

Hana, however, was not fooled. "Who are you?" she demanded.

"Hana?" Shinichi asked, wondering why she had asked that.

"**It's me, Hana-chan. It's Yuji,"** 'Yūji replied.

"Yeah, right. Try telling the truth this time," she retorted in disbelief. She then connected the dots, "You're the owner of that arm, aren't you?"

"**Is that anyway to talk to the one who saved your boy-toy's life?"** 'Yūji asked.

"Are you 'Akuma'?" Shinichi asked. Yūji had mentioned another entity that lived within his mind and body.

"_**Akuma**_**?"** 'Yuji' chuckled, **"Whatever gave you that idea, kid?" **He gave Shinichi a look of interest,** "You know, I've been interested to talk to you. I mean, looking through his memories, I can understand why he's so scared." **

"There's no way he's scared of Shinichi," Hana denied.

"**Never said he was. He's just scared of losing his precious little **_**family**_**,"** 'Yūji said cruelly.

"So, who are you? _What _are you? What's your name?" Shinichi demanded.

"**Can't recall my name. It's been what, 200, 300 years? Maybe even longer than that? My, how time flies wandering the Earth as a disembodied soul. Man, I gotta tell ya though, all these negative emotions of his; they taste wonderful~! The fear is sweet. The sorrow is kinda dry though. But the rage; all this spicy rage... It's the best!"** 'Yūji answered.

"You..." Hana's eyes narrowed in outrage.

"If it's a meal you're after, then why don't you move into my body?" Shinichi offered/challenged. "I'm sure my negative emotions would be like a smorgasbord for you."

"**I would, but I found this kid first. And I can't leave his body now, not when I'm going to make it my own,"** said 'Yūji.

"Don't you dare, you parasite! His body isn't yours!" roared Shinichi.

**"Trust me, it's gonna happen,"** 'Yūji snickered. **"Didn't you notice the signs?"**

"What signs? You mean that growth on Yūji's shoulder?" Hana asked.

"It's a hostile takeover," Shinichi scowled. "Hana, call Anderson!"

"What?"

"He's a priest so he should know something about possession and exorcism!"

'Yūji scoffed, **"Oh, right, like that's gonna work. You can relax, kids, I'm not gonna do anything. I still need time to rest up. Besides, you should be thanking me for saving his life. If I hadn't wandered in, he probably would've been dead, right?**

"Thanks, but your 'services' are no longer required," Shinichi said bluntly.

**"Heh, well I ain't goin anywhere, you can bet your ass on that,"** 'Yūji assured. **"Oh, if you're wondering about how I'm talking to you right now, it's because he's unconscious. I just felt like talking to you two because I happen to be bored. Well, I'm gonna catch some Z's. Ta-ta, kiddies."** He fell back and shut his eyes, seconds passing by as Yūji turned on his stomach and was sound asleep.

"This is bad..." Hana stated, worriedly.

"No doubt about that," agreed Shinichi.

* * *

><p>Shinichi stepped out of the infirmary, leaving Hana to look after Yūji during his recuperation. The revelation that some demonic entity had taken residence in his cousin's body was worrying him greatly, as if he didn't have plenty on his plate already. He needed to think and find a way to help his cousin. After all, Yūji had gotten involved because of him and he owed his cousin. As he was headed to the Hive Queen's garden to find a place to think he felt a hand on his shoulder. He spun around and saw that it was only Leon.<p>

"Oh, it's you," Shinichi said after breathing a sigh of relief. "You really have to control that stealthy crap you know."

"I heard about what happened to Yūji," said Leon. "How's he doing?"

"It's demonic possession," said Shinichi. "It's never a good thing and Aniki's just sleeping it off like nothing happened. I don't even think he remembers anything. Plus, he's not the only one I'm worried about."

"Worried about Hime's situation?" Leon asked.

Shinichi answered, "Of course I am. Hime's my onee-sama. Do you really think I'd turn my back on her, Shinigami-san?"

Leon replied, "No, and I don't expect you to. I'm warning you that, when the shit hits the fan, stay outta my way because I don't want you getting impaled on my sword when I'm trying to kill the bastard."

Shinichi, sensing Leon's distress, stated, "You of all people should know that I can take care of myself as well as you can. Just don't go too crazy on the one who ordered the hit on Hime-chan. I know you know better than that."

Leon rolled his eyes and quipped cynically, "Yeah, like you wouldn't."

Shinichi shrugged, "I can have self control if I want to, but you're looking tense, and your posture and aura is more uptight than it usually is, like you've been in this situation before..." his eyebrows rose, "As if you also failed to protect someone close to you."

Leon turned away, "...I need to get some air." Accessing Shunpo, Leon vanished in a blur that no normal eyes could catch.

"If it's not one thing, it's another," Shinichi muttered. "I better tell Yuki what happened too."

* * *

><p>"Alright, now let's see if it works," said Dr. Magi. Chiaki was beginning to regain consciousness. He needed to be put in sedation so that the implant got the time it needed to be accepted by his body. Rejection was not something that anyone desired. "Can you hear me?" Chiaki nodded. "OK, that's good."<p>

"We've already put in your new voice box. Now, it's ready for you to use. Now, say something," urged Dr. Washam.

Chiaki spoke, but instead of Japanese, a different language came out, "Posso parlare ora? Aspetta, perché parlo italiano? Questo non è giusto, è vero? "

**Translation: "I can talk now? Wait, why am I speaking Italian? This isn't right, is it?"**

"I think something went wrong with the installation," said Dr. Washam.

"Tu credi? Qual è stato il tuo primo indizio? Ed è questo davvero come sembro?"

**Translation: "You think? What was your first clue? And is this really how I sound?"**

"It's supposed to be set to its default language," remarked Dr. Washam.

"We better try and fix this before it becomes a problem," suggested Dr. Magi.

"Dovresti. Non voglio suonare come un menu per un ristorante italiano. "

**Translation: "You should. I don't want to sound like a menu for an Italian restaurant."**

* * *

><p><strong>KRC: Well, that's the latest chapter. Sorry for the delay. Stuff happens and work. Anyway, I'm glad to present this to you.<strong>


	81. Vongola: Debut of the 13th Generation

**Chapter 81: The Debut of the 20th Generation**

"Gajeel," Shinichi spoke to the Steel Manakyte. They were standing in an empty hallway of the Hive Queen, alone. Shinichi's tone was cold like steel and there wasn't any hint to suggest mercy. Then again, with the life he had led prior to Youkai Academy, it was surprising that he even understood the concept of mercy.

"Banabara," Gajeel replied just as evenly. He knew the reason for this confrontation. He could tell from the intense glare Shinichi was giving him. He'd seen glares like that from people who had been hardened by experience. Shinichi Banabara may be a kid but he was one who had been forged into something terrifying. From the age of six the kid had suffered physically, psychologically and emotionally. GIN-SHOCKER really messed the kid up and he had a lot of scars. The kid was just good at hiding it...sometimes.

"I know you're after Hime-chan," Shinichi stated. His fists were clenched and his lips were in a firm scowl.

"Oh? And how did you hear about that?" Gajeel asked.

Shinichi answered, "The walls have ears." He threatened, "Since we're on the same side, you get _one _warning: come after Hime, and I'll make you regret it." He took out the Redeemer, loaded with his incendiary gel tubes, to emphasize his threat.

"You smell of blood, did you know that?" Gajeel remarked. Shinichi's eyes widened slightly. "It's the kind that doesn't wash off easily." Shinichi clenched his fists. "When the day comes, though, are you sure you'll be able to pull the trigger? Will you take the life of another comrade?" Shinichi took a deep breath. His past was a very touchy subject and he didn't like having people bring it up. It had been his darkest time.

"No, I don't intend to. But if you step out of line then I'll do what it takes to protect my sister, especially since I already don't like you," Shinichi glared. "And considering what _I'm_ capable of, I suggest you don't piss off Leon either. He and I are the last people you want to make angry. I can cut through your metal scales like a hot knife through butter, while Leon can literally rip out your soul. If you're dumb enough to get either of us angry, well... let's just say that you won't even live long enough to say 'oops'."

"I'd like to see that happen. You know, Smith smells the same way as you. I wonder why." Gajeel then walked away.

Once Gajeel was out of sight, Shinichi punched the wall, causing a well shaped hole to form from the hit. He put his hand against his forehead. "Damn it...why did things have to become so complicated...?" He needed to calm down. "I should go out for a ride. Some fresh air should do me good. That should calm me down." He then muttered, "Great, now I'm talking to myself...I must really have issues."

* * *

><p>Shinichi took his own advice and went out for some air. He was dressed in a racing suit which was black with red trim, padding on the shoulders, chest, elbows and knees, and also a pair of leather gloves and boots. Hanging from his neck was his trademark red scarf and 'XIII' was written across the suit's back and front.<p>

He was sitting on his bike on a mountain, overlooking a mountain range, just thinking about all the stuff and changes he'd gone through recently. First he learnt he was a GIN-SHOCKER cyborg who'd repressed his memories in order to go to Youkai Academy. Then he'd befriended and fallen in love with a group of monster girls. In the human world he was reunited with his mother and met other Riders who either befriended him or were trying to kill him. Then he learnt that he and Yūji were cousins. And then he found out he was a member of the powerful Vongola Mafia clan.

It was still a lot to take in.

Italy really was a lovely country. Looking down at the mountain road, he spotted a horse drawn carriage speeding along it and then he heard loud and rowdy yelling. He saw a red jeep with a trio of thugs riding it. Said jeep was following after the carriage and he just knew the ones in the jeep didn't have any good intentions.

"Well, if that doesn't look like a bad situation I don't know what does," Shinichi murmured. He put on his helmet, which had a clear visor, and revved up his Cyclone-X3. He looked at the carriage and saw a pretty girl poking her head out to look at the pursuers in fear. "Looks like it's time I saved a damsel in distress again." He started up his engine and took off to the rescue.

The Cyclone-X3 sped down the side of the mountain and then it jumped before landing on the mountain road. The tires screeched as it made contact with asphalt before the bike gave chase towards the pursuing thugs in the red jeep.

The jeep was next to the carriage and one of the thugs, one wearing a red bandanna, had just bashed the door open with a baseball bat.

Shinichi heard a scream and took out the Redeemer before taking aim. He fired, a bang rang through the air and the baseball bat was shot out of the thug's hand.

"What the fuck!?" the thug yelled as he looked back to see the hi-tech D-Wheel racing up to the carriage's other side.

"Hey, are you OK?" Shinichi asked the girl in the carriage.

"Who are you?" she asked worriedly and he flipped his visor up.

"It's Shinichi Banabara," he answered. "Now, you better speed along while I'll take care of these punks!"

The carriage's driver snapped the reins and the horses ran faster, pulling the carriage along and giving Shinichi a clear shot at the pursuers.

"Hey, what's up?" said Shinichi casually. "And bye-bye."

They saw him point his gun at them but then he aimed it at their wheels. The gun glowed pinkish red and he fired two shots at the wheels facing him. The rubber was enveloped and eaten by the red flames and the jeep spun out of control with the thugs cursing. Shinichi twirled Redeemer around and slid it back into its holster before speeding away with a mocking salute. He looked at his rearview mirror to see the jeep swerve and crash into the side of the road.

Guess that would be his good deed for the day. Hopefully, the girl in the carriage managed to get away.

* * *

><p>Shinichi was later in the sauna with Yūji, Daichi and Yokoshima.<p>

"So, did you do anything interesting today?" Yūji asked his cousin in interest.

Shinichi answered, "Just went out for a ride, beat up some thugs, and saved a damsel in distress."

"Really?" Daichi cocked an eyebrow skeptically.

"Oh, this I got to hear," grinned Yokoshima.

"Well, I was out on a ride..." Shinichi began, avoiding mentioning his confrontation with Gaheel. "...And I shot their wheels before leaving them there," Shinichi finished the story.

"I'm surprised you didn't kill them," said Yūji.

"Oh, they weren't worth it," said Shinichi. "I'm just glad that girl got away."

Yūji then inquired, "Did you at least get her number?"

"Nah, didn't even get her name," Shinichi replied. It didn't matter. As long as she was safe, he didn't care if he never learnt her name.

Yokoshima commented, "Riding a horse-drawn carriage. Sounds like one of those fairytale princesses."

"Yeah," snickered Shinichi.

"So, Gramps already sent out invitations," Yūji told Shinichi.

"Invitations for what?" Yokoshima asked.

"A party," said Yūji. "A _very _fancy party."

"What's the occasion?" Daichi questioned.

"It's probably got something to do with you being chosen as his new heir," remarked Shinichi. Yūji was going to be the new Boss of the Vongola Famiglia so a party made sense.

"Yes," Yūji confirmed. "But it's also about you too."

"Why me?" Shinichi asked, curious.

"Obviously, you're his grandson too," said Daichi. "He wants to introduce you to his buddies in high society."

"Gramps invited a lot of important people," said Yūji. "Which means..."

"Which means we need to be on our best behavior," Shinichi concluded. "Well, I don't know about the others, but I promise I won't get into trouble."

"It's also formal," Yūji added.

"Formal?" Yokoshima questioned. "You mean we need to wear tuxes?"

"Or suits," Yūji added. "I mean we need to make a good impression."

"The girls will obviously be out shopping for dresses," frowned Daichi. "And that includes Haruhi."

"And Shiroha-chan too," smiled Yokoshima. The door of the sauna opened and Chiaki came in. "Hey, what's up, Chiaki?"

"_Il solito. Purtroppo, la mia nuova casella vocale è ancora causa di parlare in italiano. Ho ancora bisogno di usare i segni per comunicare con persone che non parlano la lingua_," Chiaki answered.

**Translation: "The usual. Unfortunately, my new voice box is still causing me to speak in Italian. I still need to use signs in order to communicate with people who don't speak the language."**

"Still speaking Italian, huh?" Yūji asked. "Did the good doctors figure out what's wrong?"

"The theory is that Chiaki's new voice box will automatically set itself to whatever national language is spoken in the area," Shinichi informed Yūji. "Since we're in Italy, he'll be speaking Italian for a while."

"It's a good thing we all have translators implanted into our heads," said Daichi, tapping his temple, "Or we wouldn't be able to understand him."

"Though, I kinda expected Chiaki's voice to be deeper," remarked Yokoshima.

"_Così ho fatto,"_ Chiaki replied.

**Translation: "So did I."**

"But at least you can talk now," said Yūji, "And you'll be speaking Japanese once we get home." Chiaki nodded and relaxed. The door opened and the guys all looked to see...Morrigan!? She had her towel draped over her shoulders and didn't look ashamed when she saw the boys.

"Oops," she mock-gasped. "Excuse me! I thought this was the women's sauna!" She then looked Yūji over and licked her lips before closing the door.

Daichi blinked and asked, "OK, did _that _just happen?"

"It happened," Yokoshima confirmed. His hands were covering his eyes.

"OK...wow," said Yūji with wide eyes. "That was..." He blinked. "Wow..."

"OK, I'm done," said Daichi. "Excuse me. I'm gonna take a cold shower."

"Wait up," Shinichi called. "I'm gonna need one too. A _very _cold shower."

They might have girlfriends, but the sight of a mature woman like Morrigan in the buff could still excite them.

* * *

><p>When Moka heard about the party, she couldn't help but remember the formal gatherings her father had organized, which always took place in the castle she used to live in. She knew how to act, and how to dress, but she never really had fun during those times. Kurumu, Mizore and Yukari were excited, however, since it meant they could dress up. Hopefully, this party would not be interrupted like the one that took place at Youkai Academy during Halloween.<p>

Right now, the four Youkai Academy girls were heading into town to buy dresses. Accompanying them were their YA schoolmates: Gemma, Haruhi and Shiroha.

"I'm gonna go get a real sexy dress so Shinichi won't be able to take his eyes off me!" Kurumu boasted.

"So, you're basically gonna dress up like a slut," Mizore remarked, causing Kurumu to sputter. Mizore smiled in amusement. She enjoyed riling up Kurumu.

"Hey! When you got it," Kurumu snapped her fingers as she boasted, "Flaunt it!"

"Agreed! We Succubi need to show off! It's in our nature!" Shiroha stated with her arm around Kurumu.

"My point exactly," muttered Mizore.

"I hope I get to dance with Shinichi-san," Yukari beamed. "Gemma-san, what about you? Your date is Chiaki-san, right?"

"Speaking of which, he can talk now, right?" Moka questioned. Shinichi had informed her that Chiaki had a new synthetic voice box installed just recently and could speak verbally now.

"Yes, he can talk," said Gemma, sighing, "But right now he's stuck on Italian. Good thing I'm Italian on my father's side, or else I wouldn't understand a word he says. At least I know what his voice sounds like, and once we return to Japan he should start speaking the right language. Although...I expected his voice to be _deeper_."

"Must be the voice box," suggested Yukari.

"Hey, this is the boutique, right?" asked Kurumu. Bianca had told them about a dress boutique in town where they could buy their dresses. It was a formal gathering so they would need to get evening dresses to wear.

Upon entering, Moka saw Hime and Reiri were also in the boutique.

"Well, fancy meeting you here," smiled Hime as she spotted the group entering the boutique. "Buying dresses, I bet."

"For the party," grinned Kurumu. "You two must be here for the same reason."

"Why else would we be here?" Reiri smiled. "We're girls. We need to look good when we go to these kind of parties."

"And another girl who gets it," smiled Kurumu. She saw all the racks with dresses hanging from them. She so loved shopping. "Oh, this is going to be fun..."

"I see someone missing from your group," remarked Hime. "Where's Katsumi?"

"Oh, she's on the Hive Queen with Shogo," answered Moka. "They say they're studying."

"_Studying_, hm? I see," Hime smiled. What could that possibly mean?

* * *

><p>"Alright, and by entering the data and variables, the computer will then perform the calculations before the holographic displays shows us the most likely scenario to take place," Shogo instructed. Katsumi nodded and entered the data as Shogo had instructed. They were currently standing at the holographic display table. Shogo was teaching Katsumi how to use the computer to construct scenarios based on probability calculations. The purpose here was to teach her how to construct strategies. Scenarios would be constructed based on available data. The computer would then project a holographic representation of said scenario with the most probable outcome.<p>

"Now watch," Shogo said and Katsumi did as she witnessed scale hologram representations of the former NUMBERS entering a GIN-SHOCKER facility. The mission was to steal or sabotage a WMD. Katsumi had entered all the necessary data. Unfortunately, the scenario ended in failure and Katsumi blanched.

"It's alright," said Shogo, putting his hand on Katsumi's shoulder, "This is all about trial and error. No plan is perfect. On the field, it's about adapting and improvising."

"But you can construct so many different scenarios and strategies here," said Katsumi.

"Even a computer can't be 100 percent correct," said Shogo. He apologized, "No offense, Phyllis."

"_Not at all. I normally blame whatever errors I make on human error when they input incorrect data,"_ said Phyllis.

Shogo addressed Katsumi, "Just keep practicing, and learn from the failed scenarios to make a strategy with a high success rate."

"Hai," Katsumi nodded. "Shogo-san, will you be going to the party?"

"Of course," said Shogo. "And you?"

Katsumi blushed, nodded, then returned to her work. Her mother had given her some good advice on how to develop her relationship with the Wasp Cyborg. Hopefully, things would improve. She really did like him and the way he spent his time with her was a good indication that he really liked her too. So, her chances seemed good.

* * *

><p>"GIN-SHOCKER's been quiet since the last time they tried to attack us," Shinichi spoke to Yūji. They were walking along the hallway of the Hive Queen.<p>

"They're probably licking their wounds right now," said Yūji. "I mean, we did take out one of their branches. That might cripple them."

"They'll recover, and now that they know they can't underestimate us anymore, they'll be sending bigger, stronger, tougher opponents against us," Shinichi replied. While he did understand his cousin's concerns, Yūji didn't like such a negative train of thought so he decided to change the subject.

"So, looking forward to the party?" Yūji asked.

"If you mean the one Ojii-san organized for tonight, then yes I am," Shinichi answered. "How about you? Are you nervous about the party tonight? You're gonna be officially introduced as Ojii-san's heir."

"It'll only be for a few minutes," Yūji shrugged, "It's the eyes that get you. Once you start talking to people, things go smoother."

Shinichi admitted, "Everyone's excited. I'm a bit nervous myself. I mean, even if this isn't my first fancy party..." The few times he had attended a fancy party was for undercover missions for GIN-SHOCKER.

"You should be fine then."

Shinichi concluded, "As long as I don't have to kill anyone."

Yūji advised, jokingly, "Try to curb that bloodlust of yours~"

Shinichi smiled, "Hey, you can trust me." He asked, "So, any idea what Misato, Hana and Michiru are gonna wear?"

"Mom took them shopping back in Neo Domino, but I dunno anything else," Yūji answered. "They might be keeping their dresses a surprise."

"Yeah, a surprise," Shinichi agreed. "Moka-chan, Kurumu-chan, Yukari-chan and Mizore-chan went out to get dresses too and they told me not to go along so they could surprise me."

"Knowing Kurumu, she'll probably choose a dress that'll make you wanna rip it off," teased Yūji.

"Nah..." Shinichi denied. "She wouldn't do that..." Then he thought about it. Kurumu was a Succubus, a creature of sex, and no doubt had been taught how to seduce a man. He blanched and blushed, "Oh, who am I kidding?"

"Feel flattered, Shin. She loves you and isn't shy about showing it," Yūji advised. "Hey, do you even have formal wear?"

"Yeah," said Shinichi. "I bought a tuxedo a while back."

"When?" Yūji asked.

"Just a while back," shrugged Shinichi. "It should still fit me."

"Uh-huh," Yūji nodded. "So, Aunt Shiori's gonna have Carl as her date."

"She told me," said Shinichi. "They're dating right now."

"How do you feel about that?" Yūji asked. Shinichi didn't answer. As they entered the Hive Queen's computer lab, they spotted Netto hard at work.

"Hey, Netto. How's the data decrypting coming along?" Shinichi questioned. Had he purposely avoided answering Yūji question?

"He's been working on it all day," said Bianca from behind the cousins, causing them to jump.

"Seriously! Bianca, we need to put a bell on you or something," Shinichi gasped. How was it that she was able to sneak up on them like that? His training in GIN-SHOCKER should've made him aware of her presence.

"Yeah, at least Leon doesn't get too close to us when he sneaks around!" Yūji added.

"My apologies," Bianca apologized. "I was merely reporting my observation. It's part of my job description."

"Well, try not to sneak up on us again," Yūji requested.

"No promises," said Bianca. "Also, I did see the dresses your lovers will be wearing and I think you'll like them."

"Spoiler alert," Shinichi muttered.

"A spoiler alert would be me telling you the ending of that book you're still reading," Bianca shot back.

"Don't do that. It's just getting good. I don't need a spoiler," frowned Shinichi.

"So, does Gramps need us for something?" Yūji asked her.

"Oh, he simply wishes for me to give you the list of the families who will be coming to tonight's party," said Bianca as she handed the two a sheet of paper each. "They're very important families."

Shinichi whistled after looking over the list quickly, "A lot of important families. I sure hope we don't cause a scene." He added quickly, "Maybe I should give Yokoshima another review on proper manners!" He vanished instantly from their sights, having used his time powers to accelerate.

"Did you do that on purpose?" Yūji asked Bianca. She just smiled mysteriously and shrugged. He then turned his attention to Netto, "So, Netto, how's it going?"

"Challenging. Obviously, GS has info that they really don't want anybody to find out," said Netto. "But it's nothing I can't take on. " Felicia jumped onto the console. "Whoa there." He picked Felicia up and put her back down to the floor. She purred and rubbed herself against his leg.

"Is that cat giving you trouble?" Bianca asked.

"No, she's surprisingly good company," said Netto. Yūji smiled. He recalled Blair telling him that she had run into the white feline in her own cat form. She had also discovered something from that encounter. Boy, would Netto be surprised.

"Remember that we are at war. So you better work quickly," Bianca reminded. "That reminds me, your godfather wanted you to have this." She reached around her back and pulled out a small box. Quirking up an eyebrow, Netto took the box and removed the lid. Inside was what appeared to be a wooden hilt of a sword. It looked very detailed and seemed to have cost a lot of money to carve the spiral design on it. There were three small rubies on the hilt that formed a triangle.

"What is it?" Netto asked.

"Aramaki-san said that its a sword that once belonged to your father," Bianca explained. "He was keeping it for safety since the accident happened."

"A sword?" Yūji questioned, "Looks kinda odd for a sword. Though I've seen Shin's Laser Saber when it wasn't in use, so maybe this thing works in the same way."

"The design of this thing looks like it does work the same way," Netto mused, removing the hilt from the box so to examine it closer. "But no activation switch. That's weird." He took a few steps backwards to keep any more accidents from happening. Placing his other hand on the hilt, he tried to figure out a way to make it work. Didn't the sword have some sort of instruction manual or something? Maybe he could actually figure out how it was supposed to work instead of standing there and looking like a-

**BUZZZZZ!**

"Woah!" Netto exclaimed, startled as a beam of energy suddenly shot out from the hilt and formed into a blade.

"Holy crap!" Yūji exclaimed before calming down. "Yep, that's definitely a sword now."

"According to Aramaki-san, your father called the weapon 'Tenchi-ken', the Sword of Heaven and Earth," Bianca continued, "It was passed through his family for generations, and only those in his bloodline can use it. If anyone else attempted to hold it, they would be rejected with a painful electric shock. I guess you've got yourself another powerful weapon now. Well, enough gawking. Get back to work." With that said, Bianca turned and walked out of the lab.

"She's a charming ray of sunshine," Netto remarked sarcastically, deactivating the Tenchi-ken.

"Gotta remember her job," Yūji reminded. "Bianca's always ready for a fight, and odds are she never holds back."

* * *

><p>"OK, I am going to ask Yukari-chan to dance with me," swore Takeru as he performed chin-ups, pulling himself up to the bar repeatedly.<p>

"Looks like little Takeru's got a crush," smiled Lina. "That's so cute!" She pinched his cheek.

"Lina, quit it! I'm not a little kid!" Takeru slapped her hand away. She laughed. "Besides, I've given up on that!" He would have to compete with Shinichi for her affection, and it was no contest. He wanted to at least be her friend and have her accept his friendship once more.

"It's still cute," Takeshi agreed with Lina. "And so it that witch girl." He then remembered, "Hasn't she been ignoring you?"

"She's still mad about what we did," said Takeru.

"Well, you did kinda try to kill the guy she's in love with," Lina pointed out.

"So did you!" Takeru shot back.

"I helped to rescue him," Lina reminded. "So, I already redeemed myself. You're gonna have to do something to make amends if you want her to forgive you."

"Then I'll help her whenever I can," said Takeru. "It's the least I can do." Jason growled. Takeru agreed, "Yeah, and make a good impression at the party."

The door to the gym opened and Shinichi came in. "Uh, excuse me, but have any of you seen Yokoshima?"

"Sorry," said Lina. "He's not here."

"And we booked the gym, remember?" reminded Takeshi. Jason growled in response.

Lina walked over to Shinichi and volunteered, "Come on. Let me help."

The two walked from the gym and Shinichi asked, "OK, I've been curious, but why does Jason only growl? Can't he talk?"

Lina replied, "Is that what you wanted to _really _ask me?"

"Stop reading my mind," Shinichi frowned in annoyance, "And you caught me. There was another girl on the Jagers, wasn't there?"

Lina replied, "Yeah. #17: Inferna, also known as Kureha Sadomaru. We haven't been able to contact her. None of us know where she is right now."

"Maybe she'll turn up again," Shinichi suggested.

"So, has Netto had any luck decrypting those files?" Lina asked.

"Yeah, I did ask but then I remembered the party and I needed to talk to Yokoshima..."

"And you just got lost finding him," Lina smirked. "That's not very good."

"It's hard to keep track of everyone when they're just so many of us now," Shinichi defended. "Gimme a break."

"Yeah, things have changed," agreed Lina. "We used to be part of GS but now we're fighting them."

"Feels good to be on the right side this time, doesn't it?" Shinichi asked rhetorically. "So, Lina, I suppose you're gonna wear something nice for Aniki, huh?"

"You know, you almost sounded like _you _were psychic," Lina joked. "As for what I'll wear, it'll be something he'll never forget. I normally don't like wearing dresses, but this is one of the few times I'll make an exception."

"Yeah," said Shinichi. He then looked back at the gym. "About Jason..."

"I can keep him under control. Don't worry. He might look mean, but he's a nice guy deep down," said Lina.

"Misato, Michiru and Hana would say otherwise," he argued.

"That's all in the past now."

"...How did he get like that?"

"Well, he used to be an underground fighter," Lina began, "Don't know how long he's been fighting, but he was the reigning champion of that particular organization for a fairly long time before I was ordered to recruit him. Of course, if GIN-SHOCKER wanted him, I had to fight him as per their terms. It wasn't easy, but I managed to beat Jason and he joined us. I'm guessing he got the way he is now through all the fighting he's been through."

"So he's like us, in a way," Shinichi understood. For all they knew, Jason may have been fighting all his life."

"He's insanely strong too," Lina nodded. "I had to calm him down myself before GS scientists could work on him."

"Sounds like a real handful," Shinichi grimaced.

"He can be, but he's OK. He's like a little brother to me," Lina giggled. "He may be big, but Jason's got the mind of a little kid."

* * *

><p>Shinichi entered the Hive Queen's vehicle bay and spotted Chiaki hard at work. He was facing the open hood, changing the oil of a jeep. Shinichi walked over and greeted, "Hey, Chiaki." Chiaki turned, revealing that he was wearing a flannel shirt and overalls, both stained with grease. "Have you seen Yokoshima?"<p>

"_Non di recente. Presumo che si sta preparando per il partito," answered Chiaki. ""Non dovresti chiedere Phyllis aiuto? Sarebbe più comodo che camminare intorno alla base a cercarlo_."

**Translation: "Not recently. I assume he's getting ready for the party. Shouldn't you ask Phyllis for help? It would be more convenient than walking around the base to look for him."**

"Well, I could," said Shinichi, "But I felt doing things the old-fashion way to kill some time." He looked at all the vehicles. "Man, we sure got a lot of wheels."

"_Abbiamo rubato questo Helicarrier da GIN-SHOCKER, quindi ha senso che esso avrebbe un sacco di materiale in giro,_" Chiaki remarked.

**Translation: "We did steal this Helicarrier from GIN-SHOCKER, so it makes sense that it would have a lot of equipment lying around."**

"Yeah, like that tank," Shinichi pointed out. "Can't believe you let Yokoshima have it." He then asked, "So, looking forward to the party? You do look like you need to get cleaned up first." Chiaki had some grease stains. "I'm sure Gemma would dressed nicely for you." Chiaki turned to look at him. "By the way, does she have trouble understanding you now that you have your new voice box?"

Chiaki answered, _"Lei è parte italiana e conosce la lingua."_

"**She's part Italian and knows the language."**

"Guess that's convenient," agreed Shinichi. "Well, just finish your work and get ready. Aniki expects us to be there." Chiaki saluted and Shinichi saluted back before leaving the giant teen to finish his work. Chiaki watched him leave. So much had indeed changed. He had known Shinichi for a decade and back then he had never been as expressive as he was now. That was mostly Gebok's doing. Now, though, Shinichi was able to function as a normal human being. However, Chiaki was well aware that it was just one of the masks Shinichi wore. Chiaki just hoped Shinichi didn't snap under the pressure again.

Chiaki then went back to his work in order to finish on time. He had a party to get ready for.

* * *

><p>Shinichi had managed to find Yokoshima and after giving him a lecture on proper manners and etiquette, hoping to drill all that information into his teammate's thick skull, he went to his own room to get ready.<p>

"OK," Shinichi looked himself in the mirror. He put on the black jacket and admired himself. "I look good." His tuxedo consisted of a black pants with a matching jacket over a white dress shirt, with a brown , buttoned up vest. "Now, time for the final touch." He put the bowtie on but just as he was about to tie it, he heard a knock at the door. "Come in." The door opened and there was his mother, still in a bathrobe. She gasped. "Kaa-chan?" he asked, blinking.

"Oh, I'm sorry I startled you," she apologized. "It's just, well, you look so much like your father." She smiled nostalgically. "Sho-chan used to look so handsome in a tuxedo." She walked up to him and noticed the undone bow tie. "Let me help you with that."

"Kaa-chan, I think I know how to tie on a bow tie," he argued.

"I know, but please, let me," she pleaded. He sighed and allowed her to tie it on. She tied the bow tie and with a tug she was done. "There, finish."

"Wow, that is nice," he said as he looked at his reflection. It wasn't even crooked.

"Your father used to let me help him put his ties on," she stated. "You know, I wish he was here. He would've loved to see the man his son turned out to be. I still miss him." Shinichi frowned. He wasn't sure if his father would approve of some the things he'd done up until now. However, he wasn't going to upset his mother by disagreeing with her.

"I miss him too. I wish Tou-chan was here as well," said Shinichi. "By the way, what do you think of Dr. Washam?"

"Carl?" Shiori replied, "Well, he's sweet, he's handsome, and not to mention he's so buff and looks great without a shirt on." Shinichi gave her a look. "I saw him at the pool." She licked her lips.

"Uh-huh," Shinichi cocked an eyebrow. "And you like him?"

"Yes, I do," Shiori smiled.

"Then that's good enough for me," Shinichi smiled back.

"Shinji," she began suspiciously before she asked, "Are you trying to say you approve of our relationship?"

"I want you to be happy," Shinji clarified. "10 years without me, 5 years without Tou-chan, you deserve to be happy after all that. If being with Dr. Washam makes you happy, then I'm happy."

"Yes, we all deserve happiness, don't we?" Shiori asked. "I mean, look at us now. We've found the rest of our real family. Now you have a cousin who acts like a big brother to you."

"Yes," Shinichi nodded, "And you found your long lost brother."

Shiori smiled, "Nii-san is really amazing. Duel King, racing champion, scientist; he really has made a life for himself out of nothing. Aki-san is so smart and beautiful; not to mention a lil kinky. And Jack-san and Crow-san are so funny!"

Shinichi smiled. Guess Shiori had always wanted a big loving family. After losing hers, she almost fell into depression. She only kept herself busy so that she wouldn't succumb to despair. Now, she had found her son and the rest of her real family. It was good.

"Oh, and Shinji," said Shiori as she held his hand out to him. "Please, give me your gun."

"I don't know what you're talking about," he denied.

"Don't lie to me. You're carrying a gun right now. You don't need it. Take it out and put it in my hand," she ordered.

"But, Kaa-chan~" he whined.

"_Now_, young man," Shiori insisted. Shinichi groaned and pulled out Redeemer. "And the other one." He took out and put the stun pistol in her hand. "And the knife." He reached behind his back and drew out his combat knife.

"Do you want my eyes next, Kaa-chan?" he asked sarcastically.

"Don't take that tone with me," she scolded.

"But how did you know I was hiding weapons?"

"Call it mother's intuition. I just know." She put the weapons on the table. "Honestly, a boy your age shouldn't have any business carrying dangerous weapons."

"I'm not a normal boy, Kaa-chan," he reminded.

"Can I at least pretend you are and you're getting ready for your Prom?" she asked.

He sighed, "Fine, we can do that." No use denying his mother. They did have a lot of time to make up for.

"Oh, I'm gonna take so many pictures of you tonight!" Shiori cheered.

* * *

><p>"OK, ballroom dancing is boring as fuck!" yelled Goemon in exasperation.<p>

"Well, suck it up, coz we both have to do it," said Ren. "Now, let's try this again. Phyllis, would you please activate the stimulation again?"

"_Affirmative," _Phyllis replied. _"Restarting: Ballroom Scenario."_

The entire training room changed and turned into a ballroom filled with people and music. Ren and Goemon's clothes also changed to match the environment.

"One hand on my hip, the other on my shoulder, and step 1, 2, 3. Step 1, 2, 3. Step 1, 2, 3," Ren started as they practiced dancing.

"Do we really have to go?" Goemon asked. "I mean, we could ditch it and go to some rap concert or something. Maybe do some freestyle in the park," Goemon complained.

"Believe me, this is the last thing I want, Go-kun. But they're your friends, and it's just for one night," she said. "Besides, you can't say I don't look good in evening wear."

"Is that what you're going to wear?" he asked.

"Maybe~. Now, step 1, 2, 3. Step 1, 2, 3. Step 1, 2, 3."

"How do you even know ballroom dancing?" Goemon asked.

"Took a dance class at Mom's insistence," Ren told him. He gave her a look. "OK, Mom didn't have a partner so I filled in." He smirked. "Stop that."

"Sorry, but you're just such a good daughter," Goemon teased.

"And now you're teasing me," she grumbled.

"Was it that obvious?"

* * *

><p>Many cars were parked in front of the Vongola HQ as the guests started to arrive. They were also checked for any weapons. Shogo actually volunteered to help with security, citing that he could tell if someone was armed, and what they had hidden. The former NUMBERS could confirm that he was good at it. He had a keen eye for detail. It really wouldn't do well for relations to crumble because someone was stupid enough to come armed to a party.<p>

Shinichi glanced around the ballroom. So many guests were in attendance that it was hard to keep track of everyone. Fortunately, Shinichi was someone who could pay good attention to detail. He spotted Gajeel and gave him a wary glare. The Steel Manakyte wasn't drawing any unwanted attention by eating the silverware. That was good, at least. While they were on the same side right now, how long until he went after Hime again? Betrayal was something Shinichi could never tolerate. Shinichi didn't want things to come to that but Gajeel claimed that it was inevitable.

Shinichi accidentally bumped into someone and apologized, "Oops, sorry about that." There were just so many people in the ballroom. Most of them were more interested in Yūji as he was Katsu's future heir. Shinichi, while he was also Katsu's great-grandson, wasn't chosen to be the new Vongola Boss. He was OK with that. He didn't think he was worthy anyway.

"It's you!" the girl identified as she looked Shinichi in the eyes, recognizing him from earlier. "Thank you for saving me," she said gratefully as she curtsied. She looked to be a little older than him, maybe around Rias and Akeno's age. She was definitely a attractive girl, with a beautiful face and and shining cobalt eyes. Her white dress was sleeveless and strapless and a little low cut to reveal her very generous cleavage. On her arms were white opera gloves. Her long hair was silver with a pinkish hue, and it fell from her head like a curtain. She also had on a tiara. "I never had the chance to properly introduce myself. I am Charlotte Hazelink."

"Shinichi Banabara," Shinichi introduced himself before giving her a bow in greeting. "And it's no problem. It's what I do."

"So, you're the one who Charlotte told me came to her rescue, like a knight on a steed," said another girl. She looked to be older than Charlotte, and she had some muscle on her. She was dressed in a leaf green dress held up by spaghetti straps. Her blonde hair was tied into two braids that hung in front, with two rings at the end. She wore a silver hair band as well.

"Leina," smiled Charlotte. She and Leina hugged. Leina then introduced herself to Shinichi.

"I'm Leina Vance, and thank you for saving my friend from those brutes," said Leina gratefully. "Of course, if I were there, they wouldn't have dared try."

"Leina, just because you're good with a sword, that doesn't mean you have to be my bodyguard. I have Alfred," said Charlotte.

"And he's getting quite old," Leina argued. "You'd need a new bodyguard. Unfortunately, I wouldn't be able to do so." She then looked to Shinichi, "How about you? Are you interested?"

"Actually, I'm already someone's bodyguard," Shinichi answered. As the Storm Guardian, he was Yuji's right-hand man and his bodyguard. Shinichi's training gave him the skill to accomplish such a job.

"That's a shame," Leina frowned in disappointment.

"I wouldn't mind being friends, though," Shinichi smiled.

"Ah, Shinichi. There you are," Anastasia greeted her great-grandson.

"Ah, Obaa-" He froze when she glared at him. She didn't like being called out on her age in public. "Anastasia-san. Good evening."

"I see you're mingling with our guests," she smiled. "And lovely ones too. Good for you."

"Arigatou," he nodded to his great-grandmother.

* * *

><p>"Charlotte Hazelink is a princess of the Hazelink Principality," Bianca informed Shinichi.<p>

"You know, I thought her last name sounded familiar," Shinichi mused.

"You've heard of the Hazelink Principality?" Bianca questioned.

"A lifetime ago," he told her.

* * *

><p>Standing before Shinichi were four visions of beauty.<p>

Moka's dress was an off the shoulder, wine red gown which dipped slightly in the front to reveal a tiny bit of cleavage. The skirt reached down to the floor and she wore a black choker. Kurumu's dress was a baby blue, halter-style dress which had a skirt that reached the floor. The dress exposed her back and the skirt, like Moka's reached the floor as well. Her hair wasn't in its usual ponytail but instead allowed to flow fully down her back like a waterfall. Mizore wore a single shoulder violet dress which also reached down to the floor and was low cut in the back as well. Finally, there was Yukari in a yellow, spaghetti strap dress.

"Girls, you all look absolutely stunning," Shinichi complemented honestly. This caused Moka, Kurumu, Mizore and Yukari to all blush. He was being sincere. They all looked beautiful.

"Well, we this is a high class party so we needed to look our best," boasted Kurumu.

"At least you didn't dress like a call girl," Mizore quipped. Kurumu was about to retort harshly but took in a deep breath.

"Well, I do look great in this dress," boasted Kurumu.

"A lot of the guys were undressing you with their eyes," Mizore added.

Shinichi's eyes narrowed. Someone was undressing his Kurumu with their eyes. Oh, if he ever found them they were gonna receive a bullet enema.

Moka just gazed around, reminded of the parties done at her old family home. It brought back some memories of her upbringing and how lonely it must've been. Well, it hadn't been so bad. She at least had her sisters.

"How about I get you girls some drinks?" Shinichi offered, "Non-alcoholic ones."

* * *

><p>"May I have this dance?" Yuki asked. She was dressed in a snow-white cheongsam with a chinese dragon design on it. Her hair was in its usual style as she smiled at the Shinigami.<p>

"Sure, why not?" Leon accepted as he took her hand. Yuki winked at Hime and Reiri. They would get their chance to dance with the Shinigami as well.

"You dance really well," observed Yuki.

"Learnt it from a relative," Leon answered. Ballroom dancing was something he was made to learn. You'd never know when you'd have to use it.

"You must've been a good student," she added.

"I was and she was a great teacher," he admitted.

* * *

><p>"Everyone, may I have your attention please?" spoke Katsu into a microphone as he stood on stage, calling on the attention of all his guests. "The reason we are all here is important, very important in fact to the Vongola Famiglia. As you all know, I am the 19th generation of leaders to the family. However, as with each generation, there comes a time for the mantel to be passed on." He smiled to the 19th Generation Vongola Guardians who nodded before addressing the crowd, "Today is the day that I introduce to you the 20th generation of the Vongola Famiglia!" Seven spotlights shone down on seven people on the ballroom floor and all eyes were on them. "Yūji Fudō, Shinichi Banabara, Gajeel Redfox, Juvia Loxar, Michiru Masami, Leon Smith and Yokoshima Ryuunosuke-Magi, please step upon the stage."<p>

The seven youths, with the guests' eyes on them, walked towards the stage. The guests parted, giving them a straight path. This was huge, and they could feel all eyes on them, judging them. Michiru and Juvia were nervous but Yūji gave them comforting gazes and a smile as he looked over his shoulder. The seven youths stepped onto the stage and lined up.

"And now it is time to present them each with a symbol of their roles," said Katsu. "Bianca, if you'll please bring out the rings."

Bianca nodded and stepped up onto the stage carrying a black box. On the lid was the coat of arms of the Vongola Famiglia. She bowed too Katsu who opened the box. One by one, the 19th Generation Guardians took a ring corresponding to their Dying Will Flames.

Gildarts Clive stepped towards Shinichi and took his right hand, "You are the second-in-command of the Vongola Famiglia, you will serve your Boss, advise him, protect him, and follow his commands loyally." Shinichi nodded as Gildarts slid the Storm Ring onto his middle finger. "You are the Guardian of the Storm now."

Anastasia smiled tenderly to Michiru as she took the girl's right hand and spoke, "You possess the ability to fool and confuse your enemies with illusions. Use those abilities to defend your Boss." She slid the Mist Ring onto Michiru's middle finger. "You are now the Guardian of the Mist.

Vash grinned as Yokoshima grinned back, albeit nervously. Vash spoke to the Pillbug Cyborg, "You might not be bright up here," Vash pointed jokingly to Yokoshima's head, "But you're bright right here." He pointed to Yokoshima's heart. "Use that bright light to chase away the darkness," Vash said as he slid the ring onto Yokoshima finger, "From now on, you're the Guardian of the Sun."

Owen Holmes bowed to Leon and Leon bowed back. He spoke, "You possess great honor and the ability to strike swiftly. You will use that swiftness to protect the family and defend it from those who wish to harm it." He slid the Cloud Ring onto Leon's finger. "Welcome to the family, Guardian of the Cloud."

"You've got resolve, strong as steel. You never back down and when you strike, you do it as quick as lightnin'," said Father Anderson as he slid the Lightning Ring onto Gajeel's finger. "Make me proud, new Guardian of Lightning."

Morgan smiled at Juvia who was nervous. She was being put on the spot, which was not exactly her comfort zone. However, she would be strong and confident for Yūji. "Juvia Loxar, you are serene like a flowing river, but at any moment you can become as fierce as a tidal wave. With that said, I am honored to officially dub you the new Guardian of the Rain." He slid the Rain Ring on Juvia's finger. Juvia's eyes sparkled as she gazed at the ring.

"Last, but certainly not least, the most important of the rings," said Katsu before he turned to address Yūji. "As my great-grandson, you have a responsibility to lead the Vongola Famiglia, just as I have. After having met you and learning about the kind of man you are, I am proud to call you my heir and successor." Katsu slid the Sky Flame Ring onto Yūji's finger. "From this day forward, you are recognized as the holder of the Sky Flame and 20th Boss of the Vongola Famiglia!"

Katsu then spoke to the guests, "I present to you, the future 20th Boss of the Vongola Famiglia, and the 20th Generation of the Vongola Famiglia!"

As if responding to their hearts, the rings shone and flared up with their respective colored Dying Will Flames. Yūji's ring shone the brightest out of all of them. They had just been introduced as the 20th Generation of the Vongola Famiglia. With that said, the entire ballroom erupted with cheers and applause from the assembled guests.

* * *

><p>Shinichi was surrounded by his girlfriends who stood to admire his new Storm Ring. Nearby, Michiru was showing off her new accessory to Ruby, Misato and Hana. Not far were Gajeel and Leon, though the former was more interested in food as Hime and Reiri admired his newest acquisition. As for Yokoshima, he was being congratulated by Shiroha for his new position. Shinichi then spotted Yūji being congratulated by the other guests. He frowned. This was a huge deal and he wondered if his cousinbig-brother figure would be able to handle it.

Shinichi rolled his eyes at the thought. Oh, who was he kidding? Yūji would be fine. He then spotted Riza and Flannery with Juvia and smiled. Though she was new to their group, Shinichi already considered her a good friend.

Of course, Gajeel decided now was a good time to make a scene. He had a guitar and grabbed a chair before sitting down on the stage. He then started to strum and sing, "Color...colorful...Shooby doo bop! Tremble with love, steel grey metallic! Shooby doo bop!"

Daichi couldn't stand it and shouted, "Get him off the stage!"

"SHOOBY DOO BOP!"

"You know, when I was afraid of him causing a scene, this was not what I was expecting," Shinichi remarked.

"Well, what were you expecting?" Netto asked.

"I dunno. Him eating the silverware I guess," Shinichi replied.

"Where did you get a crazy idea like that?" Netto questioned.

"I've seen Aniki eat flames and he's a fire-type Manakyte, so I thought a Steel Manakyte would eat anything made of metal," commented Shinichi. Netto gave him a look. "Come on, don't you think that Manakytes feed on the elements they draw power from?"

"I dunno," Netto shrugged. "Never studied Manakytes. They're a mystery to me."

Shinichi gazed at the Mana Stone in his glove. "I wonder if this means that I can devour time. How would that work?"

"Ara, ara, such a spirited performance," a familiar voice commented and Shinichi blinked. He turned to find the source and saw Rias with Akeno and the rest of Rias' peerage.

"Ri-chan? Ake-chan?" Shinichi blinked as his eyes went wide. "You came?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, Shin-chan," Akeno hugged him.

"I see you have a new accessory," said Rias as she admired his Storm Ring. "It goes well with the glove."

"It's a huge honor," Shinichi stated, realizing the ring symbolized his position in the Vongola Famiglia. He was Yūji's second-in-command, his right hand man. "I hope I can live up to it." He seemed uncertain. "I mean..." Rias caressed his face.

"I think he's a good judge of character, Shinji-kun," she smiled at him. "And when he chose you, he knew what he was doing."

"...I guess," he said with some doubt fading, but not all of it. He shook his head and smiled, "No, you're right. There's a reason why he thought I was right for this position and I'll do my best."

"Ara, that's the spirit," beamed Akeno.

"It's good to see you girls again," Netto greeted. "Mind if I had a dance with each of you ladies?"

"Certainly," smiled Akeno. "Asia-chan, don't you have something to say?"

Asia's gaze was fixed on Shinichi. He looked back at her and smiled and she blushed while shyly smiling back. Rias leaned in and whispered, "Ask her to dance."

"I will," Shinichi whispered back, "But, remember, she's not the only one." Rias smiled, aware of whom he was referring to. He was going to be changing dance partners very often tonight.

* * *

><p>"This party blows!" Gin fumed. He tried to hit on some of the girls here and was shot down. "It's not fair!" He leaned against the wall, arms crossed, "And I dressed my best too!"<p>

"Same here," Haji agreed. "I got no luck."

"That's because you're a lolicon," Gin muttered. He then spotted Shinichi taking Moka's hand and pulling her to the centre of the dance floor. "And there he is."

"Still jealous of him?" Haji asked.

"A bit," Gin admitted, "But after learning what he went through, I would not want his life. He deserves happiness after all the shit he went through."

"Sun-sempai would be proud of you," Haji smiled and Gin smiled back. "Come on, let's hit the buffet table."

* * *

><p>Shinichi danced with Moka, both of them twirling to the music. He then switched partners and danced with Kurumu, before dancing with Mizore and then Yukari. Finally, Asia got her chance to dance with Shinichi. Yukari, who was watching, felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see Takeru. The younger Raimei brother rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.<p>

"Yukari-chan, look, I know that you're mad at me for what happened, but I want to apologize," Takeru said. "That's all I want to say. I'm sorry, and I really mean it."

"I forgive you," she said.

"Huh? What?" Takeru gaped. "Wait, just like that?"

Yukari explained, "It took me awhile to understand why you and your brother did what you did, and I learnt that when GIN-SHOCKER gets their hooks on you, it's not easy to get away. It's possible, but not easy. You were both put in a difficult position, the same as Shinichi-san. You weren't given much choice, like he was. So, I forgive you. I may not like it, but I forgive you."

Takeru smiled.

"_However_," she added, poking his chest for emphasis, "Never betray or lie to me again. I don't want to lose anymore friends."

"I understand," Takeru nodded. "So, still friends?"

"Still friends," Yukari smiled, "Desu. Now, come on. Let's dance."

"Yes, ma'am," Takeru saluted.

* * *

><p>As Yūji danced, he switched partners. Riza was enjoying herself, despite the unpleasantness involving Leon and Hime. Flannery was energetic and so was Michiru. When it came to Juvia's turn, she was blushing so much and her temperature had risen to the point that steam was almost shooting out of her ears. It was a miracle that she hadn't turned into a puddle and soaked into the carpet, considering the intense emotions she was feeling. She was quite shy and being able to dance with Yūji was probably causing the Undine's heart to beat hard and fast. Blair too urged him to dance with her and Ruby just wanted to be held in his arms. Misato was enjoying every second of dancing with Yūji, and she managed to sneak in a few times of grabbing Yūji's butt. Yūji may have been caught off guard on those times.<p>

Ren and Goemon were also on the dance floor. Ren wearing a gold and silver patterned dress finished with silver plastic slippers. She also wore clip-on gold earrings tipped with diamonds. Ren and Goemon were doing an OK job with dancing.

"See I told you we could get this to work," Ren smiled as she danced with Goemon.

"Yeah I suppose so," Goemon shrugged. "Still wish we didn't do this slow dancing. I like rap dancing better."

"Oh come on, it is not so bad, especially since we are close to each other~," Ren seductively spoke near to Goemon's right ear, causing the Centipede Cyborg to shiver. "You can't lie that I don't look good wearing my dress~."

"Uhh..." Goemon gulped as he couldn't resist Ren's words. "OK, you do look absolutely hot in that dress, I gotta say."

"That's right, my man, and don't you forget it," Ren smirked. She then whispered into Goemon's ear, "Keep up the good job in behaving and maybe we_ can help_ each other out of our clothes and haveour _dirty dancing _in a privatesoundproof room where _no one _will disturb us_._"

Goemon's eyes went wide, his face became a bit red with steam blowing out of his ears. His face then went back to normal and nodded dumbly. Ren giggled at Goemon's reaction as she reached up to Goemon's right side of the face with one of her hands. She then said, _"Good boy."_

* * *

><p>Shinichi went out onto the balcony for some fresh air. He then gazed at the Storm Ring on his finger. He studied it closely. It was so amazing of how such a small thing could hold such significance. It was a symbol which represented his title and rank in the Vongola Famiglia.<p>

"Shinichi-kun?" Moka asked and Shinichi turned his head to smile at her.

"Hey, Moka-chan," he replied.

"What are you doing out here?" she asked.

"Just needed some fresh air," said Shinichi. "Besides, my feet were getting sore from all the dancing." She went to stand next to him. "Moka-chan, remember the day we met?"

"Of course I do," she answered. "That was the day I made my first friend." She remembered it fondly. She ran into someone on her bike who ended up becoming her best friend, and so much more.

"It was so simple then," he recalled. "I had no idea who I was, and when I found out where I was, I wondered if I was human."

"But you are human," she replied.

"Not exactly," said Shinichi. "You and I both know I'm not exactly human after everything I went through." He paused before continuing, "Even though you accepted me, and we have so many friends, sometimes I wondered if I really did belong or fit in. I'm not a Youkai, not exactly human either. I just felt like I really didn't belong anywhere. I wasn't even sure if I had family or if there was a place for me in the world."

"Oh, Shinichi..." Moka took hold of his hand.

"I wondered about my past and now that I know, I wonder if I'm better off not knowing. But, then I learnt I had family and started to consider my place here in the present and where I belong." He then concluded, "I now I know where I belong." He gazed into her eyes. "I belong here, with everyone, my friends, my family." He then leaned in and gave her a kiss. She kissed him back and a few moments later they separated. Her eyes went towards the ring and he asked, "What?"

"That ring looks good on you," said Moka.

"Well, wait a few years and you might be getting one yourself," he suggested. "Come on, let's join the party and make sure Yokoshima doesn't finish up all the food."

"Actually, I think I'll take a bite right now," she said before looping her arms around him. She then kissed his neck before biting down.

CHU~

* * *

><p><strong>Several Months Later...<strong>

Adjusting his ring and straightening his tie, Shinichi stood in front of the gates of Youkai Academy. A lot had happened up until now but that was a story for another time. Today, it was his first day of his second year of Youkai Academy and he was about to step onto the grounds of the school where everything for him had began. This was the place where his new life had started and while he still had a huge weight on his shoulders, his soul now felt lighter. Could it be a sense of closure or a new sense of purpose? Maybe it was a bit of both. Looking back, he couldn't believe how much he had grown. He looked down at his Vongola Storm Ring. This was proof that he wasn't alone in this world, but he already knew that. Even back then, he somehow held onto that tiny bit of hope that there was something still out there for him.

He still had enemies and there were many more battles to fight in the name of atonement. While he still felt he had a lot to make for, at the very least he did not have to do it alone. He always tried to be independent and stand alone. He didn't have to. There was no need to. There were those who cared about him willing to walk the arduous path ahead. Defeating Gebok had been a good start, even if it had been a violent one. At least that chapter of his life was close. There was still more work to be done. However, he was confident that they would be able to pull through.

As Shinichi started to take the first step into Youkai Academy, he heard the sound of a bell from a bicycle. Smiling, he turned and face Moka Akashiya as she was pedalling her bike towards him.

"Moka-san..."

"Shinichi~!"

* * *

><p><strong>KAMEN RIDER CHROME: Bad news everyone. Yeah. As you saw I deleted Volume 2 and joined the chapters with Volume 1. I just didn't want to leave Volume 2 hanging like that and I thought it was for the best and my collaborators agreed. Well, the reason for this that as collaborators we had arguments, conflicts and tension arise regarding future arcs AND IDEAS. Therefore, as of right now, Showa X Vampire is now CANCELLED. I know, we have a lot of storylines left unresolved but that's how it is. However, fortunately, we'll be doing a revamp as we start from scratch. We even set up some ground rules so nobody messes up or pisses anybody off. Hopefully, this time, it will work and we won't end up at each other's throats. So, with that said, thank you for staying with us up until now and I hope you can join us in the REBOOT story!<strong>


	82. Extra Chapter: Departure

**Prologue: Departure**

In an undisclosed location, a team of scientist were working hard on computers and holographic fields. In the middle of their workplace, a holographic globe spun slowly. The room was a mass of chatter as the scientists all give orders at one another. What were they all trying to do? Were the discovering a new planet? Far from it actually. No, they were all looking for someone. Someone very important.

One of the scientists in the room blinked as he saw something familiar. "I got him..." he muttered to himself. Then he stood up and shouted, "I found him!"

Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to him, "You found him? What's his location?" asked another.

"According to the coordinates, latitude 33.323796 degrees North and longitude 65.566406 degrees East," the first scientist said, "He's in Afghanistan!"

"Afghanistan?" a third scientist questioned. "So he managed to get that far? But at least we finally have a fix on his location. It's been three weeks already." He turned back to his terminal and pressed a button, "Strike Team Alpha Bravo, there is now a fix on the target's location! Sending the coordinates now! You are clear to go!"

* * *

><p>Deep within a desert region, a lone figure walked along the sands. His body was covered in a pale brown cloak, concealing his face. The harshness of the hot weather didn't appear to bother him as he continued going forward, leaving footprints on his trail.<p>

"Can't stop, I can't stop. I need to keep moving. Can't stop, I can't stop. I need to keep moving," were the words that he was mumbling. The _only_ words he was mumbling. Right now, whatever was going on in his head, was twisted and warped. He had a maelstrom of emotions that he was unable to comprehend or handle. The memories of their deaths haunted him and he was mentally breaking down. He had experienced many things, many things he wanted to forget. But the only thing he could do now, was keep walking. Also, he was starting to get dehydrated. His body, as modified as it was, still required basic nutrients and water to survive. He'd run out of ration bars and his canteen was nearly empty. Only a few drops of water remained.

As he was walking, he felt the sand beginning to shake and rumble. He stopped instantly, seeing something coming from beyond the sands.

Correction: make that a lot of somethings. His augmented eyes allowed him to focus and he saw humanoid figures. Some were less human-looking and some were also mechanical. A few machines could also be seen in the distance.

"So, they've found me," he concluded. His arm reached out from under his hood and pulled it down, revealing that he was a boy no older than fifteen. His hair was cobalt blue with two strands hanging from his head like antenna. His eyes were as black as coal, hollow and soulless. Actually, not completely soulless. There was some emotionally weariness in them. The boy watched as the hoard approached him closer before they got with several feet from him.

(**Insert Song –Departure –Remastered Tracks Rockman Zero Mythos)**

Before him stood a whole army. There were men with facemasks and skeletal markers on their chests, holding various weapons. Along with them were what appeared to be mechanical ninjas in yellow and red colors. Creatures that looked like a mix of animals and machines. And even machines and tank among them. The numbers looked like they went up to 1000.

He tossed off his cloak to reveal his uniform. The black jacket was dirty with blood and dust, as were the trousers. His boots were worn out from all the walking and his scarf was now in tatters. He had on a backpack he had filled with stolen supplies and he had grenades hanging from his belt and holsters for pistols and a combat knife. Around his waist was a high-tech belt with a red crystal in the center. On the crystal was XIII, which was the Roman numeral for 13.

While he had limited weapons, that did not mean his options were limited. He was a weapon himself. Lina and the NUMBERS had all died for an organization that treated them like tools. BLACK 13 was only kept because he was still useful and when he realized the gravity and the consequences of being part of such an organization, he decided that desertion was a better option.

"BLACK 13!" One of the Cyborg Mutants, Spider-Borg, called out, "There's no escape this time! Return with us now! If you do not comply we will use force! You have nowhere else to run so return the hell back now!"

"Henshin," he whispered. His Spark Core released energy and a wire frame appeared around him as pieces of armor materialized before connecting to his body. The helmet was the final component to form as it covered his head. From head to toe he was clad in a black suit of armor and the eyes on his helmet were blood red, and a V-shaped antenna was on his forehead as his tattered scarf still hung from his neck. The symbol on his left shoulder was the Roman numeral, XIII, in blood red. "Alright, let's go."

And he was like a blur as he charged at them. The battalion quickly took notice and started firing with their guns and tanks. BLACK 13 blurred quickly from each shot, avoiding each one with ease. The bullets went around his armor while the ammunition shells exploded behind him. As he jumped up into high into the air, a tank fired a shell straight at him. BLACK 13 caught in his hand with little effort and spun in the air as he descended, his leg stretching out as it kicked up some of the sand. Standing up, he saw that the humanoid portion of the army had quickly surrounded him. The closest of the GIN-SHOCKER forces became his first victim as swiftly logged the live shell into his chest and jumped over as he exploded. The others attacked, the soldiers shooting, and he used a corpse as a meat shield as he took a grenade and activated it before throwing it. The grenade landed in the middle of a circle of soldiers and exploded. Their bodies were sent flying and BLACK 13 took advantage of the chaotic distraction his grenade had made. A Cyborg Mutant tried to strike at him but he drove his fist into its chest, ripping out its heart then kicked the corpse to knock several of the Cyborg Mutants down. Leaping up to avoid bullets, he unleashed his energy whips and lashed out while spinning in the air.

Landing on one knee, he slammed his palm onto the sand. Suddenly, energy beams burst out, killing and injuring anything within their path. Looking up, he fired laser beams from his eyes and they burned through every obstacle. Standing back up, he bobbed and weaved attacks before countering with his own. The crescent energy blades on his arms and legs were an extension of himself and as a living weapon he had no qualms of using them. He flipped and beheaded one Cyborg Mutant. He surged ahead, performing a dodge-roll, and got back up to perform a sweep kick and his blades took their feet off their legs, literally. The blade had sliced right through and the heat cauterized the wounds so no blood was shed.

A large Cyborg Mutant slammed its fist down on BLACK 13 but he jumped and landed on its back. He put his hand against the back of its head and killed it with a concentrated burst of energy. He bounded off the corpse back and fired his optical lasers with deadly accuracy. While the army was overwhelming in power and numbers, they were disorganized, a fact that BLACK 13 took advantage of.

Still, this was as much a battle of wills as it was of power so he did get hit a few times but he managed a lethal retaliation. Pointing his arms forward, red energy blades jutted out and impaled a wide row of Troopers and Shinobi-Droids, killing each one in an instant as the flashed from an overload of energy. He then allowed the Energy Blades to limp and turn into whips before slicing his victims in half as they blew up in bright flashes. He spun on his heels, swing the whips around as he sliced more Shinobi-Droids that came after him. After retracting his whips, he picked up a corpse which was one whose heart he'd ripped out and stuffed the cavity with an active grenade before tossing the corpse at a few of the soldiers and Cyborg Mutants. He watched as they were taken out when it exploded, sending flesh, blood and guts flying, as the bones turned into deadly shrapnel.

A soldier tried to shoot him with a shotgun but BLACK 13 turned it on the soldier just as the trigger was pulled, blowing a hole through his throat. He took the shotgun and used it on the rest of the soldiers, shooting them in the face. Once his ammo was exhausted he swatted the shotgun up the side of a soldier and took out his combat knife. He next demonstrated his blinding speed and soldiers and Cyborg Mutants fell one after another. He twirled his combat knife in his hand and it was stained red with blood. A tank from far at a corner took aim and fired quickly. As BLACK 13 turned around, the shell made contact and exploded.

As the dust settled, it could be seen that BLACK 13 had down on one knee and had his fist to the sand, producing a red energy barrier. The moment the barrier vanished, he vanished in another blur of motion, images of him warping along the sands. Once he reached the tank, he took hold of it and lifted it over his head before throwing it down on another unfortunate Cyborg Mutant. He leapt upon the roof, tore open the hatch and looked down at the frightened soldiers before dropping three activated grenades inside. He leapt off the tank and made some distance before it exploded, pieces of it flying off and killing soldiers and Cyborg Mutants in their path. He'd just used the tank to make a lot of deadly shrapnel, taking out a huge chunk of the enemy forces.

He was down by two grenades. He then dodged before he was crushed by a Gorilla Cyborg Mutant's Gravity Hammer. He was sent flying by the shockwave with the sand going up. He frowned and rushed at the Gorilla Cyborg Mutant. It drew its arms back to strike again but BLACK 13 shot his lasers into its eyes. It howled in pain and BLACK 13 took the Gravity Hammer from it. He then spun around and slammed its head with the hammer, killing it and sending the body flying. He rushed at the remaining soldiers and used the Gravity Hammer with deadly proficiency. None of his moves were wasted. Attaching the hammer to his back via magnets, he made sure to include it in his arsenal before putting it away in a convenient sub-space pocket for storage.

He was nearly decapitated by a Shinobi-Roid sporting a Laser Saber but he disarmed it, literally, ripping its arm off and claiming the weapon for himself. He drew his combat knife and was dual-wielded both blades as he resumed killing his enemies. His combat knife was shot out of his hand and he turned to see a soldier blasting at him with a pistol that had multiple barrels that spun like a Gatling gun. He rushed and dodged more shots but the beams followed him. He used the Gravity Hammer as a shield to block but was still pushed back towards the shooter. He ran the shooter through with his Laser Saber then put the Gravity Hammer on his back before catching the gun, Vulcan Shooter, in his hand.

He chopped another Shinobi-Roid in half by the waist with his forearm and tore off the torso as the thighs fell. BLACK 13 spun around and what was left of the Shinobi-Roid's arm extended by a cord and knocked away everyone in its way. Dropping the body, he charged at another unit of soldiers shooting at him, glowing with red destructive energy as he did. He went right past them in a blur, his energized strikes blowing them all up before they had a chance to react. He jumped into the air once more, large energy orbs that were as big as cars materializing over him as he did. With a non-verbal command, the balls launched out at several more of the GIN-SHOCKER forces, vaporizing them in an instant with destructive red flashes of explosion. He positioned himself with his feet aimed downward and spun about as red energy glowed from his boots. A red blast shot out and caused yet another eruption, blowing tanks to smithereens. BLACK 13 landed in a crouch and looked up. He had taken out a large number of GIN-SHOCKER's unit, but there were still several more that needed to be dealt with. The numbers were low, but this game was no longer fun.

Standing up, he pulled energy into his Spark Core, allowing himself to glow with brighter tachyon energy. This was all he had left, but at least he would be taking them the rest of them with him. With a roar out at the heavens, a powerful wave of tachyon energy erupted in a huge burst, vaporizing everything and everyone in its path. The blast was so massive as a red dot on the Earth could be seen from the moon.

**(End Song)**

* * *

><p>The desert was silent once again as pieces of metal and bodies laid scattered across the sands. The metal pieces were slowly dissolving away into gas while bodies turned into foam, just to get rid of all the evidence. Standing in the middle of the field was BLACK 13, his armor gone from using his last remaining power.<p>

"I... I did it..." he muttered hoarsely to himself, "But... it costed me... everything..." His Spark Core instantly went into standby mode as his knees failed and he collapsed on the sand, face first. The winds started to grow heavy and picked up the sand around him, effectively covering the blue sky. The sandstorm swarmed all around him as he laid motionless on the ground.

Moments seem to pass as the sandstorm grew. A silhouette could be seen through the flying sands, looking very much human. As he walked closer to the unconscious BLACK 13, his full form could be seen. He was a tall man wearing the clothes of an exorcist priest. Under his hood, yellow eyes glowed ominously. The exorcist eyed the Cyborg with his hands behind his back and smiled. "So this is the boy Topper requested me to bring him?" he asked himself. "He certainly looks like he's been through hell. Well, time to repay my debt." He picked up BLACK 13 and carried him over his shoulder. With his cargo secured, he walked back to where he came from and and vanished without a trace.

* * *

><p>The last remaining members of the battalion, Spider-Borg and Bat-Borg, walked through the sandstorm as they tried to locate the target. "Damn it!" Spider-Borg cursed out, "I can't see a thing! Hey, Bat-Borg, do you have anything?"<p>

"This sandstorm is messing with my echo vision!" Bat-Borg retorted. "I've got nothing! For all we know BLACK 13 could be buried in all this sand by now!"

"Shit...!" Spider-Borg growled, "All of those guys got turned to shreds, and for what? Nothing! We're stuck in the middle of nowhere with all this sand, and now our asses are gonna get fried! We're dead, I tell you! Game over, man! Game over!"

"Knock it, off!" Bat-Borg snapped, knocking his partner on the side of his head. "If he's buried here then all we have to do is dig for him, right? With the rest of those grunts exhausting him, he's ripe for the picking, so quit your whining and-"

"_Bat-Borg! Spider-Borg! Return to base now!"_ a voice ordered in their intercoms.

"General?" Bat-Borg blinked, touching his intercom, "But we haven't located BLACK 13 yet!"

"_BLACK 13's signal has suddenly vanished. Also the sandstorm is screwing with our systems. Any longer in that place and you'll be the ones buried," _ the General replied. _"Return now and await further instructions."_

"Yes sir," Bat-Borg nodded in defeat. A purple portal appeared behind them and both Cyborg Mutants turned around to walk towards it.

"So BLACK 13's signal isn't found?" Spider-Borg frowned. "If that's the case, you think someone beat us to him?"

"As if," Bat-Borg scoffed, "I mean, everyone who's ever found out about GIN-SHOCKER is dead. Who else would know about us?"

* * *

><p>BLACK 13 was still unconscious as he floated in a purple orb of mystical energy. His Spark Core was flashing softly as it was still recharging itself. Before him, the exorcist stood with a small device in hand, using the orb holding BLACK 13 to perform a full body scan.<p>

"Fascinating," the man muttered. "The boy is biologically human. And yet... his body has been heavily modified for battle. So this is what it means to truly be a Cyborg. Half-human, half-machine, a borderline creature." He'd heard of Cyborgs when he was traveling the world, but he'd never seen one up close like this. It was remarkable, and at the same time terrifying. Heck, from what the scans were showing him, this boy could go one on one with Akasha's child, if she was fully awake that is. Hell, he could even be a match for Issa's eldest child, an assassin in her own right, not to mention a SS-Class Vampire as well. Technology was truly capable of both amazing and terrifying things.

As he was scanning the boy, a circle of light appeared in the room and another man rose out of it. He was an odd looking one, dressed in a blue overcoat worn over an orange shirt with pinstriped pants and a yellow bowtie. Perched on top of his head was a tall top hat. He tipped his hat and smiled, "I see you got my message, Tenmei."

The exorcist, Tenme Mikogami, smiled and greeted his guest, "I definitely did. What a strange young man you had me acquire for you." He asked, "So, why did you want me to bring him to you?" asked Mikogami.

"Let's just say the boy has an important destiny and I wanted to invest in it," stated Topper.

"Always the businessman," Mikogami nodded with a knowing smirk. "So what should we do with him?"

"One moment please," Topper said, walking around the orb and facing BLACK 13. He pressed his finger on the orb as it glowed with a soft light. A beam traveled from his finger and straight to his forehead. The light washed over him and vanished quickly, leaving his uniform looking as good as new. "It's done now," Topper said, removing his finger, "This boy no longer remembers anything about GIN-SHOCKER. However there are two problems with this."

"What problems?" Mikogami asked.

"The first problem is that he is now just a blank state," Topper said. "When he awakes, he will be dazed and confused, and won't even remember his own name. The second problem is that his memory block is but a temporary solution. His memories will return to haunt him, but hopefully he will be ready to deal with them when the time comes."

Mikogami rubbed his chin in thought, "You know Topper, the new school term is starting within a week. Perhaps we can have the boy stay here for the time being?"

"Really now?" Topper arched an eyebrow, "Are you sure, old friend? The moment he uses his powers GIN-SHOCKER will find this school."

"It has been pretty boring as of late," Mikogami admitted, "I could use a wildcard to liven things up in this realm of mine. Besides, I honestly detest the idea of people using children as weapons. If Akasha were here, she'd blow that organization to kingdom come after hearing what they had done to this boy. I think it would be karmic payback that GIN-SHOCKER ended up being destroyed by their greatest weapon."

"I like the way you think," Topper grinned. "He'll still need a name though. How about 'Shinichi Sanban' until he gets his memories back?"

"Interesting choice. Can I ask why?" Mikogami questioned.

"Let's just say I have a client who went by that name and leave it at that," said Topper.

"I'll have his Student ID prepared with that name on it. And I will have a new uniform and supplies ready for him," said Mikogami. "So, why did you want me to have him stay in my school?"

"To find a worthwhile reason to fight," was Topper's reason. "All his life he fought because he was ordered to."

"I see..." Mikogami nodded slowly. "Well then, he won't have to worry about that here in Youkai Academy, will we?"

"No, he will not," Topper smiled. "In this school he will find friendship, love, and a true purpose to live and fight. In this school he will face numerous opponents and achieve victory. This school, a school for monster, will also be where he regains his humanity."

"Such poetic irony," remarked Mikogami. "Then again, my school was designed to help my students learn to adapt in the human world. He will benefit from those lessons as he forges new bonds."

"Then I shall leave him in your care, Headmaster Mikogami," said Topper. "Don't let him get killed, alright?"

"I'll look after him as if he were my own child." Mikogami answered. "I also know a few people in high places. They'll look after the boy for me whenever I'm not around."

Topper smiled, "Then I leave the rest to you." He whipped off his hat and tossed it up before jumping upwards. He was sucked into his hat and the hat itself sucked itself in, blinking out of existence.

"He loves to make an exit," Mikogami remarked. He looked to Shinichi, "Now, time to enroll you, Shinichi. I'll list you under 'Special Case' and give you a scholarship so you can attend my school." The next three years of Youkai Academy would definitely be interesting.

It was going to be an interesting three years indeed.


End file.
